As has been said already, many (most?) NCAA punishments punish the people that didn't break the rule. Some are handed down after the player or coaches have left (Reggies Bush). Some affect a whole team for just a few's actions (OSU tattoos). This is no different
I agree that this happens as a matter of fact but do not agree with it. Besides Back in the old days when I was in Div 1 athletics I learned that the clearinghouse alone only had a dozen or so employees to watch EVERY incoming freshman scholorship athlete. They were also responsible for watching incoming transfers as well. All those kids to watch and a limited staff. What I mean is in many of these cases the infringements we read about are just a small portion of what goes on all over the country. And to be REALLY investigated you really have to be flagrant or simply make someone mad to really get dug into. When I was in college EVERY SINGLE basketball player drove around in Expeditions???? The head coach just happened to own a Ford dealership? There was no way these kids from some of the backgrounds they had could afford those cars. I watched players walk right out of SCHEDULED NCAA drug screenings, I put that in caps because the tests given by the SEC were a joke to everyone but when the NCAA came everyone knew someone was going to hold a cup and watch you pee in it and stage fright was not an allowable excuse (With the SEC test you could take the cup into the stall). With the NCAA testing you had to stay in that room and not leave until you provided a sample. Yeah, I watched guys walk right out of the room and not take the test and have no consequences. They were playing that weekend. I don't care what D1 school you are talking about you are NEVER going to be able to watch a bunch of kids all the time. And many of these kids never had nothing anyways, now they are expected to say no to an envelope from a booster??? That kind of stuff goes on way more than the general public knows. In the same breath I knew way more kids who didn't take money, get test questions before the test or walk out of a drug test.
Now with ALL THAT being typed, I see the Penn State thing as something TOTALLY criminal. We are not talking about trying to earn a few bucks, or getting a dinner paid for by a coach, or cheating on an exam to get a passing grade. These young people were taken advantage of in the worst possible way, and those found to be involved should also suffer. And I don't mean by not having sports to play... They should go to JAIL!!!!! I don't really care if they get the "death penalty" for these action, perhaps that makes me a bad person but I really don't care about them being allowed to catch balls or shoot hoops, If I was a parent I would want those involved incarcerated (I would probably vote dead but I can't). So I guess my proper response to if "they should get the death penalty for athletics"? is, I don't really care. BUT I do care to see that those involved get the book thrown at them. Sorry for this long response, didn't know it was this long until I was done, about the only thing I took away from college was the ability to type REALLY fast! LOL, the coming weeks are gong to be interesting for the entire Penn State community that's for sure. good thread and I enjoy seeing everyones opinions, very interesting!!! Have a great weekend!!!!