Nearly 40 years ago a TV commercial for a car dealer opened an NCAA can of worms that would deal the University of Hawaii men’s basketball program what became, in essence, a decade-long blow.

Now, we’re about to see how well UH can excavate itself from under another NCAA investigation.

The NCAA reportedly wound up a wide-ranging seven-month inquiry of the Rainbow Warriors with final interviews Friday, meaning UH is now on the clock.

This is the point where, with an exhibition opener Nov. 6 and an official notice of allegations due shortly, UH makes its biggest move since investigators first set foot on campus in March.

The smart play, if the NCAA has even half the goods on UH that rampant athletic department speculation suggests, is to self impose meaningful sanctions before the Committee on Infractions lambastes it with the 417-page Division I Manual.

Recent history tells us only the snow-pure innocent — or those intent on pressing their luck — ignore such an opportunity. 

And, if you are UH, where an alleged clumsily altered number on a certified bank form of a recruit first raised red flags with the NCAA, your luck ran out a while ago.

This is where the modern-day mea culpa, self-imposed sanctions, come into play and athletic director Ben Jay said they are under discussion.

They could take any of a number of forms, including suspending or firing coaches or administrators involved in wrongdoing, holding players out of games, reducing scholarships or practices.  

Greg Sankey, chairman of the NCAA Committee on Infractions, would not address the UH case in particular but told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, in general terms, "I think that, of late, (self-imposing sanctions) is becoming a pretty standard protocol."

Increasingly, NCAA officials say, they look for signs that a school not only takes action but undertakes serious corrective measures that underline the severity of the infractions.

Delivering them on bent knee to NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis is optional.

"As a general matter, the COI does weigh a school’s cooperation with the enforcement staff in making any penalty decision and certainly considers the school’s self-imposed penalties as well," said Rodney Uphoff, a University of Missouri law professor and committee member.

Recent legislation also allows the COI to consider a wider range of both mitigating and aggravating factors in meting out penalties.

That’s in large part why UH retained an Alabama law firm that specializes in NCAA infractions, Lightfoot, Franklin & White, in August for up to $20,000 plus travel and expenses, to advise it on the case. 

Under terms of the contract, the firm is to advise UH on the "strengths and weaknesses" of the case against it, offer strategies and evaluate the "probable range of results." 

Word on campus is that interim Manoa Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman is taking more of a hands-on role in the situation than his predecessor.

That’s a good sign because, with all that is riding on it, UH needs to get this one right.  

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.