OT: Penn State Postseason Eligibility Restored

[Toga]

If the NCAA checks in their rear view mirror right about now they'll see their integrity.

Objects in your rear view mirror are smaller than they appear. Much smaller.

 

[Jeepers]

I can understand lifting penalties, but doing it a quarter way into a season just screams some kind of sketchy BS.

 

[rrlbees]

But in nearly all of those cases the schools were gaining some type of an advantage on the field, in this case there wasn't.

Because it's rare a school breaks the morals clause.

 

[tep624]

But in nearly all of those cases the schools were gaining some type of an advantage on the field, in this case there wasn't.

You could make the argument that the sheer purpose of covering this entire disgusting situation up was to maintain the reputation of the program, and the reputation of the program impacts their ability to recruit, which in turn is an advantage on the field. Better personnel is always an advantage.

Their motives for doing what they did, to me, aren't much different than SMU's motives for doing what they did. PSU was trying to prevent a black mark on the program which would in turn be a competitive disadvantage in recruiting; SMU was at a competitive disadvantage and decided to start paying recruits to bridge that gap.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Because it's rare a school breaks the morals clause.

Well apparently the NCAA doesn't care much about breaking the morals clause.

 

[Moontan]

As horrific as that situation was it didnt give PSU an advantage on the football field

JoePa disagrees... he feared that the revelation of Sandusky's actions would negatively impact recruiting and may have resulted inNCAA sanctions. So, yes, the cover-up and the enabling of Sandusky did provide an indirect on-the-field advantage for PSU. They deserve(d) Death.

 

[HOFCeluck]

So basically the NCAA is saying "Do whatever you want. LITERALLY anything you want."

 

[Full_Rebar]

No comment...

Onward State ‏@OnwardState 10m
A Joe Paterno cutout makes its appearance at an Old Main rally celebrating the end of the bowl ban. (photo: @rysChen)

 

[Chip]

Such outrage against the NCAA but people were cool with us playing them last year when we should have canceled.

I don't think the two items could be more unrelated.

It wasn't some reward for PSU to play us. It would have been a punishment to SU if we cancelled it.

However, PSU having everything lifted essentially means the NCAA is running themselves like a prison. Released on good behavior.

I'm sure all the child molesters in the world are rejoicing, they're probably building a Ray Rice statue.

 

[Noexcuse]

Any word yet about when the NCAA is going to restore the lives of the kids who were molested?

 

[rrlbees]

I don't think the two items could be more unrelated. It wasn't some reward for PSU to play us. It would have been a punishment to SU if we cancelled it. However, PSU having everything lifted essentially means the NCAA is running themselves like a prison. Released on good behavior. I'm sure all the child molesters in the world are rejoicing, they're probably building a Ray Rice statue.

They are exactly related.

 

[Chip]

They are exactly related.

Just so I'm clear, you think that people who think it's wrong that the NCAA is letting PSU out of their announced penalty, really should have nothing to say if they were ok with SU going forward with their game against PSU last year?

If yes, I might be in the minority, but...wow.

 

[rrlbees]

Just so I'm clear, you think that people who think it's wrong that the NCAA is letting PSU out of their announced penalty, really should have nothing to say if they were ok with SU going forward with their game against PSU last year? If yes, I might be in the minority, but...wow.

Exactly. On one hand they blast the NCAA because of what PedSt is and got off easy. On the other, it is the same PedSt but people were ok playing them. It's the same enabling university either way.

 

[Opus]

I bet Ray (nothing to see here) Gricar loves this decision.

 

[Moontan]

It's the same enabling university either way.

Then, by extension, anyone who attended the game or watched it on TV has also shown his/her hand and should not be afforded a chance to protest the NCAA's move to put an early end to the sanctions. Interesting.

Short of paying a large amount to MetLife Stadium (and PSU?), there really was no viable way out of that game. The rest of the series was dropped.

Full disclosure: I watched last year's PSU game on TV, yet have been a vocal proponent on SyracuseFan.com for the Death Penalty.

 

[rrlbees]

Then, by extension, anyone who attended the game or watched it on TV has also shown his/her hand and should not be afforded a chance to protest the NCAA's move to put an early end to the sanctions. Interesting. Short of paying a large amount to MetLife Stadium (and PSU?), there really was no viable way out of that game. The rest of the series was dropped. Full disclosure: I watched last year's PSU game on TV, yet have been a vocal proponent on SyracuseFan.com for the Death Penalty.

If you want to go to that extension fine. But it's not fans that have much power to change it. SU could have made an attempt based on what PedSt condoned and insisting the contract be voided. It's my opinion that that game should never have been played even if it cost us money.

 

[djcon57]

Would be nice if we could discuss this awful incident and the terrible president that the NCAA is establishing without using the jokey "PED STATE" moniker. It's not funny.

 

[rrlbees]

Would be nice if we could discuss this awful incident and the terrible president that the NCAA is establishing without using the jokey "PED STATE" moniker. It's not funny.

I agree, it's not funny.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

As much as your probably right the death penalty was never an option that was going to fly. As horrific as that situation was it didnt give PSU an advantage on the football field which is what is needed ie the SMU situation in which a death penalty situation could apply, and even at that point SMU had been on probation already and warned repeatedly to stop before they finally got the death penalty.

The problem the NCAA ultimately ran into is that everyone who was reponsible for that horrific scenario playing out is either A. Dead B. In Jail C. No longer associated with the program. At this point your punishing PSU superfans and current players who probably couldnt pick Sandusky out of a lineup if you paid them. The NCAA was scared S less that a federal jury would side with PSU and hit them with huge damages so they basically folded there tent at this point and said "mission accomplished". I always figured the sanctions would never last the entire time it was enivitable unfortunately.

Good Post. Agree 100%. I am sure the NCAA did their homework here and figured best to cut bait. I also agree, Sandusky is in jail, Paterno dead. Old coaches all gone, AD as well. although given Franklin's past probably another issue right around the corner, certainly not to this magnitude but he's proven far from clean

 

[Eric15]

I'm fine being in the minority on this, but I personally have no problem with lifting the bowl ban. By all accounts, Penn State has instituted wide-spread internal reforms and checks/balances to ensure this never happens again. The people specifically responsible for this unspeakable atrocity are either dead, in prison, or awaiting trial.

 

[SmilinBob]

One thing that bothers me is that the longer you hide something the better off you will be. This person is gone, this one is dead...hey it wasn't our fault. It was an institutional problem and hidden throughout the whole program. Hopefully new rules can be put in place from this horrific action and the NCAA or whomever claims to be in charge can make the school responsible for their actions. The longer you hide it the harsher the punishment.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I'm fine being in the minority on this, but I personally have no problem with lifting the bowl ban. By all accounts, Penn State has instituted wide-spread internal reforms and checks/balances to ensure this never happens again. The people specifically responsible for this unspeakable atrocity are either dead, in prison, or awaiting trial.

The CULTure that permits child rape to be swept under the rug in the name of winning football games is still prevalent, as evidenced by those twitter pics. The students and alumni see THEMSELVES as the victims here because they lost a few schollies and bowl games. That program really deserves far worse.

At the very least, the punishment is far less than what Bruce Pearl got for having a barbeque.

 

[RF2044]

So basically the NCAA is saying "Do whatever you want. LITERALLY anything you want."

That appears to sum it up. And it puts a new spin on the Big12 commish's comments from earlier this summer that it is worthwhile to cheat, given the cost/benefit associated with the risk of getting caught.

Mark Emmert came in championing himself as an innovative reformer. Instead, he's proven to be an enabler who circumvents the rules at every possible opportunity himself, and lacks any semblance of a backbone when it comes to enforcement. The NCAA has always been hypocritical, but under his "leadership" they've taken hypocrisy to an entirely new level. And possibly rendered themselves unnecessary in the process.

 

[javadoc]

Mark Emmert came in championing himself as an innovative reformer. Instead, he's proven to be an enabler who circumvents the rules at every possible opportunity himself, and lacks any semblance of a backbone when it comes to enforcement. The NCAA has always been hypocritical, but under his "leadership" they've taken hypocrisy to an entirely new level. And possibly rendered themselves unnecessary in the process.

Really curious what any breakaway organization would have done in this case. My guess, nothing at all. Membership is not predicated on good institutional behavior, and no "morals clause" exists.

 

[retro44]

I find the timing very strange here by the NCAA as this comes right after the weekend where the national media says the Big Mess was knocked out of the tittle chase in the 2nd. week.

The Big Network and their advertisers were steering down a major embarrassment to all the people who were forced to buy their crap.

George Mitchell should be ashamed of himself for recommending Penn St. for sainthood