Penn State / Jerry Sandusky Pt. II

[LoganBuck]

But the problem is that to protect the football team, which is a member participant of the NCAA, the university at all levels covered up a HORRIFIC series of crimes. This was done for profit.

How again is what the NCAA did "kicking a regional economy in the junk", they get to have football, and instead of going 8-4 like usual, they go 6-6 or 5-7. The depravity.

[traderumor]

I'm sensing there is a disconnect that organizations suffer consequences for crimes committed under the authority of that organization. Just like if a social worker commits some horrific crime that was covered up by the management of my organization would result in severe penalties to the organization, in addition to the individuals who were actually responsible. For example, innocent people could lose their jobs because funding is pulled.

That's the way it is with organizations--punishment can be corporate, both direct and indirect. Apparently that is a novel concept to many.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by Wonderful Monds

I prefer a better and more rational reason for a kicking a regional economy in the junk than "well that's just what you get, deal with it."

BS. It's not local business fault or the fault of everyone else at PS not associated with football that this happen. Screw the NCAA. We should just bring the hammer down on everyone else, why, because *somebody* has to get egregiously punished?

By that logic, no organization that whose leadership engages in wrongdoing can ever be sanctioned because they provide an economic benefit to the community. Can't go after Enron, they're too important to innocent business owners in the community.

Beyond the obvious standing and waiver issues, I would argue that, regardless of the NCAA's monopoly status, it is a voluntary organization for which membership is not required for universities to accomplish their primary goals of education and research. Collegiate athletics is not essential to the purpose of a university. Penn State joined the NCAA to provide governance over intercollegiate athletics and therefore subjected itself to the possibility of facing sanctions.
Personally, I think Penn State and the Commonwealth should be happy the football program didn't get handed the death penalty. They could have avoided those sanctions on their own by self-imposing sanctions. There are plenty of schools that have suspended their own sports teams for hazing incidents. A two year self-supension would have probably been appropriate.

One thought that crossed my mind is that it could be intended as a back-door attempt at clearing Joe Paterno's name by using a federal court as a forum to attack the Freeh report. But I think most jurists would probably throw it out on the standing and waiver issues.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

One thought that crossed my mind is that it could be intended as a back-door attempt at clearing Joe Paterno's name by using a federal court as a forum to attack the Freeh report. But I think most jurists would probably throw it out on the standing and waiver issues.

In that state? Maybe not.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

In that state? Maybe not.

If it's in federal court, the judges are life appointments and if the judge has any connection to Penn State or the State of Pennsylvania, the NCAA is likely to request a recusal if the judge doesn't recuse him or herself.