Breaking from the New York Times
Here's the quick breakdown of the NCAA punishment:
$60 million Fine
4 year post-season ban
vacating of all of the team’s victories from 1998 to 2011
removal of some scholarships
The vacating of the victories may or may not be a huge deal. The $60 million is a drop in the bucket. In retrospect, removing Paterno's statue was an attempt to show the NCAA that they were serious about this, but I'm not sure how much it worked.
The NCAA did NOT shut down their program for a year or more, which would have been a death knell. As is, the pundits will no doubt have a field day. But per the NYT:
The postseason ban and the scholarship restrictions essentially prevent the program from fielding a team that can be competitive in the Big Ten. The N.C.A.A. will also allow Penn State players to transfer to another university where they could play immediately, inviting the possibility of a mass exodus.
I will update as needed, depending on other diaries posted as news comes in.
Update 1:
The N.C.A.A. also chose not to wait for the numerous criminal and civil cases surrounding the Sandusky case to play out, though those will most likely provide new information on the actions of Penn State administrators.
When you think about it, this is moving at light-speed by the NCAA. It really illustrates how big a deal this is to the sports community. It also shows how important the Freech Report was to all concerned -- it (apparently) allowed the NCAA to circumvent a lot of the normal drawn-out process and move straight to determining appropriate punishment for Penn State.
Dave in Northridge has an excellent comment below I wish to highlight:
This is one of the best threading-of-the-needle acts I've ever seen. As people are saying, this is worse than the death penalty (loss of scholarships, forfeiture of victories, postseason ban). It doesn't hurt the other teams in the Big Ten the way the "death penalty" would have. It also doesn't hurt the other sports at Penn State.
Update 2:
Link to the
NCAA website. The leadoff sentence really says it all:
By perpetuating a “football first” culture that ultimately enabled serial child sexual abuse to occur, the Pennsylvania State University leadership failed to value and uphold institutional integrity, resulting in a breach of the NCAA constitution and rules.
And the actual
NCAA Report is here. Directly from that report (transcribed by me):
...in this instance, it was the fear of or deference to the omnipotent football program that enabled a ssexual predator to attract and abuse his victims. Indeed, the reverence for Penn State football permeated every level of the University community. That imbalance of power and its result are antithetical to the model of intercollegiate athletics embedded in higher education.
The complete Punitive Component:
$60 million fine (average of one year's gross revenue), paid over 5 years to an endowment for programs preventing child sex abuse.
Four-year postseason ban.
Four-year reduction of grants-in-aid (limit of 1, down from 25).
Five year probation.
Vacation of wins since 1998. Paterno's record will reflect his.
Entering or returning students-athletes wil be allowed to transfer and play immediately. Students may keep their Penn State scholarships regardless of whether they choose to play.
The NCAA reserves the rights to assign more penalties.
All recommendations in Chapter 10 of the Freech Report must be adopted by Dec. 31, 2013.
Update #3:
GoGoGoEverton has a good diary up where they assert that It was A Death Penalty for Penn State football...make no mistake. It really addresses the long-term damage to the program that is becoming a bone of contention in this diary.
The Big 10 has also come down with their penalties today as well:
No conference bowl revenue, estimated at $13 million. Instead it will go to a fund to help abused children.
Banned the school's football team from appearing in the Big Ten championship game for four years.
Public censure for failure to act.