NCAA finally cuts PSU a break
Finally, the NCAA did something right in the handling of the Penn State Jerry Sandusky scandal.
The Nittany Lions football team was made bowl-eligible again on Monday as the NCAA cut its original ban of four years in half. Penn State head coach James Franklin will get a full allotment of scholarships again, starting next year, as well.
As expected, it was a polarizing announcement.
Those who hate Penn State didn’t think the program deserved a break. Those who love Penn State thought the sanctions the NCAA levied on the school were much too harsh to begin with.
From this view, Penn State was certainly deserving of some penalties for what went on, but the NCAA’s methods were questionable at best.
Let’s first point out that the abuse Sandusky was convicted of is, of course, abhorable, and some of those accused of trying to cover it up deserve to be prosecuted.
That includes Timi Curley, Graham Spanier and Gary Schultz.
No one will ever convince this writer, however, that Joe Paterno belongs with that trio.
Paterno was always a polarizing figure as well. Those who hated him gladly stomped him into the ground when the scandal broke. Those who worshiped him thought he was completely free of any guilt.
Anyone who knew Paterno well enough knows he would never have tried to cover up a scandal, although all the haters still want to try to convince you otherwise.
Since then head coaches Bill O’Brien and James Franklin have successfully pushed the Nittany Lions into a new era.
The old era ended when the NCAA lowered the boom on Penn State, not because of their own investigation.
It was too lazy to do that.
It just decided that the highly flawed Louis Freeh report on the incident was gospel.
Penn State isn’t in the clear yet. It still has a $60 million fine to pay and there is no talk of reinstating the 111 wins taken away from Paterno.
The latter was another ridiculous NCAA move.
Victories before in all sports were taken from schools because of players who participated illegally and other wrongdoings that effected the outcome on the field.
The Nittany Lions didn’t win or lose any games because of what happened in the Sandusky scandal.
All involved agree that Penn State has worked hard to sincerely turn its battered image around.
The victims are still there and you have to feel sorry for them. But to condemn the entire school and program for what happened was always wrong.
The entire institution improperly took a hit because of the scandal, and 99 percent of the football team was improperly indicted, too, thanks to the NCAA and its haphazard handling of the situation.
Finally, the Nittany Lions can be viewed as a normal football program again.
Finally, the NCAA made the right decision concerning Penn State.
Rob Burchianti can be reached at rburchianti@heraldstandard.com