Painful penalty: It's not death, but Penn State pays a stiff price
July 24, 2012 12:05 am / Pgh Post-Gazette
To loyal Penn Staters, the bitter consequences that befell their university Sunday and Monday were more "death penalty" than anyone could have imagined a year ago.
But the ugly revelations of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case and the damning details of the Freeh report made it necessary for steps to be taken, beyond the penalties of the courtroom, against a university culture and power structure that put its reputation and sports program above the safety of children.
Mr. Sandusky is the former assistant football coach who, after a state grand jury investigation, was convicted in June of 45 counts of sexual abuse involving 10 boys.
A report this month following an independent investigation by former FBI director Louis Freeh said that late head coach Joe Paterno was part of an active agreement to conceal Mr. Sandusky's predatory behavior, some of which occurred on university property.
When Sunday dawned, the statue outside Beaver Stadium of the once-sainted Mr. Paterno was being removed and stored away under orders of university President Rodney Erickson.
The next day, sanctions of unprecedented force were imposed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
The NCAA punishment does not amount to the so-called death penalty, the suspension of the football program.
The Post-Gazette called for that 11 days ago and still believes it is the best way to send a direct and unmistakable message not only to Penn State but to every college that a young person's education and advancement must take precedence over sports.
Even so, the severity of these penalties will cripple football at Happy Valley for a decade or more.
Penn State must pay $60 million to fund programs for child abuse victims, forgo postseason play for four years, give up football scholarships and forfeit its 111 wins between 1998, when officials became aware of allegations against Mr. Sandusky, and 2011.
Players now enrolled will be free to transfer to other schools; those who stay can keep their scholarships without having to play.
All told, these painful measures will impose a needed course correction on the program and dethrone the cult of personality that blinded university officials from doing what was right -- acting to keep children from harm.
The NCAA also has a lesson to learn.
It cannot abide the growing American mania, driven by dollars and profit, that infects college sports.
It creates coaches who stay too long, universities that lose sight of priorities and boosters who mistake amateur athletics for a minor-league version of the pros.
The association must be more proactive in spotting and reversing an insidious culture that threatens to elevate sports, particularly in Division I schools, above the true mission and purpose of a college -- a culture that has cost Penn State dearly.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories...tate-pays-a-stiff-price-645938/#ixzz21X6UfNZf
July 24, 2012 12:05 am / Pgh Post-Gazette
To loyal Penn Staters, the bitter consequences that befell their university Sunday and Monday were more "death penalty" than anyone could have imagined a year ago.
But the ugly revelations of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case and the damning details of the Freeh report made it necessary for steps to be taken, beyond the penalties of the courtroom, against a university culture and power structure that put its reputation and sports program above the safety of children.
Mr. Sandusky is the former assistant football coach who, after a state grand jury investigation, was convicted in June of 45 counts of sexual abuse involving 10 boys.
A report this month following an independent investigation by former FBI director Louis Freeh said that late head coach Joe Paterno was part of an active agreement to conceal Mr. Sandusky's predatory behavior, some of which occurred on university property.
When Sunday dawned, the statue outside Beaver Stadium of the once-sainted Mr. Paterno was being removed and stored away under orders of university President Rodney Erickson.
The next day, sanctions of unprecedented force were imposed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
The NCAA punishment does not amount to the so-called death penalty, the suspension of the football program.
The Post-Gazette called for that 11 days ago and still believes it is the best way to send a direct and unmistakable message not only to Penn State but to every college that a young person's education and advancement must take precedence over sports.
Even so, the severity of these penalties will cripple football at Happy Valley for a decade or more.
Penn State must pay $60 million to fund programs for child abuse victims, forgo postseason play for four years, give up football scholarships and forfeit its 111 wins between 1998, when officials became aware of allegations against Mr. Sandusky, and 2011.
Players now enrolled will be free to transfer to other schools; those who stay can keep their scholarships without having to play.
All told, these painful measures will impose a needed course correction on the program and dethrone the cult of personality that blinded university officials from doing what was right -- acting to keep children from harm.
The NCAA also has a lesson to learn.
It cannot abide the growing American mania, driven by dollars and profit, that infects college sports.
It creates coaches who stay too long, universities that lose sight of priorities and boosters who mistake amateur athletics for a minor-league version of the pros.
The association must be more proactive in spotting and reversing an insidious culture that threatens to elevate sports, particularly in Division I schools, above the true mission and purpose of a college -- a culture that has cost Penn State dearly.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories...tate-pays-a-stiff-price-645938/#ixzz21X6UfNZf
