Death Penalty for Penn State?

[nolemmings]

If I were PSU, I'd consider offering up some serious self-policing and punishment.

I'm likely in the minority, but I would not sanction PSU at this time if I were the NCAA. Its effect as precedent and the scope of the NCAA's powers should be given serious thought before proceeding.

First, there is the standard argument that the ones most hurt by the death penalty or any severe sanction are the athletes themselves, who had nothing to do with any of this, apparently at any time. Second, I do not believe that severe sanctions are needed as an additional deterrent. The bad actors here are facing loss of liberty, career ruination and public scorn for life (and beyond in Paterno's case), as well as civil litigation. The institution itself faces not only humiliation but likely hundreds of millions of dollars in lawsuit or settlement payments. Do you really think that someone presented with even a remotely similar situation in the future will be more concerned about football program sanctions than these punishments already in place?

It is easy to want to pile on all that is Penn State right now, and to a large extent it is probably justified. People are rightfully outraged. Still, the NCAA should be careful where it starts drawing lines. What if, for example, the SOB who opened fire at Virginia Tech and who killed dozens had been a promising linebacker whose unstable and/or homicidal tendencies had been brought to some coach's and administrator's attention? Would the potential wrongful death actions and prospect of criminal charges for cover-up or non-reporting be insufficient--would we insist that the football program be shut down as well to punish the institution? What if there's an off-campus rape by some football player who had been constantly pulled out of trouble by assistant coaches or the head guy and whose Dean or President had agreed that the coach could handle it internally--bye bye program? I'm not saying that some punishment might not be appropriate in these instances, but I am suggesting that this be looked at long and hard by the NCAA before it starts to hand out punitive measures where there are already specific and in my view adequate systems in place. Penn State will get what it deserves, IMO, without shutting down the football program.