Gutless, Cowardly NCAA Starts Restoring Penn State Scholarships

[joeybee12]

The NCAA said Tuesday that it will reduce the unprecedented sanctions against Penn State's football program by gradually restoring scholarships starting next season. Officials did not rule out future modifications, such as reducing the four-year postseason ban.

The announcement comes 14 months after NCAA president Mark Emmert levied the historic penalties in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. Penn State had faced a cap of 65 scholarships starting in 2014, but instead will have 75 scholarships in 2014, 80 in 2015 and the full allotment of 85 in 2016.

"The executive committee's decision to restore football scholarship opportunities for more student-athletes at Penn State is an important recognition of the university's progress -- and one I know it was pleased to make," Emmert said.

The scholarship reduction was widely believed to be the most significant sanction. Penn State vacated wins from 1998 to 2011, was hit with a $60 million fine, and banned from the postseason from 2012 to 2015.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9716482/ncaa-reduce-penalties-penn-state-regarding-jerry-sandusky-child-sexual-abuse-matter

[trotsky]

1. I'm of the opinion that sanctions like that are ridiculous.

Vacate the wins, yes. Ruin the legacy of those involved in the scandal.

But pulling scholarships, banning postseason play - how do these acts make up for the abuse? Does any of that punish ANYONE who was responsible for it?

I don't know what the answer is, I just think those kind of sanctions are completely stupid.