NCAA's integrity and character over Penn State sanctions

The NCAA’s integrity and character was tested during the Sandusky issue and cover-up at Penn State. Now, after the wake of the sanctions placed on Penn State by the NCAA, it is evident that the NCAA’s integrity and character should now be questioned.

On Monday, July 23, 2012, the NCAA went beyond its boundaries to impose sanctions on a school were no NCAA violations were broken. Feeling the weight of public opinion, the NCAA dropped the hammer on Penn State giving them a $60 million dollar fine, a four year ban on postseason play (bowls), including the BIG Ten championship, a cut in scholarships per year from 25 to 15, vacate victories from 1998-2011, and allowing current athletes within Penn State to transfer without losing NCAA eligibility.

The fact that no NCAA violations were broken, and that sanctions were still imposed, sheds light that the NCAA is run by public opinion and not by their bylaws, which can be downloaded at the following link: http://ncaapublications.com/p-4224-2011-2012-ncaa-division-i-manual.aspx. The purpose of the NCAA, as written in their bylaws, is to “maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body and, by so doing, retain a clear line of demarcation between intercollegiate athletics and professional sports.”

In reading, it is clear that the NCAA’s bylaws only pertain to intercollegiate athletics and violations associated with intercollegiate athletics. Therefore, how can the NCAA conspire to impose sanctions on a University that broke no clear NCAA violation? Even today, how can those sanctions be accepted by Penn State if the NCAA’s judgment falls outside of their governing bylaws?

Keep in mind, I am not losing site of what transpired and how we got to this point. As a Father, my heart goes out to the families and the victims affected by this horrific event.

My opinion however, relates to an organization’s integrity and character to position themselves in an issue that they should have never been involved. Except got involved only to save face and not receive any ridicule from the outside public.

In this case, the NCAA should have indicated to the public, that their bylaws only allow them to enforce sanctions on universities where athletic violations are broken, such as Ohio State, USC, and soon Miami. Also, the issue with Sandusky and the cover-up is already being taken care of by the government, courts, and Penn State.

I know the hurt is deep with those that were affected on both sides. However, as I indicated in my previous article, punish those that were involved, and not those (student-athletes) that had no knowing of these events, or a program that did not violate any NCAA rules.