NCAA drops the hammer on PSU

Mark Emmert and the NCAA have spoken.

Early Monday morning, Penn State was hit with a $60 million fine, a four-year postseason bowl ban, loss of scholarships, and a vacation of all wins dating back to 1998. Current football players have the opportunity to transfer immediately and be eligible to play in the upcoming season without penalty. 

In my opinion, this is definitely worse than a one- or two-year death sentence. These sanctions will completely cripple the program for a minimum of four years and Bill O'Brien now must persuade his players to stay in the program, which will not be easy. Also, O'Brien will have an extremely tough time convincing recruits and their families to join the Penn State family. The reduction of scholarships may not seem like a big deal now, but a few years down the road, this Penn State football team will largely consist of walk-on student athletes. 

I can honestly say I gained some respect for the NCAA after these penalties were announced because they actually set a precedent and let it be known that this kind of behavior will never be tolerated.

I applaud the NCAA for vacating those wins in the sense that Joe Paterno was solely concerned with his legacy and his records, instead of the well-being of helpless children. On the other hand, it is not fair to those athletes who helped win those games. Joe Paterno wasn't out in the hot sun working his ass off during two-a-days in August. The NCAA has always played by their own rules, but this one is a little ridiculous.

Although I don't see how these sanctions help any of the real victims (besides the $60M endowment fund), the NCAA had no choice but to lay down the hammer.

Anybody else find it ironic that the only people refuting the Freeh report are the Paterno's?

P.S. I feel terrible for those kids at Penn State that are being punished for essentially no reason, but that's just how it goes folks. (Ask those kids at USC how they felt.)

Joe Paterno statue removed at Penn State

It looks like Penn State University and president Rodney Erickson are finally starting to get it.

The statue of Joe Paterno was removed from its plinth outside of Beaver Stadium early this morning. A group of construction workers took down the 7-foot, 900-pound bronze statue via forklift and eventually moved it inside the stadium. In Erickson's announcement to the public, the President said the statue will be stored in an undisclosed, "secure location." Erickson also stated Paterno's name will remain "unchanged" on the campus Library.

As most of us already know, the NCAA is a complete joke, and this is their chance to alter that perception. There is no question Penn State football deserves harsh, severe sanctions (whether it be the death penalty or not). Word on the street is NCAA president Mark Emmert will punish PSU football with acute penalties including a significant reduction of scholarships and multiple bowl bans. ESPN's Joe Schad believes if the loss of scholarships and bowl bans are severe enough, they will hurt the program more than a one- or two-year death sentence (Emmert is expected to announce the repercussions tomorrow morning).  

For example, if Penn State were to get a three-year bowl ban, Schad believes it will cripple the program just as much, if not more, than the death penalty would. As long as these sanctions completely outweigh those given to USC in 2010, I'm fine with it.

To the Paterno family: With all due respect, please just give it up. The truth has come out and we do not need a personal investigation from you guys. (It just makes Penn State and the Paterno name look even worse.)

To the PSU Board of Trustees: Please do us all a favor and step down immediately.