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Former NCAA Presidents Disagree With Penn State Sanctions

By Jim Melwert

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A pair of former-NCAA presidents are taking issue with the athletic organization's sanctions against Penn State following the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal. The comments came at a panel discussion in State College on the future of the NCAA.

The panel discussion was sponsored by Penn State's Sports Journalism center, and packed with a few hundred Penn State supporters.

Former NCAA presidents Gene Corrigan and Cedric Dempsey both questioned the sanctions. Corrigan, also a former atheletic director at Notre Dame, says he was upset by the NCAA sanctions, he feels the death of coach Joe Paterno, and the removal of university officials was punishment enough:

"In my experience in athletics, no one's ever fired a vice president because of an athletic situation, no one's ever fired an athletic director. And literally no one's ever killed a football coach. You all did everything I thought you should do, with the exception of trying to do something to take care of those young people."

When asked if the university could pursue legal action over the sanctions, Corrigan replied, you're a great school bury it and move on.

Again, this in reference to the NCAA sanctions, the four year post season ban, scholarship cuts and a $60-million fine.

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