Will Joe Paterno AND Penn State Football Both Die in 2012?

[Chuck to Chuck]

Where does this road lead?  I'm guessing all the way to the governor's office.

It would be nice to see another state have a governor go to jail.

[Fork]

But the main culprits are all either fired, dead, or in jail. They'll get punishment (no bowl games for x years), but not the full SMU.

As i said earlier:

Besides, both the NCAA and Big 10 have too large a vested interest in Penn State.

Here's how to effectively kill them: Jim Delaney can call the best lawyers money can buy from their Wacker Drive suites and summon them to Higgins and Dee rds. to look at how to remove PSU from the conference and replace them with a willing suitor (Rutgers, WVU, Louisville, Notre Dame, Iowa State, KSU, KU and Miami Ohio would all consider such a move).

Would Penn State sue? Maybe, but at what point do they just take some kind of settlement and go quietly into the good night knowing that it'll be very difficult to justify legal expenses that make up approx 80% of the GDP of Central PA, especially as litigation against them starts flowing.

I don't think the other Big Ten member schools would mind kicking out Penn State and replacing them with a school closer to the rest of the conference, with a cleaner image. They'd lose access to the Philly market, you say? Replace them with Rutgers, and you have the Philly market and you sacrifice CFiPA's center of the universe to gain a market with a couple dozen million more eyeballs.

Kick Penn State out of the Big Ten and who will take them? The Big East? The Atlantic 10 (they seem happy to have added George Mason, VCU and Butler)? The California Penal League? That's the non-NCAA nuclear option. The Big Ten will be just fine, thank you.

The more streamlined way is to blame the dead guy and the convict, don't allow PSU into any postseason play for a few years, and profit.

[Brownie]

Where does this road lead?  I'm guessing all the way to the governor's office.

It would be nice to see another state have a governor go to jail.

IAN would like to welcome you to Louisiana sometime.

[CT III]

The more streamlined way is to blame the dead guy and the convict, don't allow PSU into any postseason play for a few years, and profit.

"Blame the dead guy" - okay, I'm not sure how this helps.  The dead guy was in complete control of the football program and apparently had sway over the athletic director and the President of the university.  I'd say that's more of a reason to demolish the football team and start over than a way around punishing it.

Also, the NCAA's crack investigative staff might turn up some other violations - it's not a huge leap in logic to figure that a school capable of covering up for a child rapist for 14 years wouldn't have any issues sweeping other stuff under the rug.

[Chuck to Chuck]

Where does this road lead?  I'm guessing all the way to the governor's office.

And maybe kinda soon.

[CT III]

Where does this road lead?  I'm guessing all the way to the governor's office.

And maybe kinda soon.

HATE:

Rep. Glenn Thompson, a Republican who represents State College, said he was hopeful the report’s release could aid in the community’s healing process.

“Everyone is still searching for answers and reassurance from the institution and individuals that failed a community and allowed for these horrific events to continue,” Thompson said in a statement

I've seen this expressed several times in various places, but who gives a flying fuck about healing the Penn State community?

[PANK!]

Where does this road lead?  I'm guessing all the way to the governor's office.

And maybe kinda soon.

HATE:

Rep. Glenn Thompson, a Republican who represents State College, said he was hopeful the report’s release could aid in the community’s healing process.

“Everyone is still searching for answers and reassurance from the institution and individuals that failed a community and allowed for these horrific events to continue,” Thompson said in a statement

I've seen this expressed several times in various places, but who gives a flying fuck about healing the Penn State community?

I don't know about you, but I'm glad the Nuremburg Trials finally took place so that the fine citizens of Germany could begin their healing.

[thehawk]

Expecting the NCAA to do anything appropriate with regard to PSU would be like expecting a bunch of mall security guards to stop a full invasion by the Chinese army.  This is what the NCAA does http://deadspin.com/5925700/prestigious-university-penalized-for-lack-of-institutional-control-in-athletics-program

[J. Walter Weatherman]

But the main culprits are all either fired, dead, or in jail.

Perhaps. But how is the fact that Spanier, Curley, Schultz and Paterno were let go after Grand Jury presentment made their continued employment untenable really responsive to the questions the NCAA has asked Penn State to respond to?

1. How has Penn State and/or its employees complied with the Articles of the Constitution and bylaws that are cited in this letter?

2. How has Penn State exercised institutional control over the issues identified in and related to the Grand Jury Report? Were there procedures in place that were or were not followed? What are the institution's expectations and policies to address the conduct that has been alleged in this matter upon discovery by any party?

3. Have each of the alleged persons to have been involved or have notice of the issues identified in and related to the Grand Jury Report behaved consistent with principles and requirements governing ethical conduct and honesty? If so, how? If not, how?

4. What policies and procedures does Penn State have in place to monitor, prevent and detect the issues identified in and related to the Grand Jury Report or to take disciplinary or corrective action if such behaviors are found?

The ultimate authority may have rested with those four, but these are also institutional questions.

Were there appropriate policies and procedures in place?

http://thefreehreportonpsu.com/REPORT_FINAL_071212.pdf

Page 37:

B. Oversight and Internal Controls

1. Compliance. The University has no centralized office, officer or committee to oversee institutional compliance with laws, regulations, policies and procedures. Rather, certain departments monitor their own compliance issues, some with very limited resources. As an example, the Athletic Department has an Associate Athletic Director responsible for National Collegiate Athletic Association ("NCAA") compliance, but that group is significantly understaffed. The responsibility for Clery Act compliance previously resided with a sergeant in the University Police Department who was able to devote only minimal time to Clery Act compliance. The University Police Department appointed a full-time Clery Compliance Officer on March 26, 2012.

Pages 115-6:

The Clery Act was passed in 1990 and became effective in 1991. From approximately 1991 until 2007, University officials delegated Clery Act compliance to the University Police Department's Crime Prevention Officer ("CPO"). The CPO was not provided any formal training before taking over the position nor does he recall receiving any Clery Act training until 2007...

In April 2009, the University's outside counsel provided information to the University about Clery Act compliance. The Director, the sergeant and others created a "draft" Clery Act policy that would have required written notification to all CSAs of their roles and responsibilities.

As of November 2011, the University's Clery Act policy was still in draft form and had not been implemented. Many University employees interviewed were unaware of their CSA status or responsibilities under the Clery Act. In an interview with the Special Investigative Counsel, Spanier said that he was not aware that the Clery Act policy had not been implemented and remained in draft form. Spanier said no one at Penn State had ever informed him that the University was not in compliance with the Clery Act. Spanier also stated that there had been no internal or external audits for Clery Act compliance. He also said he had never briefed the Board on Clery Act compliance, nor had the Board asked him questions on this issue.

(continued...)

[J. Walter Weatherman]

(continuing...)

Page 121:

The Special Investigative Counsel found that The Pennsylvania State University's ("Penn State" or "University") system for implementing the child protection policies was inadequate, but that corrective efforts are underway. While the identified deficiencies historically may not have had a direct impact on Sandusky's crimes, the issues are serious and reflect that the University has not sufficiently focused on the protection of children in the past.

Pages 123-4:

Penn State staff involved with youth programs explained to the Special Investigative Counsel that some persons serving as volunteer coaches and counselors were "slipping through the cracks" and were allowed to participate in youth programs or events without appropriate clearances... A report prepared by an employee in the Outreach Finance Office in May 2010 revealed that 234 of the 735 coaches paid to work at the summer sports camps in 2009 did not have a background check completed before the start of the sport camp for which the worked...

...

The Special Investigative Counsel found only one instance where a University employee was held accountable for not complying with Policy AD39 and the background check process.

Page 127:

The failure of President Graham B. Spanier ("Spanier"), Senior Vice President – Finance and Business ("SV-FB") Gary C. Schultz ("Schultz"), Head Football Coach Joseph V. Paterno ("Paterno") and Athletic Director ("AD") Timothy M. Curley ("Curley") to protect children by allowing Gerald A. Sandusky ("Sandusky") unrestricted and uncontrolled access to Pennsylvania State University ("Penn State" or "University") facilities reveals numerous individual failings, but it also reveals weaknesses of the University's culture, governance, administration, compliance policies and procedures for protecting children. It is critical for institutions and organizations that provide programs and facilities for children to institute and adhere to practices that have been found to be effective in reducing the risk of abuse. Equally important is the need for the leaders of those institutions and organizations to govern in ways that reflect the ethics and values of the entities.

Then there's the failures of the Board of Trustees. Page 101:

In 1998 and 2001, the Penn State Board failed to exercise its oversight functions. In that time, the Board did not have regular reporting procedures or committee structures in place to ensure disclosure to the Board of major risks. Because the Board did not demand regular reporting of these risks, Spanier and other senior University officials in this period did not bring up the Sandusky investigations.

...

In 2011, the Board failed to perform its duty of inquiry, especially when it was on notice that the University was facing a major risk involving the Grand Jury investigation.

This was as much an institutional failure as an individual one.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

(TPD)

They'll get punishment (no bowl games for x years), but not the full SMU.

You've changed your tune awfully quickly:

Somewhere in all this, the NCAA opened an investigation into Penn State, correct?  Is there any way the school doesn't get the death penalty?  And if not, how does the NCAA justify it?

Maybe the fact that Penn St. commissioned the Freeh report helps them avoid the DP. Maybe.

But I'm thinking they're toast, but the athletes can skip the one-year waiting period to enroll elsewhere. It'll be like college free agency.

In any event, I agree with Thursday Fork.

As i said earlier:

Besides, both the NCAA and Big 10 have too large a vested interest in Penn State.

How much of a vested interest does the NCAA really have in a neutered Penn State that's lost its legendary head coach and that can't recruit worth shit? Honest question.

[Internet Apex]

Where does this road lead?  I'm guessing all the way to the governor's office.

And maybe kinda soon.

HATE:

Rep. Glenn Thompson, a Republican who represents State College, said he was hopeful the report’s release could aid in the community’s healing process.

“Everyone is still searching for answers and reassurance from the institution and individuals that failed a community and allowed for these horrific events to continue,” Thompson said in a statement

I've seen this expressed several times in various places, but who gives a flying fuck about healing the Penn State community?

I don't know about you, but I'm glad the Nuremburg Trials finally took place so that the fine citizens of Germany could begin their healing.

I don't know. Millions of good people Jew and Gentile alike got completely fucked through the floor by the Nazis. And while they had their cheerleaders for sure, there were so many who were afraid to express their outrage, horror and despair. Just about every walk of life was affected by fascism. But we're talking about football fans here. They can choke on turds in purgatory for all I care.

[Fork]

The more streamlined way is to blame the dead guy and the convict, don't allow PSU into any postseason play for a few years, and profit.

"Blame the dead guy" - okay, I'm not sure how this helps.  The dead guy was in complete control of the football program and apparently had sway over the athletic director and the President of the university.  I'd say that's more of a reason to demolish the football team and start over than a way around punishing it.

Also, the NCAA's crack investigative staff might turn up some other violations - it's not a huge leap in logic to figure that a school capable of covering up for a child rapist for 14 years wouldn't have any issues sweeping other stuff under the rug.

None of this is about helping. I'm only guessing the NCAA's actions.

As for demolishing the program, I'm pretty sure the program was effectively demolished the minute I got dead pool points for JoePa. Even before this story broke, everybody knew PSU football was a cult of personality, and JoePa had more influence in State College than anyone up to and including the Governor of Pennsylvania.

The fact that there's now evidence that he was active inthe cover up and continuance of molestations, it makes him an easier bulls-sys, which he should be.

(TPD)

They'll get punishment (no bowl games for x years), but not the full SMU.

You've changed your tune awfully quickly:

Somewhere in all this, the NCAA opened an investigation into Penn State, correct?  Is there any way the school doesn't get the death penalty?  And if not, how does the NCAA justify it?

Maybe the fact that Penn St. commissioned the Freeh report helps them avoid the DP. Maybe.

But I'm thinking they're toast, but the athletes can skip the one-year waiting period to enroll elsewhere. It'll be like college free agency.

In any event, I agree with Thursday Fork.

As i said earlier:

Besides, both the NCAA and Big 10 have too large a vested interest in Penn State.

How much of a vested interest does the NCAA really have in a neutered Penn State that's lost its legendary head coach and that can't recruit worth shit? Honest question.

I thought the death penalty was a no-brainer until I saw the deafening silence out of the NCAA. I'm thinking they're trying to polish the turd instead of doing what's right.

And Penn St. is still a huge money maker. Happy Valley will still be packed, the alumni still travels well, and nobody can doubt that PSU's next football game will be huge TV.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

As for demolishing the program, I'm pretty sure the program was effectively demolished the minute I got dead pool points for JoePa. Even before this story broke, everybody knew PSU football was a cult of personality, and JoePa had more influence in State College than anyone up to and including the Governor of Pennsylvania.

And Penn St. is still a huge money maker. Happy Valley will still be packed, the alumni still travels well, and nobody can doubt that PSU's next football game will be huge TV.

???

I thought the death penalty was a no-brainer until I saw the deafening silence out of the NCAA.

Even best case scenario, I don't think anyone should have expected the NCAA to dole out a punishment within 48 hours of the Freeh Report.

[CBStew]

Look at USC for an example of the efficacy of NCAA sanctions.  So they missed out on some postseason games.  It made no dent whatsoever on their ability to recruit many of the best high school players nationwide.  Skeptic that I am, my conclusion is that sanctions for recruiting violations function as advertising for the cheating institutions.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/recruiting