I'm not a PSU graduate, but I grew up in PA, and PSU football was HUGE. So many of my graduating class went to PSU, so my facebook feed is overflowing with comments about the NCAA sanctions for PSU.
Here is what was announced this morning:
"The National Collegiate Athletic Association announced a $60 million fine against Penn State University on Monday and banned its football team from the postseason for four years."
What do you think? Is this far/unfair? Does the punishment fit the crime?
Re: nbr: WDYT re: PSU sanctions
I am not sure how I feel - on one hand, shame on the school / football program for letting something like this happen under their watch. The $60 mil seems justified when you think about the horrors those kids went through and the fact that so many officials seemed to cover it up.
But, I don't see how the fine / ban really punishes those that were directly involved with the scandal. It really seems to be directed more at the school than individuals, and maybe that is the point. The football program will suffer for a long time due to this punishment. It seems like the school let football become too important, and this punishment is directed at the university for letting the importance of football at the university get so out of control.
rockychrysler: When you put it that way, that the school let football become too important [and covered up what was going on to protect the entire program], it makes more sense. I think there definitely needs to be punishment, but this seems a little extreme to me. No postseason for the next four years? That's punishing the players who had nothing to do with any of this and I don't agree with that. What happened was horrible. I feel awful for the people whose lives were changed by one disgusting person, but don't punish the innocent.
I went to Virginia Tech, so I understand how important football can be to a school. I can only imagine how die hard fans are taking this disappointment.
LCT - 5.15.14 ~ 9lbs, 22.5 inches
I agree 100%. The victims will be awarded a huge settlement(not that it makes up for what happened to them) and being that the scandal was hidden and covered up for YEARS is a disgrace. I feel that the players should be allowed to move freely to any college that wants them with NO waiting period to play. I think the football program will now suffer for YEARS since they can only recruit one class at a time and will take 4 years to get a full roster.
ETA : I didn't realize they didn't get the "death penalty". I also think this should have been decided sooner as to not leave the current players stuck.
PEOPLE did. People covered it up. Not the school, not the players, not the rest of the programs. And the school, players, and other programs are paying for it now.
LCT - 5.15.14 ~ 9lbs, 22.5 inches
This is the part I have a problem with. They are punishing hundreds of young people who weren't involved at all. DIRECTLY punish those who were, take their scholarships for the next few seasons, make them pay a fine, but it's unfair that all those players for 10+ years have their wins taken away. That doesn't accomplish anything IMO.
I just don't agree with punishing a 40,000+ person student body (athletes included) for the actions/inactions of a handful of people. These sanctions have ZERO impact on the former President, VPs, and AD who covered this up. They are already gone and will hopefully be dealt with in court. That's why I don't agree with the punishments, because it won't affect those who are guilty at all. So now they're just punishing the innocent. Way to go NCAA.
Oh, and it will be nearly impossible for players who choose to leave to find roster room and scholarship money in a comparable program, at least for this year. So regardless of the NCAA waiving their usual rules for transfers, they'll likely still lose a year or more.
LCT - 5.15.14 ~ 9lbs, 22.5 inches
I will never agree with such harsh punishments being brought against a school, student body, and town that are completely innocent. I went there, I was an athlete there, I know the mentality of the school and town. I'm not condoning what happened, but I don't see how punishing people who are 100% innocent (because, like I said, these sanctions aren't affecting Spanier, Curley, Schultz, and Sandusky) is the right thing to do.
LCT - 5.15.14 ~ 9lbs, 22.5 inches
that's my point though, I don't think the entire university needs to suffer so greatly for something 5 people did/didn't do. The university loves football, no doubt, but those admins chose to let that motivate their actions/inactions - no one forced them to be assholes. Is no one supposed to be passionate about anything in fear that it will lead to punishments in case something unthinkable happens that they weren't even involved in?
LCT - 5.15.14 ~ 9lbs, 22.5 inches