Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: I was never a Joe Paterrno fan, but I still don't think the NCAA is the right body to sanction Penn State. The NCAA holds at least some of the responsibility for the culture that they say they want to reform. They get millions from these elite programs and for them to act like its now suddenly not right to hold the programs up as sacrosanct is just a tad hypocritical, don't you think?
It is just my opinion, but I think that if the NCAA was to do anything, they should have just shut them down for a year and let them come back chastened, but better than ever. The way they have chosen will cripple the program for a decade or more and punishes people who had nothing to do with the crimes in question.
Regards,
Steve
I agree with the NCAA's responsibility for creating this culture. However, their culture is whatever we can do for the most money at all cost. Point in case, the whorring out of the championship game to the highest bidding city.
The NCAA is very responsible for creating the win at all cost culture because winning = MONEY!
There was evidence to hold scholarships, financial penalty, and post season revenue fine. The evidence was not all there to vacate wins yet or ban the current team from post season play. There was an obvious need to act as the upcoming season is knocking on the door, but I beleive the NCAA should have left it open for a review after the legal process was played out.
It is very obvious that Emmert had to do something and it had to be severe at the cost of Penn State because the NCAA has basically become a non-factor...there was a great program on espn last night with Outside the Lines Bo Ley.
It is what it is, and there is nothing the public can do to change it. I am obviously biased but it is just an opinion. I beleive the sanctions were severe because Graham Spanier sat on NCAA committees blasting other programs and put Penn State on a pedestal all the while he had dark secrets. Graham was president from 1995, so he was in fact a newbie when this surfaced...
Bobby Bowden said it best, "I know what I had and I know what Joe had". Paterno will always have 409 wins, Adam Talifarro said it best, "They say these games didn't exist, I have the metal plate in my neck that proves they did. I almost died playing for Penn State".