Slog
News & ArtsMonday, July 23, 2012
Crime / Sports NCAA Imposes Near Record Sanctions on Penn State in Wake of Sandusky Scandal
Posted by Goldy on Mon, Jul 23, 2012 at 8:17 AM
The NCAA this morning announced near record sanctions against Pennsylvania State University in the wake of the Sandusky child sex abuse scandals. The Penn State football team will be banned from post-season play for four years, and forfeit 40 scholarships. The team will also pay $60 million in fines—equivalent to one year of profits—the athletic department will placed on probation for five years, and former coach Joe Paterno will be stripped of his wins from 1998-2011, removing him from the record books. Players will be free to transfer and immediately play for other schools, and many of the top recruits undoubtedly will.
This represents the most severe sanctions in NCAA history, with the possible exception of SMU, which received the "death penalty" in 1986.
Those who remember the glory days of the UW Huskies in the 1980s and early 1990s know how much sanctions can disrupt a football program. In 1993 the PAC 10 conference docked the Huskies 20 scholarships and banned the team from post-season play for two seasons, provoking coach Don James to retire in protest. The program has arguably never recovered.
Of course Sandusky's crimes were far worse than the type of recruiting scandals that sanctions like these are normally intended to address, but I've got to wonder if they really hit the target. The team's profits subsidize other sports programs, the players being punished are innocent of any wrongdoing, and the local economy will suffer a huge hit. In handing down the sanctions, NCAA president Mark Emmert talked about changing the "culture" at Penn State, though before the Sandusky scandal the program was renowned for its relatively high academic performance and lack of violations. But I guess these were the only tools at the NCAA's disposal, so these are the tools it used.
1
This is pretty great. I was impressed in the first place that the NCAA was going to do this, and this is HARSH. Not only all this, but they vacated Penn State's wins from 1998-2011 (or thereabouts), meaning Paterno is not the winningest coach any more.
2
Fuck them all.
Now if someone could unleash the cannons on the Catholic Church like this, the world would become a little bit better.
Now if someone could unleash the cannons on the Catholic Church like this, the world would become a little bit better.
3
The "target" is an environment where preserving your good name and winning football games is more important than the welfare of children. This hits it just fine.
4
What does it really mean to vacate wins retroactively? Nothing. The games were still played, people still cheered, Paterno still got hoisted onto players' shoulders. I guarantee that every football fan is going to ignore this; Paterno's record will have an asterisk by it that will give him full credit for the wins in the footnote.
Another bullshit cosmetic penalty. They should have given them a PERMANENT death penalty.
How do I know it's bullshit? Because it's not going to work. There will be another scandal at a football factory, and there will be another coverup. Why, hello there, Miami!
Another bullshit cosmetic penalty. They should have given them a PERMANENT death penalty.
How do I know it's bullshit? Because it's not going to work. There will be another scandal at a football factory, and there will be another coverup. Why, hello there, Miami!
5
I'm with Doug.
This was clearly known (even by the DA who wanted to bring charges in the late 90's if I'm not mistaken) in the Penn State athletic community. Fuck them all.
This was clearly known (even by the DA who wanted to bring charges in the late 90's if I'm not mistaken) in the Penn State athletic community. Fuck them all.
6
I played a lot of sports in high school, college and after. The wins mean something. It may not mean something to everyone, but it's gonna mean a lot to a lot of people and it will matter.
I'm a bit worried about the players though. It wasn't their fault. But it does highlight the message that by acting unethically, their coach let them down. Their coach took away THEIR wins by acting like a creep. Actually, that may be the only way to get the message across to some of the players. And they need to hear the message so that they don't pass on their coach's bad example.
I'm a bit worried about the players though. It wasn't their fault. But it does highlight the message that by acting unethically, their coach let them down. Their coach took away THEIR wins by acting like a creep. Actually, that may be the only way to get the message across to some of the players. And they need to hear the message so that they don't pass on their coach's bad example.
7
Have to echo what #3 said, since he beat me to it.
Although I would have to add that upholding the reputation of the institution was also a motive for Penn State to ensure that its campus was a safe haven for child rapists, so perhaps having the institution brought down a few pegs will help with that as well.
But my family is from that area, and let me tell you: the donors will rush in at a record clip to fill that $60 million hole.
Although I would have to add that upholding the reputation of the institution was also a motive for Penn State to ensure that its campus was a safe haven for child rapists, so perhaps having the institution brought down a few pegs will help with that as well.
But my family is from that area, and let me tell you: the donors will rush in at a record clip to fill that $60 million hole.
8
You say "the team's profits subsidize other sports programs." but this is increasingly untrue across the country, as other sports are cut so money can be poured into the only sports that matter, men's football and basketball. To give just one example, four years ago the UW cut men's and women's swimming to save $1.25 million out of a total Athletic Dept. budget of more than $50 million, even as they hired more assistant football coaches. The universities are supporting fewer and fewer student athletes and instead fostering a couch potato culture. The average Husky fan I see trundling along Montlake Boulevard is at least 50 pounds overweight. Far better they had grown up playing sports rather than watching them, but the NCAA is not in business to promote athleticism; it is there simply to make money.
9
sure the penalty could have been a little harsher...but boy, that program is going to be GUTTED for a while. for those calling for more blood, keep that in mind. maybe this is a good balance. many, many people who had nothing to do with the abuse will be adversely affected (think on down to local economy even). maybe this is a good balance. severe punishment gets doled out, the higher ups get it in the face, the players even get punished too...and they get the message that their leaders let them down....but it isn't a death sentence that will close down some guy's sports bar or someone's souvenir shop forever.
10
i left out one thing though...if $60 mil is considered one year of profits, maybe the fine should have been 120 or 180 million....
11
Goldy,
Quite frankly, I thought the NCAA was going to give them the "death penalty" (forbid them to play two seasons) like SMU in 87'. Obviously, I think this scandel is worse. But, I'm satisfied with the sanctions. College football in general needs to be humbled. The point of college football is college not football. The latter is extracuricular. Just as important, players and coaches MUST be monitored.
@4 has a point. Hopefully it will work. But, Paterno went to his death knowing there was a statue of him at PSU and that he was the winningest coach. It is hard to adjust history. This has been a terrible episode in all of college sports. Sigh.
Quite frankly, I thought the NCAA was going to give them the "death penalty" (forbid them to play two seasons) like SMU in 87'. Obviously, I think this scandel is worse. But, I'm satisfied with the sanctions. College football in general needs to be humbled. The point of college football is college not football. The latter is extracuricular. Just as important, players and coaches MUST be monitored.
@4 has a point. Hopefully it will work. But, Paterno went to his death knowing there was a statue of him at PSU and that he was the winningest coach. It is hard to adjust history. This has been a terrible episode in all of college sports. Sigh.
12
just another example of how elites protect themselves from self correction. Isolated from reality, they pursue their self interest with impunity. At each level the coaches, athletic directors and school officials covered up and ignored sexual abuse from one of their own because they had a "winning machine" at Penn State.
Just like Wall Street or the petroleum industry pursues naked self interest by externalizing all the risk for what they do to the public, Penn State football has been allowed to drive itself over a cliff, taking the players and student programs with it. Only outside intervention will stop these institutions from systematic failure, expect more examples of a self destructing meritocracy in the future.
Just like Wall Street or the petroleum industry pursues naked self interest by externalizing all the risk for what they do to the public, Penn State football has been allowed to drive itself over a cliff, taking the players and student programs with it. Only outside intervention will stop these institutions from systematic failure, expect more examples of a self destructing meritocracy in the future.
13
Why do you say the UW program never recovered? They won the Rose Bowl in 2001. And they obviously didn't learn a thing because they still had issues with recruiting ethics as well as the players assaulting and raping people. The Seattle Times did a story on this couple of years back: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/vi…
14
"though before the Sandusky scandal the program was renowned for its relatively high academic performance and lack of violations."
Right... because I'm sure that the first thing that Paterno et al covered up was Sandusky's crimes. Paterno and his cronies had been ignoring/covering up violations for decades. This is just what they got caught for. Paterno's legendary saintliness was his brand, for his books and speaking fees, and nothing was allowed to potentially tarnish that.
PSU's student disciplinarian in 2005: "Coach Joe is insistent he knows best how to discipline his players ... and their status as a student when they commit violations of our standards should NOT be our concern ... and I think he was saying we should treat football players different from other students in this regard. Coach Paterno would rather we NOT inform the public when a football player is found responsible for committing a serious violation of the law and/or our student code, despite any moral or legal obligation to do so."
Right... because I'm sure that the first thing that Paterno et al covered up was Sandusky's crimes. Paterno and his cronies had been ignoring/covering up violations for decades. This is just what they got caught for. Paterno's legendary saintliness was his brand, for his books and speaking fees, and nothing was allowed to potentially tarnish that.
PSU's student disciplinarian in 2005: "Coach Joe is insistent he knows best how to discipline his players ... and their status as a student when they commit violations of our standards should NOT be our concern ... and I think he was saying we should treat football players different from other students in this regard. Coach Paterno would rather we NOT inform the public when a football player is found responsible for committing a serious violation of the law and/or our student code, despite any moral or legal obligation to do so."
15
@10 - The Slog post has it wrong. $60 million is one year of revenue, not profits, for the football program.
16
@4 - Even worse, when Penn State returns to the game, they will be greeted as heroes, given a parade, and trumpeted all over town. Commentators may refer to it as Penn State's triumphant return, their first game since the loss of legendary coach Joe Paterno. I just hope there will be plenty of demonstrators and signs at that game to make sure nobody forgets why Penn State has been out for so long.
17
Sorry Goldy, but revenue does not equal profit. The football team, if it takes in $60MM in revenue, probably runs a profit of $6-7MM. So in that light, $60MM is a pretty big deal to the entire athletic department (which is exactly where the pain should fall, not just on the football team).
18
I only wish Joe could have lived long enough to see this happen, see his halo painted over and his statue removed.
I disagree with @ 4. I think these sanctions are intended to show other athletic programs that they better not be shielding predators if they happen to discover them in their departments. (It certainly isn't going to affect anyone with any real responsibility for Sandusky - they've already been canned.)
And although @ 4 is right in that people will still remember the wins, it matters very much that they will no longer be in the record book. There are still new football fans being born every day, and they may never hear of Joe Paterno. People still know who Knute Rockne is, who Vince Lombardi is, and Bear Bryant. Paterno is a skeleton in the closet now.
They should give that $60M to the kids Jerry Sandusky raped.
I disagree with @ 4. I think these sanctions are intended to show other athletic programs that they better not be shielding predators if they happen to discover them in their departments. (It certainly isn't going to affect anyone with any real responsibility for Sandusky - they've already been canned.)
And although @ 4 is right in that people will still remember the wins, it matters very much that they will no longer be in the record book. There are still new football fans being born every day, and they may never hear of Joe Paterno. People still know who Knute Rockne is, who Vince Lombardi is, and Bear Bryant. Paterno is a skeleton in the closet now.
They should give that $60M to the kids Jerry Sandusky raped.
19
@1 they should have voided back to the 1980s and also banned them from play, period, for several years. This was worse than SMU. Paterno deserves no legacy but that of Sandusky's enabler.
20
@13: Winning a meaningless Rose Bowl doesn't come close to the national prominence the program had in the glory days. UW is totally off the radar when people outside of Washington talk about national football powers.
21
I don't have much praise for the NCAA, but I think harsh measures like this, while they do trickle down to the students (although they're being given the opportunity to transfer), are warranted as a way to counteract the impunity that large sports programs develop. This increases the risk in covering stuff up: instead of protecting the program, you might destroy it.
Of course, that requires long-term thinking, and a belief that your actions may come to light one day. This action may send a strong message, but what structural reforms can be put in place to protect against that culture of impunity and silence developing again?
Of course, that requires long-term thinking, and a belief that your actions may come to light one day. This action may send a strong message, but what structural reforms can be put in place to protect against that culture of impunity and silence developing again?
22
I was a Penn State all my life, I agree they should have gotten the death sentence. But they will NEVER, EVER recover from this. The football program is as dead as chomo Sandunsky will be in the penn....
23
they're still in the Big 10, where even Northwestern is competitive occasionally. it's going to hurt for a decade at least, but they'll recover if the alumni stick with them.
now is the time to redesign the uniforms, BTW. wash Paterno's legacy away.
now is the time to redesign the uniforms, BTW. wash Paterno's legacy away.
24
@4 "What does it really mean to vacate wins retroactively? Nothing. The games were still played, people still cheered, Paterno still got hoisted onto players' shoulders. I guarantee that every football fan is going to ignore this"
Its not a big deal for you because you dont really care about football, which to you is a massive rape machine.
Had all the wins been vacated for lacrosse or quiddich, fencing or squash, then you would probably feel that sting of the ruling. The school's trophy case becomes empty due to the loss of all those games. As a football fan, this is a big deal and it stings loudly for Penn State alumni.
Bowl games earn the school tens of millions, even the UW was able to earn 2 million for the fiesta bowl. A BCS or Rosebowl would generate millions more, even if you lose the game. And they stood to earn even more as the NCAA is considering a tournament elimination style playoff system similar to the NFL playoff system.
With 60 million and the loss of 20 scholarships, its going to hurt the rest of the athletic dept (which football pays for almost all sports) and their recruiting.
Its not a big deal for you because you dont really care about football, which to you is a massive rape machine.
Had all the wins been vacated for lacrosse or quiddich, fencing or squash, then you would probably feel that sting of the ruling. The school's trophy case becomes empty due to the loss of all those games. As a football fan, this is a big deal and it stings loudly for Penn State alumni.
Bowl games earn the school tens of millions, even the UW was able to earn 2 million for the fiesta bowl. A BCS or Rosebowl would generate millions more, even if you lose the game. And they stood to earn even more as the NCAA is considering a tournament elimination style playoff system similar to the NFL playoff system.
With 60 million and the loss of 20 scholarships, its going to hurt the rest of the athletic dept (which football pays for almost all sports) and their recruiting.
25
Drew Magary has a brilliant attack on the NCAA in Deadspin. Some highlights:
http://deadspin.com/5928204/the-ncaa-is-…
He correctly points out that the scandal isn't about child molesting (HEY JERRY HOW'S IT HANGIN') it's about how a football program is bigger than any crime (I'LL JUST SHOWER AND CHANGE, SEE YA IN A FEW) and the cover-up normalizes everything (SLAPSLAPSLAP), and the most powerful men in the community will protect the program first, last and always (HE EJACULATED INSIDE A HUNDRED TEN YEAR OLDS RIGHT IN THAT ROOM OVER THERE).
Who gives a shit about "the economic impact"? Who gives a shit if football pays its way? You know what else pays its way? Crack cocaine. Murder for hire pays its fucking way.
Penn State should do what the University of Chicago -- a founding member of the Big Ten -- did in 1939: shut down football forever. Not for a year -- FOREVER.
More...
that's what NCAA sanctions are, when you get right down to it. They're an exercise in branding
Blowing up Penn State gives perfect cover for every other big football school that is now, to use NCAA president Mark Emmert's phrase, "too big to fail," which describes all of them, and which describes the NCAA, too, while we're at it. It creates the illusion that everything is on the up-and-up again, and that other schools will see Penn State and totally get it now (they won't).
The next great college sports scandal isn't gonna be at Penn State. It'll be at some other asshole school where the head coach still has too much power and the football program still makes too much money. There's no "stark wake-up call." The system is still fucked, and nothing the NCAA did today will do anything to change that. It only serves to extend the fucked-upness a touch longer. Among the many sick ironies of the Penn State saga is the fact that it was horrible enough to be considered by everyone a terrific anomaly. It wasn't.
http://deadspin.com/5928204/the-ncaa-is-…
He correctly points out that the scandal isn't about child molesting (HEY JERRY HOW'S IT HANGIN') it's about how a football program is bigger than any crime (I'LL JUST SHOWER AND CHANGE, SEE YA IN A FEW) and the cover-up normalizes everything (SLAPSLAPSLAP), and the most powerful men in the community will protect the program first, last and always (HE EJACULATED INSIDE A HUNDRED TEN YEAR OLDS RIGHT IN THAT ROOM OVER THERE).
Who gives a shit about "the economic impact"? Who gives a shit if football pays its way? You know what else pays its way? Crack cocaine. Murder for hire pays its fucking way.
Penn State should do what the University of Chicago -- a founding member of the Big Ten -- did in 1939: shut down football forever. Not for a year -- FOREVER.
26
@24, you have a good point. Let's keep in mind the important thing here -- recruiting. Pay no attention to the little boys being anally penetrated in the other room.
The athletic department is economically dependent on child rape. So shut it the fuck down. All of it. It's a university, not a professional sports team. You want to watch sports, go see the Eagles or the Steelers.
The athletic department is economically dependent on child rape. So shut it the fuck down. All of it. It's a university, not a professional sports team. You want to watch sports, go see the Eagles or the Steelers.
27
Im with FNARF on this. Shut it down, but I still say the football program is as dead as disco. Watch. Anyway, I have all my Penn State gear for sale! Except my autographed pic of John Cappelletti.
29
@28, but, SeMe, even the most dedicated Eagles fan needs opponents, right? You gotta have somebody to play. There's also the Sixers, Phillies, Flyers, Union -- and the Penguins and Pirates. Stick to the pros, and let the universities teach and research.
30
@27: As an old LA Rams fan, I loved John Cappelletti. I learned what leukemia was from "Something for Joey," which I suppose is a small positive that can come out of the industry that is college football.
31
I also want to correct a widely shared misapprehension of Goldy's: Penn State is not being punished for the crimes of Jerry Sandusky (nor should they). They're being punished for the crimes of Joe Paterno, the rest of the coaching staff, and the university administration, including the president.
32
Penn State players can not only freely transfer without redshirting, they can also stay at Penn, retain their scholarships, and not play football (here), so there's even less ability to claim that students are hurt.
On Talk of the Nation today a guest speculated that the NCAA's acting as it did also serves to deflect the wrath of alums and boosters away from Penn's new president, which seems like more business-as-usual.
On Talk of the Nation today a guest speculated that the NCAA's acting as it did also serves to deflect the wrath of alums and boosters away from Penn's new president, which seems like more business-as-usual.
33
@26
Well to shut down the Football dept, is to shut down the ENTIRE athletic dept. Basketball alone (which is the 2nd grossing sport for colleges) cant carry the entire dept alone.
So good straight A students who cant afford a scholarship, but are willing to earn one playing a minor sport, well they'll have to look elsewhere if they cant afford the tuition. Because the football dept will lose 20 scholarships, almost all of their current star players will transfer or just cross Penn State off the list of colleges to visit or consider, due to not being able to afford the tuition. The team's loses will mount and add insult onto injury. If winning mattered more than anything, then they'll enjoy 4-6 years of non-stop loses. Enjoy a drop in TV revenue, drops in ticket sales, drop in concession stand sales, etc.
All of this, in addition to the dozens of lawsuits that will soon be filed against the school, in addition to public statues, awards and any buildings named after Paterno being re-named, in addition to more criminal charges being levied against other administrators or people involved, in addition to any penalties or new rules that the school itself feels are necessary once the lawsuits are all settled.
Well to shut down the Football dept, is to shut down the ENTIRE athletic dept. Basketball alone (which is the 2nd grossing sport for colleges) cant carry the entire dept alone.
So good straight A students who cant afford a scholarship, but are willing to earn one playing a minor sport, well they'll have to look elsewhere if they cant afford the tuition. Because the football dept will lose 20 scholarships, almost all of their current star players will transfer or just cross Penn State off the list of colleges to visit or consider, due to not being able to afford the tuition. The team's loses will mount and add insult onto injury. If winning mattered more than anything, then they'll enjoy 4-6 years of non-stop loses. Enjoy a drop in TV revenue, drops in ticket sales, drop in concession stand sales, etc.
All of this, in addition to the dozens of lawsuits that will soon be filed against the school, in addition to public statues, awards and any buildings named after Paterno being re-named, in addition to more criminal charges being levied against other administrators or people involved, in addition to any penalties or new rules that the school itself feels are necessary once the lawsuits are all settled.
34
@33, I'm STILL not seeing even a glimmer of interest in the purpose of the university there. Yes, they would lose some scholarships? So what? Yes, they'd lose concession sales -- OMG FUCK THE CHILDREN WE MUST PROTECT POPCORN SALES.
The scholarship issue's impact is lessened by the fact that poor kids who suck at sports but are good candidates for learning weren't ever going to get them in the first place. And for all PSU's bleating about their graduation rate and so on, the fact is big-sport athletes receive a dramatically crappier education than ordinary students -- a most fake one, in fact -- bogus degrees propped up by special tutors and counselors who take their tests for them. The average football or basketball athlete at a Division I school "graduates from college" with an educational attainment that would embarrass an ordinary eighth-grader, all for the one-in-a-thousand chance that maybe they'll play in the pros for a year or two.
PSU is no different than the UW or any other big-time sports school, making millions off of the slave labor of deluded non-students who universally think they're headed for the big time but find themselves unable to walk up a flight of stairs instead. And in the next room, a conference table full of multi-millionaires who profit off of their labor discusses how to cover for their coworker who fucks little boys in the ass. This is the system you want to protect.
Paterno got sacrificed here, but nothing really changes. will anyone in the University face further charges? The cover-up is worse than the crime, because the cover-up enables and perpetuates the crime. But, you know, it's really going to hurt hot dog sales, bummer.
The scholarship issue's impact is lessened by the fact that poor kids who suck at sports but are good candidates for learning weren't ever going to get them in the first place. And for all PSU's bleating about their graduation rate and so on, the fact is big-sport athletes receive a dramatically crappier education than ordinary students -- a most fake one, in fact -- bogus degrees propped up by special tutors and counselors who take their tests for them. The average football or basketball athlete at a Division I school "graduates from college" with an educational attainment that would embarrass an ordinary eighth-grader, all for the one-in-a-thousand chance that maybe they'll play in the pros for a year or two.
PSU is no different than the UW or any other big-time sports school, making millions off of the slave labor of deluded non-students who universally think they're headed for the big time but find themselves unable to walk up a flight of stairs instead. And in the next room, a conference table full of multi-millionaires who profit off of their labor discusses how to cover for their coworker who fucks little boys in the ass. This is the system you want to protect.
Paterno got sacrificed here, but nothing really changes. will anyone in the University face further charges? The cover-up is worse than the crime, because the cover-up enables and perpetuates the crime. But, you know, it's really going to hurt hot dog sales, bummer.
35
@34 The reason you are "not seeing even a glimmer of interest in the purpose of the university" is partially explained by Magary's piece. The NCAA doesn't give a rusty fuck about the university's educational mission. That doesn't sell commercials or sweatshirts. Nothing in their modus operandi hints at a concern for young people or their educations. You should know better than to expect anything different from the NCAA.
The changes/reforms/punishment that will matter to the educational mission of the university should come from the Board of Regents (or equivalent).
The changes/reforms/punishment that will matter to the educational mission of the university should come from the Board of Regents (or equivalent).
36
@32:
Penn State, not Penn.
They're two very, very different schools. As in: huge land-grant public university out in the boonies of State College vs. elite Ivy League private institution in the urban core of Philadelphia.
FTR, Goldy graduated from the latter.
Penn State, not Penn.
They're two very, very different schools. As in: huge land-grant public university out in the boonies of State College vs. elite Ivy League private institution in the urban core of Philadelphia.
FTR, Goldy graduated from the latter.
38
For anyone out there upset about the sanctions against Penn State, saying that it is unfair to the current players, school, and the community: Yes. It is unfair. This is what happens when powerful officials cover-up crimes against children. If you want to blame someone, then blame Sandusky. Blame Paterno or any of the others in the chain of command who could have simply picked up the phone and called the police. Even if they were just suspicious... they could have done SO MUCH MORE than they did and FUCK the system. It sounds like current players can transfer without penalty (I believe I have that information correct).. however, getting to wear those colors with pride? That died when those men failed those kids and no one should want to have anything to do with it. The sanctions will hopefully be a warning to other football communities that the lust of a sick man should not be placed above the good of the community and that the WHOLE community WILL SUFFER if those with power in said community don't act on the behalf of the defenseless. Maybe it will teach all of us to speak up and hold men that we admire accountable and to not gloss over things just because we admire them..
So yeah, I get it. It's unfair. It's not fair what Sandusky and those who supported him (if they did squat to stop him, then they supported him) have done to the Penn State Community and quite frankly I personally don't feel it was enough.
So yeah, I get it. It's unfair. It's not fair what Sandusky and those who supported him (if they did squat to stop him, then they supported him) have done to the Penn State Community and quite frankly I personally don't feel it was enough.
39
@8, that is flatly wrong. The NCAA mandates how many coaches may be employed by a team and that number hasn't changed for football in a very, very long time. Those programs were cut because the football team hadn't been re-invested in in a very long time and as a result had gotten terrible. That in turn reduced gate receipts, merchandise sales, and television revenues which meant the athletic department was dangerously close to not being self-sufficient anymore.
Swimming was the natural target of those cuts since UW's facilities for that sport are both woefully inadequate and hideously expensive to upgrade, not to mention there really being nowhere to put those upgrades even if they were affordable.
Swimming was the natural target of those cuts since UW's facilities for that sport are both woefully inadequate and hideously expensive to upgrade, not to mention there really being nowhere to put those upgrades even if they were affordable.
40
@11 - the SMU "death penalty" was for one year. SMU itself elected not to field a team that second year.
Jesus people, if you're going to argue about things at least have your facts straight.
Jesus people, if you're going to argue about things at least have your facts straight.
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