Penn State Fallout

There are some things that are black and white. Nobody is on the fence about whether Sandusky’s actions were sick, degrading and reprehensible. Most people admit that Paterno was at best negligent and at worst criminal. The question of the fairness of Penn State’s NCAA penalties is that gray area where reasonable people can disagree.

The important question that needs to be asked isn’t whether the NCAA overstepped its legal bounds. The question is about whether this punishment fits the crime. The select group of people that are responsible for setting this regrettable sideshow in motion are in no way impacted by the penalties imposed as a result of a stated “lack of institutional control”. Sandusky will get what’s coming to him inside a Pennsylvania jail. Paterno is not around to see the dismantling of his legacy. Curley and Schultz are no longer reaping any benefits of being a privileged member of the Penn State community. Once again, the real victims in this situation are the kids. The kids who have committed to living out their dreams and playing for Penn State as well as the kids who have yet to realize that their destiny will be intertwined with this university. Is that really the right move?

These penalties reek of an organization, namely the NCAA, trying to discreetly wipe the egg off of their face and change the conversation. After years of holding up Penn State as an example of how pure college athletics can be, the NCAA is left holding the dirty bag of laundry without a Plan B.

Why not really use this tragic situation to turn a corner and make the right decision for once? The NCAA doesn’t need to give the university a black eye ... Sandusky has already permanently achieved that task. The NCAA shouldn’t take scholarships, the Big 10 shouldn’t ban shares of the conference bowl money. Allow Penn State to thrive. Let the players help facilitate the healing process for the State College community. Let them play in bowls and earn their rightful share of money. The NCAA should then take any of that football related revenue and donate that money to organizations that serve victims of sexual abuse. Hit the university where it will really hurt. Go after the money.