The Rest of College Football

[Dr. Strangelove]

Rumors suggesting President Spanier will be out soon and ex-Governor Tom Ridge may be in

[Optimus Prime]

Were you cracking a smile or just turning the other cheek?

[Optimus Prime]

they will circle the wagons and win for their coach

I think it would be an enormous distraction as a player to be embroiled in a scandal you had absolutely nothing to do with.

[WM Wolverine]

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2011-06-23/bc-nortwestern-penn-state-and-stanford-share-an-innocent-label

Okay, now just BC, NW and Stanford.

[Dr. Strangelove]

And BC and Northwestern have endured serious point-shaving scandals, which the article notes. That impacts the integrity of the game far more than most NCAA violations

[hack]

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-foo...innocent-label

Okay, now just BC, NW and Stanford.

Thanks, Lloyd. Hope at least YOU got what YOU wanted out of stretchgate. Certainly not many others did.

[iam416]

Given that he wasn't charged with anything in 1998, it is possible that Penn State could have been slapped with a wrongful termination suit if they fired him? I'm wondering if the continued access to the campus was part of whatever deal Sandusky cut that included him retiring.

My understanding (from Andy Geiger interview) is that assistant coaches are on year-to-year contracts and are rehired at head coach's discretion.

I think the reality is that JoePa and PSU "hoped" Sandusky learned his lesson in 1998 when he was caught, but with insufficient evidence to prosecute (apparently). When it became clear -- from MM -- that he hadn't learned his lesson, the University circled the wagons. Which leads to this good point:

Were it a faculty member or a regent or a chess-team member they'd cover it up too. University executives' jobs are to raise money and protect the brand. To leave the job having not overseen anything embarrassing on their watch. Football adds a dimension of eggheads vs meatheads, but it all still goes in the same file.

They all put the institution (arguably, the greater good) above the individuals. It's not the first time it will happen, nor will it be the last. And, as stated above, I think it's probable that protecting the institution would be at the forefront across the spectrum of departments.

And finally:

We have never lumped Penn State in the same category with the win at all cost mentality of many SEC schools. For that matter not (most) of the Big Ten schools either. Maybe we need to rethink our priorities. If respected Penn State was guilty of such behavior it may be a symptom of a much wider problem nationally. I would like to think such things could not happen at U of M but who knows?

I agree with this. Not only across a full spectrum of departments, but, IMO, this sort of cover up is possible at any institution of similar ilk. Perhaps I'm a bit -- or waaaay --- to cynical, but I think those associated with institutions like PSU act to protect that institution (they are, afterall, fiduciaries) and will, if given the opportunity, cross the line in their actions.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the "big picture" crap, which is so much easier to think about than the specifics.

[whodean]

Thanks, Lloyd. Hope at least YOU got what YOU wanted out of stretchgate. Certainly not many others did.

I haven't read it yet, was there something in Bacon's book that said Lloyd was behind this, or are you just projecting?

[hack]

I don't see how protecting Sandusky has anything to do with winning games tho. They removed him from his job but still protected him from scrutiny and gave him access to facilities. Seems more about crony protection and keeping the whole thing lidded than about wins and losses.

[hack]

LOL @ ``yet''.

[Jamie H]

I don't see how protecting Sandusky has anything to do with winning games tho. They removed him from his job but still protected him from scrutiny and gave him access to facilities. Seems more about crony protection and keeping the whole thing lidded than about wins and losses.

I agree. Now, if they had kept Sandusky on the team I would disagree, but he was sent packing. IMO This was more about salvaging reputations and avoiding embarassment to the University (which would have been bad, but likely would have had only a short-term effect on the football team) than it was about breaking the law/rules to win football games.

[hack]

Fine to go being outraged, but I am also curious who the next coach is going to be. Who wants that job now? Meyer rumours? I recall we thought Schiano turned us down 4 years ago to wait for this?

I wonder if this is going to be a significant disincentive. Nobody wants the media scrutiny, but it is something that's in the past and by the time the new coach is there there won't be a lot of holdovers from that era certainly.

[whodean]

LOL @ ``yet''.

So safe to say your Coach Carr smear is not true?

What does the book say about "stretch gate"? The media (Rosenberg) was mostly responsible, no?

[whodean]

Fine to go being outraged, but I am also curious who the next coach is going to be. Who wants that job now? Meyer rumours? I recall we thought Schiano turned us down 4 years ago to wait for this?

I wonder if this is going to be a significant disincentive. Nobody wants the media scrutiny, but it is something that's in the past and by the time the new coach is there there won't be a lot of holdovers from that era certainly.

It would be ironic if after all this time (and rumors about which of JoePa's guys would get the job) someone from outside the Paterno tree directly follows JoePa in there, seems inevitable now though.

[hack]

whoDean most posters have read or are in the process of reading the book. You, on the other hand, are one of the few who have not. Yet you are quite certain you know what's what.