Well, it looks like the USOC really is imploding. Between the new independent investigation of CEO Lloyd Ward and the investigation of President Marty Mankamyer, I’m not sure which end is up. I still think that Ward committed an ethics violation. And I still think that only way out for the USOC is for some heads to roll. But it’s no longer clear that Ward’s head should be the one, although I still think that his is the leading contender.

My initial speculation was that Ward politicked the ethics committee into it’s initial conclusion. I still think that is the leading contender. But, the new conspiracy theory is that Mankamyer orchestrated the ethics committee verdict in order to produce a firestorm that would force Ward’s ouster. That strikes me as a bit far-fetched, but I’ll just have to wait and see.