Over the past few days, a pair of reports indicated a lawsuit from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania against the NCAA was coming this week. The details of said suit, whether over the placement of Penn State’s $60 million fine from the NCAA as part of its punishment from the Jerry Sandusky scandal or something more, wasn’t known.
On Wednesday, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett (pictured) announced that the federal antitrust suit was in fact an attempt to reverse the Association’s sanctions against Penn State. Those sanctions include the aforementioned fine, a loss of scholarship and bowl ban over four years. The NCAA has stated multiple times that those sanctions are not subject to appeal.
The details of the suit are expected to be released later today.
Corbett insisted Wednesday that “The NCAA and [president] Mark Emmert seized upon the opportunity for publicity for their own benefit... These sanctions are an attack on past, present and future students of Penn State, the citizens of our commonwealth and our economy”
For what it’s worth, Corbett also said the following in July following Emmert’s sanctions: “The appalling actions of a few people have brought us once again into the national spotlight. We have taken a monster off the streets and while we will never be able to repair the injury done to these children, we must repair the damage to this university.
“Part of that corrective process is to accept the serious penalties imposed today by the NCAA on Penn State University and its football program.”
Guess things change, eh?
(Quotes courtesy of Pete Thamel, Sports Illustrated)
Updated 12:37 p.m. ET: The NCAA has released a response to Gov. Corbett’s announcement of a federal antitrust lawsuit:
“We are disappointed by the Governor’s action today. Not only does this forthcoming lawsuit appear to be without merit, it is an affront to all of the victims in this tragedy - lives that were destroyed by the criminal actions of Jerry Sandusky. While the innocence that was stolen can never be restored, Penn State has accepted the consequences for its role and the role of its employees and is moving forward. Today’s announcement by the Governor is a setback to the University’s efforts.”