(NBC) - Citing the reckless and callous disregard for the safety of children, the NCAA has severely punished Penn State University for a culture which elevated a football program over everything else.
NCAA President Mark Emmert says that's exactly what's needed at a place where football caused powerful people to cover up the sexual abuse of young boys.
"No matter what we do here today there is no action we can take that will remove their pain anguish," Emmert said, "but what we can do is impose sanctions that reflect the magnitude of these terrible acts."
Penn State did not get the death penalty, a complete suspension of its football program.
That would cause too much harm to innocent parties, Emmert says.
Instead, the school will pay $60-million dollars for an endowed fund to prevent child sexual abuse, lose ten football scholarships a year for four years, be banned from post season play during that time and have all wins from 1998 through last season vacated from the record book.
That means once revered Joe Paterno is no longer the winningest coach in NCAA history.
The NCAA relied on Penn State's own investigation into the Jerry Sandusky scandal in crafting its punishment.
Sandusky will spend the rest of his life in jail.
Joe Paterno is dead and his statue is gone from its place outside Beaver Stadium.
Other Penn State leaders await trial on criminal charges.
Emmert says it's up to Penn State to fix its culture and make sure football never again forces "doing the right" thing to the sidelines.