NCAA Sanctions to Punish Everyone but Penn State

As most already know from this New York Times article and other blogs, NCAA sanctions are to be announced in Indianapolis at 9 a.m. on Monday against Penn State for the crimes of Jerry Sandusky. These sanctions are most likely going to consist of loss of scholarships and bowls.

Well, I guess that seems fair. NCAA chairman Mark Emmert must think that the appropriate punishment for 40 child rapes is 100 scholarships and five bowl appearances. He must also think that punishing the football program is punishing those who are guilty.

But who are these sanctions really punishing? Not Jerry Sandusky, he's in jail awaiting sentencing. Not Tim Curley, Graham Spanier or Joe Pa (who I still stand behind because I don't believe every opinionated report unlike most of America) because Joe is dead and Curley and Spanier are gone. So now that's all that's left is the new football program and the students.

These sanctions will hurt the players more than anyone else. These players and this coaching staff, who have done nothing wrong, will face a reduction of scholarships and most likely a bowl ban. So these players, who work so hard to try and go to a big bowl or national championship, are being punished for nothing.

This makes no sense, as it is a Sandusky scandal not a football scandal, and also because this is essentially punishing a child for a crime his father committed. These sanctions are clearly a plan for Emmert to make himself look good, which it really doesn't.

You know who else these sanctions hurt? The students. The loss in scholarships and a bowl ban will decrease revenue for Penn State football, which is essentially the main revenue producer in State College. Punish the town and the school right?

Wrong. Where do you think the loss in revenue will be made up? In our tuition. So thanks Emmert, for the almost ensured tuition hikes pending these sanctions. Thanks for making life hard on State College's small business owners, who make huge profits on football weekends, and now may struggle depending on how harsh these sanctions are.

So although the Jerry Sandusky scandal was disgusting, inhumane and terrible, this is not the answer. Those responsible are facing their punishments, and Penn State will have to as well, in civil and criminal court.

But the NCAA sanctions will not hurt Penn State, only student athletes who worked their butts off to get to this point, and students who might not be able to come back next year if Penn State raises the tuition too much.