Precious Scholarships

On September 24th, the NCAA announced that they would return scholarships to the Penn State football program after taking them away before the start of last season.  Instead of the original punishment of 65 scholarships in 2014, the team will have 75 scholarships.  Penn State will then have 80 in 2015 and the full amount of 85 in 2016.  The announcement is a huge step in the right direction for the football program.

Having grown up in Happy Valley, I was pleased to hear the news but the way in which the whole situation has played out bothers me.

The NCAA stated in their announcement that the reduction in penalties was due to Penn States "continued progress toward ensuring athletics integrity."

Is that a joke?

The situation at Penn State was messed up, I admit that, but it was all a criminal case.  Nothing that went on was against the NCAA rules.  They did not pay players, they did not provide improper benefits to student-athletes, they did not help athletes pass their classes by cheating for them.  All of which would fall under the lack of "athletics integrity."

In my opinion the NCAA should not have even punished Penn State for the criminal case.  The NCAA has no jurisdiction in criminal cases!  I don't suppose Nick Saban would be getting a call from the NCAA if he gets a DUI.  The NCAA did not have to punish Penn State.  Everyone whole got wrapped up in the situation payed for their mistakes.  Sandusky is in Jail, Joe Pa is gone, Curley and Spanier face criminal charges and are out of jobs.  The sanctions were just a way for the NCAA to flex their muscles and mess up another situation.  It amazes me that Oregon can use illegal recruiting practices (breaking actual rules by the NCAA) and then get slammed by the loss of one whole scholarship.  Wow.  Consistency is not in the NCAA's vocabulary.

One of the NCAA's reasons behind the monstrous sanctions was to "educate people."  How were you planning to do that by taking away scholarships to get into school?

Good one Mark Emmert...