Good.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association announced a $60 million fine against Penn State University on Monday and banned its football team from the postseason for four years. The school will also forfeit all football wins from 1998, NCAA President Mark Emmert said. That decision strips the late Joe Paterno of the title of winningest coach in major football college history.

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"The very existence of flamethrowers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, 'You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done'."
--George Carlin

At first it seemed like the entire athletic dept. was being penalized for the actions - inactions really- of a few. Now it has come to light that there was a widespread cover up there has to be serious housecleaning and penalties. The fine doesnt seem like enough.

As for Paterno... he is gone so he isnt hurt by any of this. I do think there may be a bit of "Lets blame Paterno! Ya! Thats the ticket!". Not saying he isnt culpable in the continuation of the abuse, because he obviously was. Just thinking its nicely convenient that there is a dead person to lay the lion's share of the school's blame on.

Its a shame for the athletes who performed well and earned those wins, as well as for those who will now not be allowed the chance to earn wins themselves during the ban. It is really the student athletes who earned those wins, not the coaches who always get the glory.
jmo

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Theres no crying in baseball!

It IS a shame for the student athletes.

That's how these things work, though. When you have a responsibility and you **** up, you **** up for all concerned.

To put it simply.

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"The very existence of flamethrowers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, 'You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done'."
--George Carlin

The focus on Paterno started before he died. I'm generally ignorant about things like college football, but apparently he WAS the program, to a large degree. More powerful than anyone else at the college - not in the football program, at the entire school - and treated as a local god in the community. All the witnessess went to him, and he's the one who chose to cover up.

That sucks really badly for the actual athletes. But I hope they remember who is to blame for this rather than kicking out at the NCAA.

I'm not a sportsman but if I were then I like to think I would prefer my team and school's rep to get a little mucky if it means a bunch more kids won't get ****ed in the ***. And to state the obvious, I'd much rather my team's reputation got a little mucky that way, than massively mucky to the point that I'm deprived of all recognition of my sporting achievements, and I also get to sit with the knowledge that a bunch of kids got molested and raped. Protecting my and my school's *** over the children? Seriously... not in my name.

This whole thing is just unfathomable to me so no doubt it is to those players too. Especially now. Way to go, asshole... pretty much covers it.

I was just talking about this with someone yesterday since the statue of Paterno is being removed - they argued that it's pointless because ultimately he still achieved what he achieved. But I felt that you can acknowledge his achievements in a matter of fact way without going as far as revering or admiring him, and so removing the statue is the right thing to do.

Anyway, this pretty much sorts out that problem.