OPINION —
THERE WAS a lot of anguish over the penalties handed to Penn State’s football program by the NCAA. But how much of an effect will they have?
While I felt the NCAA overstepped its authority in coming up with the punishment — as I wrote in Saturday’s column on the Opinion Page — nonetheless, Penn State accepted its fate rather than chance the “death penalty” for football.
But let’s look at the penalties.
ä A four-year ban on bowl games: There is only one real bowl game and that’s the national championship game. Penn State hasn’t even been close to that level for many years. While Penn State has been to some decent bowls — bowl hosts like them because they “travel well” with a lot of fans — isn’t it better to play in front of 108,000 fans every home game than worry about a bowl?
Of course Penn State fans really need to show their true colors and turn out for the games for the next four years. I think they will. And if they do, it means the businesses in State College won’t suffer as many felt they would.
And for players, any freshman who comes in next year can redshirt. And that means that if they stay 5 years in the program, they will be able to play in bowl games.
ä $60 million fine: While it seems like a lot of money to most of us — it’s mere pocket change to Mitt Romney — donating $12 million a year for 5 years to help fight child abuse isn’t that big a deal to a program that generates a lot of money every year. But the worry is that when you take money out of your athletic budget, it can hurt the smaller sports programs that may have to sacrifice. Time to pass the hat amongst PSU alumni to make up the difference.
ä Loss of scholarships — Giving up 10 scholarships a year for four years can hurt the quality of your team, no doubt about it. But it means that Coach O’Brien will need to be careful on who he recruits. There isn’t as much margin of error when it comes to taking players who don’t pan out.
And you still have 75 full scholarships which is a lot when you consider there are only 11 guys on the field at a time on each side of the ball. Throw in some kickers and punters and you’re ready to go. It’s just that the depth chart will be a bit leaner and made up of more walk-ons who don’t have scholarships. But many times those kids do work out.
ä Forfeiting games — People were angered that Penn State had to give up every win from 1998 through this season, a total of 111 games. That of course dropped JoePa from No. 1 with 409 career wins to No. 5 on the coaching list.
But for the players who competed in those years, they know they won those games and no NCAA official can take that away.
In the PSU press guide, I would still list the team’s record for each year, but put an asterisk beside the records, explaining they were declared forfeited by the NCAA.
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Lynn Saternow is sports editor of The Herald Herald
SPORTVIEW: Penn State penalties may not be that bad
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Herald-Tamie junior tourney set Thursday-Friday
THEY SAY THAT “The best things in life are free.” Well, one of those “best things” is the annual Herald-Tam O’Shanter Junior Golf Championships every summer.
The event, which has been free to boys and girls in the Shenango Valley since it’s inception in 1949, will be held Thursday and Friday at Tam O’Shanter Golf Course in Hermitage.
It has been the premier youth tournament for decades and some of the top players ever to come out of this area have participated. But you don’t have to be a great young golfer to take part. It’s a wonderful opportunity for every youngster to get a free round of golf on a great course, which is in immaculate shape this season. -
Hickory lists 2013 scholar-athlete award winners
Hickory High Athletic Director Barb Dzuricsko recently announced that a total of 213 students (grades 9-12) earned Don McKay Scholar-Athlete awards.
To be eligible, students must maintain an A (93 percent or higher) grade-point-average through the academic year’s third 9-week grading period and compete in a PIAA-sponsored sport.
A total of 375 students competed in athletics this past year, Dzuricsko noted, meaning almost 57 percent qualified for the McKay Scholar-Athlete Award. Since the award’s inception, this is the highest total number of students to earn the honors, she reported. -
SCHOLASTIC NOTEBOOK: Hearns to continue golf career in college; Petty to be honored
RECENT HICKORY High alumna Rosy Hearns will continue her education and golf careers at the State University of New York-Albany. Hickory links coach Craig Antush said Hearns recently signed a letter-of-intent.
Hearns’ Hickory career concluded as one of the finest on the links — male or female — in Mercer County annals. -
Bowlers compete in Senior Games
The bowling portion of the annual Mercer County Senior Games was held Wednesday at Grove City Bowlodrome. That followed horseshoes and shuffleboard competitions earlier in the week.
Following is the rest of the schedule: -
COLLEGIATE NOTEBOOK: Ex-Hickory great Richards has great spring track season
FORMER HICKORY HIGH standout Morgan Richards enjoyed a successful spring season for the University of North Carolina-Charlotte track & field team. The female 49ters won the Atlantic 10 Conference outdoor track & field team title.
“Morgan kept her stride as she transitioned into the outdoor season, running top times in several events among (Atlantic 10) freshmen and on Charlotte’s all-time top 10 lists,” assistant coch Edwin T. Schlichter wrote in a recent e-mail to The Herald. “Morgan finished just one spot (9th) out of scoring at the 2013 A-10 Championships in the 3000-meter steeplechase, despite this being her first year ever attempting the event, and running 11:02.22 which was 2nd among all freshmen in the A-10 and 5th all-time for UNC-Charlotte.” -
SPORTVIEW: Hickory tri-athletes deserve special recognition
EVERY YEAR we receive a photo from the Hermitage School District of a group of student-athletes that I am thrilled to receive and run in the paper.
The photo is of Hickory High School “tri-athletes,” boys and girls who participate in sports during each of the fall, winter and spring seasons. But there is more to it than that. Each of these athletes also must maintain an 85 percent B average during the first three 9-week grading periods of the year. -
TIDBITS: Scurpas make college choices; Matthews, Norris, Bonner part of great Clarion recruiting class; Lewis earns national medal
SHARPSVILLE HIGH volleyball standouts Kristen and Paige Scurpa, who are cousins, will continue their education and athletic careers at California University of Pa. and Penn State-Behrend, respectively.
The duo, both of whom were named to the All-State team in Class A by the Pa. Volleyball Coaches Association, led the Blue Darlings to the District 10 title game in November. Sharpsville, Region 1 champs the past 4 years, suffered a 3-1 loss to Cochranton in that match and finished the season 16-4. -
Sharpsville falls in D-10 title game
SLIPPERY ROCK — Monday was a pretty good day for Saegertown High School.
Just mere hours after the Lady Panthers won the District 10 Class A softball championship, the Saegertown baseball team (19-2) captured its third straight D-10 Class AA title with a convincing 10-3 victory over Sharpsville (15-6) at Slippery Rock University’s Jack Critchfield Park.
“We knew going into the game that Saegertown’s a pretty good team and they’ve been a pretty good team for the past few years,” Blue Devils coach Mike Sikorski said. “I think they’ve been in the District 10 Championship the past four years. They’re a solid team, a very good team. They’re very patient at the plate and when they get their pitches, they hit them.” -
STATE TRACK NOTEBOOK: WM seniors leave legacy of greatness
WEST MIDDLESEX High always has had a proud athletic heritage, and this past weekend’s PIAA Class AA Track & Field championship will only add lustre to that legacy.
According to available archives at The Herald, only the 1954 boys’ basketball team and Coach Bob Morris’ boys’ cross country team from earlier this decade previously had won commonwealth crowns. -
Allen wins 4 gold medals to lead WM to PIAA team title
SHIPPENSBURG — Clay Allen said he had to explode out of the starting blocks for his 100-meter dash showdown with Hickory’s DeShawn Coleman. But Allen — all afternoon — was getting the jump on his competitors during the annual PIAA Track & Field Championships.
By approximately 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Shippensburg University, Allen annexed 4 gold medals — 100- and 200-meter dashes, long jump, and as part of the sprint-relay. The workload West Middlesex High’s senior exhibited enabled the Big Reds to record the Class AA commonwealth crown. - More Sports Headlines
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Herald-Tamie junior tourney set Thursday-Friday
