With all the drama that just occurred, Penn State was fined $60 million dollars by the NCAA, with all proceeds going to charities benefitting abused children. To pay for this fine without affecting tuition costs for current students, Penn State held a silent auction for the legendary Joe Paterno statue on Monday. The winning bid was $10 million dollars, with the winner being Cornell University, an institution known for collecting memorabilia such as the Gettysburg Address.
Penn State nor Cornell have made a statement on this transaction yet. It makes sense for both sides in this situation. Penn State will be able to pay 1/6 of what it owes and Cornell will be able to add to its’ collection of historic artifacts and memorabilia.
Whether Cornell will put the statue in lockdown, or in the Johnson Museum, is still up in the air. ESPN will announce the transaction on SportsCenter 11pm EST tonight. This is bound to be a controversy somewhere.
