I have a confession to make: I know people at Penn State. They are friends of mine.
There, I said it. And I’ll add this. They’re good people, nice people. Their only sin, best I can tell, is they live in a place suddenly in the news and not in a good way.
I’ve known one of them for a long time. She used to work for me as a reporter. She now teaches English at the university located in State College, Pa. — an enclave tucked into the mountains once known as Happy Valley.
Now it’s known for woe. That’s what happens when the most egregious scandal ever to hit a college campus and an athletics program land at a site previously known for an image touted as beyond squeaky clean operated by coach universally thought to be if not a saint at least a runnerup. The news last week that football coach Joe Paterno and Penn State administrators hid the unfathomable criminal activities of former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky — now a convicted rapist of defenseless children — has incensed the sensibilities of the nation.
And with Paterno, who died of lung cancer late last year, in the grave, there is nowhere for America to collectively dump the vitriol except upon those who live and work at State College.
That’s a shame.
Because people like my friend have done nothing wrong. They just happen now to work at a place in the crosshairs of public outrage.
Yesterday, when an aircraft flew over the town pulling a banner reading, “Take the statue down or we will,” a pointed threat to the now controversial statue of Paterno in front of the school’s football stadium smilingly leading the Nittany Lions charges on the field.
Here’s a message I got yesterday from my friend in State College.
“Don’t know if you heard about this yet, but this morning, most of us in State College saw a plane flying overhead trailing a banner reading: “take down the statue or we will.” I have nothing to say about the content, but State College is not a very nice place to live right now. I was at (youth sports) practice with my sons and many other parents. Many of the kids And adults were wearing PSU apparel. Most of us looked ready to cry. One guy even put his head in His hands. I’m all for having honest talks with my children, but this is a bit much. We’re all about ready to burst. The entire town is being punished for the horrific actions of a few men. Just thought you’d find this intriguing as I know you’ve been following this issue.”
She’s right. I did find it intriguing and maddening. It’s another case of the wrong people being punished for the sins of others.
It’s an epidemic in our culture.
My friend’s sadness and that of others stems not from anything football related but from the appalling nature of the issue itself and a profound sense of loss for the victims. The outside pressure is only making a horrible situation worse.
Penn State officials could improve things by making what I think is the clear and correct decision to take down the Paterno statue. University officials say they will make a decision in a week to 10 days.
They shouldn’t hesitate that long. Do it now. Do it today. Right now that smiling image haunts. It’s a touchstone for anger, a gathering point for angst. Nothing good can come of it being there.
Others are already erasing or ending visible ties to Paterno. According to the Associated Press:
1. Paternoville, a tent city outside Beaver Stadium where students camp out for prime football tickets, was scrapped in favor of Nittanyville.
2. Nike took Paterno’s name off a child care center on its corporate campus the day the Freeh report concerning the Sandusky matter was released.
3. The halo that had floated above Paterno’s head in a State College mural was removed Saturday. In its place the artist added a blue ribbon in support of child abuse awareness.
4. Brown University in Rhode Island, the late coach’s alma mater, said that not only had it removed Paterno’s name from its head football coaching position and a student award, but it’s also reviewing whether to remove him from the school’s athletic hall of fame, too.
5. And a Connecticut middle school said it would paint over its own mural of Paterno.
6. Although there was some negative reaction to Paterno immediately after Sandusky’s arrest — the Big Ten dropped Paterno’s name from the conference championship trophy where it had been next to that of Amos Alonzo Stagg, who won almost 100 fewer games — the pace has picked up since the Freeh report was released.
The statue at Penn State has to be next.
It’s a no-brainer.
And just maybe it will help take some of the pressure off the innocent thousands who work at Penn State and live in State College.
At least I hope so.
UPDATE: An interesting idea from my friend at Penn State. She’s not so sure the statue should be removed. Her thoughts:
“One of the best ideas so far is this, instead of taking down the statue, add the quote: “I wish I had done more.”. Then beside the statue, build a memorial to the victims of child sex abuse. This evokes thought, instead of taking down the statue and throwing away the issue. Show people the regret and what he did. Just a thought. Then of course the university should clean house, starting with the board of trustees and add transparency to their institution.”
It’s an idea with some merit. But when I see the smiling face of Joe Paterno on the statue I’m not quite so sure.
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i 100% disagree to this because it is akin to mob justice.
first of all we dont know what joe knew and when he knew and what he actually did. the freeh report has it critics including peopel who were there. so whose to say they are all wrong and freeh’s report is total correct.
this is to me simple piling on and if this was a football game the opposition to paterno would not only be flagged and penalized but thrown out of the field. sorry couldnt resist that analogy.
what sandusky did was horrible and he should spend the rest of his life in jail and those that enable him also have a cross to bear. but what about the parents, teachers, counselors and other people in these kids lives who they told. also i think and know that where there is a lawyer twith a oppurtunity at deep pockets there will be a lawsuit and that is true also for some of these kids. yes i beleive he raped young boys but do you not think that some of the kids are coming forward because of oppurtunity and not a sudden uinlocking of a repressed memory. that to is going on and i am not blaming the victim in this because i am saying some of these kids are not victims in my opinion.
regardless of that whether i am right or wrong on that issue is not relevant to your editoral. what is relevant is this man has done more good for penn state then all of its presidents put together and he did not participate in harming any child and there is a discrepency on what he did to stop it. if he told his superiors which the freeh report said he done and the superiors did nothing then what else could he have done. how did he not know that the superiors did not report it to the police. also if he was so protective of sanducky, why wasnt sandusky still his heir apperant and still coaching at penn.
i understand emotions are high and i understand that crimes were committed but you have the right man in jial there is no reason and no evidence that you should imprison the memory and legacy of another man who just might be innocent in order to quite the mob.
Frankly Michael, I’m shocked. You usually do a good job of keeping up with cuurrent events. The Freeh Report, compiled by a former director of the FBI, makes it abundantly clear that Paternon was in o way a good man. He was a self-abosrbed bully who put the interests of the football program and the university ahead of the safety of innocent children.
I would agree with your assessment had things remained the same as they were last fall — when it looked like Paterno informed his superiors of an incident in the showers then let higher ups decide. But the new report makes claar that Sandusky was a dangerous pedophile and predator at least three years before the 2001 shower incident. And it was Paterno who advised administrators to let the matter drop and not inform police.
It was Paterno all along.
The report also makes the case that under Paterno, football ran the school. Players misdeeds were covered up and god knows what else. No one on campus — including the president — went against Paterno.
He’s a piece of crap Michael who ultimately did much more harm than good. Instead of being a symbol for all that’s right with college athletics, he’s the symbol for all that’s wrong.
I meant to add a copy of the Freeh Report. Here goes.
http://www.timesnewshosting.com/docs/Pennst.pdf
As much as it hurts you are right,Madison. I grew up admiring PSU football. I met kids at ASU who were from the big cities and the country in PA. who played football at ASU and we all loved PS football. It’s a real kick in the downstairs,especially after reading the Freeh report and you know Louis Freeh is a straight shooter. If truth be known there are lots of guys who get awards and recognition in foot ball who really don’t deserve anything but scorn. As glad as I was to Rich McGeorge get into the Hall was as sick as I was to see Fisher DeBerry get in. I know,I was there,I saw. As good a man as Jim Brakefield was is a bad as DeBerry is. I can’t believe he got in especially after what happened at the Air Force Academy. I have to shut up-it makes me sick to remember some of the things I saw and heard Deberry do and say. Good stuff,true stuff on both one and two PSU op-eds-just wish it would go away.You haven’t lost your ability for observation on sports.
MADISON DONT BE SHOCKED I AM STILL THE SAME SMART GUY THAT YOU HAVE COME TO KNOW AND CHEER FOR…JUST KIDDING. ALSO I AM TYPING IN ALL CAPS BUT I AM NOT YELLING OR MAD AS A MATTER FACT I WELCOME THIS DEBATE AS I DO ANY DEBATE..SO LETS ROCK AND ROLL.
DONT BE SHOCKED AND HERE IS WHY. I HAVE NOT READ THE REPORT BUT I HAVE SEEN ALOT ON IT(WEARY OF IT REALLY) BUT I WILL READ IT. HOWEVER YOU DO KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE THAT SAID THE REPORT IS TOTALLY WRONG. NOW I KNOW THOSE PEOPLE MAY BE BIAS BUT JUST SAYING THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WERE THERE THAT SAID THE REPORT WAS INCORRECT.
NOW DEAN SMITH, ROY WILLIAMS, COACH K…THESE COACHES DO THE RIGHT THING BUT HOW MANY PRESIDENTS AT UNC OR DUKE WOULD GO AGAINST EITHER OF THEM, THEY HAVE BUILDINGS NAME AFTER THEM AND BOTH SMITH AND K, COULD RUN FOR GOVERNOR AND WIN AND LIKE PATERNO HAVE DONATED MILLIONS AND RAISED MILLIONS MORE FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS.
PRESIDENTS COME AND AGO BUT GREAT CAOCHES GET MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS AND ARE DEIFIED. SABAN OF ALABAMA MAKES CLOSE TO 7M A YEAR WHERE AS THE UNIV. PREZ MAKES ABOUT 400K, NOW EXPLAIN THAT. PEOPLE LIKE THAT DONT HAVE TO BULLY BECAUSE WITH THAT DISPARAGE IN SALARY YOU HAVE TOLD HIM HE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MAN ON CAMPUS AND HE GETS WHAT HE WANTS. A VICTORIOUS COACH CAN GET PRESIDENTS SENT PACKING AND MADISON I AM SURE YOU KNOW THIS.
SO DO I THINK THE SAME CAN BE SAID OF PATERNO YOU BETCHA BUT WHOS FAULT IS IT THAT THE PRESIDENT BOWED TO THE COACH, THE PRESIDENT AND THE TRUSTEES. AND WHOSE FAULT IS IT THAT ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN IN BE THE CASE…US THE FANS OF COLLEGE SPORTS WHICH INCLUDES THE ALUMNI, TRUSTEES AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE SCHOOL WHO IS ALSO A FAN. AND WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN….MONEY!!!! SO SHOULD HE HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM..YES HE WAS THE HEAD COACH. THAT WAS HIS JOB AND BY DOING THAT HE MADE THE UNIVERSITY 100′S OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OVER THE YEARS WHICH, ALONG WITH MULTIPLE CHAMPIONSHIPS, BOWLS, ALL AMERICANS AND NFL PLAYERS, MADE THE PRESIDENT, THE TRUSTEES, AND THE ALUMNI HAPPY AND WITH BRAGGING RIGHTS ALMOST EVERY YEAR FOR DECADES.
SO WAS HE REALLY A BULLY. A BULLY IS SOMEBODY THAT IMPOSES THEIR WILL ON OTHERS WHO ARE WEAK AND DOESNT WANT THE BULLY’S WILL IMPOSED ON THEM. I BELEIVE THAT THE PRESIDENTS ARE SMARTER THEN THAT. I BELEIVE PATERNO DID NOT HAVE TO BE A BULLY HE ONLY HAD TO ASK BECAUSE ATHLETICS BECAME MORE POPULAR THEN ACADEMICS(AND YOU KNOW THIS IS TRUE, WHY WOULD A UNC HIRE A BUTCH DAVIS, A KENTUCK A CALIPARI) AT PENN STATE A LONG TIME AGO AS IT HAVE AT UNIVERSITES JUST LIKE PENN AND EVEN HIGH SCHOOLS LIKE CUMMINGS HIGH SCHOOL.
HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF WHY ALL THESE LOCAL STAR ATHELETES NEVER SEEM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT IN COLLEGE AWAY FROM THE SAFETY NIGHT OF THE HS CAMPUS THAT THEY WERE THE BIG MAN ON CAMPUS, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER STORY HOWEVER IT HELPS EXPLAINS WHY PATERNO WAS NOT A BULLY BECAUSE HE DIDNT HAVE TO BE ONE.
AND YES I KNOW HE PROABLY PULLED SOME STRINGS TO GET PLAYERS THINGS THAT WERE NOT OFFERED AND OR AVALIABLE TO “REGULAR” STUDENTS. BUT I AM SURE SOME OF OUR GOOD COACHES HAVE DONE THE SAME THING, NO IT DOESNT MAKE IT RIGHT BUT IT DOESNT MAKE PATERNO AN ACCESSORY TO THE WORST CHILD MOLESTATION CRIME IN HISTORY EITHER.
HOWEVER MADISON I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND I AM NOT SAYING PATERNO IS A SAINT OT INNOCENT THEREOFORE I WILL READ THE REPORT. MAYBE IT WILL CHANGE MY MIND AND MAYBE NOT HOWEVER IT WILL GET AN OBJECTIVE AND FAIR OPPURTUNITY WHICH IS MORE THAN AT THIS MOMENT I CAN SAY PATERNO IS GETTING.
MADISON, BUT CAN YOU AND I AGREE MADISON THAT THERE IS ALOT WRONG WITH COLLEGE SPORTS RIGHT NOW THAT THIS VERY SAD EPISODE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH. THIS THE FIRST AND HOPEFULLY AND PRAYFULL THE LAST TIME WE SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS BUT THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT HAVE GONE ON FOR DECADES IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND WILL CONTIUE TO GO ON FOR MANY MORE DECADES…UNFORTUNATLEY WE THE FANS PLAY A BIGGER ROLL IN IT THEN WE ARE WILLING TO ADMITT.
I can agree with part of that. Yes, this episode is singular in its horror but it’s also a symptom of what happens when athletics take over a college campus. The misdeeds at Chapel Hill and other places pale in comparison but it’s a symptom of the same problem.