4um: Penn State Students Bear Brunt of NCAA Sanctions for Sandusky Cover-Up as Trustees Emerge Unscathed

Title: Penn State Students Bear Brunt of NCAA Sanctions for Sandusky Cover-Up as Trustees Emerge Unscathed
Source: [None]
URL Source: http://www.democracynow.org/2012/7/ ... n_state_students_bear_brunt_of
Published: Jul 26, 2012
Author: Amy Goodman & Juan González
Post Date: 2012-07-26 19:48:43 by Jethro Tull
Keywords: None
Views: 2451
Comments: 78

Penn State Students Bear Brunt of NCAA Sanctions for Sandusky Cover-Up as Trustees Emerge Unscathed

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The governing body of U.S. college sports Monday announced a series of unprecedented sanctions against Penn State University following an independent investigation into the widespread cover-up of child sexual abuse by former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. The NCAA leveled penalties including a fine of $60 million, a reduction of student-athlete scholarships, and a vacating of all wins of the Penn State football team from 1998 to 2011. We’re joined by Dave Zirin, sports columnist for The Nation magazine and host of Edge of Sports Radio. Zirin says the sanctions will punish Penn State students while sparing top officials, including Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, who has drawn criticism for his handling of the Sandusky investigation while serving as the state’s attorney general and preparing for a gubernatorial run. "We’re attacking 18-year-old scholarship athletes and making them pay the price, when people in power have not really had to be affected or afflicted by the horrible crimes that took place in Happy Valley," Zirin says. "I do not trust the NCAA to be [the] adjudicating body, for the simple reason that their very existence ensures more cover-ups and more scandals in the future." [includes rush transcript]

The symbolism of the candle marches have come and gone, and not a public statement begins w/o an acknowledgement about the true victims of Sandusky, and my argument isn’t about football per se (anyone with a lick of sense knows those current kids were watching Sesame Street when these crimes occurred), rather it’s about the creation of a new set of crime victims to this cover up. If people can justify innocent people damaged by this as collateral damage it speaks volumes to who they are. The remaining criminals, unmentioned by the Freeh report, were either directly complicit or chose to be silent over the course of a decade and today still remain seated among the powerful and elite. If any group of people should inherently distrust a collaboration between a Governor and Louie Freeh, it should be members of this 4um.

No statement, regardless of how it’s worded; no car magnet, regardless of its color of slogan, hasn't been either said or thought of. How lovely this world would be if words and gestures could penetrate through the thickness of evil, eh? Again, what this town has been left with since the Sandusky conviction, the death of Paterno, and now the NCAA sanctions, is a town that has been given the “death penalty” and a band of remaining perpetrators who are gleefully celebrating their biggest “victory” thanks to the complete dumbing down of a vast majority of the AmeriKan populace.

there are numerous articles and comments that have been written about the boys. what else can be done for restitution other than give them money. there's no emotional healing just like any other victim of physical or mental abuse or even murder. no amount of money can make up for their loss.

however, i liken the damage to the community like that of the gulf oil disaster. that was a crime too (i know, not sexual) but it is the same scenario in terms of devastation to an entire city.

To date an unknown number of men committed a crime and covered it up. The cover up continues, much to the outrage of the community. Your attempt to blame myself and my family, since we are members of this community, for a crime we weren't aware of is sad.

Every point of argument you floated regarding this, be it that the students wouldn’t be impacted or that the small business wouldn’t suffer was refuted. Now, you’ve arrived at the position that the community deserves this economic punishment. How very despicable considering we know each other over lunch x 2 and me having made a solid effort to get your product into this community SO THAT IT COULD BE SOLD TO THE VERY PEOPLE YOU NOW REVILE.

Just as Obama, through his naked Marxism, vowed to fundamentally change America, likewise, you too, via your extreme religiosity, desire to change the behavior of Americans. Sports bars on Saturday and Sunday are bad, however *approved* churches, with approved versions of the Bible are good. Please, spare me your faux morality. What’s left of free, critically thinking Americans would view both views, yours and Obama’s, as rabidly authoritative and brush them aside like a pesky mosquito.

Your opinions aren't based in economic reality. There is one road into SC and one road out. Much of the economy is based on 7-8 home games a year, and to suggest their losses will be minimal is as factual as the Freeh report. Think of this as a resort town, with Fall football being it’s Christmas season. If it’s diminished by x% it very well could be a deal buster for some and to think these sanctions won’t do just that is to be ignorant of our situation. But don’t take my word for it. This comes from the chamber of commerce, courtesy of the local news.

Perhaps the following will light a bulb. PSU is normally in an end of season bowl game. We are known to “travel well.” How big of an impact will the economic sanctions have on the various travel agents who book these trips? Easy answer, no? Will it put them out of business since it’s a 4-year ban? I’m betting at least some will go under.

BTW, when did you arrive at your decision to withhold your product from the rubes of State College? It sure wasn’t after the Sandusky matter became news worthy. Even after that you were eager to break into the area, so please, let's get real, OK?

The core of the problem is as old as Cain and Able. A crime was committed, covered up, and the conspirators are as yet unidentified. And worse, besides from us here in the PSU community and some with open minds, no one seems to give a siht. Not surprisingly, the dim-bulbs among us can't see this ruse for what it is. Raw political power paid a King’s ransom to commission a report from, whom we all know, is a liar and a stone cold killer (see WACO). This wasn't a football matter as no players were involved. Put a period on that and end the sentence. It does appear Paterno as HC was involved to a degree, but given his demise we’ll never know the degree. Besides, since when does the NCAA step into crimes committed by head coaches? Please don't ask me to Google the number of times the NCAA didn't step into these matters previously. As far as your contention that business (PSU football in this case) was too large for your liking, well, WhoTF are you to determine just how large business should be? If your private business took off tomorrow and reached seven figures overnight, you'd get a congratulations note from me and not an admonishment as to how much it should grow. In short, success in business shouldn't be punished if criminality creeps into it and is held, conspiratorially, among a core group. As I told you privately in PM a week ago, the problem in State College isn’t that the Freeh report will help correct the problems that are here, rather it’s that it wasn't an investigation, but rather a report, and it simply didn't go far enough for my taste.