Gator raid: Georgia flips another Florida recruit. Florida Gators. Huskers without LB Domann for rest of season. Nebraska Cornhuskers. UGA's Anderson turns self in, charged with rape. Georgia Bulldogs. Aresco: CFP 'double standards' hurting Cincinnati. Cincinnati Bearcats. Coach: Cal followed protocols before outbreak. California Golden Bears. The different roads to the College Football Playoff for teams just outside the top four. Baylor's Oklahoma test, Purdue's upset chances at Ohio State and more to watch in Week 11's biggest games.
Florida State Seminoles. Adelson: How UConn football became the biggest loser in realignment. Some still believe he isn't being treated fairly by the media, which is part of what prompted ESPN The Magazine's recent cover story, " What if Michael Vick were white? Now let's fast forward to my email inbox over the last two weeks, in the wake of the Paterno column. The media and ESPN analysts should be ashamed and really look at facts before judging a man that has inspired and did more for a university than anyone.
Vick has always enjoyed strong support among African-Americans, and while I don't know the races of those who emailed me to support Paterno, I feel comfortable in assuming that many of them are white. Of course, there are plenty of white people who do not support Paterno and agree with the university's decision to fire him immediately rather than let him finish the season. Just as there were plenty of black people who condemned Vick when he was arrested and convicted, and some who, even now, don't believe Vick deserved a second chance.
But how we characterize someone's bad behavior is sometimes greatly influenced by whether we can relate to him or her. It might be because the accused person is from our hometown. It could be that we share similar backgrounds. Some of the black people condemning Paterno likely are the same ones who supported Michael Jackson when he -- like Jerry Sandusky, Paterno's former assistant -- was accused of molesting young boys.
Some of the white people supporting Paterno likely are the same ones who won't forgive Vick and criticized African-Americans when they supported the quarterback. As someone who has no affiliation with Penn State or the Big Ten in any way, I feel that you have been more than unfair to a man who has devoted his entire life to young men.
He did not abuse anyone. Nor did he turn a blind eye to the whole thing. While Jerry Sandusky sits at home awaiting trial, you have decided to turn your anger upon Mr. It is a shame the manner in which you and most of the media have become high and mighty about what should have been done.
You should be ashamed of yourself. A single decision -- or, in this case, a pattern of inaction -- doesn't negate a lifetime of good deeds. But this scandal does make me question the motives behind Paterno's legendary goodwill. I'm not accusing Paterno of being disingenuous, but I wonder if, at some point, living up to his saintly image became more important than his actual integrity.
And I'm not the only who thinks that. Criticizing Paterno was fair. He's the face of Penn State. Paterno didn't answer to anyone there. Of course Sandusky, if convicted, is the real monster. But that doesn't absolve Paterno. He testified under oath to a grand jury that a "graduate assistant [Mike McQueary] had seen Jerry Sandusky in the Lasch Building showers fondling or doing something of a sexual nature to a young boy.
For those who claim Paterno didn't have enough information to act, how can you not consider that enough of a red flag? Paterno was morally obligated to do more than just inform former athletic director Tim Curley and senior vice president Gary Schultz, who then oversaw campus police.
Paterno's behavior seems even stranger considering how much access Sandusky had to the program and the university after Paterno was made aware that something inappropriate occurred. Put it this way: If Sandusky had been accused of committing infractions that jeopardized Penn State's eligibility or ability to compete, do you think Paterno would have so willingly distanced himself from the situation?
As a former victim of sexual abuse, I am appalled that there is any question about Paterno and everyone else involved even staying through the season. I haven't always agreed with your viewpoints in the sporting world, but this sickening incident goes beyond the world of sports.
I am saddened, disgusted and outraged after hearing how both McQueary and Paterno chose to handle this situation. If you drove down the street and saw an adult man punching a year-old boy in the face, wouldn't you pull over, notify the police and do everything in your power to protect him?
I can't disagree with any of that, but one of the more troubling elements to Mike McQueary's reaction to stumbling upon an alleged rape of a young boy is that his response is hardly an anomaly. I received several emails from social workers and teachers who told me that while the circumstances in how McQueary discovered the alleged sexual assault are unique, his response isn't that unusual.
Sexual abuse is frequently unreported. According to this story about the latest statistics , one in six boys will be sexually assaulted but fewer than 10 percent of victims tell anyone what has happened. The numbers aren't quite clear in terms of how many adults in McQueary's position choose not to report sexual assaults, but most literature suggests that adults like McQueary often decide not to get involved. I really liked your column on Tim Tebow. Less than two weeks later Paterno was fired from his position, his reputation in question and his legacy unraveling over what he did or did not know in relation to the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal that was dominating news headlines.
Joe Paterno of Penn State University celebrates, circa s. Photo: Sporting News via Getty Images. Paterno led Penn State to consecutive undefeated seasons in and and undefeated seasons in , and Paterno was the first coach to win all four of the major bowls — Rose, Orange, Fiesta, and Sugar and saw almost of his former charges go on to NFL success.
He turned down an offer to coach professional football with the New England Patriots in and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in During his year tenure at Penn State, he became an icon, rising to become the face and embodiment of what the university stood for.
A beloved figure at Penn State, Paterno was known as much for his trademark bottle-thick, square glasses as for his leadership skills. In a new library bearing his name was opened on campus. In he married Suzanne Pohland whom he met when she was a student at Penn State. The couple had five children together, all of whom would go on to graduate from the university. On November 5 the investigation into the allegations against Sandusky became public.
Paterno, coming under increasing criticism about what he did or did not know regarding Sandusky, released a statement on November 9 announcing his retirement at the end of the season.
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