Penn State and the Freeh Report (Page 3)

Looks like the NCAA hammered them indeed.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--penn-state-sanctions-mark-emmert-four-year-bowl-ban-60-million-fine.html

So the verdict came down.

1) $60 mill fine

2) scholarship reduction from 25 to 15 per year for 4 years and they are allowing immediate transfer of any athletes that would like to leave

3) 4 yr post season/ bowl ban

4) vacate all wins from 1998 through 2011

5) 5 yr probation and subject to an academic integrity monitor (whatever this means)

Justification:

http://www.ncaa.com/content/ncaa-letter-penn-state

I have to admit that I did nto think the NCAA had any jurisdiction in this (And I searched and searched for some bylaws but was never able to find them), but after reading the letter and seeing the articles, I must admit that I see the connection they are making.

I am concerned about the lack of investigation, but I am hearing (can not confirm it) that Penn State is agreeing to be judge by whatever the Freeh report found.  I am also concerned about the precedent this makes as far as the NCAA's involvement with it's member institution.  This has gone farther than they ever have before.  While I actually don't think they handed down a stiff enough punishment, I really don't know that I like them being involved at all in it, just as a principle.

PSU got off easily. And Emmert said, in his press conference that (paraphrasing) "the death penalty would have affected too many people not directly responsible for the issue", including other sports, vendors, workers, etc. 

What that says: "Football is too big to fail". 

Jonah, IMHO, is right, death penalty is the only real solution. As handed down, the penalty affects the administration and the budget and Paterno's legacy, but leaves the 3rd parties - vendors, boosters, etc. largely unscathed. They didn't, and won't get the message that it's not football first; in fact, they'll get the opposite message. In order to affect change the penalty has to be relevant to everyone that created the culture. This punishment falls short of that. 

The statue of Joe Paterno is being taken down as an action of the University.

His name remains on the library.

Interesting side note:

With the sanctions - The last QB to 'win' a Penn State game was Mike McQueary in 1997

I have to agree.  While I don't know exactly how I feel about the NCAA being involved (I am coming around), my feeling was that IF they were going to be involved, there really is no other punishment that should be considered other than the death penalty.  I think they did 2 things today that were both failures on the NCAA's part.  1) they showed the whole college world that the death penalty is now off the table as far as a punishment goes.  There is NOTHING you can do that would result in that punishment.  2) That football actually does trump everything/everyone else.

I wholeheartedly disagree with this statement: "the death penalty would have affected too many people not directly responsible for the issue", including other sports, vendors, workers, etc." While I agree that it would have effected them, immediate transfers being allowed and continued scholarship support if they choose not to transfer takes care of the athletes, I'm not sure that vendors should be considered, "the workers" is truly an unfortunate side effect, But I still feel like some thing trump that.

I do not understand why this comes as a surprise to anyone.  This has been the case for football both professional and college for decades.

The death penalty IS off the table.  I watched a special last night about the SMU program, which recieved the death penalty in 1987.  The NCAA, at the time, figured it would take the program 4-6 years to rebound from the program being dismantled.  As it turned out, 25 years later the program has still not returned to anything that resembles what it was.  The NCAA has pretty much stated they would do anything to avoid the death penalty after seeing that.

While I could agree with the death penalty in this case.....their are still many,many people connected to that program who don't deserve to lose their jobs.....I'm thinking stadium workers, concessionaires, and all of the people it takes to run/support a big time college football program.

I'm happy with the penalty.......it's fair.

NM

The immediate transfer(s), I would think, would put a HUGE hurt in their program.

Yes, but I am glad that this is being allowed.  These kids had nothing to do with it, and it should not hurt their football aspirations by forcing them to wait a year before a transfer.  

It shouldn't be.  Naive idealism I suppose.

couple unrelated thoughts: A) they had the opportunity to rise above on this one and didn't. 2) In order for the death penalty to be a deterrent, it actually has to be used on occasion,  At this point heading up a program, I don't know how much fear I have of the NCAA.

What scares me the most, and nags at the back of my mind, is that Sandusky's boldness and carelessness were what eventually caught him.  It was because he felt invincible in that culture of silence.  It's a frightening thought that there are other abusers out there who are far more covert.  It's on all of us to keep our eyes open and look out for kids who can't look out for themselves.

Seeing his wife's comments at trial, in particular, disgusted me.  I can't for one minute believe she had no knowledge of what was going on.

As for Penn State football... I think the program should survive.  Punish those involved in the cover up.  They should be blacklisted from any further involvement at ANY school, IMO.  But it isn't fair to rip the program away from the athletes and many, many others in the school and community whose livelihood ties into it.  I think the NCAA has done ok so far in that regard.

I just read an article describing the penalties as "worse" than the death penalty, and it made  a valid point.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--penn-state-sanctions-postseason-ban-mark-emmert-ncaa--60-million-scholarships-.html

The penalties handed down will cripple the football program for years to come. More importantly, a 1 yr death penalty would almost allow the program to continue its "business as usual", with no change in culture, just a little bit of patience. The penalties will force a new way of looking at things, with PSU probably becoming a mediocre team for the next 4 years and beyond.

Agreed. Also sickening is Paterno's widow claiming that its unfair that Joe did not get a trial. I am sure that the victims would love nothing more than having Paterno stand trial and having to face the people he hurt by his lack of actions.

And....the inevitable. 

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/07/penn-state-board-of-trustees-reaction-rolled-over-played-dead/1

A trustee is now claiming that PSU administration didn't consult the trustees in agreeing to the 'consent' to the NCAA punishment. Could lead to further PSU shakeups, a challenge to the sanctions, or likely both. 

Funny part is...this guy is claiming that if the trustees weren't involved, how can they control or be responsible for an outcome that's in the best interest of the university?...Exactly the lack of institutional control that got them there in the first place. 

Another "funny" thing? He became a Board member after Paterno was fired, because he disagreed with the firing. His "campaign" to be elected included tributes to Joe Paterno. So not exactly un-biased.

Perhaps they can hire whoever worked for OJ to find the real killer.

I'm okay with most of the penalties, especially since it allows players to transfer without sitting out a year.  They had nothing to do with anything, so they should not be punished IMO.

What I do have a problem with initially (so maybe someone can clear this up for me) is the $60M fine.  Where does this money come from?  Penn St is not a private college, so it's money is part of the state budget...or am I wrong here?  People who donate money to the football program (boosters) are doing so thinking there money is going to improve the program, not pay for NCAA fines.  Can Penn St. use this money to pay for the fine?  And if so, are boosters allowed to ask for their money back?  Will tuition costs rise?  Will academic programs suffer in funding because of this?  Will the taxpayers pay for it?

If you want to fine someone, fine the people responsible.  Sandusky, Paterno (who obviously can't be fined now), and the other officials deemed to have covered this up.  This is one thing I hate about NCAA penalties.  They often don't penalize the right people.  A coach gets caught with recruiting violations, the school gets penalized and fires their coach.  Then the coach gets another job with no penalty.  I don't get it.  How is this penalty going to stop the few people in power that can possibly make such poor decisions. 

The plenty I really do not understand is forfeiting games from the last 3 years?  I really do not understand that one.