Former Penn State Players set to Appeal Sanctions

A group of former Penn State players have come together and notified the NCAA of their intention to appeal the sanctions set on the football program due to the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

The group of players consist of former quarterback Michael Robinson (2001-2005), Anwar Phillips (2001-2005), Josh Gaines (2004-2008), Shamar Finney (1998-2002), Richard Gardner (1999-2003), Gerald Cadogan (2004-2008), Anthony Adams (1998-2002), Just Kiurpeikis (1996-2000), and ex-assistant coach Bill Kenney.

The group is represented by Attorney Paul V. Kelly, who sent in an intent to appeal letter to the NCAA dated August 7, 2012.  According to the governing body for college sports has said that the sanctions brought are not subject to appeal.  This is not the first intent to appeal letter that the NCAA has received on behalf of Penn State, a PSU trustee has also sent in an intent to appeal letter.

Penn State Gets Worse than Death Penalty?

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The NCAA has come down on Penn State and it wasn't with the death penalty.  Penn State has received a $60 million sanction, 4 year football postseason ban, vacation of all wins dating from 1998 and they must reduce 10 initial and 20 total scholarships each year for four years.

BREAKING NEWS: Jerry Sandusky Found Guilty

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After 21 hours of deliberation the jury's verdict was delivered around 10pm tonight.  Sandusky was found guilty on 45 of 48 counts related to sexual abuse over a 15 year time span.  Judge Cleland revoked Sandusky's bail and ordered his arrest.  Sentencing will occur in approximately 90 days.  

For more on the story visit CNN justice at http://bit.ly/LJVDBj

O'Brien named Penn State Head Coach

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With the major scandal that occurred this football season at Penn State including firing head coach Joe Paterno, Penn State is in the news this week not dealing with the scandal for a brief second.  It was reported yesterday that New England Patriots' Offensive Coordinator Bill O'Brien will be named Penn State's head coach.  A lot of individual was probably unaware of who O'Brien was until late in the regular season of the NFL when he was shown having an intense argument with Patriots' franchise player Tom Brady on the sideline during a game.      The New England are now preparing for the NFL playoffs and O'Brien will continue as the offensive coordinator of the Patriots until the end of the season.  The Patriots has a bye through the first round of the playoffs due to securing the number 1 seed in their division.  O'Brien has never served as a head coach in college or the NFL, Penn State will be his first head coach position.

Syracuse Fires Assistant Basketball Coach

(Kevin Rivoli, AP)

In the wake of child molestation allegations Syracuse University fired Bernie Fine on Sunday night after a third man has come forward accusing Fine of molesting him for nine years.  Bernie Fine had been with Syracuse basketball coaching staff since 1976 when he was brought on as the assistant coach by the current head coach Jim Boeheim.  Boeheim stated that he supported the decision of the university, this coming a week after he publicly stated that the accusers were lying and the accusations were an attempt to receive money.

"I am personally very shocked because I have never witnessed any of the activities that have been alleged." -Jim Boeheim

Allegations against Fine were first reported on November 17th by two former Syracuse ball boys, stepbrothers Bobby Davis and Mike Lang.  Davis, now 39, said that Fine began molesting him in 1984 and Lang, now 45, stated that Fine began molesting him when he was in the 5th or 6th grade.  The 3rd accuser Tomaselli stated that the allegations against Penn State's former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky prompted him to come forward about Fine.

As allegations continue to come out individuals are trying to compare the Penn State Scandal to the Syracuse Scandal but they are 1 and the same as well as completely different. The allegations against Fine and Sandusky are the same but the situations are completely different.  In the Syracuse scandal there are no eye witnesses and no signs of a cover up by the university like the situation at Penn State where it has been alleged that several people at Penn State knew of the allegations against Sandusky including head coach Joe Paterno, whom was later fired due to the scandal.

Stay tuned to see how things turn out.  I pray for all victims involved in both the Penn State and Syracuse scandal.  They're both horrible situations all away around.