The 'living dead penalty': Penn State gets what it deserves
This morning, the NCAA announced its punitive sanctions against Penn State in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse case and the damning report by Louis Freeh. Some wondered if it would impose the dreaded “Death Penalty,” though I was pretty sure it would not; that penalty is reserved for programs with repeated violations and a complete disregard for rules — and may never be used again after the affect it had on SMU. Regardless, the NCAA has imposed unprecedented and crushing penalties:
- a $60 million fine;
- a four-year ban from post-season play, including bowls and the Big Ten championship game (the Big Ten may impose its own sanctions);
- a reduction in the number of football scholarships to 15 for four years (the number of scholarship players on the team will be capped at 65, 20 fewer than normal);
- and the vacating of all football team wins from 1998-2011.
There are comments and opinions galore regarding the announcement — and I have read none of them. My initial and untainted thoughts: the NCAA’s sanctions are justified. Penn State has gotten what it deserves and its punishment sends a strong and clear message to every other college and athletic program in the country: sports and legacies do not transcend morality and laws.
Instead of doing what they should have done, Joe Paterno and the university’s former brass chose to preserve the reputation of the football program. Ironically, they may have destroyed it. What has come down on Penn State should probably be known as the “living dead penalty”: the school’s football program is still alive, but it may as well be dead. Unless they receive a redshirt this season, Penn State’s incoming freshmen will never have the opportunity to play in a bowl game. That, along with the fact it will have fewer scholarships available, will probably deter the best players from committing. Not only that, but current players are free to transfer anywhere with no strings attached. Without top talent and fewer players, competing in the Big Ten for the next five to sevens years will be very difficult.
Theoretically. I have no clue what will happen and whether or not the aura and legacy of Penn State football runs so deeply that exceptional prospects will want to play there regardless of post-season eligibility. Nobody seemed to care at USC — including the Heisman candidate who has many picking the Trojan’s to win the National Championship this season. It is way too early to tell, but the death knell may be sounding if players begin transferring in droves. In 20 years, Penn State may be better known for ice cream than football.
Amid all this I cannot help recalling that innocent time when ESPN color commentators and analysts loved to joke how Joe Paterno was older than the toaster. During Penn State games, there would always be some crazy trivia question about him or his football career to emphasize his legacy. It is amazing to think how quickly all the jokes and accolades stopped, how quickly our thoughts about him and the program he built were tainted.
