The entire episode is criminal and disgusting. Those involved in the matter should be prosecuted fully for their crimes, including those involved in the coverup who should be targeted as accessories to the crimes which occurred after the accessories became aware of Sandusky's use of the program and facilities to commit criminal acts. Responsiblity for this rests with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, not the NCAA. The victims rightfully are entitled to sue and recover compensatory and punitive damages. Responsibility for these matters is vested with counsel for the victims and the federal and state judiciary, not the NCAA. Interesting that we don't hear too many complaints about jackpot justice and runaway juries when cases like this arise and attorneys take the cases on a contingency fee basis. Violations of the Clery Act should be investigated, Fines should be assessed against Penn State in the maximum amounts authorized under the statute. This is the responsibility of the United States Department of Education, not the NCAA. So where does that leave the NCAA? It is a private corporation which presently exists to earn huge profits from the athletic endeavors of unpaid student athletes. Ii is a creature of the law whose statutory authority does not extend to the prosecution of criminal acts. Its charter authorizes administration of collegiate sports in accordance with bylaws and guidelines the complexity of which resembles the Internal Revenue Code, but which do not address punishment of an individual's or institution's commission of crimes which do not fall within the definitions of conduct regulated or prohibited by the NCAA rules. In this regard, the criminal conduct of Sandusky, Paterno and other members of the PSU athletic department and administration have nothing to do with the NCAA. The NCAA's punishment of PSU for these crimes has some visceral appeal, but calls for this action ignore the fact that the NCAA does not have the competence or resources to begin to investigate the matter, let alone to take action against PSU. The NCAA has proven itself incapable of enforcing its rules in simple, clear cut incidents of cheating, yet fans would have the NCAA wade into a morass of factual and legal issues in which it would prove no match with PSU in terms of ability and willingness to litigate the process. Why would one desire that the NCAA, an institution the integrity of which has been compromised repeatedly for the sake of money, but not yet on the scale of PSU, be called upon to act in this matter? It would be the height of hypocrisy and sanctimony to look to the NCAA as a beacon of rightousness in this regard. While we're at it, why not petition the Pope to excommunicate Paterno for his criminal conduct? Action by the NCAA should be limited to a pronouncement of condemnation, a stripping of references to Paterno and Sandusky from all NCAA awards, commendations, achievemnents and records. Let's keep this in perspective. While heinous crimes, injustices and coverups are committed daily across the country, this series of incidents is on the front page of every media outlet for one reason - America's obsession with sports. If this happened in the arts or music department at PSU, few people would spend more than a moment scanning the story lead before moving on to the next account of criminal activity. I wonder how many people who are outraged by this have asked themselves the question, "Why am I so angry and involved with this incident?" Perhaps it is the destruction of the reputation of an arrogant and egotistical sports figure they once respected or revered or the exposure of rank hypocrisy on part of a man the media and millions of fans placed on a pedestal because he coached winning college football teams, an activity which in the great scheme of things really doesn't matter much.
The profession I spent three decades in was a major factor in me not having many "heroes". Fame, wealth, and power aren't necessarily the measuring sticks of "worth" to me. That being said, and the fact that I've never been much of a Penn State fan, I tended to look at Joe Paterno the way most people did, as some kind of fatherly figure who also was a darn good football coach for a lot of years. I was looking at him from the same distance most people were. Paterno's now-confirmed lack of action in the Sandusky crimes, and his apparent efforts over more than a decade to keep those crimes out of the public spotlight for the sake of his football program surprised and sickened me just as much as anyone else, but not because he was some kind of hero. I'm appalled because I thought he'd be the sort of person to at least make a minimal effort to show concern for Sandusky's victims by following up on his report to his AD. He didn't, and that's what's the biggest letdown concerning Paterno to me. The reputation of Penn State athletics isn't worth the suffering inflicted on just one of Sandusky's young victims, much less the dozens, or even more, over a decade of criminal sexual abuse.
// what coolhorn wrote... one of the most concise realistic representations of most of us, me in particular. Precisely me. My posts are my "I cannot believe it" reactions.
One final thought on the Freeh report...I think for at least two reasons, it's foolish to expect the NCAA to take any action against Penn State, much less shut down their football program. The Sandusky crimes are THE most serious ever connected with a university's athletic program, but the NCAA will, in the end, say it is a matter for the courts, and doesn't fall within the NCAA's purview. That leads to the second reason... The NCAA, for the most part, has shown to be pretty toothless, even for much less serious violations. Let's face it...any other violation attributed to a university sports team that you can think of pales in comparison to the Sandusky crimes. If the NCAA has been hesitant to drop the hammer on other programs for lesser violations, I doubt they will touch the Penn State mess with a ten foot pole, lack of institutional control or not. Don't hold your breath waiting on the NCAA to do anything to Penn State. It won't happen.
// I like Sharky's script here. Now it's sounding more realistic. If you're a gum shoe, if you're Raymond Chandler at the typewriter... you think like that. It never occurred to me to ask those questions. Why WOULD someone like Paterno feel inclined to protect someone like Sandusky? Why would others go along with it? Start thinking like that and maybe it all leads somewhere that makes more sense. Now to make it all work out -- according to script, as they say -- Sandusky needs to lose it and come clean and spill the beans. That way he can get reduced time in the slammer. Make a deal, sing like a canary, set the record straight, cut time in the joint. I like it. There has to be something more in all the affairs for years. Has to be.
Penn State is honoring Paterno's upgraded contract, which includes 5.5 mil in payouts to his estate. More for the plaintiffs.
I'll go on record that based on what's public knowledge today there's no chance they get the death penalty and all things considered shouldn't. The idea they should is one thing but that they will is ludicrous.At this point Sandusky doesn't exactly have a lot of credibility. If he has documented evidence that's different but the NCAA isn't going to do much, if anything, based on the testimony of a convicted pedophile. An investigation independent of him is another story.
Shark, that makes sense, bigtime. But, that leads to another question. Could the NCAA, nope, forget it, the NCAA has no power at all. I was going to ask if the NCAA could go back and investigate the 2nd Mile, which stonewalled Louis Freeh. I'm guessing the connection between Joe Paterno and 2nd mile would be an NCAA probe, which has no subpoena powers, so the 2nd mile could stonewall them as well. But wait, could the plaintiffs in the civil suit subpoena 2nd mile execs? They would have subpoena power, correct? You would almost have to have corroborating evidence from who, Sandusky? Could there be anybody else who knew, if indeed the 2nd mile was a slush fund? I don't think former players would testify, I guess that just leaves Sandusky. Now, all of a sudden, Sandusky does become a valuable witness, if he has any evidence. And last, could the info from a civil lawsuit be turned over to the NCAA to put Penn State on probation, and get Penn State to return the $4 million back to whomever raised the dough, and take Joe Paterno's name off the P. State library? I know this is a stretch, but just wow! That would be very interesting.
It pains me to say this, but what the NCAA needs is a Roger Goodell type figure/attitude. If this had been something that had occured with the Cowboys or whatever you can bet there would be no football played that season for that team.
and one other question. Is the 2nd mile still functioning? I bet those guys have long since shredded all of their documents. Can you imagine being the guy the bigshots came to and said shred this box of papers?
I would have to think the Second Mile has been, or soon will be, shut down or, at a minimum, re-organized and re-named. It was founded by a pedophile, and it's name is now indellibly stained with those crimes. Maybe it did some good work and had a lot of good people involved (I frankly don't know anything about beyond it's association with this case). But charities -- by definition -- only survive on the basis of contributions. So, who would ever give money to this institution ever again? The question answers itself.
I hope in it's probably absence that some legit charity or program sprouts up to do some good without the putrid affect that Sandusky brought to Second Mile. Maybe this will be part of some lawsuit and the University has to primarily fund it's start up.
This will give you an idea of why there are more than a few whispers that 2nd Mile served as a slush fund for State Penn football and why JoePutz wouldn't want to disturb his business partners who were also 2nd Mile wheels. Nittany Network
From the looks of that either somebody left the popcorn in the microwave too long or something stinks.
This is not SMU, USC, ou, tOSU or anything else recent for the NCAA. This is unprecedented.. this is far far worse than past violations. To me this IS a football issue and one that is covered by NCAA rules. The primary inaction / cover -up by the Four Horsemen of The State Penn Apocalypse (Spanier, Curley, Schultz & Paterno) violated the NCAA rule - lack of institutional control. They chose to take no action and cover up ongoing crimes for 14 years committed by an employee / coach of the university, committed on university property, team events / bowl games, etc. (Sandusky was employed with PSU some of the time when some crimes were committed). The 4 Horsemen allowed the program - the football program, in effect (as I heard someone else say) to be used as bait for Sandusky's victims. The bottom line was this lack of institutional control - the cover-up - was to protect the football program. Lack of institutional control also allowed crimes against children to continue for 14 YEARS. By not giving this program the death penalty, you further protect and sustain the program that the 4 Horseman were protecting and sustaining. I fully understand and am sympathetic to the innocent(s) in and around the program that will be punished directly and indirectly by the death penalty, but if this horrible scandal does not not rise to the level of justification for the death penalty and sending a message, I certainly don't know what does. DEATH PENALTY!
I agree with Worster. The University did benefit on the field and financially from the clearly orchestrated coverup. The University covered up crimes committed by football staff (on campus) in order to continue winning and making money for the university. PSU would have faced an admittedly smaller scandal had they been forthright in 1998, but they chose to gain the benefit of a coverup rather than face the cost of admitting that Sandusky was using his coaching position to rape children. That's why it's an issue for the NCAA.
"Lack of institutional control" pertains only to how a school/athletic department handles NCAA violations. Some of you would know that had you bothered to read how they define it rather than going by how you would define it.
I put this on another thread (Jay Paterno...) but want to put it here also. ----- Just listening to Comm. Slive speaking at SEC press conference. He just way-laid the Penn State situation by stating (without referring to it, but talking about the integrity of institutions now and forever more) that no program or individual ... here, I'll transcribe from my DVR... he was referring to news of last week. "There must be an effective system of checks and balances within the administrative structure to protect all who come in contact with it, especially those who cannot protect themselves. No one program, no one person, no matter how popular, no matter how successful, can be allowed to derail the soul of an institution." - Mike Slive, live today on ESPN at SEC Media Day To me, does not take rocket science to assess the meaning of that.
The language in the NCAA guidelines, or whatever they are, which addresses ethics, etc., seem to me to provide wide latitude. If the NCAA wants to look at this in terms of NCAA violations they have the coverage needed in that language. They have put PSU on notice that, as the legal strikes against PSU are sewed up the NCAA will be taking up an investigation of their own if such is seen as fitting. I continue to believe that such an investigation will occur and, if such does occur, the result will be fairly devastating sanctions against PSU. This is a PSU football program issue, a PSU football culture issue, and, to whatever degree people feel compelled to worry about the fallout that might unhappily visit teams that have scheduled PSU or rely on the PSU football program's revenue, and overall NCAA football system and culture problem. I am not saying the death penalty will accrue, though Emmert gave an interview over the last few days wherein he essentially indicated that the death penalty was not 'off the table.' I do think that the sanctions will be severe and will cripple PSU football for a number of years. We often bring up the fact that SMU never really recovered, but that should not be seen as a result that would accrue to any team receiving the death penalty. SMU didn't have all that great a history (not insignificant, but not elite) and it was clipped just as the SWC was entering a serious doldrums that would not abate until the Big 12 was formed. SMU got cut out of the seismic shifts in the area's football constellation, which is part of why they could not readily return to competition at high levels. PSU getting the death penalty would not mean the same thing unless the B1G jettisons them and no Big 6 type conference picks them up. I am not sure how the B1G will handle this, but I suspect that sanctions from the legal system and the NCAA will be seen as adequate, which would mean PSU would be in position to recover from a severe set of sanctions within a fairly short period of time, i.e., 5-10 years depending on what you consider recovery.
