Thoughts on PSU

[redbengal1000]

NCAA's Penn State Sanctions WAY Too Lenient | Bleacher Report

Thought it was a pretty good article describing the penalty. PSU deserved everything they got, and it could have been much, much worse. I understand all the devoted PSU fans, but there's a time when you gotta step back and be a human before a football fan.

 

[cincygrad]

It's a tricky case..... It's very clear that the football culture at Penn State led to a dangerous situation where football coaches had control over the entire university and community..... In this case that contributed to horrible crimes - In other cases it might have led to major recruiting/cheating violations. Regardless that type of culture always leads to abuse.

On the other hand, since when does the NCAA get involved with legal matters? Traditionally, the NCAA imposed sanctions to maintain 'competitive balance.' If you broke recruiting laws or had players shaving points, they would impose penalties to ensure a 'level' playing field for all of the member schools. This is slightly different. By comparison, a few years ago at the University of Virginia one LaCrosse player (a male) murdered another (a female). Many folks cited the program as one with little oversight on the players behavior (they called it a drinking culture, etc.)..... The NCAA refused to get involved or investigate (to my knowledge). Why not?

Anyway, I think it's clear that Penn State was a program that lost it's way and I'm sickened by the fact that they let that predator continue his way..... For that reason I suppose I'm 'happy' that they were penalized - Just not sure what it means for the future.

 

[futballiscool]

They deserved the death peanlty. This was close enough I guess.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

What it means is everyones tuition who work hard to go to school there and have devoted their education to PENN, will be the biggest losers, because the $60 million has to come from somewhere, and it sure is not going to be the athletic programs or someones specifics pocket.

Sure, fine the university, but instead of making them pay 60 million, make them deduct tuition costs from the regular students. The regular students paying to go there didn't do anything wrong, but they will be the ones punished ultimately.

 

[cincygrad]

What it means is everyones tuition who work hard to go to school there and have devoted their education to PENN, will be the biggest losers, because the $60 million has to come from somewhere, and it sure is not going to be the athletic programs or someones specifics pocket.

Sure, fine the university, but instead of making them pay 60 million, make them deduct tuition costs from the regular students. The regular students paying to go there didn't do anything wrong, but they will be the ones punished ultimately.

Not sure how accurate this is..... Sure the 60 million is a hit, but athletic departments carry their own budgets and when it comes down to it most of the money will be taken from that budget. The real losers will be the other athletic teams at the university -- They are often funded by football revenues. The same revenue that will go to the 60 million. The football team will still create plenty of revenue -- There are people from all over Pennsylvania that would show up in Happy Valley to watch a bunch of us play football if we happened to be wearing the jersey. As far as I know the team is still due money from the Big 10 network as well..... This is the reason why they didn't want the death penalty. As long as they are playing, they will make money. They'll suck, but they'll make money. For the next 2 seasons a bunch of drunk locals will sit around chanting 'We are Penn State' while being blown out by Northwestern. Fan interest might start to lessen after the first two years, but they'll be back..... What else is there to do in central PA?

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Not sure how accurate this is..... Sure the 60 million is a hit, but athletic departments carry their own budgets and when it comes down to it most of the money will be taken from that budget. The real losers will be the other athletic teams at the university -- They are often funded by football revenues. The same revenue that will go to the 60 million. The football team will still create plenty of revenue -- There are people from all over Pennsylvania that would show up in Happy Valley to watch a bunch of us play football if we happened to be wearing the jersey. As far as I know the team is still due money from the Big 10 network as well..... This is the reason why they didn't want the death penalty. As long as they are playing, they will make money. They'll suck, but they'll make money. For the next 2 seasons a bunch of drunk locals will sit around chanting 'We are Penn State' while being blown out by Northwestern. Fan interest might start to lessen after the first two years, but they'll be back..... What else is there to do in central PA?

:hdn:

 

[cravnravn]

What else is there to do in central PA?

Pick your poision, there is plenty to do, U have Hershey just to the south, Pocono Mountains, summertime its used as a swim club, fall and winter some of the areas best skiing..Bars everywhere in Happy Valley.

 

[cincygrad]

:hdn:

lol!

 

[cincygrad]

What else is there to do in central PA?

Pick your poision, there is plenty to do, U have Hershey just to the south, Pocono Mountains, summertime its used as a swim club, fall and winter some of the areas best skiing..Bars everywhere in Happy Valley.

Yes, I realize there is plenty to do outside, etc., etc.... But, the Penn State fans lived for football season. It was a pretty big scene in that town and it's not simply going to go away just because they are on probation. They'll make cash - They'll just stink.

 

[flamingrey]

It's a tricky case..... It's very clear that the football culture at Penn State led to a dangerous situation where football coaches had control over the entire university and community..... In this case that contributed to horrible crimes - In other cases it might have led to major recruiting/cheating violations. Regardless that type of culture always leads to abuse.

On the other hand, since when does the NCAA get involved with legal matters? Traditionally, the NCAA imposed sanctions to maintain 'competitive balance.' If you broke recruiting laws or had players shaving points, they would impose penalties to ensure a 'level' playing field for all of the member schools. This is slightly different. By comparison, a few years ago at the University of Virginia one LaCrosse player (a male) murdered another (a female). Many folks cited the program as one with little oversight on the players behavior (they called it a drinking culture, etc.)..... The NCAA refused to get involved or investigate (to my knowledge). Why not?

Anyway, I think it's clear that Penn State was a program that lost it's way and I'm sickened by the fact that they let that predator continue his way..... For that reason I suppose I'm 'happy' that they were penalized - Just not sure what it means for the future.

I think that's an apples-oranges comparison. This scandal was DIRECTLY related to the football program moving all the way up the chains to the president of the university. The LaCrosse player was an individual on the football team. You aren't going to hold a team accountable for one player's actions; however, you are going to hold a team accountable for that team's actions. This unique scandal included EVERYONE directly responsible for the team: Coach+Athletic Director+VP+President.

Personally, I think this penalty is worse than the death penalty, but at the same time better. It's worse than the death penalty because it actually punishes those responsible. For that same integrity of the football program they allowed kids to be sexually abused for a decade, the NCAA stripped that integrity from them for the good part of a decade. But on the same note, it's better for the school as it doesn't punish those that had nothing to do with it as harshly: other teams that are funded by the football program, the students who love their football, and the players that worked hard to get to that point who would have a much harder time transferring and/or finding play time elsewhere having already chosen Penn State.

I think the punishment fits great.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I believe it's one of those things where something had to be done. I don't know if this was the "right" call or not, but I think it was fair.

It's so hard to really say what should be done. On one hand the NCAA is more about making sure the playing field is level and everyone abides by the same rules and regulations with regards to recruiting, playing, etc...

On the other hand, you can't allow a coach to simply cover up the crimes commited, and have those same crimes swept under the rug by a school administration. Granted, there are laws and a justice system that should be taking care of these things, but I would think that failure to disclose the matter at hand would be at the core of the NCAA, even though it is not directly related to sports or the football program itself, it is the access of a coach through the football program, and covred up with lies by the head coach and to the top of the university that connects the dots from football to the university as a whole.

Such a tricky thing, but I think it was handled the right way by the NCAA.

 

[DanBengalfan]

I want to review the facts on this case before commenting.

but I don't want to throw up.

 

[cravnravn]

I want to review the facts on this case before commenting.

but I don't want to throw up.

See that little blue dude in Crashs post? substitute the sheep with little jimmy