When this column was originally written several weeks ago, it looked better suited for the trash than the paper.

I felt that way until early last week when two former University of San Diego men’s basketball players and one former assistant coach were indicted by a grand jury for their alleged involvement in a point-shaving scheme. The news reminded me that my point-shaving column deserved to be printed; even if it alienated me from NIU athletics.

Point shaving happens when student-athletes accept money to make certain their team doesn’t cover the published point spread. Play to win, but just by fewer points than the Las Vegas sports books predict.

While point shaving is simple to understand, the consequences could not be more complicated. Toledo found that out when six former Rockets were indicted for allegedly rigging football and men’s basketball games from 2003-2006. Toledo has done a phenomenal job of burying the scandal, but the ongoing court case still represents a major scar on the Mid-American Conference. The allegedly-mischievous Rockets showed that mid-major conferences produce the perfect conditions for a point-shaving scheme. Men’s basketball in the MAC may be most susceptible.

Reasons for concern: Players on MAC basketball teams usually have little-to-no NBA potential. Ergo, a student-athlete might be more willing to take a risk if they know there isn’t a multi-million dollar contract coming their way.

Henry Hill (the inspiration for the film “Goodfellas” and the ringleader of the 1978-79 Boston College point shaving scandal) described in a May 9, 2007 USA Today article why players with little pro-potential are easy targets.

“Everybody has a number. Everybody is corruptible. I don’t care who it is,” Hill told USA Today’s Michael McCarthy. “It’s just a matter of how much – and how much they think they can get away with. You offer a kid 10 large ($10,000), he’s at least going to think about it.”

There are other concerns as well:

* MAC players are not risking a national title when they play with the outcome of games. An NCAA Tournament bid is usually considered the ceiling for most teams.

* There is not nearly as much exposure to MAC basketball as there is to Big East, Big Ten, Pac 10, etc. So, who’s going to notice if Joe Schmo from the MAC misses a free-throw late in the game to keep his team from covering the spread?

There aren’t many large point-spreads in the MAC, and few people are surprised if a team can’t cover a six-point spread.

It all comes down to the character level of any given school’s coaching staff. NIU is fortunate to have Mark Montgomery leading the Huskies. In just one meeting with the former Michigan State assistant, it was easy to see he only wants players without the character questions that define point-shaving scandals.

Then again, I thought writing this column was a good idea, so my word may not be the best to take to the bank.