Penn State Penalty Poll

[DanOregon]

Reading the reactions from Wetzel, Forde and Mandel really surprised me. Seems like writers are slamming the NCAA for the severity and/or getting involved, while the TV/radio people think it isn't enough.

And yeah, I know - another Penn State poll. Sorry.

 

[StaggerLee]

I voted the last option (NCAA should have waited). I honestly don't know what to think other than Jerry Sandusky deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars thinking about what he did to those kids.

I don't know that punishing a football program that has already begun removing itself from the Sandusky scandal is the answer. That's why I voted the way I did. I think the NCAA should have waited instead of catering to a blood-thirsty society set on toppling the Penn State empire.

I understand that the current Nittany Lions and future Nittany Lions have the freedom to go wherever they choose, but I don't know they they're having to bear the brunt of the punishment. Why should their future be altered because of something that happened long before they ever stepped foot on that campus?

That's just my $.02.

Edited because I'm a moron.

 

[Care Bear]

I know it's hard not to think of Sandusky as a total ****, but his name is Jerry.

 

[Yodel]

I think it's about right. Probably could have done more. I rarely like anything the NCAA does, but getting involved in this matter was clearly the right thing. I see StaggerLee's point, but I think the NCAA did about what it should have done.

 

[Tom Petty]

I voted the last option (NCAA should have waited). I honestly don't know what to think other than Richard Sandusky deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars thinking about what he did to those kids.

I don't know that punishing a football program that has already begun removing itself from the Sandusky scandal is the answer. That's why I voted the way I did. I think the NCAA should have waited instead of catering to a blood-thirsty society set on toppling the Penn State empire.

I understand that the current Nittany Lions and future Nittany Lions have the freedom to go wherever they choose, but I don't know they they're having to bear the brunt of the punishment. Why should their future be altered because of something that happened long before they ever stepped foot on that campus?

That's just my $.02.

Because administration attempted to cover up child rape and turned a blind eye, and last year's coach also turned a blind eye to child rape. Both also continued to allow the man to use the facility as a raping ground of children. I dunno, dude. That's enough for me.

 

[HanSenSE]

Since they don't have law enforcement powers, what else could the NCAA do? I don't think waiting would have made for a different result. And how are the players being punished? Because they can't go to Florida for a week and collect some bowl swag?

 

[Hokie_pokie]

Ignoring the obvious logistical hurdles that I could care less about, I think the NCAA should've included a one-year suspension, effective immediately, in addition to all the other penalties.

Then, when preseason camp didn't open and the season never started, this whole tragic, sordid mess really would've served as a significant teachable moment for anyone who ever again considers putting football ahead of innocent children.

And the PSU admin would've swallowed hard but accepted those terms, too. They're certainly not in a position to challenge anything at this point.

Opportunity lost. Oh well.

 

[Ace]

The NCAA's problem is that it rarely has the opportunity or authority to punish those most responsible for breaking rules. The players are gone by the time sanctions hit. Head coaches too, except for a few loyal assistants who dive on the hand grenades.

All the NCAA can do is deal with the program. What do you want them to do? Buy a carton of smokes for someone who'll stick a shiv in Jerry Sandusky?

They needed to send a strong message here and did.

 

[bigpern23]

I wouldn't have had a problem if the NCAA came down harder and issued a one-year or multi-year suspension of the football program, but the penalties they handed down are pretty strong. Seems about right.

 

[Stitch]

Can we please be spared of "Think of the innocent kids" line regarding Penn State, or pretty much any school the NCAA sanctions? Punishments are centered on the program. I'm not going to get worked up over an innocent kid affected by NCAA sanctions when there are much more important issues to deal with in society.

Innocent people are punished for the actions of a few all of the time. I remember being able to go to airport gates without needed a boarding pass. I remember going to professional games without needing to open my bag or screened by a metal detector.

There are plenty of instances where the actions of a few affect the future of the whole.

 

[Shoeless Joe]

I voted "about right" because I'm fine with any penalties going forward but don't like the vacating of wins. And that doesn't have anything to do with this particular case. I just don't like the rewriting of history.

 

[MightyMouse]

I voted the last option (NCAA should have waited). I honestly don't know what to think other than Richard Sandusky deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars thinking about what he did to those kids.

I don't know that punishing a football program that has already begun removing itself from the Sandusky scandal is the answer. That's why I voted the way I did. I think the NCAA should have waited instead of catering to a blood-thirsty society set on toppling the Penn State empire.

I understand that the current Nittany Lions and future Nittany Lions have the freedom to go wherever they choose, but I don't know they they're having to bear the brunt of the punishment. Why should their future be altered because of something that happened long before they ever stepped foot on that campus?

That's just my $.02.

Because administration attempted to cover up child rape and turned a blind eye, and last year's coach also turned a blind eye to child rape. Both also continued to allow the man to use the facility as a raping ground of children. I dunno, dude. That's enough for me.

Stop, stop, stop feeling sorry for the athletes being punished for something someone else did. Just stop.

That's what happens when you're part of a team. Other peoples' actions affect you all the time.

Also, considering the fact that they can transfer without penalty OR keep their scholarships without even playing football this season, I refuse to see any PSU football player as a victim in this case.

 

[Stitch]

I voted the last option (NCAA should have waited). I honestly don't know what to think other than Richard Sandusky deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars thinking about what he did to those kids.

I don't know that punishing a football program that has already begun removing itself from the Sandusky scandal is the answer. That's why I voted the way I did. I think the NCAA should have waited instead of catering to a blood-thirsty society set on toppling the Penn State empire.

I understand that the current Nittany Lions and future Nittany Lions have the freedom to go wherever they choose, but I don't know they they're having to bear the brunt of the punishment. Why should their future be altered because of something that happened long before they ever stepped foot on that campus?

That's just my $.02.

It's just football. College students should understand there's more to life than what they do on a field. In any case, those who don't have a future in the NFL or CFL should have realized that fact already.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I have mixed feelings. I wanted the program to get the death penalty, but I'm glad the $60 mil will be given to charities... But that's one year's worth of football revenue for the school. I think they should have suspended the program for a year and added that to the current sanctions.

Remember when people were talking about how devastated USC was going to be from the Reggie Bush sanctions? Yeah, well, the Trojans are a national title contender this year.

I don't think it's going to be nearly as devastating as people think.

 

[trifectarich]

If the NCAA wants to start handing out penalties for matters that don't pertain to its rules, it's going to have to hire 2,000 people for enforcement and there will no teams eligible for postseason play.

 

[qtlaw]

Penn State football needed to be stripped of all that it had accumulated the past 14 yeas (if not more) while the administrators ignored that a pedophile was in their midst.

The program needed to be torn down because PSU should not have been allowed to continue to reap the benefits of its football 1st mentality.

The innocent "student-athletes" still have the opportunity to work towards a degree at PSU without restrictions. Academically there is no change. Isn't that what the goal supposed to be?

Football wise, you have the same coaches and the same facilities. No change there. Oh wait, you lose scholarships and you lose the right to play one extra game.

If that makes you want to leave, fine you have that option. Don't complain otherwise, you are showing that your priority was to win, not study.

 

[Mystery Meat II]

I voted the last option (NCAA should have waited). I honestly don't know what to think other than Richard Sandusky deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars thinking about what he did to those kids.

I don't know that punishing a football program that has already begun removing itself from the Sandusky scandal is the answer. That's why I voted the way I did. I think the NCAA should have waited instead of catering to a blood-thirsty society set on toppling the Penn State empire.

I understand that the current Nittany Lions and future Nittany Lions have the freedom to go wherever they choose, but I don't know they they're having to bear the brunt of the punishment. Why should their future be altered because of something that happened long before they ever stepped foot on that campus?

That's just my $.02.

Because administration attempted to cover up child rape and turned a blind eye, and last year's coach also turned a blind eye to child rape. Both also continued to allow the man to use the facility as a raping ground of children. I dunno, dude. That's enough for me.

Stop, stop, stop feeling sorry for the athletes being punished for something someone else did. Just stop.

That's what happens when you're part of a team. Other peoples' actions affect you all the time.

Kind of like how reporters and editors get laid off because of financial blunders by upper management? I'm pretty sure you don't see a lot of "oh well, that's what happens when you're part of a team" arguments on the journalism topics board.

I don't think you don't punish a program at all because of it, but let's not act like there's nothing wrong with collateral damage either.

 

[DanOregon]

If you are a scholarship football player at Penn State right now you are guaranteed that the rest of your education is paid for as long as you stay eligible, whether you play or don't. No other student-athletes outside of the service academies have that guarantee.
They shouldn't look at the NCAA and wonder why they did this to them, they should look at their former coaches and administrators.

 

[Stitch]

If you are a scholarship football player at Penn State right now you are guaranteed that the rest of your education is paid for as long as you stay eligible, whether you play or don't. No other student-athletes outside of the service academies have that guarantee.
They shouldn't look at the NCAA and wonder why they did this to them, they should look at their former coaches and administrators.

I didn't feel too bad when Notre Dame cut wrestling when a guy from my high school was a freshman there. He was smart and took the free education.

 

[turski7]

I like the monetary fine. I think the NCAA should, from this point forward, hit schools who violate bylaws with a fine in addition to any penalties. Since money is all the schools care about, then hit 'em where it hurts.
I thought the scholarships and postseason ban were a bit over the top. I would've been fine with USC-like sanctions, but the NCAA took advantage of Penn State because PSU had no argument to stand on. PSU has to take anything thrown at them and like it. It's as much about PR and grandstanding as it is about morals and ethics for the NCAA. They just jumped on the bandwagon.
Hell, they didn't even do their own investigation. Just copy/paste from the Freeh Report and they were done.