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The NCAA’s 2012 ruling on Penn State in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal has come under a new wave of criticism recently with the release of internal emails in an ongoing lawsuit.
Last week, emails between NCAA employees showed that some within the institution’s walls believed the NCAA was trying to “bluff” Penn State and didn’t have the kind if authority it threatened to.
The 2012 consent decree included a $60 million fine, a temporary bowl ban (which was lifted earlier this year), a loss of scholarships and 112 vacated wins for former coach Joe Paterno. They were unprecedented sanctions in college sports.
Now, as a judge has requested the NCAA turn over 447 emails for review, some more internal emails have surfaced that suggest the NCAA was putting its own image and public relations standing above Penn State while deciding on the university’s penalties.
From Onward State's story:
After agreeing with Gene Marsh, who acted as something of a liaison between the NCAA and Penn State at the time, that Penn State should not be sanctioned, Director of Committees on Infractions Shep Cooper wrote on July 4, 2012:
“FWIW, I agree. However, the new NCAA leadership is very image conscience and if they conclude that pursuing allegations against PSU would enhance the Association’s standing with the public, then an infractions case could follow. I know that Mark Emmert has made statements to the press indicating that he thinks it could fall into some sort of LOIC case. ‘Shooting road kill’ is an apt analogy.’”
Marsh responded “they should leave this one alone,” and continued to make arguments on behalf of Penn State to the NCAA. His advice was ignored two weeks later.
Emails between NCAA president Mark Emmert and his executive committee showed them discussing how they’d handle the impending PR storm after the NCAA crushed Penn State, which is normal business and nothing unusual.
What’s strange, though, is how many people with ties to the NCAA believed what the institution was doing was wrong or, at the very least, heavy-handed, including Marsh, the liaison between PSU and the NCAA. “It is fair that PSU would pay a heavy price. It is not fair that folks on the NCAA board would try to reform college athletics through one case,” Marsh wrote in an email, according to Onward State. “It’s starting to feel like that. How many institutions represented on the NCAA board could stand scrutiny on whether athletics is the tail wagging the dog?”
More emails and information will be exposed, surely, but for now we are left with a building body of evidence that confidently suggests the NCAA tried to swing far more power than it should in its handling of Penn State, fearing how it would be perceived if it didn’t hammer the school.
How concerned with every PR detail was the NCAA during this process? Sometime after Emmert issued the penalties, he emailed his PR staff complaining about a perceived error in his Wikipedia page.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. There is some concern around the status of Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah and his availability for this weekend’s game against Wisconsin. Abdullah sprained his knee against Purdue on Nov. 1 and didn’t practice during Nebraska’s bye week. Coach Bo Pelini said Monday he believes Abdullah will be fine for this weekend’s game, but there seems to be less optimism than last week. It’s hard to imagine Abdullah not playing in this game, but it’s also a question of his effectiveness. Abdullah is sixth in the country with almost 139 yards per game, and the Huskers as a whole are 113th in passing efficiency (52.9 percent) this season. They need a healthy and full-go Abdullah to beat the Badgers.
2. Jameis Winston, in his own words: I am hurting Florida State. What Winston is referring to here is his interceptions and habit of turning the ball over, about which he has a point. Winston quietly has 11 interceptions on the year (to 17 TDs), but much of that has been glossed over because he’s been so good when the Seminoles needed him most – particularly in the second half of games against Notre Dame and Louisville. We’ll see if he can put a complete game together against Miami this week.
3. CBS will be broadcasting the Egg Bowl instead of the Iron Bowl this year because it will have reached its Crimson Tide quota by then, per the network’s agreement with the SEC.
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
1. Stewart Mandel’s Forward pass revs up the engine on the one-loss Ohio State vs. two-loss SEC team debate. Also some original reporting on the Big 12/playoff race, which is going to be a total mess, and much more. Give it a read if you have a few minutes.
2. The last time Miami beat FSU at home was in 2004. Here is a quick snapshot from Tomahawk Nation about what was going on then.
While we’re on Miami, check out this Cane recruit’s one-handed TD catch. Tough to beat that.
3. Good news for Duke: The NCAA granted a sixth year of eligibility to redshirt seniors Kelby Brown and Braxton Deaver, both of whom suffered knee injuries in August. Good for them and the Blue Devils, who continue to play well under David Cutcliffe.
THREE THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW
1. There was some criticism of the Michigan State student section during the Ohio State game last weekend, and now – the timing might just be a coincidence -- Michigan State is looking into heating the student section to entice kids to stay at cold games. It makes sense from a fan experience perspective, but, well, I can’t believe a proud Big Ten school is actually doing this.
2. The Kaelin Clay premature touchdown now comes with Taiwanese animation.
3. The MIT Engineers are 8-0 and the verge of winning its first New England Football Conference title in school history. The program has already clinched its first Division III playoff berth ever. Pretty cool.
LASTLY
* Bill Connelly on the improbability of Texas A&M beating Auburn.
* Kirby Smart bear hugged Lane Kiffin after Alabama beat LSU, and a great bromance was born.
* Here’s a video of parachuters landing in Texas’ stadium. These are always neat.
* I have two grandfathers who served in wars and a number of friends who are either active military members or have done tours of duty in the past. On this Veterans Day, I think of them and all servicemen and women who sacrifice so much for us so we can pursue our lives in a nation founded on freedom. Thank you.
Have a great Tuesday, all.
Teddy Mitrosilis is an editor and writer for FOXSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TMitrosilis and email him at tmitrosilis@gmail.com.
