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FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. – The National Collegiate Athletic Association has handed down unprecedented penalties against the Penn State football program in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal and the ensuing cover-up by the college. A recent report found Penn State failed to protect children who were sexually abused by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.
What Do You Think Of Sanctions Against Penn State?
View ResultsWhat Do You Think Of Sanctions Against Penn State?
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The penalties are too severe
40% -
The penalties are just right
30% -
The penalties aren't enough
29%
Sandusky, a former defensive coordinator under Paterno, is in jail awaiting sentencing after being found guilty on 45 charges of sexually abusing 10 boys during a period of 15 years.
The NCAA has levied the following penalties against Penn State:
- A $60 million fine, equal to a year's worth of revenue by the football program.
- A four-year ban from postseason and bowl play.
- All wins from 1998 through 2011 are to be vacated (111 wins), thus removing former head coach Joe Paterno from the top of the all-time wins list.
- Loss of 20 scholarships per year over four years
- Five years of probation.
NCAA President Mark Emmert said current Penn State players are free to transfer schools and play immediately for a new school, waiving the usual one-year transfer waiting period.
What do you think of the NCAA's sanctions against Penn State? Take our poll.
Comments (6)
I have seen that some people feel that Penn State University should have put up more of a fight against the NCAA, in an effort to have the penalties reduced. The Paterno family released a statement that said that the University failed to live up to its responsibilities in protecting the school from NCAA sanctions.
What those people and the Paterno family have failed to grasp, is that the University finds itself in an untenable position. If they fought the sanctions, in any way, they would have looked as if they thought that they didn't deserve punishment. The acceptance of the penalties will allow the school to begin to move forward.
Nothing will remove the stain on the reputation that Penn State had worked so hard to build and protect. But from this point on, they have the opportunity to create a new tradition. And they will have to do it with the entire nation watching.
As the old adage goes, they made their bed, now they have to lie in it.
Some students and alumni have complained that the vacated games are not an appropriate penalty. Yet, it seems they were victories won on the backs of abused boys. If the violent abuse of children is not reason enough to hand down severe penalties to this program - as done with financial, ego - driven and historical records at stake, than what is the point. Penn State (fans/alumni, et al) love to point to their record of success. Let the penalties point to their record of failure.
The Athletic Director, VP Administration and President are all facing jail time. The campus police should also face jail time. Otherwise, the National Collegiate Admiration Association has gone over the top to protect its multibillion $ cartel and its TV ratings. What is difficult to understand is that the administration has signed off on this. Is RICO prosecution by the Feds far behind?
The loss of scholarships was not immediately reported. It has been added to the list of sanctions in the article.
Eric - don't forget that they lose scholarships as well. That's another key aspect to this. It's akin to the death penalty b/c most kids will not go to a school if they can't get to a bowl. Then, if you take away some scholarships, it will take them a long time to rebuild the program. Probably a decade, if I were to guess.