Penn State hit with punishments

[carbinemike]

The Paterno statue was removed in the predawn hours of Sunday morning and now the NCAA has announced their punishment for not acting on the Sandusky pedophile charges. $60 million in fines, no bowl games for 4 years, reduced atletic scholarships of 20 and they vacated all team vistories between 1998 and present. It's not the death penalty they could have received but it is more of a slow death. The vacated wins dumps Paterno from the "winningest coach" perch. Bobbie Bowden has it now I believe.

As an alumni, I will be in the minority in these parts and think they they should have been shut down for a year or more. Kids were bruatalized after it could have been stopped...enough said.

What are the thoughts from around the country?

 

[oli700]

I think they should never have taken the wins. The players earned that and as an avid ex football player and state title holder I know what kind of work that takes and I would be pissed if I had earned all those wins just to have them stripped for something I didnt do.

 

[nitesite]

Just so I am clear on one point just where does the $60-million fine go, exactly? And what is the penalty/fine account used for within the NCAA? This is a really serious question to which I am yearning to learn the answer......

I would rather see Paterno memory stripped of the entirety of his honors and statistics, the team members keeping their wins in the football stats, and the entire football program ceasing to exist for five years and then maybe rebuilt. Those students currently there on football scholarships should be allowed to continue their studies on the scholarships already awarded whether thay play or not. If they wish to transfer in order to play somewhere else, they lose whatever scholarship money would otherwise come their way. If they lose a chance at the NFL, oh well.

 

[carbinemike]

Good point and I agree that the players shouldn't have the wins vacated, just the coach.

From what I have read, the players are permitted to leave the team and go elsewhere to play.

Also, the 60 million is supposed to go fight sexual abuse of children and will be in payments over 5 years (I think). Perhaps those involved in the coverup should be shelling out some cash from their deep pockets. The state taxpayers (including me) have tax money supporting the school.

I really expected it to be shut down for a year or two.