Predictions on the Upcoming NCAA Sanctions on Penn State

The news I have heard today after Penn State’s Presidents ordered to take the statue of Joe Paterno down was news I have been wanting to hear for a while, that is that the NCAA will be punishing Penn State with sanctions.  I am glad that the NCAA waited until the FBI was done investigating this manner, because that was the right thing to do, otherwise the whole truth may have not been known and certain people may have been left unpunished.

The sanctions are still unknown, but my guess is that the football team will in fact receive the death penalty.  Some say that this is undeserving, I think the opposite, it is very deserving, and if this is to come true, I will stand behind the NCAA on the decision.  The death penalty is always a year at the minimum, and I think Penn State deserves more than just one year, it should be thirteen years, which is the length of the time frame that the rapes and cover up took place.  I do not think this is a long punishment at all, because this unlike other cases of the NCAA imposing the Death penalty on college teams this is a far worse crime than other teams that have received this punishment.

In 1985 Southern Methodist University (better known as SMU) was placed on three years’ probation for recruiting violations, but then in 1986 it was discovered that SMU was paying players, which is a violation of the NCAA rules.  The team received the death penalty for the 1987 season, they also sat out the 1988 season by choice, and they lost multiple scholarships as well.

If SMU had a year suspension by the NCAA for paying players then Penn State should be punished harshly for covering up sexual abuse for thirteen years, this scandal at Penn State is a football manner.  Joe Paterno knew of the situation involving his former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky and yet after Sandusky retired he still let him use the Penn State football facilities, where Sandusky continued to sexually abuse boys.  

The reason I say thirteen years is because in 1998 a Penn State detective questioned Sandusky about an alleged sexual attack, to which Jerry admitted he had committed, all he was told was to stop. 

That is not only sickening but an utter disgrace, and Sandusky was still a coach on the team at this point, so therefore this is a football matter, and because of this mass cover up for thirteen years the team deserves to be banned that long.  While that may seem harsh because Joe Paterno and Sandusky are no longer part of this team, it still is a punishment that fits the crime.  The schools police knew of what Jerry did, and yet did nothing to stop him, and again as I have said Sandusky was a team employee.

I also believe that anyone else involved in this cover up will be fired and fined, which is very fitting and deserving. 

As for the removal of the statue of Joe Paterno, I am very pleased with the schools decision.

If Penn State does not receive the death penalty I will be writing to the NCAA to protest, and I urge that of all you fellow sports fans and readers.