Rest of Penn State Sanctions Lifted

The Penn State case was always a complicated one and without precedent (thank God this is a unique situation) the punishment handed down by the NCAA was not going to be met with approval by everyone. And when the NCAA announced the multiple years of bowl bans and scholarship losses, plus monetary fines, half of the population applauded them and the other half was upset. Well the other half just won out as the NCAA, after already reducing sanctions once before, wiped them out today while mentioning the magic word--"integrity". Everyone's first reaction when the Penn State scandal erupted was horror. It was a black and white situation. What Sandusky clearly did--and he had admitted a fair amount before--was wrong and then once the shower scene was brought to our attention, we all were aghast. But almost immediately the gray aspect of this came into play centered on what coach Joe Paterno knew etc, etc. I do not want to rehash that here. But as we see with the Ray Rice case, video is the be all and end all. The victims did not have video. Mike McQueary did not video the meeting he had with Paterno in which he told his boss something about what he saw. If there were videos of elements of what we think we know about the case Penn State may have gotten the death penalty. Look at Rice. Video of him dragging an unconscious girlfriend out of an elevator is two games. Video of him knocking her out--even though everyone knows he knocked her out--pretty much ends his career. As to the timing, I feel that it is in direct relationship to what happened on the field Saturday night. The Big Ten is falling apart and the quicker Penn State can return to the top ten the better. Not only will they need PSU in a decent bowl this winter, they also need one of their members in the final four by next year (this year seems long gone although it is only September). Having the cream of the conference, or at least four or five from the likes of OSU, Michigan, MSU, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa, plus PSU, playing well and crowding the rankings will guarantee the conference winner a spot. Only one Big Ten team, Michigan State, is currently in the top 15 and all three of the conference teams ranked in the AP Poll sit at uninspiring 1-1 records. The conference needed a boost.

Remember When

The Penn State-Michigan clash tonight is not getting too much pub, but that has not been the case in the recent past. Although the series has been dominated by the Wolverines, here is a battle pitting then no. 3-ranked Penn State versus no. 5-ranked Michigan from October 15, 1994 as recapped in The USA TODAY College Football Encyclopedia:

Penn State 31 MICHIGAN 24: Battle in "The Big House" drew 106,382, 3rd largest crowd to date in collegiate history. On the verge of putting verdict away, early-striking Penn State (6-0) collected mostly FGs and led 16-0 before K Remy Hamilton put Wolverines (4-2) on board at 16-3 before H. TB Tyrone Wheatley, who had only 9/11y rushing in 1st H, exploded for 67 and 21y TDs on consecutive series, and, in span of 4:19, Michigan suddenly jumped into 17-16 lead. Nittany Lions answered with QB Kerry Collins (20-32/231y, 3 TDs) passing for TD and 2-pt conv at end of 86y foray. After WR Amani Toomer (7/157y) set up 24-24 tie with 38y catch, Penn State forged ahead for good with 2:53 left: WR Bobby Engram made toe-in-bounds catch, TB Ki-Jana Carter (in photo, left, with Collins, center, and TE Kyle Brady) ran 26y and Engram caught 16y TD. Toomer maneuvered himself all alone at Lions 5YL, but lost his bearings and long pass drifted off his fingertips. Michigan soon evaporated possession on 4th down INT by Penn State DB Brian Miller.