PA Governor to sue NCAA

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**LordofHats**

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett said on Tuesday he will file a federal lawsuit against the NCAA over sanctions it levied against Pennsylvania State University in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal.

Corbett is scheduled to hold a news conference on Wednesday at the Nittany Lion Inn on the Penn State campus to reveal the details of the lawsuit against the governing body of U.S. collegiate sports, his office said.

Sandusky, Penn State's former defensive coordinator, was convicted in June of 45 counts of sexually abusing 10 boys over 15 years, some in the football team's showers. He was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison.

In July, the NCAA fined Penn State University $60 million and voided its football victories for the past 14 seasons in an unprecedented rebuke for the school's failure to stop assistant coach Sandusky's sexual abuse of children.

The university recently made the first payment of $12 million, destined for a national fund to support the victims of child abuse. Other sanctions included a ban on the Penn State football team from appearing in bowl games for four years.

NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said the organization did not have any comment as it had not yet received the lawsuit.

The Sandusky scandal sparked a national debate over child sex abuse, embarrassed the university and implicated a number of its top officials including legendary football head coach, the late Joe Paterno.

It was revealed by a state grand jury convened in 2009 by Corbett, then Pennsylvania's attorney general. Sandusky is now serving 30 to 60 years in prison on 48 charges that he sexually abused 10 youths over more than a decade.

Attorney General-elect Kathleen Kane, a Democrat, has vowed to probe Corbett's handling of the Penn State case. She has told reporters that she believes that by convening a grand jury in the case that he failed to protect children by delaying prosecution for more than two years.

Corbett, a Republican, has said he welcomes an investigation into how he handled the case.

A poll of Pennsylvania voters last September found they had a poor view of Corbett's handling of the scandal as attorney general.

The Franklin & Marshall College survey noted that only one in six registered voters thought he did an excellent or good job of investigating the Sandusky case, whereas nearly two thirds thought he did a fair or poor job.

The poll found that more than half of respondents believed the NCAA sanctions imposed as a result of the Sandusky case were unfair.

I though the sanctions were extreme, but has this ever happened before? Not a sports buff myself.

**kronk**

"The poll found that more than half of respondents believed the NCAA sanctions imposed as a result of the Sandusky case were unfair."

They didn't ask me. I don't think they were harsh enough. I would have gone nuclear. No football for however many years that bastard was at the school.

**KalashnikovMarine**

I didn't see an issue with the sanctions, from the trials it was clear that Penn State staff/officials were complicit in Sandusky's crimes by not bloody doing anything about it. So frankly they can go to hell.

**Relapse**

I'm with Kronk and Kalishnikov on this one.

**rubiksnoob**

If I was the NCAA I would bid Penn State adieu. "You whine and bitch when we punish you for letting a pedophile run rampant through your school, and now you're suing us? Okay, you can go play football somewhere else."

**LordofHats**

I'm gonna say I wonder what the thoughts about this are in PA in relation to the budget cuts to PASSHE. Probably sucks even hard that Penn State got its budget massively slashed and has to pay the fines. I ended up out of state before the fiasco fully played out.

Maybe the good governor is trying to save face by appearing pro-PASSHE after taking big hits to his approval when he slashed the budget.

I have a feeling it might backfire.

**rubiksnoob**

When in doubt as to your political future, sue someone.

**Frazzled**

LordofHats wrote:
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett said on Tuesday he will file a federal lawsuit against the NCAA over sanctions it levied against Pennsylvania State University in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal.

Corbett is scheduled to hold a news conference on Wednesday at the Nittany Lion Inn on the Penn State campus to reveal the details of the lawsuit against the governing body of U.S. collegiate sports, his office said.

Sandusky, Penn State's former defensive coordinator, was convicted in June of 45 counts of sexually abusing 10 boys over 15 years, some in the football team's showers. He was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison.

In July, the NCAA fined Penn State University $60 million and voided its football victories for the past 14 seasons in an unprecedented rebuke for the school's failure to stop assistant coach Sandusky's sexual abuse of children.

The university recently made the first payment of $12 million, destined for a national fund to support the victims of child abuse. Other sanctions included a ban on the Penn State football team from appearing in bowl games for four years.

NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said the organization did not have any comment as it had not yet received the lawsuit.

The Sandusky scandal sparked a national debate over child sex abuse, embarrassed the university and implicated a number of its top officials including legendary football head coach, the late Joe Paterno.

It was revealed by a state grand jury convened in 2009 by Corbett, then Pennsylvania's attorney general. Sandusky is now serving 30 to 60 years in prison on 48 charges that he sexually abused 10 youths over more than a decade.

Attorney General-elect Kathleen Kane, a Democrat, has vowed to probe Corbett's handling of the Penn State case. She has told reporters that she believes that by convening a grand jury in the case that he failed to protect children by delaying prosecution for more than two years.

Corbett, a Republican, has said he welcomes an investigation into how he handled the case.

A poll of Pennsylvania voters last September found they had a poor view of Corbett's handling of the scandal as attorney general.

The Franklin & Marshall College survey noted that only one in six registered voters thought he did an excellent or good job of investigating the Sandusky case, whereas nearly two thirds thought he did a fair or poor job.

The poll found that more than half of respondents believed the NCAA sanctions imposed as a result of the Sandusky case were unfair.

I though the sanctions were extreme, but has this ever happened before? Not a sports buff myself.

Its like...I said he should do this...months ago...

**Ouze**

They should have decertified their football program. I'm with Kronk, the penalties weren't harsh enough by half. Sandusky shouldn't be in jail alone.

**Alfndrate**

Ouze wrote:
They should have decertified their football program. I'm with Kronk, the penalties weren't harsh enough by half. Sandusky shouldn't be in jail alone.

I would agree, but I think they should have scrapped those in charge of the football program up to the top, but rehire from outside. It kind of sucks for those kids who go to Penn State for the football program only get screwed over by something that happened when they were kids.

**Ouze**

Sure, it would have. But, you know, they didn't get press-ganging into the school, and they're free to vote with their feet.

I mean, that's how it works (not trying to be condescending here* but I can't find a better way to put it) in the real world at large, right? Your business goes bankrupt because your CEO was doing whatever, and now you're out of a job despite no wrongdoing of you own. It's not fair, but that's life - something college is supposed to be preparing you for anyway.

*honestly

**Alfndrate**

Ouze wrote:
Sure, it would have. But, you know, they didn't get press-ganging into the school, and they're free to vote with their feet.

I mean, that's how it works (not trying to be condescending here* but I can't find a better way to put it) in the real world at large, right? Your business goes bankrupt because your CEO was doing whatever, and now you're out of a job despite no wrongdoing of you own. It's not fair, but that's life - something college is supposed to be preparing you for anyway.

*honestly

I know... Just really sucks for those kids, especially if they were only at Penn State because the football program afforded them the chance to go to college. I'm sure they could get some offers at other schools..

**kronk**

Alfndrate wrote:
Ouze wrote:
Sure, it would have. But, you know, they didn't get press-ganging into the school, and they're free to vote with their feet.

I mean, that's how it works (not trying to be condescending here* but I can't find a better way to put it) in the real world at large, right? Your business goes bankrupt because your CEO was doing whatever, and now you're out of a job despite no wrongdoing of you own. It's not fair, but that's life - something college is supposed to be preparing you for anyway.

*honestly

I know... Just really sucks for those kids, especially if they were only at Penn State because the football program afforded them the chance to go to college. I'm sure they could get some offers at other schools..

The players were allowed to leave for other schools before the fall semester started without restriction. Unfortunately, with the ruling as late in the summer as it was, this wasn't a realistic option for any but the best and most recruited players.

**Dreadwinter**

Alfndrate wrote:
Ouze wrote:
They should have decertified their football program. I'm with Kronk, the penalties weren't harsh enough by half. Sandusky shouldn't be in jail alone.

I would agree, but I think they should have scrapped those in charge of the football program up to the top, but rehire from outside. It kind of sucks for those kids who go to Penn State for the football program only get screwed over by something that happened when they were kids.

Maybe a better choice of wording in a thread like this?

**Alfndrate**

Dreadwinter wrote:
Alfndrate wrote:
Ouze wrote:
They should have decertified their football program. I'm with Kronk, the penalties weren't harsh enough by half. Sandusky shouldn't be in jail alone.

I would agree, but I think they should have scrapped those in charge of the football program up to the top, but rehire from outside. It kind of sucks for those kids who go to Penn State for the football program only get screwed over by something that happened when they were kids.

Maybe a better choice of wording in a thread like this?

Nah, the better part would have been the "when they were kids" part, but I'm not changing my wording.

**Mattman154**

Dreadwinter wrote:
Alfndrate wrote:
Ouze wrote:
They should have decertified their football program. I'm with Kronk, the penalties weren't harsh enough by half. Sandusky shouldn't be in jail alone.

I would agree, but I think they should have scrapped those in charge of the football program up to the top, but rehire from outside. It kind of sucks for those kids who go to Penn State for the football program only get screwed over by something that happened when they were kids.

Maybe a better choice of wording in a thread like this?

Who's getting offended?

**Ouze**

I think we can agree, the bottom line here is the students at the school, through no fault of their own, are taking it in the shorts.

**MeanGreenStompa**

I will never understand why noone else ended up in the slammer for covering up the violent sodomy of other people's children.

I will also never understand the penalties as they were applied, damaging children's educations and removing the victories won by a team of young folks at their sports.

The entire board and many others should have stood trial.

Also, I just came from living in central PA for 2 years. Penn State football is ridiculously worshiped and the idolization of 'JoPat' was disgusting. Fething morons I had to listen to crying about the mean old feds picking on a 'great man'...

Plenty all ready to leap to the defense of an elderly man, who covered up wicked and despicable crimes, because he had a good record at teaching people to play a sport. What a shame there wasn't as much leaping to the defense of the victims who've had their lives destroyed.

Sometimes I just fething hate people.

**Relapse**

MeanGreenStompa wrote:
I will never understand why noone else ended up in the slammer for covering up the violent sodomy of other people's children.

I will also never understand the penalties as they were applied, damaging children's educations and removing the victories won by a team of young folks at their sports.

The entire board and many others should have stood trial.

Also, I just came from living in central PA for 2 years. Penn State football is ridiculously worshiped and the idolization of 'JoPat' was disgusting. Fething morons I had to listen to crying about the mean old feds picking on a 'great man'...

Plenty all ready to leap to the defense of an elderly man, who covered up wicked and despicable crimes, because he had a good record at teaching people to play a sport. What a shame there wasn't as much leaping to the defense of the victims who've had their lives destroyed.

Sometimes I just fething hate people.

Fairly put. At least someone had the good sense to get that halo off the bastard's picture.

**Alfndrate**

MeanGreenStompa wrote:
Also, I just came from living in central PA for 2 years. Penn State football is ridiculously worshiped and the idolization of 'JoPat'

While I agree with pretty much all of what you said, I would like to point out how little you care for Penn State (not arguing, just found it funny), his nickname was JoePa

Continue

**Ouze**

Relapse wrote:
Fairly put. At least someone had the good sense to get that halo off the bastard's picture.

One suggestion, after his inaction finally came to light; that I found especially compelling was the leave the statue there, but turn it around to face the wall, forever not seeing anything.

**Relapse**

Ouze wrote:
Relapse wrote:
Fairly put. At least someone had the good sense to get that halo off the bastard's picture.

One suggestion, after his inaction finally came to light; that I found especially compelling was the leave the statue there, but turn it around to face the wall, forever not seeing anything.

That's a very good suggestion.

**helgrenze**

Ouze wrote:
Relapse wrote:
Fairly put. At least someone had the good sense to get that halo off the bastard's picture.

One suggestion, after his inaction finally came to light; that I found especially compelling was the leave the statue there, but turn it around to face the wall, forever not seeing anything.

UGH!
Paterno did EXACTLY what would be reasonably expected of any other person.... He went to his superiors with what he was TOLD, he never actually witnessed anything, one of whom was the Head of Campus Police.
Now, what "Inaction" are you annoyed about?

The reasoning behind the lawsuit is simple.... "Corbett argues that sanction unfairly punish the citizens of his state, including Penn State students and employees, for a crime they didn't personally commit." And that the NCAA handed down penalties on what was a Criminal Case, which is out of their jurisdiction.

**gorgon**

rubiksnoob wrote:
When in doubt as to your political future, sue someone.

That has a lot to do with it.

Corbett is a highly unpopular governor, even with many in the GOP. There are a variety of reasons for this, but extreme cronyism and blatent pandering to special interests is at the heart of it. These things obviously go on everywhere, but in PA we're not used to seeing our elected officials be so obviously corrupt and simply not care. What's more, he's been facing criticism that he dragged his feet on the Sandusky investigation (Corbett was the AG at the time) because he thought it'd affect his popularity in the upcoming gubernatorial race. The new AG is starting to investigate this. The investigation did go on for a long time, and Corbett (as governor) finally pulled the trigger on Sandusky the week after JoePa got his (now vacated) record-breaking win. Some people might have, you know, done more to get a child predator off the streets ASAP.

It's extremely rare for a PA governor not to get re-elected, but it's hard to imagine how he gets a second term. Any Dem with a pulse will defeat him. So he's almost certainly rolling the dice here and hoping for sixes and some kind of gamechanger. But it's hard to see how Corbett or PSU end up benefiting from this. The board accepted the penalties and signed the papers. Plenty of people at PSU want to move on and ahead, but the true believers there can't accept reality and won't let it go.
They'll probably lose their new head football coach to the NFL in a few weeks, so that plus the sanctions should have PSU football bottoming out nicely in another year or two.

How great is this response by the NCAA? Just 83 words, but says it all.

We are disappointed by the Governor’s action today. Not only does this forthcoming lawsuit appear to be without merit, it is an affront to all of the victims in this tragedy – lives that were destroyed by the criminal actions of Jerry Sandusky. While the innocence that was stolen can never be restored, Penn State has accepted the consequences for its role and the role of its employees and is moving forward. Today’s announcement by the Governor is a setback to the University’s efforts.

**dogma**

MeanGreenStompa wrote:
What a shame there wasn't as much leaping to the defense of the victims who've had their lives destroyed.

I'm not certain that publicly insisting that victims of childhood sexual abuse have had their lives destroyed is particularly constructive, given that said victims tend to suffer from significant self-esteem issues. I mean, I know if I already felt that my life was worth very little, having people who have never met me insist that it had, in fact, been destroyed might be viewed as more than a little insensitive. I could further see how such an attitude would make victims less likely to come forward, for fear of the associated stigma.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:

I will also never understand the penalties as they were applied, damaging children's educations and removing the victories won by a team of young folks at their sports.

I suspect that many of those young folks should be glad the investigation into just who was aware of Sandusky's behavior didn't go further.