I do think the overall punishments were a little severe. Lost a coach, vacated 2010, 2011 was nuked from the beginning, lost scholarships and a bowl ban, plus Tressel got a show cause. First school ever to get hit with a bowl ban without a LOIC charge attached. If this is the NCAA's way of saying we are going to start enforcing stricter punishments, then fine. Other schools will receive far worse in the future.
However, I am at a loss at Gene Smith's incompetence over this whole thing. I can't understand how he could misread the NCAA so terribly. If you consider that 2010 being vacated as a "lost" season, then he let this scandal basically wipe out 3 full seasons, plus future loss of scholarships.
Can Andy Geiger come out of retirement?