Penn State's football program shouldn't suffer

Whats next

An article from outside Pennsylvania

One thought I have on this that we can influence is what happens to the PSU program. My personal opinion is they should lost a season or two of football (no games, period) and that PSU forfeit any wins and titles from the point they were made aware of Sandusky's crimes and chose to do nothing. Yes, that means Paterno no longer has the most wins. Paterno was the definition of micromanager, don't tell me he didn't know what was going on.

The NCAA is investigating and the catch phrases are "lack of institutional control" and ethical conduct of coaches. I think we should advocate institutional punishment for this. The NCAA cannot allow its prestige, excitement and heroes to be used as carrots to abuse children.

-

Problem is that its hard to separate. Did Lavar Arrington realize he was being used as a reward? How about the coaches that more than one victim pointed out saw them in the locker room. Sandusky's behavior was actually pretty pronounced and hard to ignore. Go look at the Stop It Now website and compare his behavior. All of those coaches over the years, clueless, really? I don't buy it. Paterno was noted for knowing everyone who was partying last night, where and with whom. Nobody got away with anything there. Snitches were cultivated and encouraged by Paterno. What punishing the program does is show everyone down to the players that it is not acceptable to look the other way. How many players at Ohio State had nothing to do with cell phones and tattoos?

-

One of the links above is to a Penn Live.com reporter whose beat is reporting on PSU recruiting. A lot of denial there. But when you look at the NCAA historically, the punishment is not for Sandusky's actions per se. Had Paterno, in his meeting with McQueary, gotten up and dialed 911, nobody would be talking about sanctions. Instead, he met with his bosses, NONE OF WHOM even bother to a) talk to Sandusky or b) identify the victim. Sandusky was supposedly told not to bring boys into the shower with him but that wasn't even enforced. They continued to play on for a decade like nothing happened.

Now the NCAA is looking in to "loss of institutional control" concerning the ethical conduct of the PSU coaching staff. Remember, Sandusky was a coach on staff for much of the abuse. When he wasn't on staff he was a coach emeritus with lifetime access to the team which he exercised daily. Much of the abuse occurred in the team's locker facilities. It was known to the other coaches on staff. It was known to the cleaning staff. Two occasions that are proven were brought to the attention of the administration. Incidents also occurred on team trips (Alamo Bowl and others). Meet/greets with PSU staff, players and past players where used as bait/rewards.

It boils down to Sandusky was a part of the program, acted unethically and the coaching staff was aware of his conduct but failed to act. This high of a profile case, the NCAA is going to levy sanctions and they will be harsh. Another thing people are forgetting is that under the Clery Act, there are sanctions possible to include jeopardizing PSU's ability to receive financial aid such as Pell Grants and subsidized student loans.

None of which would have happened had Paterno picked up the phone and reported the rape to the police rather than his boss. Paterno did not molest those boys, but he did destroy his own reputation as well as that of the school and program he pretty much built into what it is today.

As to the student athletes, look at SMU, all of those players were either granted transfers without waiting periods or allowed extra years of eligibility. None of these guys are going to suffer. You also have to consider that a thousand decisions of the administration that students have no say in affect them in many ways. This is life. The boys that were abused didn't have much choice either, yet they suffered when PSU admin did nothing to stop Sandusky.

Maybe next time the administration of another school will react a little differently.