"As to the argument that refusing to accept a bowl invite would be unfair to the players who took the field for Penn State, well, life's not fair"
You can't be serious. Too many times have I seen people make this asinine argument. So just because it happens all of the time means it's acceptable? No. I know that righteous columnists and fans who fancy themselves as our nation's moral compass want to punish anything and everything that has to do with Penn State because we're all horrified by what went on. So in order to either make ourselves feel better or to distance ourselves from any possible connotation that we don't emphatically decry abuse of children, we want to advocate for the strongest possible penalties we can come up with in our minds, whether it's the guilty parties who get punished or if there's collateral damage. Too bad for everybody else, we have a moral statement to make.
The quoted argument is BS.
Dave - 12 years ago
Penn State should self exile itself from a bowl, now as to the argument that the alleged Sandusky attacks had no impact on this year's squad, incorrect. Had Penn State come clean when the allegations first surfaced and Sandusky was "prohibited" from bringing children on campus, the program would have undoubtedly suffered a recruiting setback, but by virtue of the school's attempt to sweep the allegations under the rug they benefited from hiding Sandusky from justice, thus allowing them to bypass the certain shunning by recruits by the very magnitude of Sandusky's crimes.
As to the agurment that refusing to accept a bowl invite would be unfair to the players who took the field for Penn State, well, life's not fair, players should take their greivances to the Penn State administrators and extract their pound of flesh from there. Of course should, and will are two different propositions, and Penn State will no doubt go for one last bowl payout before the program is reduced to a Division 1 pariah. Honestly what top flight recruit is going to want to shower in the same room where an innocent child's innocence was destroyed by a vaunted member of the Penn State coaching staff. If SMU was dismantled and decimated for illegal payouts, what do you think the consequences will be for heinous sexual crimes and subsequent repeated coverups?
Henry Montague - 12 years ago
Yes ban themselves from bowl games for five years. Penn state is an embarrassment to college institutions. Coaches in sports are hypocritical in what they preach, they themselves would not allow anyone to preach to them, or be treated and bossed around the way they do to younger adults. Teach them and all coaches they cannot do whatever they want to younger adults and be excused, as if their too big to fail or be caught and exposed. How happy would Penn State have been to keep this matter buried?
Crystal c - 12 years ago
It is a clash of energy between the crime and the bowl.
Analogy:
Yes, it is someone else's funeral( the boys' loss) in your backyard. Not your fault. But you can see the funeral is there. Must you proceed with your birthday celebration(bowl)?
There is a time and place for everything.
It is not admission of fault or punishment.
It is to respect the severity of the situation.
It is a pause, a breather.
A comeback will be welcomed, later.
Anne - 12 years ago
There is no reason for Penn State to punish itself by turning down a bowl game. The people who are responsible for the scandal, Paterno, Sandusky, McQueary, the university president, AD, etc. have been arrested, accused, and/or fired. Why punish the football players who had nothing to do with the scandal and when no NCAA rules had been broken?
Rob - 12 years ago
I am so sick of this contest among the media talking heads to claim the morally superior high ground in calling for game cancellations, turning down bowls, shutting down the football program...shutting down the Penn State Univ., etc.! Yes, it was a heinous act(s) perpetrated by a calculating pedophile who fooled his friends, his players, his fellow coaches, some District Attorneys, his charity and even his wife, apparently, who who adopted six kids. Forget about "innocent until proven guilty." He is guilty! Put him away for life. But that is not enough of a ration of punishment for the media. Find someone (or something) else that is bigger and get your pound of flesh out of it. The football team (and its players) is just the easiest target.
Joe Zalewski - 12 years ago
No, no, no-the football team should not be punished with a bowl ban! We have so far watched a coach be tried and sentenced in the court of public opinion with the only information coming from a 23 page Grand Jury presentment in which he was not charged. Will we only be happy to see the entire football team punished for something they had no control over. We have lost sight that Sandusky is the one who committed the crimes, not the members of the football team. Whatever happened to journalism and reporting the facts objectively-not conjecture and speculation. Doesn't this also speak volumes about the morality of how the press is covering this story.
Doug Curley - 12 years ago
While what happened is absolutely appalling, and anyone connected to it should be punished and or fired, it will be unfair to take it out on the current players. These kids have played their hearts out, for many this will be the last time they get to play a game they love at this level. To punish them for the shortcomings of others (much of which happened long before they arrived on campus) is just wrong.
steve - 12 years ago
Mark Michie:
Jerry Sandusky was not "one of Joe's coaches" in 2002 when the incident occurred as he was let go 3 years earlier. Joe had no control over Sandusky in 2002 as he was a retired coach that had weight room rights as part of his retirement package. I'm amazed at how many people have strong opinions without knowing the facts of this scandal. I have a friend that knew one of the other coaches on the staff at PSU at the time and needless to say, Joe and Sadusky were not "friends". in fact, Joe refused to even attend Sandusky's retirement dinner in 1999. I can say with 100% certainty that Joe was not "protecting his coach cronies". It's a sad statement of our society that people like you aren't intelligent enough to AT LEAST get the facts straight before spouting off.
Mark Michie - 12 years ago
They should take the wins away from Joe Paterno starting 2002, or whenever his coaches started using the mens showers for their own little sick games. That would not make him the all time leader in wins. He should care about the overall picture rather than himself annd his coach cronies. Your a sick man Joe.
John - 12 years ago
We have a major scandal involving one of the tradition laden football programs in America. The scandal had or has nothing to do with any member on the roster. Heck, it had nothing to do with any kid on a PSU roster since McQueary and that was awhile ago. No NCAA violations to speak of either. While this situation is sick in every facet and hopefully justice prevails to the victims, entertaining the notions of a bowl ban or even requesting PSU cease its football operations for a year or two are absolute jokes. Media members should shut the heck up and think before they suggest something like this. They have no clue and really, what does it solve? Does it help the victims? Nope.
Travis Branaman - 12 years ago
Tell me something this year's players did wrong. The school should return the money from any bowl selection they may recieve. Punish the University not the players.
dennis - 12 years ago
The whole situation was handled poorly right from the start. Paterno getting axed did not make any sense as he did not know the full extent of what the GA saw in the shower room. Paterno reported the "horseplay" incident to his superior (AD) and was told they would take care of it. In Paterno's mind (being what it is) he believed it was taken care of and he went about his business, which is coaching football. He totally got railroaded by the media and the Board of Trustees at PSU.
adams - 12 years ago
so the bad of the few outweighs the good of the students. dont punish the kids for what they had no idea or control over.....stop shelling the whole school for that which a few individuals were the problem....the healing needs to begin....
steve - 12 years ago
I'm actually a USC fan and will never understand why the media is pushing this agenda. calls to turn down a bowl, shut down the football program, and even the NCAA investigating when no NCAA rules were broken is nothing more than a witch hunt to sell more papers and get higher ratings by the media. it's simply not logical if you read the facts for yourself and stop listening/reading the media that is loving the "hits" they are getting from the coverage.
The current team, coaches, fans, have nothing to do with a man allegedly breaking a law 9 years ago that was not a staff member at the time. people are crazy for blaming penn state for this, the blame is on the individual that committed the crime and those that were responsible for it not being fully investigated. it's time to stop following the media drama like a bunch of sheep and do a little thinking for ourselves.
Darrell Lowe - 12 years ago
This is garbage. The only ones punished by a bowl ban are the kids there now. Like stated above this won't help the victims in anyway either. Let em play they have earned it.
Tom - 12 years ago
A bowl ban at Miami makes sense as players were involved. There was no involvement of players in the Penn crisis. It was a total lack of moral and ethical leadership of the previous coaching staff and administration going back years for which these payers should not be punished. I would be more impressed if Penn went, played, won but declined the trophy.
matt - 12 years ago
I'm no big fan of the ninny lions, but I don't know how punishing the kids that chose to play at PSU either A) properly punishes those involved or B) makes an ounce of difference to the victims.
mws - 12 years ago
Bowl ban???? This has nothing to do with Penn States's football program. The athletic director and the head of the university police force were informed of the allegation against an ex-football coach and they did nothing. Targeting the football program makes no sense. The AD and head of the uiniversity police are charged with perjury. It's a criminal case against a sexual predator and 2 administrators...that has nothing to do with Penn State football. Would it make sense to shut down the penn state fencing team? They had as much to do with this as the football team.
RSpence - 12 years ago
Players have suffered enough already. If a bowl bid is earned, they should be allowed to participate. Enable the team and coaches not involved in the Sandusky scandal to move beyond this nightmare and enjoy the remainder of the season.
jeebus - 12 years ago
Only if there NCAA were rule violations. Were there? I didn't hear of any. Does have a pedophile as an ex-assistant produce an fair advantage on the field or in recruitment? Not sure how I could logically arrive at an argument to penalize the football program, other than those responsible for letting this attrocity go unreported.
maw5062 - 12 years ago
Punish the players, students, fans and coaches currently on the staff that had nothing to do with the allegations whatsoever by not letting Penn State play in a game that it has worked so hard for all year long? Makes zero sense whatsoever.
"As to the argument that refusing to accept a bowl invite would be unfair to the players who took the field for Penn State, well, life's not fair"
You can't be serious. Too many times have I seen people make this asinine argument. So just because it happens all of the time means it's acceptable? No. I know that righteous columnists and fans who fancy themselves as our nation's moral compass want to punish anything and everything that has to do with Penn State because we're all horrified by what went on. So in order to either make ourselves feel better or to distance ourselves from any possible connotation that we don't emphatically decry abuse of children, we want to advocate for the strongest possible penalties we can come up with in our minds, whether it's the guilty parties who get punished or if there's collateral damage. Too bad for everybody else, we have a moral statement to make.
The quoted argument is BS.
Penn State should self exile itself from a bowl, now as to the argument that the alleged Sandusky attacks had no impact on this year's squad, incorrect. Had Penn State come clean when the allegations first surfaced and Sandusky was "prohibited" from bringing children on campus, the program would have undoubtedly suffered a recruiting setback, but by virtue of the school's attempt to sweep the allegations under the rug they benefited from hiding Sandusky from justice, thus allowing them to bypass the certain shunning by recruits by the very magnitude of Sandusky's crimes.
As to the agurment that refusing to accept a bowl invite would be unfair to the players who took the field for Penn State, well, life's not fair, players should take their greivances to the Penn State administrators and extract their pound of flesh from there. Of course should, and will are two different propositions, and Penn State will no doubt go for one last bowl payout before the program is reduced to a Division 1 pariah. Honestly what top flight recruit is going to want to shower in the same room where an innocent child's innocence was destroyed by a vaunted member of the Penn State coaching staff. If SMU was dismantled and decimated for illegal payouts, what do you think the consequences will be for heinous sexual crimes and subsequent repeated coverups?
Yes ban themselves from bowl games for five years. Penn state is an embarrassment to college institutions. Coaches in sports are hypocritical in what they preach, they themselves would not allow anyone to preach to them, or be treated and bossed around the way they do to younger adults. Teach them and all coaches they cannot do whatever they want to younger adults and be excused, as if their too big to fail or be caught and exposed. How happy would Penn State have been to keep this matter buried?
It is a clash of energy between the crime and the bowl.
Analogy:
Yes, it is someone else's funeral( the boys' loss) in your backyard. Not your fault. But you can see the funeral is there. Must you proceed with your birthday celebration(bowl)?
There is a time and place for everything.
It is not admission of fault or punishment.
It is to respect the severity of the situation.
It is a pause, a breather.
A comeback will be welcomed, later.
There is no reason for Penn State to punish itself by turning down a bowl game. The people who are responsible for the scandal, Paterno, Sandusky, McQueary, the university president, AD, etc. have been arrested, accused, and/or fired. Why punish the football players who had nothing to do with the scandal and when no NCAA rules had been broken?
I am so sick of this contest among the media talking heads to claim the morally superior high ground in calling for game cancellations, turning down bowls, shutting down the football program...shutting down the Penn State Univ., etc.! Yes, it was a heinous act(s) perpetrated by a calculating pedophile who fooled his friends, his players, his fellow coaches, some District Attorneys, his charity and even his wife, apparently, who who adopted six kids. Forget about "innocent until proven guilty." He is guilty! Put him away for life. But that is not enough of a ration of punishment for the media. Find someone (or something) else that is bigger and get your pound of flesh out of it. The football team (and its players) is just the easiest target.
No, no, no-the football team should not be punished with a bowl ban! We have so far watched a coach be tried and sentenced in the court of public opinion with the only information coming from a 23 page Grand Jury presentment in which he was not charged. Will we only be happy to see the entire football team punished for something they had no control over. We have lost sight that Sandusky is the one who committed the crimes, not the members of the football team. Whatever happened to journalism and reporting the facts objectively-not conjecture and speculation. Doesn't this also speak volumes about the morality of how the press is covering this story.
While what happened is absolutely appalling, and anyone connected to it should be punished and or fired, it will be unfair to take it out on the current players. These kids have played their hearts out, for many this will be the last time they get to play a game they love at this level. To punish them for the shortcomings of others (much of which happened long before they arrived on campus) is just wrong.
Mark Michie:
Jerry Sandusky was not "one of Joe's coaches" in 2002 when the incident occurred as he was let go 3 years earlier. Joe had no control over Sandusky in 2002 as he was a retired coach that had weight room rights as part of his retirement package. I'm amazed at how many people have strong opinions without knowing the facts of this scandal. I have a friend that knew one of the other coaches on the staff at PSU at the time and needless to say, Joe and Sadusky were not "friends". in fact, Joe refused to even attend Sandusky's retirement dinner in 1999. I can say with 100% certainty that Joe was not "protecting his coach cronies". It's a sad statement of our society that people like you aren't intelligent enough to AT LEAST get the facts straight before spouting off.
They should take the wins away from Joe Paterno starting 2002, or whenever his coaches started using the mens showers for their own little sick games. That would not make him the all time leader in wins. He should care about the overall picture rather than himself annd his coach cronies. Your a sick man Joe.
We have a major scandal involving one of the tradition laden football programs in America. The scandal had or has nothing to do with any member on the roster. Heck, it had nothing to do with any kid on a PSU roster since McQueary and that was awhile ago. No NCAA violations to speak of either. While this situation is sick in every facet and hopefully justice prevails to the victims, entertaining the notions of a bowl ban or even requesting PSU cease its football operations for a year or two are absolute jokes. Media members should shut the heck up and think before they suggest something like this. They have no clue and really, what does it solve? Does it help the victims? Nope.
Tell me something this year's players did wrong. The school should return the money from any bowl selection they may recieve. Punish the University not the players.
The whole situation was handled poorly right from the start. Paterno getting axed did not make any sense as he did not know the full extent of what the GA saw in the shower room. Paterno reported the "horseplay" incident to his superior (AD) and was told they would take care of it. In Paterno's mind (being what it is) he believed it was taken care of and he went about his business, which is coaching football. He totally got railroaded by the media and the Board of Trustees at PSU.
so the bad of the few outweighs the good of the students. dont punish the kids for what they had no idea or control over.....stop shelling the whole school for that which a few individuals were the problem....the healing needs to begin....
I'm actually a USC fan and will never understand why the media is pushing this agenda. calls to turn down a bowl, shut down the football program, and even the NCAA investigating when no NCAA rules were broken is nothing more than a witch hunt to sell more papers and get higher ratings by the media. it's simply not logical if you read the facts for yourself and stop listening/reading the media that is loving the "hits" they are getting from the coverage.
The current team, coaches, fans, have nothing to do with a man allegedly breaking a law 9 years ago that was not a staff member at the time. people are crazy for blaming penn state for this, the blame is on the individual that committed the crime and those that were responsible for it not being fully investigated. it's time to stop following the media drama like a bunch of sheep and do a little thinking for ourselves.
This is garbage. The only ones punished by a bowl ban are the kids there now. Like stated above this won't help the victims in anyway either. Let em play they have earned it.
A bowl ban at Miami makes sense as players were involved. There was no involvement of players in the Penn crisis. It was a total lack of moral and ethical leadership of the previous coaching staff and administration going back years for which these payers should not be punished. I would be more impressed if Penn went, played, won but declined the trophy.
I'm no big fan of the ninny lions, but I don't know how punishing the kids that chose to play at PSU either A) properly punishes those involved or B) makes an ounce of difference to the victims.
Bowl ban???? This has nothing to do with Penn States's football program. The athletic director and the head of the university police force were informed of the allegation against an ex-football coach and they did nothing. Targeting the football program makes no sense. The AD and head of the uiniversity police are charged with perjury. It's a criminal case against a sexual predator and 2 administrators...that has nothing to do with Penn State football. Would it make sense to shut down the penn state fencing team? They had as much to do with this as the football team.
Players have suffered enough already. If a bowl bid is earned, they should be allowed to participate. Enable the team and coaches not involved in the Sandusky scandal to move beyond this nightmare and enjoy the remainder of the season.
Only if there NCAA were rule violations. Were there? I didn't hear of any. Does have a pedophile as an ex-assistant produce an fair advantage on the field or in recruitment? Not sure how I could logically arrive at an argument to penalize the football program, other than those responsible for letting this attrocity go unreported.
Punish the players, students, fans and coaches currently on the staff that had nothing to do with the allegations whatsoever by not letting Penn State play in a game that it has worked so hard for all year long? Makes zero sense whatsoever.