BREAKING: NCAA announces end of Penn State's bowl ban effective IMMEDIATELY! The Nittany Lions will also be allowed the full compliment of 85 scholarships starting with this recruiting cycle! This incredible news comes on the heels of former Senator George Mitchell's second glowing report to the NCAA regarding Penn State's compliance with the Consent Decree. But all you really need to know is... We're going bowling!
So, am I dressed right for the occasion?
Now for some more serious talk. I have made it a point to refrain from talking about the Sandusky scandal here on the blog because this is a football blog and I didn't think it was the time or place for such discussions. However, today's news gives me the perfect opportunity to express exactly what's been going through my mind over the last nearly 3 years.
First of all, Joe Paterno was the man. Yeah I said it! He wasn't just a great coach, he was a great person, and everyone who ever met him can attest to that fact. Was he perfect? No! But no one is and he never claimed to be. Moreover, Penn Staters did not "worship" him as a deity, we RESPECTED him as a father (and eventually grandfather) figure. Heck, his name was literally Latin for "father"! He helped mold countless young players into men right before our eyes. Just because he chose to make a difference in this world through football does not, and should not diminish the incredible impact JoePa had on our community for 61 years, effectively his entire adult life. We are because he was!
When he was made aware of a potential crime committed on campus by one of his former employees who he no longer had any control over, he reported it to the highest University representatives he could find. This included the Athletic Director (because it happened in an athletic building) and the head of University Police (because it was a criminal matter). They, in turn, reported it to the University President because, well, he's the president. Whether those men dropped the ball or not will be determined in a court of law with due process afforded to all defendants. But what is clear, at least to me, is that Paterno did all that he legally could do, especially considering he was a hearsay witness at best. More importantly, according to the new sexual violence handbook created by the NCAA, Paterno followed the correct procedures for handling that kind of situation to the letter. To put it simply, he reported it and then got out of the way. Critics like to ignorantly say that Joe should have done more because he was "the most powerful man on campus/in Pennsylvania!" This could not be further from the truth (see above about worship vs respect). Had Paterno gotten involved, those same critics would have been all over him for interfering with the investigation. It was a lose/lose situation because the media was going to get their story either way. And that's what this is really about, isn't it? The mainstream sports media saw a celebrity name that they could attach to this otherwise non-story and they ran with it. Once it started to snowball they had to keep the lie going. Besides, the ratings were fantastic! Welcome to the modern age I guess...
As for the NCAA, they're a bunch of cowards (as is the entire Penn State Board of Trustees). They relied on a nonsensical report commissioned and paid for by Penn State, not themselves, to hand down unprecedented sanctions against the football team, and all while breaking nearly all their own bylaws. Why? Hell if I know! To this day, Penn State has still never been convicted of violating a single NCAA infraction, yet we'll go down in history as one of the most punished programs ever. And something stinks behind the scenes, trust me. The NCAA got very scared when a PA judge implied that the courts should look into the Consent Decree. So scared that they immediately dropped their lawsuit against two PA lawmakers and announced today's news. That's not the sign of an organization showing mercy, that's the sign of an organization running from the truth. Pay no attention to the men behind the Consent Decree! Nothing to see here! Move along folks! Whatever, I just hope everything is revealed in time and those responsible for travesty are held accountable.
For now, let us rejoice in the knowledge that Penn State can officially win the Big Ten this year and will make a glorious return to the post season just in time for the first ever College Football Playoff!!! Go State!
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