The View From Wisconsin

This is going to be a simple one this morning, as I'm not feeling 100%: Many are crying for the heads of the Penn State football team this morning - in particular, because of the so-called "lack of institutional control" over the Sandusky case - that the program should be given the so-called "death penalty" - suspension of the school's program for a year.

I feel, along with other noted observers, that such a penalty does nothing to right the wrongs of the past. However, I do feel that there should be some sort of a penalty - one that is harsh enough that the people involved with the program - and any other NCAA school - would think twice after hearing the penalty.

It would hurt PSU in the greatest place it could - the checkbook. And I would also be in favor of PSU imposing these things themselves, instead of forcing the NCAA to administer them.

In lieu of a "death penalty, PSU football should endeavor to do the following:

• Two year bowl-game ban. No bowls at all, 2013 and 2014 seasons.
• Three year post-season game ban. No Big Ten title games, no National Championship playoff games from 2013-2015. 
• Three year TV-rights/bowl revenue suspension. All revenues that would normally go to PSU from sources like ESPN, Fox, the Big Ten Network, etc. would go to a fund (run jointly by PSU, the Big Ten and the NCAA) for Child Abuse Prevention. 
• Five year reduction of scholarships by five each year.
• In 2015, no games at Beaver Stadium. All games scheduled that year will either be played on the road or in a neutral-site venue located outside of the state of Pennsylvania. If a site cannot be secured, the school will forfeit the game. 
• After the first three year suspension of revenues from bowl games, PSU would take half of any other such revenues and place it in the said fund for the next five years. From that point onward, the school would make a minimum of a $1 million donation to the PSU CAP fund for the next sixty years - or until the last victim of Mr. Sandusky passes away, whichever is the longer. 
• Removal of the Paterno statue from outside of the stadium.