I haven't seen much on this topic on this board and would like to get opinions. I believe they should impose the Death Penalty for a couple of years and this is why - The pedophilia went on for years with knowledge of the Football program, Athletic Department, and University Administration. If they (the Penn State community) want me to believe they are taking this seriously, they need to perform some penance. Will there be innocent folks who pay the price? Absolutely and its unfortunate but with criminal endeavors of this type (the pedophilia AND the coverup), innocent people always get caught in the crossfire. What do you think?

Nope. The criminal behavior was/is reprehensible, all those who are criminally culpable should go to jail, all who are civilly culpable should pay out the ass, and those who could have stopped it but didn't, even if not legally culpable, should be set out on their ears...

But...it didn't have much to do with the football program. The football program didn't cheat, there were no recruiting violations, nothing like that. None of the kids in the program benefited from the criminal behavior.

I think this is purely a criminal matter, and a very big one...but not one that should result in the punishment of the kids on the team.

Fish on...

Todd

By punishing the football program, you punish the entire athletic progam. Football is the engine that runs most schools athletic programs. The players, regardless of thier sport at PSU had nothing to do with this.

I'm sick and disgusted by what happened there, but I don't believe the death penalty is the right answer. What NCAA rules did they violate and are criminal offenses consider a lack of institutional control which warrants the death penalty?

Some have already been fired, but more heads must roll. The entire football coaching staff, athletic administrators and school administration need to go. PSU needs to start with a clean slate.

The state of Pennsylvania needs to open an investigation as to why no charges were brought against Sandusky when he was first caught in 1998.

The County Prosecutor in '98 (I beleive) didn't bring charges...and, just to add a weird twist to the story, he disappeared right off the face of the earth in 2005...they found his car, but no sign of him, no sign of foul play, no sign of nothing...just gone.

The better question would be to ask him why no charges were filed...but, alas, he ain't here.

Fish on...

Todd

I agree with Todd's explanation above.

Sg

Todd, as usual, gives a cogent explanation. With the football program not committing the actions that he outlined, the NCAA does not have grounds to invoke the Death Penalty. However, Penn State can certainly choose to rebuild their toxic environment by imposing it upon themselves. I think they must. If they are to be taken seriously, they can not have business as usual, even if it is with an entirely new coaching staff and Administration. Sandusky was part of the football operations, McQueary was part of the football operations, Paterno was part of the football operations. McQueary and Paterno look to be guilty of obstruction of justice even though they reported Sandusky's actions up the chain of command. They could and should have done much more. I watched the Penn State game today, turned it off at Halftime because I was sickened by the God Bless Joe Paterno sign and the video of people kneeling at his home. It will be the last Penn State game I watch until they convince me that they are serious about making the systemic changes that are required to insure this does not happen again. I'm certain that does not cause anyone at Penn State much concern. I do wonder what is yet to come out on this sordid mess....

Maybe they should change the name........Penis State, perhaps?

4 years.

I disagree. It has a lot to do with the football program, as well as the athletic program. McQueary went and told JoePa what he saw. JoePa went and told his AD. AD didn't do $hit and JoePa sat idle and didn't think to report it any further. Sounds like a typical case of the football coaching world... Always cover up for your boys and brush away any shady activity to keep your fraternity of coaches together. Joe Pa didn't want to throw his guy under the bus and the AD didn't want his program looking like trash, so they kindly ushered him out and never said anything or turned it over to the authorities.

The fact that multiple people knew about a man in their program who was raping a child and nothing was done is f'ing disgusting. If you have the slightest inkling of a child rapist in your camp (they had more than just a slight hint) you throw that f*cker out.

Best way to get Sandusky out of town is tie him up to an 18 wheeler and drag his sick @$$ down the road till he isn't breathing....

The kids in the football program and other athletics should not be punished.

Anyone who covered up what was happening should be hung by their balls.

"McQueary and Paterno look to be guilty of obstruction of justice"

I have read the grand jury document and I don't understand how you could come to that conclusion. I will admit that I am no lawyer but what I read on obstruction of justice and the grand just testimony, I dont think it meets the law. I could be wrong though.

I believe that almost all levels of the Penn State coaching staff and administration were wrong in the way they dealt with this (or lack of dealing with it) but a death penalty would only punish the students athletes there now (who had nothing to do with it) and future student athletes. The Death penalty would do nothing to correct the problem as by kick off next season all those responsible for not acting will be gone and would just punish those who were in no way responsible for any of this.

I agree Syko and believe that the NCAA needs to make an exception to the no play rule for any athlete who chooses to transfer from Penn State.

I would love to have anyone convicted in this matter go to prison. The population there tends to take a dim view of child molesters and are generally not very subtle in expressing that view.