The case for NCAA sanctions against PSU

[Crusty]

Mark Schlabach | ESPN.com makes the case for sanctions: http://espn.go.com/college-football...ll-penn-state-nittany-lions-earned-wrath-ncaa

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"If Ohio State can't play in a bowl game this season because former Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel lied to NCAA investigators about his players' receiving free tattoos, how can Penn State play in the postseason after former coach Joe Paterno helped cover up the horrific actions of a serial child rapist?​

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Former FBI director Louis Freeh's investigation found fault with the enitre Penn State culture.​

If North Carolina can't play in the postseason this season because some of its players received improper benefits from agents and committed academic fraud, how can Penn State be eligible for the postseason after its former president and vice president, athletic director and legendary coach fostered a culture in which a pedophile used the school's facilities, sideline passes to games and bowl trips like candy to lure the young boys he molested?​

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And if USC was banned from the postseason for two years and lost more than 20 scholarships because the school failed to oversee the compliance of its most high-profile players, how can Penn State go unpunished by the NCAA when the university's most-high ranking officials failed to even do what was morally right when they learned young boys were violated and the victims and others were probably still at risk?"​

Maybe I am wrong but I think PSU still doesn't get it. Trustees chairwoman Karen Peetz:

"The whole topic of Joe Paterno being honored or not being honored is a very sensitive topic," Peetz said. "We believe that with the report's findings, this is something that will continue to be discussed with the entire university community."​

When asked if the football program had too much power President Rodney Erikson said:

"We should be careful that we don't paint the entire football program over a long period of time with a single brush. "This particular tragedy happened within the football program, but it could have happened in many other places. These things happen in schools, they happen in churches, they happen in youth camps all over. The question is really, were there aspects about the football program that allowed some of these things to continue on? We will certainly look at that." Erickson added that football is "an important part of our whole educational process here."​

Football is an important part of our whole educational process? The only reason for college athletics is that athletic competition builds character and teaches sportsmanship. (I realize that money has now corrupted everyone.) PSU is a football program masquerading as a university.

Erikson seems to be another mindless PSU enabler.

 

[Bornorange]

Yet to hear what the Big 10 is going to do?
They could level some sanctions also, cant they?

 

[rrlbees]

Erickson might have a point if it had been 1 isolated incident. Someone needs to remind him it was TWO FREAKING DECADES OF RAPE AND MOLESTATION .

I bet even the janitors knew.

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[SU2NASA]

Yet to hear what the Big 10 is going to do?
They could level some sanctions also, cant they?

Over on the MGoBlog board, there seems to be a majority calling for the Big Ten to kick out Penn State.

Also, as a Michigan alum I agree, if this had happened at Michigan I'd want the entire program suspended at the very least for years. UofM has been a top-notch academic institution for far longer than football has become what it has, and I wouldn't trade Michigan's reputation as a university for covering up anything even remotely like this. Penn State sickens me and the cult-like culture there must be stopped.

Looking at the comments on Black Shoe Diaries is prime example that they've learned nothing. They say that this situation is the actions of a few, but what's amazing is that there are thousands that are still rationalizing why it isn't a big deal.

Penn State isn't a university, it's a sickness that needs to be purged from masquerading as higher education.

 

[orangepassion]

it would look really bad if PSU didn't get any sanctions.

 

[rrlbees]

Over on the MGoBlog board, there seems to be a majority calling for the Big Ten to kick out Penn State.

Also, as a Michigan alum I agree, if this had happened at Michigan I'd want the entire program suspended at the very least for years. UofM has been a top-notch academic institution for far longer than football has become what it has, and I wouldn't trade Michigan's reputation as a university for covering up anything even remotely like this. Penn State sickens me and the cult-like culture there must be stopped.

Looking at the comments on Black Shoe Diaries is prime example that they've learned nothing. They say that this situation is the actions of a few, but what's amazing is that there are thousands that are still rationalizing why it isn't a big deal.

Penn State isn't a university, it's a sickness that needs to be purged from masquerading as higher education.

Agree. 20 years of this doesn't happen just because of the actions of a few.

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[Consigliere]

Personally I think one word in the statement from Bob Williams is very foreboding:
"university has four key questions concerning compliance with institutional control and ethics policies..."
By directly citing the NCAA ethics policies in his initial statement I think the stage has been set for a severe response.

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[billsin01]

Erickson might have a point if it had been 1 isolated incident. Someone needs to remind him it was TWO FREAKING DECADES OF RAPE AND MOLESTATION .

I bet even the janitors knew.

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And another point here: Yes, there are potential abusers in every walk of life. That's not really the issue. The cover-up on the other hand -- no one can begin to dream of a rationalization for that.

 

[billsin01]

Agree. 20 years of this doesn't happen just because of the actions of a few.

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I don't even think it matters. If it was only a few, but it was the top four in the whole university system (essentially) then you should be cooked and no punishment the NCAA could dispense should be deemed too harsh.

 

[Crusty]

IT IS THE COVER-UP -STUPID!!! Geez, this is Watergate all over again.The only difference is Watergate was a third-rate burglary and PSU was a horrific crime - but for PSU the issue is the cover-up for at least 14 years!
SU2NASA called PSU a cult and I am starting to see his point. I am hoping Consigliere is right about the NCAA.

 

[tipphill]

Mark Schlabach | ESPN.com makes the case for sanctions: http://espn.go.com/college-football...ll-penn-state-nittany-lions-earned-wrath-ncaa

​

"If Ohio State can't play in a bowl game this season because former Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel lied to NCAA investigators about his players' receiving free tattoos, how can Penn State play in the postseason after former coach Joe Paterno helped cover up the horrific actions of a serial child rapist?​

​

Former FBI director Louis Freeh's investigation found fault with the enitre Penn State culture.​

If North Carolina can't play in the postseason this season because some of its players received improper benefits from agents and committed academic fraud, how can Penn State be eligible for the postseason after its former president and vice president, athletic director and legendary coach fostered a culture in which a pedophile used the school's facilities, sideline passes to games and bowl trips like candy to lure the young boys he molested?​

​

And if USC was banned from the postseason for two years and lost more than 20 scholarships because the school failed to oversee the compliance of its most high-profile players, how can Penn State go unpunished by the NCAA when the university's most-high ranking officials failed to even do what was morally right when they learned young boys were violated and the victims and others were probably still at risk?"​

Maybe I am wrong but I think PSU still doesn't get it. Trustees chairwoman Karen Peetz:

"The whole topic of Joe Paterno being honored or not being honored is a very sensitive topic," Peetz said. "We believe that with the report's findings, this is something that will continue to be discussed with the entire university community."​

When asked if the football program had too much power President Rodney Erikson said:

"We should be careful that we don't paint the entire football program over a long period of time with a single brush. "This particular tragedy happened within the football program, but it could have happened in many other places. These things happen in schools, they happen in churches, they happen in youth camps all over. The question is really, were there aspects about the football program that allowed some of these things to continue on? We will certainly look at that." Erickson added that football is "an important part of our whole educational process here."​

Football is an important part of our whole educational process? The only reason for college athletics is that athletic competition builds character and teaches sportsmanship. (I realize that money has now corrupted everyone.) PSU is a football program masquerading as a university.

Erikson seems to be another mindless PSU enabler.

i think this guy has been reading this board as many of us already stated those things except the last 4 paragraphs that are very well simply and directly stated . erikson doen't get it and neither do most of psu cultists including matt millen. i think the reaction pf the psu community, statewide and alumni is as bad as sandusky as they appear to be cult like followers unable to distinguish the ultimate simple right from wrong

 

[NKR1978]

Looking at the comments on Black Shoe Diaries is prime example that they've learned nothing. They say that this situation is the actions of a few, but what's amazing is that there are thousands that are still rationalizing why it isn't a big deal.

Penn State isn't a university, it's a sickness that needs to be purged from masquerading as higher education.

The blackshoediaries comments, along with their S and R boards demonstrate exactly why PSU must face outside punishment. The fact that they continue to make excuses demonstrates exactly why they cannot be left to punish themselves. it's pretty obvious that left to their own devices, they will simply go on as if nothing has happened and put the entire episode behind them.

it blows my mind that they knew about these incidents going back to at least 1998 and likely before, and still did nothing in 2001. the idiot members of the cult should ask themselves what would Paterno had done if it was his grandchild being molested. Paterno's callous inaction led to dozens of boys being molested.

Paterno may not be as evil as sandusky, but he's pretty high up on the scale of evil due to his lack of action.

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[rrlbees]

IT IS THE COVER-UP -STUPID!!! Geez, this is Watergate all over again.The only difference is Watergate was a third-rate burglary and PSU was a horrific crime - but for PSU the issue is the cover-up for at least 14 years!
SU2NASA called PSU a cult and I am starting to see his point. I am hoping Consigliere is right about the NCAA.

PedSt is a cult. An incestuous cult. One where they have their own rules, own belief systems, own morals and own justice system.

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[javadoc]

Mark Schlabach | ESPN.com makes the case for sanctions: http://espn.go.com/college-football...ll-penn-state-nittany-lions-earned-wrath-ncaa

That was a good article, saw it yesterday.

The issue of jurisdiction is clear-cut and stems from the ethics and morals Bylaw(s). I will quote again:

19.01.2 Exemplary Conduct. Individuals employed by or associated with member institutions for the administration, the conduct or the coaching of intercollegiate athletics are, in the final analysis, teachers of young people. Their responsibility is an affirmative one, and they must do more than avoid improper conduct or questionable acts. Their own moral values must be so certain and positive that those younger and more pliable will be influenced by a fine example. Much more is expected of them than of the less critically placed citizen.

The word affirmative is key here, and they even elaborate to make it clear. They don't use the legal term "affirmative duty" but it seems clear that is what they mean. This Bylaw specifically states that you have not only to be a good guy, but you have to act to teach and educate the student-athletes on what it means to be a good guy.

This doesn't mean that the morality police will be patrolling campuses, watching to see if Coach Smith is conducting his daily life lessons seminar. It doesn't mean that a school will get hammered if a coach turns out to be a bum who gets arrested, or some players, on their own, get into trouble.

In this case, a direct chain of authority, starting from the topmost school administrator (who is also called out as the fount of Institutional Control) and descending four levels into the organizational hierarchy:

• refused to act to uphold the highest moral standards etc., thus violating their affirmative duty;
• worse, acted to enable and cover up the highest moral depradations of a child predator, turning the affirmative duty on its head.

Does anyone here doubt that the NCAA has jurisdiction in this case?