TallyGator;n149431 said:
I was concerned that some of the penalties were football related when the crime was not. It is a totally disgusting story, but had nothing to do with whether Penn State gained any advantage on the field. I contrast these thoughts with other schools committing infractions directly related to players and their eligibility, or condoning behavior that would otherwise see them suspended. Administrators being fired and the school being fined for reparations seems appropriate. I don't know...morals and college athletics are hardly mentioned in the same breath any more...
When it was investigated and made public, I was aghast and wanted the program slammed. However, over time I got more in alignment with what you have stated - it wasn't a benefit to the program for this activity to be going on. Moreover, the majority of people (especially players) weren't aware; there appeared to be a small group in the know and actively hiding the situation, primarily a few coaches and administrators. Other than Joe Pa whom I will address in a moment, the rest are removed from the university and facing legal review if not already incarcerated. It was a civil issue, not a university issue. I think the distinction needs to be made. For example, if it were a few key corporate officers doing this, they'd have been fired and jailed - you wouldn't tell the company to give back it's profits (especially as this did nothing related to the company's success) and you wouldn't penalize the employees who didn't know and were doing the best they could in what they thought was a safe environment. If you want to take it back from my corporate analogy and confine it to the university system where the NCAA has authority, it still remains a civil issue at heart, and by nature outside the authority of the NCAA.
As for Joe Pa, I do believe he knew. People say the investigation led to his demise, and I do believe there is a lot of merit to him not being able to live with it. I think he knew, and couldn't cope with what was coming in terms of shame of hiding the issue. The vacated wins, the sanctions, those would hurt but weren't enough to kill him. I think it was the shame of knowing he was in the group of wrong.
Ultimately, I agreed with the lifting of the bowl ban, and I'll support returning the wins to the school but not Joe Pa. I don't know that they can be separated, but if I was a player from the past four decades and played my heart out for the program I'd ask why I can't be proud of what I and my team mates did? Why are we punished for something we didn't know about, something that didn't benefit us? Keep Joe Pa off the books, but the kids who played earned those wins, just like the kids who played this year despite the sanctions have earned the right to go to the bowls and not be penalized.
gardnerwebbgator;n149633 said:
Pedophiles everywhere will rejoice. Franklin is probably a closet pedo and they want to regain their pedo-friendly environment.
Totally classless remark.
