I think the penalties are appropriate and well conceived. They're punishing the University for inappropriate oversight. The 2012 PSU players still get to play (although without a bowl game) and they'll get their scholarships. The Student Body still gets to attend the games. How are they being punished? No student currently at PSU will have less than what they would have without sanctions.

The football team in the next few years may not be as good, but who's to say they would have been anyway.

By not giving the death penalty for football they also spared the community. Without the revenue brought in from football weekends to hotels, bars and eating establishments, the town would have lost some mom and pop businesses no doubt. These sanctions preserve them.