# Penn St. hit hard **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 23, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138 "2012-07-23T15:17:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/161 "2012-07-24T03:23:50Z")
I’d like to see Penn State challenge this in court. Somebody has to stand up to the NCAA once and for all. This horrific crime had absolutely nothing to do with the Football program at all. Sandusky was not even an active coach at the time. The victims were not Penn State students or athletes. I can understand part of the sanctions. A hefty fine makes sense. But, victimizing players from a decade ago is just wrong. What did they do wrong? Absolutely nothing. The Assistant coaches? I wonder how many knew anything about Sandusky and the kid in the shower? I can’t imagine Paterno saying anything about this to his staff at the time. You can’t have it both ways. If there was a cover up, then wouldn’t this have been kept secret? Only Paterno, the witness, and a few Admin guys would have known. The NCAA over reached this time. I hope Penn State has the guts to fight this stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/162 "2012-07-24T03:33:35Z")
Fat chance. First off they’d lose, and lose badly and they know it. Secondly, they want this swept back under the rug as quickly as possible. A lawsuit would bring even more malfeasance to light IMO. Thirdly, they voluntarily joined the NCAA. If they don’t want to abide by their decision, they are free to quit. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/163 "2012-07-24T03:46:20Z")
You don’t find it the least but troubling that the students being punished are essentially the peers of the victims. > [@Peremensoe](#): > > :rolleyes: I can only hope that’s _enough_ to make them consider the possibility that there might be more important things In fact you’re actually blaming the peers of the abuse victims for allowing the molestation to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/164 "2012-07-24T04:23:32Z")
Out of total curiosity-did Sandusky’s actions break any NCAA regulations? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/165 "2012-07-24T04:31:19Z")
Ignore my post, I didn’t read the thread beforehand. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/166 "2012-07-24T04:37:40Z")
> [@RyJae](#): > > So if your neighbor gambled and lost your house you would be okay with that? That’s the problem I am having with this punishment. That’s a terrible analogy you’re trying to make. Penn State was Joe Paterno’s house, not Joe Paterno’s neighbor’s house. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/167 "2012-07-24T05:33:54Z")
The students come and go. It is the school that gets punished. Yes, the current students get punished, except that they can transfer. If I were a PSU fan, this would surly shake me of that. I wouldn’t want to watch another game. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/168 "2012-07-24T05:55:08Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Of course I’ll mind, but the whole point is that this is supposed to be a _penalty_, not theft. It’s _supposed_ to hurt. And this IS going to hurt Penn State. Big time. > [@Marley23](#): > > When a win is vacated, it does not change the result of the game. It means Penn State (and Paterno) don’t get credit for the win. And yes, Penn State’s championships and bowl wins were also vacated. The wins don’t go to the losing teams, they’re just vacated. So they’re the equivalent of exhibition games, then, basically? People, it had EVERYTHING to do with football. Paterno covered it up because he cared more about the consequences to his football program, and the impact it would have had than Sandusky’s victims. In the mean time, people, go root for Pitt. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/169 "2012-07-24T07:45:20Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’d like to see Penn State challenge this in court. Somebody has to stand up to the NCAA once and for all. > > This horrific crime had absolutely nothing to do with the Football program at all. Sandusky was not even an active coach at the time. The victims were not Penn State students or athletes. I can understand part of the sanctions. A hefty fine makes sense. > > But, victimizing players from a decade ago is just wrong. What did they do wrong? Absolutely nothing. The Assistant coaches? I wonder how many knew anything about Sandusky and the kid in the shower? I can’t imagine Paterno saying anything about this to his staff at the time. You can’t have it both ways. If there was a cover up, then wouldn’t this have been kept secret? Only Paterno, the witness, and a few Admin guys would have known. > > The NCAA over reached this time. I hope Penn State has the guts to fight this stupidity. Penn State has agreed to the NCAA sanctions. Frankly, if they were to challenge it in any way it would only add to the PR disaster they already have. At this point, they know the best thing they can do is accept the punishment and move on. Anything else will only make things worse. I don’t necessarily agree with everything the NCAA has done, but Penn State knows this is a no win situation and there will be no appeal, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/170 "2012-07-24T08:45:12Z")
> [@brickbacon](#): > > Do you have a cite for this? Gosh darn it, it is impossible to find now as punishment and Paterno dominate all other descriptive words in Google’s search. But the easiest story to find (if you can!!!) is the one where Paterno assigned the football players to sweep the bleachers after the game whereas all of the other students involved in the fight? at a frat? house were punished by probation (expulsion?). WHen this happened 2-4 years ago there was a pretty big to-do about it at the time about Paterno’s favoritism and control, but everyone (in the media or at least at Penn State) seemed to be on the side of, the football players ARE being punished. This incident was cited widely just last week after the freeh report that was an obvious demonstration of Paterno’s control over the University. I apologize for not being able to pull the articles right now, but perhaps someone else can help out or perhaps it jogs your memory. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/171 "2012-07-24T09:10:06Z")
**RaftPeople** linked to one story earlier in the thread. > [@RaftPeople](#): > > [report](http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2012/07/09/chronicle_report_joe_paterno.aspx) > > It’s pretty easy to find info including emails like the one quoted in this report. And if you [google “Vicky Triponey Paterno”](http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=vicky+triponey+paterno&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8) you’ll get more articles, including [one at CNN](http://deadspin.com/5924458/more-leaked-emails-reveal-more-about-joe-paternos-preference-to-play-by-his-own-rules-but-wheres-it-all-going) that has a link to [another story that is more in-depth](http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/09/justice/pennsylvania-penn-state-paterno/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![oreally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/172 "2012-07-24T11:09:34Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > Damn. I’m a burnt orange Switzer hater, but I have to give him some respect for that insight. LOL It’s also no secret that Switzer is a horse’s ass and about as smart - and about as squeaky clean as a sewer. Bringing a gun to the airport, for starters. The absurd just gets more so. lmao @ him acting like he has a clue about this. Or anything, for that matter. Oh well back to the witch hunt and mindless hysteria. Burn baby burn! “HEY YOU! Did you just say you watched a Penn St game once? Big fines and maybe jail time for you mister! Cmon gang, bring the torches, we gots us another’n here!” :smack: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/173 "2012-07-24T11:26:55Z")
> [@brickbacon](#): > > This happens naturally in any large organization or group. No, it doesn’t. I’ve worked in many large organizations and at no point would anyone have considered covering up child rape because it would have hurt the team. This is not normal organizational culture. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/174 "2012-07-24T13:22:50Z")
> [@oreally](#): > > LOL > > It’s also no secret that Switzer is a horse’s ass and about as smart - and about as squeaky clean as a sewer. Bringing a gun to the airport, for starters. The absurd just gets more so. lmao @ him acting like he has a clue about this. Or anything, for that matter. > > Oh well back to the witch hunt and mindless hysteria. Burn baby burn! > > “HEY YOU! Did you just say you watched a Penn St game once? Big fines and maybe jail time for you mister! Cmon gang, bring the torches, we gots us another’n here!” > > :smack: :smack: Oh good, the pedophile apologist is back to type the word “burn” a few more times. Thanks, pedophile apologist!! ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/175 "2012-07-24T15:31:38Z")
> [@oreally](#): > > LOL > > It’s also no secret that Switzer is a horse’s ass and about as smart - and about as squeaky clean as a sewer. Bringing a gun to the airport, for starters. The absurd just gets more so. lmao @ him acting like he has a clue about this. Or anything, for that matter. > > Oh well back to the witch hunt and mindless hysteria. Burn baby burn! > > “HEY YOU! Did you just say you watched a Penn St game once? Big fines and maybe jail time for you mister! Cmon gang, bring the torches, we gots us another’n here!” > > :smack: :smack: You know who else was completely mistreated? Stalin. A bunch of rumor and innuendo - did you ever meet anyone he supposedly “disappeared”? Neither did I. Ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/176 "2012-07-24T15:46:16Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > Penn State has agreed to the NCAA sanctions. Frankly, if they were to challenge it in any way it would only add to the PR disaster they already have. At this point, they know the best thing they can do is accept the punishment and move on. Anything else will only make things worse. I don’t necessarily agree with everything the NCAA has done, but Penn State knows this is a no win situation and there will be no appeal, etc. Even if the Penn State administration thinks they’re being treated unfairly, they’re not COMPLETE idiots, and they know very well that, outside Pennsylvania, there is ZERO sympathy for them. There are FAR more people who think Penn State got off too lightly than there are who think (as I do) they’re being punished too severely. There’s absolutely no hope of appealing or getting a lighter sentence, so there’s nothing to do except take their medicine and hope for the best. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/177 "2012-07-24T15:47:34Z")
The Paterno family should just be quiet instead of continuing to make statements like these: “The sanctions announced today by the NCAA defame the legacy and contributions of a great coach and educator without any input from our family…” Why would the NCAA ask for input from the family? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/178 "2012-07-24T15:48:20Z")
Apparently one reason Penn State accepted these sanctions was that even tougher ones - including a four-year football ban - were discussed. That’s pretty breathtaking. And now, back to **oreally** posting about Penn State football fans being hunted down and killed. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/179 "2012-07-24T15:48:35Z")
> [@Disheavel](#): > > Gosh darn it, it is impossible to find now as punishment and Paterno dominate all other descriptive words in Google’s search. > > I apologize for not being able to pull the articles right now, but perhaps someone else can help out or perhaps it jogs your memory. Even using the dates of a know event? It seems a fairly broad, damning claim like this would be fairly easy to substantiate via something other than one’s memory. > [@Telemark](#): > > No, it doesn’t. I’ve worked in many large organizations and at no point would anyone have considered covering up child rape because it would have hurt the team. This is not normal organizational culture. First, most organizations don’t have a team to protect Second, **how do you know**? Have you ever worked in a high enough position where such decisions are typically made? If you had asked anyone at PSU a few years back, what do you think they would have said? If you honestly think Apple’s board wouldn’t have covered up crimes committed by Steve Jobs, or that Facebook executives wouldn’t cover up something Zuckerberg did, you are fooling yourself. Yes, this exact situation, a cover up of child abuse, will likely never arise, but organizations cover up serious things all the time for a variety of reasons. You are also forgetting how all of this started. The first report of showering was investigated by the DA, who decided no charges would be brought. They likely force Sandusky to retire given that the whole thing was terrible PR, and involved very questionable behavior. Paterno, et al., did much of what they should have during this particular incident. The mistakes were allowing him to have emeritus status, and not informing Second Mile and other relevant parties of the accusations. Once they take that somewhat understandable half measure, they are arguably complicit in the future actions of Sandusky. That slippery slope is, IMO, what lead to coverups and inaction far more than trying to “protect football”. ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138/180 "2012-07-24T15:58:27Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > The Paterno family should just be quiet instead of continuing to make statements like these: > > “The sanctions announced today by the NCAA defame the legacy and contributions of a great coach and educator without any input from our family…” > > Why would the NCAA ask for input from the family? Or they should be talking about the victims and not themselves. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penn-st-hit-hard/629138.md?page=10)