Some are calling it the biggest sports scandal in U.S. history. So the question that needs to be asked is: How should Penn State be punished? Back in 1987, the NCAA imposed its so-called “death penalty” against the football team of Southern Methodist University (SMU).

The reason? Players were being paid from a slush fund.

Let’s fast-forward to 2011: A child is allegedly raped in a Penn State locker room by the football team’s former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky.

Since that bombshell, we’ve seen victims emerging almost daily and what appears to be a conspiracy by key college figures to keep all this quiet.

Should the NCAA take action and impose the death penalty against Penn State? Here’s our editors’ take — we’d like to hear yours in the comments section below.

Geneva’s take: I’ve heard several people make the argument that an entire school shouldn’t be punished for the actions of one man.  This goes way beyond one man’s actions.

With no disrespect meant to the victims, Sandusky — who seems to think it’s OK to shower with young boys — is a sick, twisted individual. That’s how I explain his behavior. What I can’t explain, is the behavior of men who should know better. (Interesting that no women are involved in this.) And yet, these men, these leaders of a huge institution, did nothing and so allowed Sandusky’s list of alleged victims to continue growing.

This isn’t about Sandusky; this isn’t about Joe Paterno and Graham Spanier; this isn’t about football. This is about Penn State, a university that thought it was larger-than-life and above the law.

I’m going to go out on a limb here about the entire scandal: You ain’t heard nothing yet. I think we’re going to find out some pretty horrible goings on at “We Are Penn State.” Clearly something needs to be done, and a message needs to be sent to all schools and for that matter, all institutions.

The NCAA should absolutely impose the football “death penalty” on Penn State. If SMU had to endure a football-less year for paying players, how can anyone expect Penn State to receive a lesser punishment?

Taylor’s take: Here’s a pretty basic guiding principle when it comes to crime and punishment: Do your damnedest to punish only the guilty.

Those calling for the NCAA to impose the “death penalty” on Penn State — to strip it of a year of football eligibility — have lost sight of this simple proposition.

The Penn State scandal is a criminal matter that is only tangentially connected to the football program. There are no allegations that Penn State players or students were involved in any way with sexually abusing young children. It was a charitable foundation — not the Penn State football program – that the alleged abuser used to gain access to his alleged victims.

At its heart, the scandal has nothing to do with Penn State football players. In fact, it really has nothing to do with football at all. And that’s why the NCAA should stay out of it.

There’s also something else: NCAA rules don’t permit imposition of the death penalty in this case. That draconian sanction is reserved only for “repeat violators”: i.e., schools that commit a new, separate infraction within five years of the starting date of a major penalty. Even if there has been a major violation as a result of the scandal, it is not a repeat violation.

Let the justice system take its course. Prosecute the criminal offenders to the fullest extent of the law. But leave the innocent – including Penn State players and students — out of it.

Did Penn State use Joe Paterno as a whipping boy — or did he get what he deserved?  Penn State has a long road ahead, picking up the pieces after last week’s sex abuse scandal broke.

A lot of questions will be sorted out about how things were handled — most notably, whether football coach Joe Paterno should have been fired.

Here’s our editors’ take. Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Geneva’s take: Shortly after Joe Paterno got word he was fired last week, about 2,000 Penn State students began swarming the streets of State College, PA, protesting in that good ol’ All-American way: Turning over a TV news van, kicking in its windows and hurling rocks.

Police in riot gear had to use pepper spray to control the mob, which was chanting, “We want Joe!”

Is there something I’m not getting here?

A man (forgive me for reducing “JoPa” to mere mortality) in a powerful, authoritative position is informed that his [former] defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky has sexually assaulted a young boy in the showers of Penn State’s football complex … and what does he do? He tells his athletic director and university VP about it.

Obviously, Joe thought it was enough of a “thing” to mention it to those guys. But somehow, it never occurred to him to call the police — or even ask Sandusky, a man who’d been his assistant for 30 years, why the hell he was showering with a 10-year-old boy.

So the list of Sandusky’s victims is allowed to keep growing and –Whew! That was close! — Penn State football is able to carry on in all its unsullied Nittany Lion glory.

Yet across the campus, students are in near-riot mode, protesting the firing of a … oh, come on, let’s just say it …  a demi-god who had the chance to do the right thing when it mattered even more than another win. And wow, did he drop the ball. Apparently, some students have as well.

Firing Joe Paterno (and University President Graham Spanier) was the first thing Penn State’s gotten right in this sex abuse scandal. As the events of the past week have unfolded, we’ve all come to realize squeaky clean Penn State was shoveling piles of filth under the carpet.

What does this mean for the school down the road? Well, it can’t be anything good. But at least by cleaning house, they can start what’s going to be a painful and slow process to get themselves back on track.

Taylor’s take: Ronald Schreffler. Ralph Ralston. Jerry Lauro. Ronald Petrosky.

How many of these names do you connect to the horrific scandal that has descended on Penn State?

Unfortunately, there’s another name that has become synonymous with the case: Joe Paterno. It’s his name, more than anyone else’s, that will forever be most connected to this tragedy.

And that’s a shame.

Those other names above? According to the grand jury report, they all directly witnessed Jerry Sandusky’s alleged horrific actions or heard his incriminating admissions. And they all broke a chain that would have put an end to the alleged abuse, years before the incident involving Paterno ever happened.

By all accounts, Paterno was never in the position of a direct witness. He got a secondhand report, and the specifics of just what he was told are at issue. But he went right to his athletic director and a vice president and told them what he knew. They, like so many others in this case, dropped the ball. They — not Paterno — broke the chain.

The rap against Paterno is that he didn’t do more. A man of his stature could have snapped his fingers and had a team of elite crime-stoppers lock onto the case, some want to believe. But even if he could, why would he think he needed to? Why would he have reason to think others weren’t doing their job?

The reality is that if the grand jury report is factually accurate, law enforcement had what they needed to stop a monster long before the incident that pulled Paterno into the maelstrom ever happened.

Read the grand jury report. Assume for the sake of argument that its allegations are all true. Then make a list of the people responsible for the pain of those children. Is Paterno’s name near the top? Is it even on the list?

If Joe Paterno’s version of what he was told by Mike McQueary is true, the only thing he is guilty of is that he expected other people would do their jobs. And that is not a very good reason for his ouster.

Ever used Google maps street view? Soon you’ll be able to view college campuses with the same technology.

Google mappers have been riding tricycles around several college campuses, including University of Pennsylvania, Penn State and San Diego State.

Using an eight-foot high camera mounted on the trike, they’re taking panoramic images of the campuses. The mappers pedal around college walkways, paths and malls – where cars aren’t allowed.

This way, students and their parents can get a real feel for the different schools – and new students easily can figure out the best way to get to classes, dining halls, etc.

As for the mappers, it’s not the easiest job in the world. The trike and its equipment (there’s also a computer to record the digital images) weighs in at 250 pounds.

While some complain Google’s street views invade the privacy of individuals and institutions, others say these 360-degree images of streets and paths is an excellent resource.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.

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