Penn State

I watched the press conference yesterday because I love college athletics and I was very interested in how the case was going to be handled.

I am surprised that the NCAA punished Penn State for something that did not give a competitive advantage to the football program.  Usually rules violations are for things such as extra benefits for student athletes.

However, I can see why the NCAA is applying the lack of institutional control rule and overall I am glad with all of what they did.  Penn State needed to be made an example of and punished.  Too many universities make decisions that are not good for the school, or the whole of an athletic department just to suit a football or basketball program. 

There is this culture that I think exists in basketball and football programs at the Division I level that they can do no wrong and that everything needs to be done for them.  Basketball programs and football programs do a lot for schools, but they also don't teach students engineering, or science.  They don't solve cancer and they don't create world peace. 

I don't mind that coaches in revenue sports make lots of money, because they have more responsibility.  I do mind that they think that everything revolves around them and their interests and not the interests of Olympic Sport athletes and the University as a whole.

I hope that the penalties serve as a reminder to big revenue programs that while we love what they do on the field, and while we want them to succeed, that not everything is done to their benefit and that they don't control every decision at a university or in an athletic department.  They can have a large say as large revenue producers, but I'd like them to realize and care about the other people and sports on campus as well. 

Part of competing in college athletics should be about being a student and an athlete.  I often think big programs forget that.  Part of competing should be about teaching and showing good values too others, such as respect, fair play, hard work, determination etc. I would feel guilty as a coach if a student athlete left an athletics program without any skills to compete in the real world and make a living on their own.  College Athletes are worshiped in college, but if they aren't educated and don't gain skills then what happens to them? 

I'd like to read a story about a student athlete who didn't make it in the professional ranks and also didn't graduate or skated by with a degree in general studies.  What are they doing now?    

The NCAA must also walk a fine line and make sure that they also always espouse those values that they punished Penn State for.  Sometimes the NCAA puts money before student athletes as well.

As for the punishments, I think a five year bowl ban would be better, but four is fine.  That is pretty harsh.

I like the scholarship limit.  I like that players can transfer without penalty and that they can go to any program (and allow other programs to go above their 85 scholarship limit to get them)

I wish that the $60,000,000 fine had to come directly at the expense of the football program, but I am not sure how you could make that happen.  I like the financial penalty and that it can't come at the expense of other programs. 

I don't care about the wins being vacated.  That penalty means nothing to me.  The games were already played and I feel like the program and student-athletes deserved those wins.  I'd actually sort of prefer that this not have been a punishment because Penn State didn't gain any advantage in those games that were played.

Will Penn State recover from this?

Yes, just not anytime soon.