Did the NCAA do enough?

The NCAA has weighed in on the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

There were concerns going into their announcement. 

1. Do they have the right to apply punishment for a situation that did not directly effect the field of play.  That is to say, Jerry Sandusky's actions did not give the Nittany Lions an advantage on the field like a recruiting violation would have.

2. With the acts being well into the criminal realm of things, should the NCAA leave the punishments up the criminal and legal systems now that the involved people are no longer employed by Penn State University?

3. The NCAA response came very quickly, relative to their past action.  This was a matter of days from the release of the Freeh report, as where it was years after the Reggie Bush scandal that USC got their punishment.

In response to these items, would say that the NCAA can not let this pass without making a statement.  They need to make it clear to their member universities that they will not abide the utter disregard for basic human rights by the groups that reside under their umbrella and banner.  As for those who are concerned that they are rushing, I would say that if you look at the start of the discovery of items as the beginning of their process, that there has been plenty of due diligence done.  After all, the Freeh report was commissioned by Penn State and in now disputed prior facts, which makes it fair for the NCAA to take it as a confirmation of those facts.  This is especially true, when you take Mr. Freeh's reputation and professional experience into account.

So, now the question is, are the punishments the right thing?  Are they enough?  Are they too much?  Now, I recognize, that from some people's POV, there is not enough punishment short of the permanent abolition of the sports programs at Penn State University.  I beleive that is an emotional argument though.  Not that emotion has no place in this kind of situation.  I would exect that all of us felt a visceral response to this scandal, especially those of us who have been a parent or caregiver at any point in our lives.  The concept that these boys were singled out for having no protector in their lives and were brutalized and used like they were by someone purporting to fill that role for them, is beyong despicable.  As far as I am concerned, Jerry Sandusky should be placed in general population.  He does not deserve the protection of the state.  But I digress

Here are the punishments that were handed down by the NCAA.

1. A 60 Million Dollar sanction to be used to fund an endowment to fund programs working to prevent abuse and/or assist victims.  It was also a point in this that the programs would be entirely external to Penn State University.  This number represents an entire years income for the football team.  It is important to recognize that this is a fine of the size that the enrire school will feel the affects.  The team is used to fund many other programs and teams.  This is not a slap on the wrist.  It could likely be a decade before the effects of this fine are overcome.

2. The 4 year football post-season ban will do a few things.  It will prevent Penn State from playing any bowl game.  It will prevent them from playing in any conference championship game.  It will also prevent them from gaining the income that comes from those contests.  These payouts are regularly in the 7 figures as well as providing one of the major recruiting tools.  These first 2 punishments will have a synergistic financial effect on the University, and the football program especially.  It should, in short order, vastly weaken the program that Joe Paterno and his overseers were trying to protect. 

3. All wins will be vacated back to 1998.  It is a major point of pride in Happy Valley that Joe Paterno was the all-time Division 1 wins leaders

4. 10 scholarships will be immediately lost and 20 total each year for 4 years following from the football program.  This will weaken the team on the field, which is the source of any ability the program has to recover.


I look at these punishments as being a legitimate attempt to do 3 things. 

1. Try to make some good of this terrible situation by turning one of the biggest offending entities into one of the biggest funders of those working to eliminate this particular type of abuse.

2. Take away any benefit that was gained from protecting the Penn State program above these children.  Your sainted coach's sterling reputation is forever tarnished, at best.  Said coach is not only no longer the all time wins leader, he is not in the top 10, having lost every win since the first proven report.  I like this point because had it come out that his trusted assistant was a pedophile at the time, it would very possible ended his career.  It was hidden to protect him and his program, so any benefit of that protection should be stripped away. 

3. Specifically, the program was put above all else, so the program should be purposefully weakened.  The fine, the shot to the public reputation, and the combined hit to recruiting from the lack of scholarships and postseason play, will cripple this program.

I think this is a fine approach. 

No punishment will heal the damage, but the point here is to show that no benefit will come of protecting the evil in our world.  It will not overlooked.  The best thing for everyone involved is to do the right thing, immediately. 

Do not trust that someone else will make the hard choice for you. 

Do not leave it to someone else to do the heavy lifting. 

If you do, things are just going to be thrown back on  you. 

And they should be.