So, as long as one player is participating in something wrong, it's ok for all of them to be punished?

The way I see it is that, in all of these cases, the institutions have done something wrong. Whether one or more players is caught up in the wrong-doing is less important. It seems completely arbitrary to say that if one player is involved, then it's fair for all of them to be punished. But if none are involved, then it's not.

But that's obviously just my opinion. Which is clearly not the popular one here.

Back to DrPhil and her attempt to get this to a point where it's not about Penn State.

I have an easy peasy solution.

Take all the profits the school has made from merchandising for the past 5 (capricious and arbitrary number, you may want to pick one smaller or larger) years, and use it to first pay the victims, and second to help victims of child abuse across the state.

It makes no sense to shut the football program down and screw the athletes, many of whom are there in hopes of making it to a professional career. I haven't heard of a single PSU player who knew about this stuff and covered it up.

No Penn State players got cars because Jerry Sandusky molested children.

No Penn State players got weekly allowances (or if you will, salaries) because Jerry Sandusky molested children.

No Penn State players' parents got condos in State College rent-free because Jerry Sandusky molested children.

:) After I type this:

The artist painted over Paterno's halo. The halo was dumb in the first place. Another life lesson.

As for the current thread topic, it is really a point beyond Penn State that is being made. This is very subjective and with minimal set standards to go by. Student athletes should not be punished for the coaches' and school officials' indiscretions but it will not be the first time that has happened at schools. Perhaps a better but darn near impossible decision would be to fire the coaches and school officials (who are still living) who are proven to have aided or ignored Sandusky's issues and/or taking back some of that hefty salary they received over the years. Some of this stuff may already be happening without the general public's knowledge.

The great and powerful Oz (NCAA) has spoken:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201....ap/index.html

:rolleyes:

(Not at you. At the article.)

Well, it's a very strong penalty - hopefully this will get USC fans to shut up for a bit ... it's probably worse, in a football sense, than a one-year break, in that the team's depth is crippled until about 2018. Unfortunately, that won't be obvious to non-football fans, whereas the "death penalty" is both catchier and more immediately obvious (which is why I assumed the NCAA would take that tack).

Coach O'Brien and the current administration are saying the right things so far - they're being very up-front and accepting of the penalties, and are directing their points toward being good citizens, and not just good at football. Hopefully, that continues, and something good can come out of it yet.

I don't know if this penalty will actually have the intended effect - that kind of sea change would be almost too convenient to believe anyway. It certainly has a smell of "Well, we need to do something..." which does not bode well for precedent-setting or etc.

The first step has been taken. Paterno and every person he put in power at PSU is gone. Hopefully they have learned the lesson that checks and balances are good. Allowing one man to wield too much power (even when he seems to be the benevolent grandfather) can backfire and bring down the whole institution like a house of cards. The next step is for the people of PSU and PA to stop playing the victims and place their anger where it belongs and where it will do some good...at the PSU administration that allowed this culture to thrive.

What about the article? Are you rolling your eyes at the article (it is just reporting what is happening) or the fine? That big fine is setting a big precedent.

Co-sign.

The symbols of Paterno's undying (no pun intended) awesomeness have also been minimized (removing the halo) or removed (the statue). The good that Paterno (athletic and community-based good) and Penn State officials have done over the years is not being ignored but, as with everyone else in the world, the bad can at least temporarily outweigh the good depending on the circumstances. It baffles me that some people cannot grasp this concept. Any institution that benefits from ignoring or seeming to encourage bad deeds will eventually reap what they sew. That is not a new concept and it has happened to athletic and academic bigwigs.

I agree with both of you.

If I understand this fine correctly, the $60 million is to be put into an endowment which will then fund prevention programs and assistance for survivors of child sexual abuse.

While I am not privy to what other charities are doing, this is a truly monumental moment in the history of such programs. I know we can't STOP child sex abuse, but really... we could come really close if these funds are used in meaningful ways. The annual interest on the principal of $60 mil alone makes me happy as a nonprofit professional.

The Paterno family just needs to be quiet:

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/spo...sanctions.html

Interesting that Penn State has to vacate the 1998-2011 wins.

The last 1997 winning game QB - Mike McQueary.

Former Penn State President says he was beaten as a child and therefore would not have ignored the Sandusky allegations had he known about it.

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefoot...-claims-072312

I didn't know Spanier was a sociologist and Family Therapist. That is just really sad and disturbing. Sorry to say that being a victim of child abuse doesn't mean he wouldn't have turned a blind eye to what was going on. We know that the abused end up at all ends of the spectrum including as abusers when they grow up. Using that as a defense is ridiculous, and he should know it. I guess it sounds good, though.

These people need to shut the eff up.

My prediction:

Every cent of scholarship money lost is made up by PSU alums and private scholarships are created (thus opening the door to more chicanery if they get into the wrong peoples' hands).

Take that one to the bank.