It has taken me a while to formulate a conclusion as to what I feel about the entire Penn St. scandal. I remember when I was doing my radio show when the story broke last year, i commented how I hoped that the story does not become more about Joe Paterno than Jerry Sandusky or the victims. We live in world where hyperbole and innuendo rule. You are guilty without due process and you have to spend the rest of your life denying and defending your actions no matter what you do and to whom. No one is supposed to be above the law, but no one is supposed to beneath it either. Penn St. was punked by the NCAA. They took this punishment because they wanted to close this chapter and move on. The punishment is worse than the death penalty. When SMU got the death penalty no one cared because they were an aberration. Penn St. has standing and pedigree. I am appalled at the public's outrage and I will tell you why.
In November of 1995, I was blessed to have a memorable sporting experience. I went to Happy Valley, Pa. towatch Penn St. play Michigan in an important game that had Big Ten title implications. The game was marred because the student body was throwing snow balls all over the field and Joe Paterno got on the Microphone and told the students to stop throwing snowballs and the place went wild. I stayed to the very end because I wanted to take in what I deemed as real college football. I was pelted several times with snowballs. I did not care. I was at a college football mecca. I will never forget that weekend or that day and I am glad that I had that experience. 93,000 strong during one of the worst snow storms that area had ever seen, cheering on these two legendary teams.
I am disgusted with what Jerry Sandusky did to those children. I am disgusted that the two people who allegedly saw him do what he did not kick his ass and take him to the cops immediately. I am disgusted that NO adult dialed three little numbers and him arrested. I am disgusted that the first time that this brought to the attention of the the authorities the case was not pursued and he was allowed to continue on doing what he was doing. We trust people in power to protect us and do the right thing. We trust everyday that we drop our kids off to school, that someone there will do anything to protect them and teach them right from wrong. I did not want to write about this story because I don't want to engage in the blame game. Blaming anyone is not going to give back the dignity, virtue, and power that tese youngsters have lost. Sandusky will die in jail and that is his punishment for eternity.
My problem with what the NCAA did yesterday is that it has dumped truck enough dirt on Joe Paterno's grave than is on any beach here in sunny California. Hearing Bobby Bowden, make comments makes me sick. Florida St. during his tenure was in the news for criminal activity how many times? Mark May or any other of the talking hairdos at Espn making their comments makes me fully understand why athletes and coaches don't like talking to the press. Joe Paterno was told not to speak out and allow due process to take place. People have this perception that speaking out all of the timeis the right thing to do. Look what ithas done to George Zimmerman. Every time he does an interview, he just continues to add to the fire that he shot Trayvon Martin unjustifiably. Joe Paterno admits that he should have gone to the police himself. He admits regret for not keeping Sandusky off the campus of Penn St. He did what is required by code in telling his superiors of what he had learned. What about the case that was going against Sandusky before the shower incident? Why is that case being treated as it never happened? What about the coach and janitor who actually witnessed these action? The Freeh report and the summation by the NCAA was all done without consulting with all parties to find out what they did or did not do. Where is the due process? Penn State took the high road and riding that road into the dark night. Joe Paterno gave 60 years of his life to the school. He donated millions of dollars to the school. Does the school plan to refund his family the money that he gave personally to the school? Taking his statue down, plaques that indicate everything that he stood for, are not going to make people forget about this case. Now most of you know that i am an avid sports fan of all sports. Now you see why I am always pro athelete. What ever you do in life can be erased as fast as you did it in the first place. Legacy and hall of fame stuff means nothing. That is why people do steroids, cheat in nascar and boxing, and why Dana White gets allof the money in MMA. No one cares.. We are here today for today. Tomorrow is just another eight letter word. Penn St. starts a new chapter. Would you want to go there? I wouldn't. They just showed me what the real world is all about. You are guilty until proven innocent. That is today's modern due process....
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