Local Reaction to Penn State's NCAA Sentencing

7/23/2012 (Updated 7/24/2012 8:54:25 AM)

(Source: Fox40 Staff)

The fallout in State College from the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal is moving fast.

On Sunday, the statue of Joe Paterno was taken down, and on Monday, the NCAA handed out its punishment.  In what usually takes the NCAA years, president Mike Emmert off the heels of the Freeh Report, levied sanctions against the Penn State football program that are to this day unprecedented.

Here is what Penn State faces:
-A $60-million fine to the university
-Banned from postseason play for the next four seasons
-Student athletes on the roster will be able to transfer without sitting out immediately
-The university will be on probation for the next five years with a reduction in scholarships
-All wins from 1998 to 2011 will be vacated

The news of the Penn State sanctions spread quickly among sports fans across the nation, and here in the Southern Tier.

In Endwell at Bobby's Place and Brother's Two, Fox40 asked local sports fans if the punishment was too harsh and whether Penn State's entire football program, and its players, should suffer because of the misdeeds of a few.

"I guess as they explained why they did it, you kind of understand that it was a pretty agregious thing that was done," said Pennsylvania resident John Krakoski.  "Even though maybe legally they weren't bound to do more, morally they knew this was going on since 1998 and I guess they need to be held accountable for that."

"For the entire school to be held responsible for the actions of a few men just doesn't make sense to me," said Endwell resident Alan Newton.

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