Penn State Scandal

[Violent Pacification]

I'm curious as to the opinions from folks who otherwise probably have little interest in PSU sports; I mean New-Wave and Joe Paterno are probably at the opposite ends of most any spectrum. Here in Maryland we had our own scandal with the death of Len Bias over twenty years ago which essentially forced the basketball program to rock bottom and forced the University and its supporters to engage in some serious introspection. I'm inclined to agree with most of the words following; they really need to shut it down - and for a long time.



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"I really think they have to kill the football program and anything short of that will mean a lack of justice, but I am also worried about the precedent that sends. The NCAA is operating in new territory here and has to be careful how they act, but they do have to act to correct the culture that sports created at Penn State.

The culture at Penn State, not just in the football program but at the university, the town, and the surrounding areas, was (is?) that football is king. As recently as 2007, the University's Chief Disciplinarian was not allowed to discipline football players; Paterno demanded that his players be held to his standards and punished by him, rather than to University standards or by a partisan court. Penn State effectively fired Vicky Triponey for standing up to Paterno, but worse, she was harassed by the community for it. This culture didn't start in 2003, when she arrived, certainly, but was evident for much of Paterno's tenure, I'm sure.

So many people at the top were willing to look the other way so as not to mar the Penn State football brand. Some may have acted to preserve their name, as well. Penn State fans felt that their football team, its leader, and its image was the most important thing in the world. More important than, as they liked to say in Happy Valley, "honor." More important than sculpting young men into leaders with morals. More important than the safety and welfare of kids.

Only because their perspective was so out of whack could this have happened. Too many people who were put in positions of power were drinking the Penn State kool-aid. Had there been ANYONE at the top who had the right perspective - that football, in the end, is just a game and that there are things bigger and more pertinent than winning games - so many of these awful, awful crimes would have been prevented. But because they all felt that any sort of damaging news about the football program needed to be concealed, a predator was allowed to continue preying on kids in what was essentially a giant, intricate trap AT THE SCHOOL. Kids testified in court that they feared coming out about Sandusky for fear of losing access to the football team. What 10- or 11-year old kid growing up in the shadows of Beaver Stadium didn't want to run onto the field and be in the lockerroom? Sandusky's bait was so strong that he easily preyed on victims from the Lasch building, while Penn State officials tacitly approved of his behavior.

The culture at Penn State needs to change. And I fear that we need to take football from them in order to show them there is more to the world than games on Saturday afternoons. Things that matter more, like protecting children. Once they understand that football is a retreat, a game, then they can have it back, so long as they promise to not get too attached.

Some people argue that punishing them now is mostly punishing the "kids," the 17- to 22-year old student-athletes who signed up to play football for Penn State. Sorry, those "kids" are not victims in any way, shape, or form. They all had the opportunity to leave and go elsewhere to pursue their football dreams, and some had the option to not sign with Penn State and just simply go elsewhere. They knew what they were getting into when their returned/signed an LOI. These kids will not be denied an opportunity to play football at the college level, mind you. I'm sure every one of those kids would be able to transfer and play for any other school, likely without penalty (a year-in-residence at another school).

Those same people will tell you that the major players in the "concealment," if they'll concede that there was one, have already been punished; Paterno was fired before his death. Curley and Schultz, also fired, await criminal trials of their own. Graham Spanier was also terminated and will be tried in court, both criminal and civil most likely. These were the most powerful men at Penn State University, yes; but where did they derive their power from? The Penn State football brand, and its many loyal supporters, backed the strength of these four men, specifically Curley and Paterno. Without football, are these even the men deciding the fate of a former University employee? And if so, do they allow him to continue to prey on innocent children under their watch, at their facilities? Of course not. But because of football, these were the men making those decisions. These were the men enabling Sandusky. These were the men in charge.

So to punish the Penn Staters who created the culture that football was above all reproach, football must be taken from them. To ensure that this never happens again, to one single child, a message needs to be sent by the NCAA. Anything less than a disbanding of the football team, even for a few seasons, is inadequate. But under what scope can the NCAA act? And does doing so in this case give them a new domain over universities that could be abused in the future?

I hope the NCAA explores the precedent they will set when they punish Penn State, and they have to punish Penn State. College athletics should be forced to fit within the academic goals of a university (generally, to create a more well-rounded student body or to create camaraderie and school spirt), not drive policy. That football became so big at Penn State shows flaws in our system that need to be addressed ASAP. Let's give Penn Staters perspective and take football from them. They have to know there are things, including but not limited to protecting children, that have to come before football. There's no other way for them to learn."

[djcraig]

Not sure shutting down Penn State football will do much to end the culture of corruption that pervades our society. Molesters, Murderers, Celebutards, Investment Fraud, Corporate Malfeasance, Government Oppression and Institutionalized Perversion will continue with or without Penn State. The only question is what person or entity will be the next headline.

The damage has been done. Shutting down football won't get those poor kids their innocence or sanity back. And people with the moral foresight to understand such a consequence wouldn't take part in this type of behavior in the first place. It's an after the fact punishment that has no positive effect inside or outside of PSU.


<a href="http://www.djcraig.net/los_angeles_dj">DJ Craig</a>