I call B$ on PSU.

Or maybe it's the media.

I'm tired of hearing about how Penn State has started the "healing process."

From what exactly is Penn State healing?

One year without football. And the removal of Joe Pa's statue.

Release the players on scholarship to go to other schools if they choose.

It's unfortunate that it will hurt the business owners in State College.

But, the root of the problem is that football is a $100 million / year business for PSU.  

If there is no financial pain, there is no incentive to change.  If the NCAA won't shut a program down for this, what does it take?

Joe Pa showed that he cared more about his football program than anything else.

It isn't right.

Those who covered this up, imo, are as guilty as Sandusky and should be treated as such.

However, I don't think shutting down any PSU athletic programs is the answer, it's not the kids fault. If the NCAA could make it so every red cent from that program went to charity that would be something I would be for. the Joe Pa statue has to go, it just has to.

The "student" athletes (remember they ACTUALLY graduate under Paterno) did nothing wrong and should not be punished .

Moreover it is totally too damn late for any transfers to be arranged at the D 1 level . Rosters and scholarships have long ago been committed for the coming season and why would u or the NCAA  make any kid sit it out  for the transgressions of others?

Spanier as the Chief Executive Officer of a major corp PSU has the ultimate responsibility and WAS asleep at the wheel . The Board of Trustees ,  the AD and his  Athletic Board ,  and  SOME of the Senior Executive staff @ PSU are all lax . However as President Spanier is the ultimate executive in charge and will be haunted by this for decades

warp daddy wrote

 Moreover it is totally too damn late for any transfers to be arranged at the D 1 level . Rosters and scholarships have long ago been committed for the coming season and why would u or the NCAA  make any kid sit it out  for the transgressions of others?

The criminal organization known as the NCAA does this (penalize the innocent) all the time. Recent cases include Ohio St and USC.

In this case, where it would be proper to close the PSU football business for one year, the NCAA will do nothing. There is too much money to be made. However, if one of the coaches texted a recruit too many times there would be massive penalties.

This coverup was driven by money. Nobody had the balls to fire  Paterno in the early 2000s because of the massive amounts of donations Paterno pulled in to PSU. When the abuse was first reported it went nowhere in an effort to maintain the giant money making business of PSU football. Obviously the non profit PSU was more interested in cash then saving children from the raping animal Sandusky.

Even when this abuse became public knowledge, Paterno was negotiating a new contract with all the perks inluding use of the PSU jet , luxury box use, and special access to the training facilities all for Paterno and his family. The fact that he could not see the magnitude of his inaction shows how no one man should ever be bigger than the institution he "works" for. He was the King and he let a child rapist run wild in his PSU kingdom.

It makes me sick to my stomach.

Whatever happens nothing will make up for what went on.  I dont think the football team is at fault, or the community. Both of which will suffer for the neglect of others.  The people that knew as well as the trustees should all be fired and people with direct information regarding the abuse should be prosecuted.  They should go to jail for facilitating the actions of a child predator.

Lots of rumors from $60M fine....

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-07-22/penn-state-sanctions-to-come-tomorrow-as-paterno-statue-removed

...up to some significant penalties...

Wow. If that screenshot is accurate, just wow.

I don't really follow college football much and I don't really care for how it is currently operated (basically as a second tier pro sport with free athletic labor). So I have nothing in this game except contempt already. And it seems some sort of sanction might be appropriate.

But to decimate an entire program and as a result the entire University (on top of the damage already done to itself due to the incident and resulting media coverage) seems a bit extreme. I know we are dealing with fall out from a very evil crime with internal cover up. But how many people should pay the price? Shouldn't it mostly be the people that perpetrated the cover ups? I bet there will be lots of job cuts at PSU and many people/businesses in the area that make their livelihood due to attendance at games and enrollment at the University will be really hurt.

It looks like a lot of it came to pass.

Re the argument that the wrong people are being punished and that this should be about criminal prosecution:

The NCAA only has jurisdiction over the the football program. They can't prosecute anyone. (Unfortunately the laws may not be currently in place to prosecute - maybe that will change.)

The counterpoint to the above unfair argument (and I agree it isn't quite right) is that this huge industry that formed around Penn State football is why no one was willing to speak out. Too much was at stake. You could argue that the NCAA's message is that if you are going to base your business or your future or whatever on an institution, and it's corrupt, you may be vulnerable.  An (admittedly extreme) analogy - lots of businesses went down when slavery was disassembled, or Hitler's war machine. I guess the NCAA felt that without a draconian response, nothing would change at all the other schools who operate in the same way.

I guess the question remains - is Penn State a learning institution or a business. I don't know the answer.

Harvey44 wrote

The NCAA only has jurisdiction over the the football program. They can't prosecute anyone. (Unfortunately the laws may not be currently in place to prosecute - maybe that will change.)

I guess the question remains - is Penn State a learning institution or a business. I don't know the answer.

Thankfully the NCAA cannot prosecute. They have problems dealing with sports issues.

Penn State is absolutely a business. Beaver Stadium has 106,527 seats and has seen over 110,000 fans enter the gates. There are 60 luxury boxes. They are on TV multiple times per season and as members of the Big 10/NCAA share huge amounts of cash with other Big 10/NCAA members. All this cash is earned on the backs of unpaid "students". They do not pay taxes on all the earned income. There is obviously very little oversight from Pennsylvania.

"Non-profit" business is clearly a misnomer. Non-taxed business might be a better name for a place like Penn St.

Fact:  EVERY college and or University is BOTH a learning institution AND a business. These concepts are NOT mutually exclusive . Much of any institution revenue is generated by auxilary enterprises which may or may not be in the regular operating budgets , subsidiary enterprises often run bookstores , other services and most if not all have foundations, athletic boosters etc .

Moreover ANY president worth his/her salt has the best interests at heart and often generates gifts from donors for the betterment of students, faculty, staff, Capitol construction etc AND is accountable to RUN THESE FUNCTIONS LIKE A BUSINESS and ensure not only survival BUT also growth and development .

At PSU. Spanier FAILED period, he let the JOCK empire get out of control and failed to exercise presidential leadership which often has to step on toes to do the right thing . he simply believed his own PR image and that PENN STATE had too much at risk which in the end was HIS and PSU's undoing. The thing they feared the most bit them in the ass as a result of their timidity and mendacity.

I do however feel the players are being unduly penalized and RIVERCOIL brings out an EXCELLENT point that many innocent folks will suffer job losses as a result of these sanctions.

University Presidents must have the courage to do the RIGHT things  to do anything less often results in tragic  or at least sub optimal results. it is a difficult role but you need to check your ego at the door and realize it is FAR better to be respected than loved. In the end this is textbook stuff for HOW NOT TO LEAD !!!

The PSU deniers continue to blow my mind.  I just saw Former Arkansas Gov Mike Huckabee make this comment about Joe Paterno:

"It's terrible when someone has a distinguished career that is marred by an incident at the end. Unfortunately that is how he'll be remembered."

WTF? Joe Paterno's career wasn't marred by an incident at the end.  His life long pattern of win at all cost, morality be damned was discovered and correctly precipitated the end of his career.

Sorry to harp, this drives me nuts.

self inflicted wound, nearly fatal.

Seems like the outrage is gone.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/12179571/joe-paterno-111-wins-were-vacated-restored

Amazing how certain people can get away with anything and there are no consequences.

Chris Brown beat the shit out of a woman, Paterno covered up for a child molester for 15 years, Laura Bush killed a guy and there haven't really been any lasting consequences (not saying those are all equal, just making the point that there is a lot of leniency towards specific people for some reason).

There's a reason that "us vs. them" narratives work, and it's because there's a lot of inequality in wealth, the justice system, and life in general.

mattchuck2 wrote

There's a reason that "us vs. them" narratives work, and it's because there's a lot of inequality in wealth, the justice system, and life in general.

Absolutely true - life sure isn't fair and society plays favorites. Sometimes outrage works to correct this, sometimes it backfires. I have never figured it out, I just try not to let it get to me.

Outside of the Penn St faithful, there are very few people singing praise to Paterno and his memory.

PeeTex wrote

society plays favorites

Society is us.  Does anyone think that if PS football didn't generate $50M a year in revenue this would have happened?

I am guilty too.

I saw Peter Paul and Mary on TV tonight doing some fundraiser for PBS. I love their music and still listen to it in the car. Shame on me.   Their music is like Paternos wins.

Peter got convicted of sexual assault in the 70s and Jimmy Carter pardoned him. Because he was famous. And now he's on PBS. What a bunch of crap.

What?

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2016/09/16/penn-state-to-honor-late-nittany-lions-coach-joe-paterno.html

Just don't know what to believe anymore