Sunday, November 13, 2011

DAY FIFTEEN: Coach Paterno, you are fired. Congratulations on a great 117 years at Penn State.

Aaron is in shock.

I am amazed at how many evil, immoral people are involved with college sports. I am talking about Jerry Sandusky. I do not like to wish bad things upon people, but in this case I will make an exception. I hope that Sandusky goes to jail and gets a taste of his own medicine from fellow inmates. He deserves it. Maybe he is a great coach. That does not matter.


Sandusky's charity (though I feel awkward calling it that) was intended to help disadvantaged children. The charity, called The Second Mile, has this on the "About Us" section of their website: Many children face adversity even before they understand how to dream. The Second Mile, founded in 1977 in State College, Pennsylvania, is a statewide non-profit organization for children who need additional support and who would benefit from positive human contact. 


Jerry Sandusky contradicted and violated everything stated in the proclaimed mission of this non-profit organization. He bullied innocent, defenseless children in a sickening fashion.


This is possibly the worst thing that has ever happened in the world of college sports. Nevin Shapiro's fishy business at the University of Miami was unethical, but falls into a different category than what Jerry Sandusky has done. 


College sports has seen scandals before (see: University of Southern California and practically every star athlete that attended the university) but this has to be the most appalling. 


Many argue that college athletes should be paid. After witnessing the dishonesty that we see in college sports from players, coaches, and athletic directors, you think we should start giving players a salary? What is that phrase? "Money is the root of all evil"? Yeah, let's pay these guys and girls. Great idea. Wouldn't you love to see your favorite college athlete holding out for more money because a salary, free tuition, and admiration of an entire college campus isn't enough for him/her to play a game they love?


Anyway, I do not feel bad for Joe Paterno or any of the other school officials and assistants that were fired because of this scandal. An eye witness account from Penn State assistant Mike McQueary was told to Joe Paterno who then kinda-sorta told higher ranking officials what he knew and then they kinda-sorta told higher ranking officials what they knew. McQueary's eye witness account was watered down at each stage of communication. This is what each person said to the next:


Now-fired assistant coach Mike McQueary: anal rape.
Now-fired head coach Joe Paterno: something of a sexual nature.
Now-resigned university vice president Gary Schultz: inappropriately grabbing of the young boy’s genitals.
Now-resigned athletic director Tim Curley: inappropriate conduct or horsing around.
Now-fired university president Graham Spanier: conduct that made someone uncomfortable.
The Second Mile president Jack Raykovitz: a ban on bringing kids to the locker room.



Look at that. That is unacceptable. The now-jobless people involved in this case deserve to have lost their job.


Allegedly, when McQueary was informing Joe Pa on what he had seen, Paterno stopped the conversation before it got too graphic. Was that his real reason for halting the conversation? Or was he hoping that ignorance would be bliss?


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