The Penn State Mess, Part II

The NCAA handed down penalties today:
$60 million fine
4 year post-season ban
Reduction in scholarships
5 years of probation
All wins between 1998 and 2011 vacated.

(The B1G Ten slapped some penalties on top of that as well. Complete list here.)

I don't have a problem with any of this. I think the University wanted to tear the bandage off as quickly as possible so they could get it behind them (the potential for civil lawsuits and ongoing court cases aside) and I think the NCAA had to react after the release of the Freeh Report and it couldn't be half-assed about it. Sure, a lot of people are saying that this was unprecedented and beyond the normal purview of the NCAA but this situation is unprecedented.

What I choked a little on was the following quote from NCAA President Mark Emmert:

...In closing, let me say that this case involves tragic and tragically unnecessary circumstances. One of the grave dangers stemming from our love of sports is that the sports themselves can become "too big to fail," or even too big to challenge.

The result can be an erosion of academic values that are replaced by the value of hero worship and winning at all costs. All involved in intercollegiate athletics must be watchful that programs and individuals do not overwhelm the values of higher education.

Since when has this been the case? Really? Academics above the money making machine that is college athletics? What are they smoking? Let's be clear about this- the NCAA is to be commended for moving quickly to deal with the Penn State situation, but let's not wrap ourselves up in cotton candy and pretend this was about protecting academic values.

Hero worship and winning at all costs are embedded in our culture. Worship of athletes especially so... doesn't matter if they're pro or college or whatever... people worship athletes. Athletes and money. It's why people want to be lawyers, doctors and bankers instead of teachers, plumbers and electricians. For as much as we've heard people railing agains the infamous 1%, it doesn't change the fact that secretly, a lot of us aspire to be squarely in that 1%. It's all wrapped up in that meddlesome concept pompously known as 'the American dream.'

Again, kudos to the NCAA for not pissing about with this. But please, let's not pretend these penalties were harsh to 'protect academic values.' This is about putting college athletics in it's place. Under their thumb. And making sure the brand of college football isn't tarnished by this horror to the point were people make less money off it.