The NCAA’s 444-page manual contains no language directly addressing appopriate punishment for concealing information regarding child sexual abuse. But in light of the shameful conduct of Penn State’s leadership, revealed Thursday in the Freeh report, the NCAA must use its authority to do what’s needed now: Shut down the Nittany Lions football program.
If the Freeh report released Thursday is accurate in its assessment of the university’s role in the worst scandal in college sports history, then the engine that enabled longtime child sexual predator Jerry Sandusky must be switched off, at least temporarily.
I don’t see what productive purpose would be served by giving Penn State football the NCAA death penalty. Everyone involved in the cover up is out of a job, in jail or facing legal charges, and/or dead. I don’t see how giving Penn State the death penalty is anything other than petty revenge.
All the players who are going to lose their scholarships and pretty much end their meaningful football and possibly college academic careers. All the minor coaches and trainers are going to be tainted by being part of a death penalty football program and likely get black balled from ever getting another job in that field, even those most of those coaches, trainers, and players had absolutely nothing to do with the criminal acts of Sandusky and the subsequent cover up. I mean, good grief…the current players were in early grammar school when all this went down back in 2001. I don’t see how punishing any of them is just.