The Imfamous Girdle
The almighty NCAA cracked down on Clemson University last week, claiming that Clemson violated rules. Charges of “improper attire” were thrown against the Tigers, and head coach Dabo Swinney agreed to cancel two practices as a punishment. Today, we at The Matador learned what the great transgression was that forced the NCAA to crack down on the Tigers. Girdles. Yes, girdles. For those unfamiliar with the term, Webster’s dictionary offers a definition: “something that encircles or confines: as a : an article of dress encircling the body usually at the waist b : a woman’s close-fitting undergarment often boned and usually elasticized that extends from the waist to below the hips.
Girdles are used in football to hold hip pads and they go directly over the player’s boxers. Apparently the NCAA rulebooks prevents items such as girdles from being used during the first two practices of the season. Bylaw 17.9.2.3 (d) prohibits players from wearing any “protective equipment” other than helmets during the first two days of the mandatory five-day acclimation period. Thankfully, the NCAA has decided to clear Clemson of any wrongdoing concerning the Girdle scandal, and the school will not be penalized further. NCAA spokeswoman, Jennifer Kearns, issued the following statement, “For secondary violations of this type, the NCAA typically provides relief from the standard two-for-one penalty when the impermissible attire consists of only spider pads or padded girdles, and no contact occurred during the practice… I should explain too, that the rules about padding are in place for the safety and wellness of student-athletes during the acclimation.”
It’s nice to see that the good folks in Clemson have put this behind them. Maybe next time they will be a little more careful about getting caught with their pants down.
