Penn State Culture

Well, shucks....

Just about the time I think things have leveled off, we just keep adding characters to the plot around here.

In short, this is what I have learned so far:

Never try to tap dance in flip-flops.

Recap: A presentment is nothing more than an accusation. Based on that alone, the media skewered the accused, an entire university, it's surrounding communities and their defining culture(s). The governor issued a threat and the Board of Trustees imploded. Reputations and careers have been irrepairably damaged without the benefit of due process.

My understanding is this - this is not about what people knew. This is about what they said they knew...to the grand jury. There is no way I can have an opinion on this. I wasn't there. Were you?

We have seen some measure of justice for the victims, criminal punishment for the perpetrator...and now we wait for due process for Spanier/Curley/Schultz...almost as an afterthought. Civil suits are lining up like ticketholders to a broadway show, while the rest of us watch in stunned amazement. While time marches on, it is so easy to fly off on tangents. There are so many characters and subplots, it can be disorienting. There are pro groups and anti groups and Twitter feuds aplenty.
I am resolved to stay focused on the fundamental issues that drive this story:
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. DUE PROCESS. FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

Something we all seem to agree on: Penn State has a governance problem.
To infer that the president has/had too much power is double-speak, when the BOT is the very instrument of that arrangement. It laid the groundwork for zero accountability for the board, should things go badly...and they did. They have since demonstrated the inability to perform at any acceptable level of competence and if any group of people has been exposed as woefully inefficient, it's this bunch...individually and as a whole.

In short, these (Penn State Board of Trustees) are the people who abandoned their own president and coach, followed Corbett and Surma, pleaded guilty for all of us, leaked information, brought Erickson and Joyner into the fray, hired a PR firm, hired Freeh, caved to Emmert and the NCAA, listened to Mitchell, denounced due process, ignored the alumni, snubbed Wagner and they consider transparency as optional...with questions allowed...but no answers.

Feel free to correct me if I got any of this wrong.

My current menu:

• Wagner - didn't have anything new to offer...in the sense that Penn State has a governance problem...we all know that one. The BOT told him to kiss off. The scariest scenario was having the governor and legislature run Penn State while there is a search for a new prez. I don't care if the board is reduced to 6-7 members, because that's how many actually run the show, anyhow.
• Mitchell - completely disregard anything he has to say. It's the NCAA speaking. I'm more interested in what he/they get paid...and some of those numbers are just starting to surface. Monitor that.
• BOT publishes Spanier info - salary + compensation money is a classic example of the BOT's selective transparency: trying to direct people's angst somewhere else. Spanier was our president for 16 years. He was given a 5-year contract extension and a vote of confidence by the same BOT who decided in 24-hours that he lost controll of the school. Like it or not, his contract and compensation is nothing short of normal.
• Corbett / Kane - we'll see. Corbett already treats her like a child.
• Baldwin - dead center of everything. I called this last year.
• Presentments - only 2 states (PA and Conneticut) use this form of presentment. They were determined by all others to be too "inflammatory and unfair to defendents." Gee, ya think???
• Poole your efforts - construction contracts and money questions all over the place.
• Clery Act and Title IX issues have yet to play out.
• I'm imposing a ban on the term "task force."
• I have written about 50+ individuals in these blogs...and there's probably 200 more that deserve a mention...and I don't mean in a kind way. I've asked a lot of questions. Almost none have been answered, except through the passage of time. Review, if you must.
• I would be remiss if I didn't repeat the following: at least 3 people have committed crimes, publicly admitted it, but have not been charged - Tom Corbett, Matt Sandusky, Mark Schwarz.

It's just another bowl movement

Imagine this:
You are a 6"7", 310lb. senior offensive lineman, picked to go in the first round of the NFL draft. Your problem is - you play for a 6-6 "bowl eligible" team. Lucky you. You get 5-6 weeks of additional practice, to go play in a meaningless Atrophy Bowl, in Duluth, on a Wednesday, at 4:00am (kickoff determined by ESPN) in front of 300 fans (family and friends)...and risk a career ending injury and multi-million contract.
I don't think so.
So, let's just say that missing the post season is no BIG deal. Get it? We still have revenue sharing.
It was so great to see our team have the year they did and receive the accolades they richly deserved. Same for the coaches. I'm satisfied.
But, I know how this works. I will see fans turn on the very same people if it doesn't go well in the future. We are stuck with a 109,000 seating problem, conference expansions, scheduling problems and recruiting issues and a rumor mill that is never going to go away.
So, savor the moment(s) while you can.

 Culture This II

Let me try to color between the lines for everyone.

State College, PA, aka Happy Valley... I grew up up here.
Apparently, our founding fathers couldn't find the time to come up with an actual name for my hometown. "State College" didn't require a lot of thought.

College Avenue is the moat that separates academia from hunting season:

• "Knowledge is Power" vs. "Yea, but I'm armed."
• Pick-up trucks vs. pick-up artists.
• Opera vs. Oprah.
• Grange Fair vs.Vanity Fair.

Most everyone I grew up with thinks Curriculum Vitae is an Italian porn star and a tenure is someone who can hit the high notes. In the meantime, on campus, we have the "Trying to be the Most Important Person at the I Don't Give a Shit Party."

WE ARE....

.....an agricultural school with a nuclear reactor.
.....PhDs going to a tractor pull.

Bottom line:

I like it this way. I'm proud of my heritage, both as a local boy and as a Penn State grad.
I don't owe anyone an apology for any of it.
It's the best of all possible worlds.... and if nobody else wants to come here, I'm fine with that.

Sandusky fallout (11-12-12)

I may be on the cutting edge of stupid.

And yet....

1. If you give me 3 or 4 years, or 14 years, 1-15 investigators, 10-20 victims/witnesses...even I could get a conviction against one old pedophile. I don't get Corbett's and the AG's thrill of the stats. Besides, didn't Sara Ganim do most of the hard work?
2. Are The Second Mile, DPS, CWS, and school districts ever going to be held accountable?
3. Didn't Schultz and Curley file motion(s) for separate trials? What happened with that?
4. Matt Sandusky confessed to perjury, but has not been charged? Why?
5. What was the roll call vote on Paterno's firing? I have it at 7.
6. Cynthia Baldwin is a ninja.
7. The evidence against Surma's prejudice is overwhelming and Masser violated a standing order by not only leaking information to the press, but also by making slanderous statements regarding the accused. Neither have been forced to resign. Why is that?
8. Anybody get me that info I requested on Mark Sherburne?
9. Baldwin, Corbett, Emmert, Raykovitz, Freeh, Emmert, Mitchell, Peetz ........when I start to write this thing...it always feels repetitious. Probably because I tweet too much.
But then, I only have 23 followers...and at least 11 of them are either hookers or salespeople.

Then I realize, it's IS repetitious because it's mostly the same people...doing the same stuff...over and over again, that is the source of my amazement/anger/disappointment/confusion/disgust.
It seems as though:
- There are no rules, codes of conduct or ethics involved in Linda Kelly's news releases/presentments/wantedposters/badphotos/PRflyers/accusations presented as facts.
- The media keeps getting lead around by the nose.
- Not many people actually read legal documents.
- The Board of Trustees and Erickson are a constant embarassment.
- Due process simply is ignored, as are constitutional rights.

OK, we've played some football.

Won some, lost some. Fans went from wanting to fire the defensive coaches to "they're starting to gel," to O'Brien for coach of the Year and McGloin for the Heisman.
Every now and then, we hover around reality. In short, Penn State has some pretty good athletes, pretty good coaches...and a loyal fan base. I think they're fun to watch and can hold their own with anyone in the country. That's good enough for me. I'm proud of all of them.

Side Notes

1. Just so you know: making the Ohio State game into some pseudo-bowl, bigtime, all-or-nothing, BTN division championship, whiteout, in your face, stress-test was an example of..."football culture." Just playing Ohio State used to be enough incentive.
2. People booing Erickson was an example of betrayed alumni voicing their displeasure.
3. Desmond Howard has a crush on Mark Emmert.
4. Smart bet: Freeh and Mitchell will make more money than all the victims combined.

The Sandusky Icon Myth Test

I'll give you 30 seconds to name 5 college football defensive co-ordinators...GO!

-------------------------------I'm waiting----------------------------

Outside of a small circle of sports junkies, there's no such thing as a famous "assistant" coach. Outside of the top ten, most people can't name 5 HEAD coaches.
Sandusky's "fame" was created by and for The Second Mile. Period.
That's how it works...spin doctors and PR took his relationship with Penn State and the football program to generate interest and draw attention to their cause. Prop him up and parade him around for 3 decades to help "children at risk."
Sandusky had the prior exerience with his father and the personae to make it work. But, he never had the money or business acumen to make The Second Mile into what it became. That took deep pockets, power, networking and organization. It's a "Who's Who" list that nobody wants to pursue. But mostly, it was the charity golf culture. (Sorry, just had to throw another sport on the grill).

Since my last blog, 4 significant things have happened:

1. PA elected a new AG.

Now we'll see if there's been a lot of wishful thinking, or the next presentment will have Corbett's name on it.

2. Spanier was indicted and additional counts were added to Schultz and Curley.

People really need to get their heads on straight about this...and knock off the cheap shots. As these men go, so does Paterno...make no mistake about that. BUT, what is really damning, if you believe these men are guilty, is that the Clery Act will literally crush Penn State . If you don't believe me, look it up.

3. Aaron Fisher's "book" came out.

Then there was a small demonstration at his former school. Then nothing. So much for victim's advocacy and holding the real enablers accountable. Pretty disconcerting.

4. John Zeigler debuted his mini-movie, or mini-documentary
on "The Framing of Joe Paterno."

Now, this is 30 minutes well spent. A professional filmmaker and interviews with people who have impeccable credentials, speaking with reason. Throw in some gut-wrenching reminders of the news and opinions from the past year...and a classic "shoe-on-the-other-foot" confrontation with Mark Schwarz of ESPN...it is a "teaching moment."

And finally:
- For those who say "there's no such thing as a simple answer"...I say "yes, there is."

- For those who say "move on"...I say "move over."

Paterno/PSUBOT/Faculty Senate

Just to set the tone for this blog:
Rodney Erickson's remarks to Penn State's faculty senate (10/16/12): "We're about three weeks from my one-year anniversary as president"
Considering that is the date marking one of the darkest hours in Penn State University history...that may be the most insensitive, self-absorbed, classless sentence ever uttered by a sitting administrator.
But, it sets the table. Let's review.

THE NOVEMBER SEVEN

Everybody know this?
The vote to dismiss Joe Paterno as head football coach was not the unanimous vote people think it was. 32 members did not say "Aye," or a show of hands...or write on slips of paper. Many were not present and some did not even participate by phone.

As Adrian Monk would say, here's what happened:

Corbett led the charge with his infamous "remember the boy(s) in the showers" quote. That threat was not to get members to vote Paterno out, as most would think. It was to keep potential "Nay" votes from being uttered on the motion. Surma was on board, for reasons that have become abundantly clear. Now, executive sessions require a minimum of 7...and I've already written about 7 being the majority in a quorum of 13. So, after the motion is made and seconded, here is how the vote on Paterno's dismissal went...by phone: "All those in favor, say aye." 7 members said aye. "All those opposed, say nay." Silence. "Ayes have it. Motion approved." The end.
At this point in time, you would think that any member who did not vote in favor, or abstained...or simply was not present, would want everybody to know they weren't part of it. But, you see, there's this little problem (sent to my comments):
the BOT's standing orders and bylaws state that any vote will be considered unanimous after passing, and further state that no board member may criticize those decisions after they have been made. [This sort of "we all stand united" attitude would make good financial sense for the Board of Directors of a publicly traded company -- but it makes absolutely no sense for a university]

You may assume that my sources are very good and I know who the 7 culprits are...and most of you should be able to figure it out for yourselves.
2 things:
1. There's a trick to the 7 that involves proxies.
2. The fun part of this is...they can all deny it, but nobody can prove me wrong without providing an actual roll call on the vote. Either way, I'm gonna win.

SNIPPETS

- I've been informed that there will be separate trials for Curley and Schultz. Not confirmed yet.
- Cynthia Baldwin must be the worst attorney in history. She even showed up in McQueary's lawsuit.
- I found myself involved in the beginning of a twitterbitchfest with several publications and journalists over just trying to get the McQueary testimony right. It's written down. It can't be this hard to get it right. Copy and paste if you have to. And yet...I tweeted Ganim at the Patriot-News, then Rosenburg at SI. The next thing I know, McCann is all over the map...and Zeigler tries to reason with him...all over indisputable evidence/testimony. Unbelievable. I may not have a law degree, or a Pulitzer...but I can read. Godammit.
- The victim count is now 87,492. Erickson wants to settle by yesterday. No need for due process.
- Michael Berube, former Paterno Chair, single-handedly resurrected the expression "pretentious twit."
- Send a note to Surma with your name and phone# on it.
- George Mitchell celebrates his 150th birthday, gumming caviar he just bought with a blank check from PSU...at the NCAA headquarters.
- There's a reason legal papers require 400 pages to explain what should take a paragraph: billable hours.
- Nobody has ever paid me $800,000 to run a $4billion-dollar enterprise. I have zero diplomatic skills. I still can't balance my own checkbook. And yet, I still would make a better president than Rodney Erickson.
- The Penn State Faculty Senate secretly enjoys watching the athletic side suffer.
- I have 2 words for Governor Corbett: 1. hoist. 2. petard.
- Words don't kill people, irresponsible "journalists" kill people.

SUMMARY

As much as we may want to clear the names and reputations of people we know and respect, and the reputations of our school and community, I try to be open-minded about those who wish to close this chapter and move on with their lives...especially younger generations that may not be as emotionally invested in this chapter of our history.
However, traditions and legacies are the very hallmarks that give texture to our lives and a meaningful transition into the future.
It would be easy, at my age, to walk away from all this this. I've had a pretty good run.
But I can't.
The Faculty Senate had an opportunity to do the right thing by endorsing 2 motions (re: Freeh Report and the NCAA sanctions), regardless of the fact that it would not change either of the results. The point was lost that fundamental rights and truth are being sacrificed in order to expedite an agenda.

 

This is my point:

Somewhere along the line, people need to understand that this is not about Paterno, Spanier, Curley, Schultz...or even Sandusky. This is about free speech, due process, the Constitution and Bill of Rights. As a Penn State alumnus, I am embarassed to be affiliated with the current administration, Board of Trustees and Faculty Senate.
There are precedents being set that may affect future generations in the worst way.
These are MY RIGHTS getting trampled on.
These are YOUR RIGHTS getting trampled on.
Keep that in mind the next time someone suggests moving on.

Sandusky (10-10-12)

Ok, Sandusky has been sentenced.
Now, instead of moving on, let's examine this mess.
For instance:

1. PSUBOT vote count.

Based on information from Rumor Central, the "unanimous" vote on Paterno's dismissal is probably misleading and needs a roll call publicized. 32 people did NOT make that call. Secondly, it has been rumored that a "majority" vote is publicized as "unanimous," to show unity. A quorum is 13. A majority of that would be 7. So-o-o-o-o, it is conceivable that 7 people showed JoPa the door. The ONLY way to resolve this, in the interest of transparency, would be to publicize the actual roll call and vote.
Right??? You betcha.

2. Sherburne.

Once again, in the interest of transparency, the reasons for the abrupt dismissal of Mark Sherburne keep falling through the cracks. Inquiring minds want to know what happened.

McQueary

3. McQueary lawsuit.

Legal pundits don't give it much merit. I suppose it's the language. Instead of holding fast to areas of sympathy, his attorneys chose to risk it all on the outcome of the Curley/Schultz trials. Not smart.

4. Victims and alleged victims.

This is getting tricky. We have victims that have testified at the Sandusky trial. We have victims that did not. We have a victim that couldn't be found, but suddenly appeared for civil proceedings. We have have a victim publishing a book. To my knowledge, we have no cooborated evidence of crimes committed on Penn State property (McQueary's testimony failed to convict and the "victim" at the time was unknown)...and, like it or not, insurance companies aren't known for their compassion. We all know this is about money...and Penn State has the most. Erickson and the PSUBOT have made it clear that we are all guilty and please come and get it. I suggested that the Second Mile donate all their assets to a victims' fund, but they won't, because that would be an admission of guilt.
In effect, and grudgingly, doing nothing would make them smarter than Erickson and the PSUBOT. The victims don't seem to be suing the Second Mile, any hotel chains, CWS or even Sandusky. Civil suit attorneys know where to get their 60%.

 5. Matt Sandusky. (follow closely)

Here we have a 33-year-old man, father of 3, with a history of violence and arson. He spent over 2 decades with the Sandusky family. He did not testify to any sexual abuse, but he was placed at the scene(s) by others. At age 18, he chose adoption by the Sanduskys over his biological mother, Debra (Heichel) Long. He was an equipment manager for PSU football and attended PSU on Sandusky money. He brought his children to the Sandusky household.

His real name is Matt Heichel.

Ron Heichel, his brother, is a convicted murderer. He shot a man at point-blank range. Twice. With a shotgun.

I have read interviews where you would tend to think these were the Waltons.

The prevailing theory is Matt reversed his testimony to avoid charges himself, aid the prosecution...and that is why there have been no perjury charges.

Makes you wonder what Dottie and the rest of the Sandusky children think of Matt?

Finally.

- It's interesting that not one person has testified to the possibility of other pedophiles. This really has been all about Sandusky. Perhaps that will change with the feds (Second Mile, CWS, etc.)

- That sound you hear is the Surma family name going down the toilet.

- Freeh owes us $6.5million.

- Corbett won't be the first governor I've seen go behind bars.

- I'm waiting for the judges decision on separate trials for Curley and Schultz (which I prefer). One way or another, the final determination on many of these points rests with those verdicts. It could be an epic example of how due process clears the air and provides an avenue for legal recourse, retroactively, i.e.- NCAA sanctions, civil suits, defamation of character (Paterno, Spanier, Curley, Schultz).

Debra (Heichel) Long

Matt (Heichel) Sandusky



Ron Heichel

PSU BOT needs overhaul

Erickson, Surma, Freeh and Raykovitz...write your own caption

In the meantime, the #PSUBOT just continues to find ways to pee on its own sneakers. Just one embarassing episode after another:

(1) The "Open-to-the-public-question-session-nano-second-timer-pre-registration-2-days-in-advance-unless-you-are-Franco-Harris-cut-the-mic" meeting. 
(2) The Surma family implodes upon itself.
(3) Peetz hits for the cycle as she insults the PSU alumni association president.
(4) Lubert and Joyner combine employment with free housing.
(5) Marsh hammers the "NCAA doesn't negotiate" mantra into the ground.
(6) Baldwin continues to confuse being transparent with being invisible.
(7) Several BOT members confirm that "due process" really doesn't work for them.
(8) Erickson has been a colossal failure..and the BOT is stuck with supporting him as a lame duck. I stated early on that he was not cut out to be a president, or he would have been one by now. My favorite sports analogy: you don't make your left guard the starting quarterback just because he's been with the team for a long time.
(9) Marianne Alexander made my list..not a good place to be.
(10) The one and only act consistent with the spirit of due process: tabling the renaming of Schultz facility...even then, it was forced by a letter from Schultz's attorney and reinforced by a new member prior to the vote.

NOTEWORTHY:
- Corbett is taking heat. Should be indicted.
- Raykovitz is taking heat. Should be indicted.
- The Second Mile and all pertinent government agencies are beginning to feel the heat.
- Freeh is confirmed as Darth Vader's illegitimate son.
- Anyone ever look at the financials for RAINN? Honest to God.
- I have not, nor will I forget about Mark Schwarz and ESPN.
- Spanier and his attorneys were the only ones with enough stones to fire back at Freeh and actually support Paterno.

- "Moving On"...I don't think so.
- By the way, I STILL want to know what happened with Mark Sherburne.
- Schultz and Curley splitting into two cases is smart. Not enough evidence for one conviction, let alone two. Plus, all these motions to dismiss are just paving the road for appeals if it goes badly.
- I have maintained that insurance companies don't pay out to "victims" without proof...and now it's playing out that way.
- Someone described Mark Emmert as a pompous jackass. Oh, wait...that someone was me. BUT, there are a lot of them around. Dwelling on it and the NCAA is a waste of time and energy. If there are legal remedies in the future, let the lawyers figure it out. I look at it this way - it was the PSUBOT who paid $6.5million for the gun (Freeh) that Emmert shot Erickson with. Village idiots.


Words fail me with Vicky.

- Emmert's relationship with Tripponey is an interesting sidebar, but goes nowhere. - And now, we have have this to look forward to: Erickson to speak to The National Press Club. Just shoot me now and get it over with.

Let's wrap this baby up.

All in all, I see some leveling off and common sense is starting to creep in. Probably too late to undo all the damage, but hopefully, we will restore some sanity to the situation and level the playing field.

Readers know that I am very familiar with many of the people in this story and I freely admit to several biases on a personal level...so I choose my weapons and pick my fights very carefully. I don't presume to have all the answers, but I'm pretty good with relevant questions. I see polarized groups with agendas, whether they're pro-Paterno or anti-Corbett or whatever. I've made it clear that I believe Corbett, Schwarz and Matt Sandusky have broken the law, there is evidence to support that. To that end, I try to be very specific about my point(s). I believe all these groups would be much stronger and gain traction if they were united in a common cause related to Constitutional rights, free speech or due process. Otherwise, it's a personality contest that holds no interest for me.

Corbett/Peetz - Current BOT structure

On the other front, as an alum, I have serious issues with the Penn State Board of Trustees.

Up front, I accept cronyism and rubber-stamping as embedded into the nature of boards. Six people run the show and the other 26 say things like "sounds good to me." They get perks and it looks cool on the old resume. I don't expect complete transparency, other than budgets, because PSU is a research facility with government contracts and intellectual product issues that I'm familiar with. However, a $4billion enterprise could use a little, shall we say...smarts. I mean, Jesus...these people don't seem to understand fiduciary responsibilities...or how to spell it. If there is a problem, the current BOT has developed 2 strategies to deal with it:
1. Fire somebody, maybe several people.
2. Throw money at it.
The departure from rules, bylaws, procedures...the conflicts of interest and lack of concern over due process is so overwhelming, it's becoming hard to keep track of. Maybe that's a new strategy. Anyhow, I think a complete overhaul is not practical. There are individuals that need to be confronted, challenged and sent packing, for any number of reasons: Corbett, Baldwin, Surma, Lubert, Masser, Peetz, Alexander, Erickson...to name a few. I believe the recent influx of just 3 new members has proven that change can be initiated by some, if not all, new voices. We'll see.

People much smarter than me:
Kevin Slaten, John Zeigler, Dan Clements, Ray Blehar and FramingPaterno seem to be more on point with useful information that has merit. If you are unfamiliar with any of them, I suggest you look them up. Obviously, there are more, but expanding becomes easy through alliances.

The Ultimate Opinion:
I believe Paterno, Spanier, Curley and Schultz are all innocent.
The Ultimate Fact:
I am right until someone proves me wrong. Says so in the Bill of Rights.



Culture this

First, we need to accept words like "culture" and "transparency" as subjective, and as such, there is no chance for right or wrong...only opinion.
Personally, I don't give a rat's ass about the #freehopinion, the #psubotopinion, ESPN, the NCAA, Mark Emmert, et. al.

Actually, I'm not that crazy about my own opinion, but here it is:

As a local boy and Penn State alum, I choose to use the broad strokes of sports culture, rather than isolate everything as a football culture.

For example:

--Coaches and sports writers used to be on friendly terms because local journalists were unabashed "homers."...now, we eat our own.
--"Anything you say, can and will be held against you" is not just for law enforcement.
--Other than car dealerships and chinese restaurants, coaching is where nepotism goes to prosper.
--You will be allowed 30 seconds to savor any victory. You will regret, and we will remind you of every mistake, error and loss you have...for the rest of your natural life...maybe longer, if your family survives you.
--Anyone who remembers when the Olympics were for amateurs will know that all sports cultures have sold out. Winning at all costs and Dream Teams have replaced any possibility of another "Miracle on Ice."
--Stadiums and arenas are built with bonds and tax dollars...and most taxpayers can't afford the price of admission or the $5 hot dogs.

Let's start with the wayback machine:

--I've been using Rec Hall as my personal fitness center since 1954. That's over for everyone else.
--I used to sneak into Beaver Stadium...when it was next to Rec Hall.
--I've met Navy players like Roger Staubach and Joe Bellino...at Beaver Stadium.
--I knew Joe Paterno when he was a bachelor, living in the basement of someone else's home.
--I remember when there were only 4 post season bowls.
--I remember, as an in dependent, when we could schedule any team we wanted.
--I remember when the players voted on which bowl they wanted to go to.
I could sit here and write this list for hours, but I decided that it serves no purpose. Essentially, the only thing I can prove is...I'm old.

Let's look at today:

--Let's remember - "fan" is short for "fanatic."
--Let's remember - ESPN would have you believe poker and hot dog eating contests are sports.
--Let's remember - ESPN's on-air personalities are mostly former players and coaches who are unemployable elsewhere.
--Let's remember - the words "fantasy" and "rumors" are the hallmarks of sports reporting.
--Let's remember - coaches make more money than presidents. Players make more than coaches.
--Let's remember - throwback jerseys are conspicuous consumption...period.
--Let's remember - "bowl eligible" is a joke.
--Let's remember - a baseball bat now costs roughly the same as a kidney transplant.
--Let's remember - Professional athetes turn down $80million because...it's not enough.
--Let's remember - 16-year-olds now hold press conferences.
--Let's remember - 16-year-old gymnasts have no future.
--Let's remember - 25-year-old tennis players are over the hill.
--Let's remember - the most popular play in hockey is a fight.
--Let's remember - ESPN still thinks a dunk requires skill.
--Let's remember - they make sliding gloves for 6-year-olds.
--Let's remember - they have traveling teams for 9-year-olds.
--Let's remember - they have all-star teams for every age group there is.
--Let's remember - grown men will run over women and children at the Blue/White game to get the autograph of an 18-year-old.
--Let's remember - fans can, and will boo legends.
--Let's remember - Well....you get my drift. This is unfixable. It is societal.

Should you know of anyone capable of correcting any of this, they will have my support.

We currently live in an era where any sports culture cannot be defined to any degree of certainty. TV money, revenue sharing, conference alignments, shoe contracts, merchandising, stadium and bowl branding rights, etc., have created an environment that dictates everything, including kickoff times. The NCAA and conferences profit from the very "culture" they've created and arbitrarily punish.

This is the "culture" that the AG, Freeh, NCAA, Corbett, etc...and the media would have you believe that respectable men would risk their careers and reputations to protect a pedophile for. From the beginning, the premise is patently absurd.

Joe Paterno, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz had nothing better to do with their time than protect a pedophile? Excuse me?

So, here's what I went with:

they are innocent until proven guilty. Due process. The Constitution...you know, radical, irrational thinking. Jesus, talk about lonely business.

When falsely accused, stand and fight.
Not so, with our current administration and BOT. Their record speaks for itself.

It is one thing for the media to crucify people, institutions and an entire community with unsubstantiated, inflammatory remarks, but it is the wholesale acceptance and seemingly delight by the general public that completely stuns me. It shouldn't, but it does. I get enraged with the media because I am part of it, and we have power and responsibility to get it right. However, I believe it was a Roman who said, "let's give the people what they want."
So, here we are.

I have a list of people who really deserve our scrutiny

and I believe my Twitter log and this blog accurately reflects that...and here they are:

Corbett, Baldwin, (Matt) Sandusky, Courtney, Emmert, Erickson, Masser, Surma, Peetz, Lubert...and, of course, Mark Schwarz...to name a few.

Penn State's Scarlett Ribbon

One of the many things I struggle with: being told I HAVE to do something. The urge to rebel rises like a sleeping giant. I know, it's a childish thing.

I'm much older now, so I wait a bit to see if I'm just having a knee-jerk reaction that goes to my Irish heritage. This one won't go away...so it must have some merit.

I'm speaking about the Scarlett Letter...um, Ribbons.

Now, is it just me, or is this just one more way to perpetuate an aura of guilt and doing penance?..as opposed to showing support for a cause? It's probably just me. I don't wear armbands to prove I mourn or wristbands to prove I care, or white t-shirts to be one of many. I bristle at the notion that anyone who wears something is MORE in tune than I am. I'm not a group-think guy, but I'm in the business of knowing how to manipulate people who are. I do have a list of people who SHOULD wear ribbons.

I can hardly wait until the TV cameras zoom in on our players.

In my view, Penn State is in this frenetic counter-spin mode that constantly reminds people of something "we" didn't do, making up for sins "we" have not commited. A never-ending mindset of the #psubot and current administration. So, I object on that premise alone.

Culture this

The culture of Penn State/Happy Valley was and is one of academic excellence and a friendly and safe environment to raise a family. Our tradition, history of success with honor and generations of alums is statistically a fact...as true today as in previous decades. The very culture that has made us strong, made us vulnerable to a predator in our midst. That's not a stretch...it just doesn't have the "wow" factor the media craves. We are close-knit. We do give the benefit of a doubt. We do believe in due process. And it has cost us. Our own BOT turned on it's own, and hung them with terms and expressions like "humane,""unconditional support," and "I wish I had done more." Spoken like the barbarians that they are...men who have dedicated their lives to their professions...and a considerable part to Penn State and the community.

Glass house, my ass.
Unlike our detractors, it's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

Loose Ends - Sandusky

While we wait for a conclusion to the Curley/Schultz public flogging, PSU's accreditation situation, the Clery Act results and Erickson's confession to the Lindbergh kidnapping, I would remind people that there are some other loose ends. For instance:

1. There are at least 3 people still walking free who have actually admitted to crimes:
---Tom Corbett (influence peddling).
---Mark Schwarz, ESPN (withholding evidence in Fine case).
---Matt Sandusky (perjury). 

Speaking of Matt Sandusky, I once asked if everyone knew who these people are:
Debra Long. Ron Heichel. Matt Sandusky.
I read some interviews that may lead you to think they are the Waltons. They are not.
According to reports, what we have here is an unfit parent, a cold-blooded killer...and an arsonist. Throw in an abusive father and grandfather, and this is the gene pool prosecutors have aligned with. The prevailing theory about Matt Sandusky's turnabout at age 33 - he was given an option: either testify against Jerry, or have a cell next to him. Matt was put at the scene by victim(s), and that would make him complicit, if he's not a victim himself. No matter what, no word on the perjury charges.

2. People seem to have forgotten about Mark Sherburne. I wonder why?
3. I can't emphasize enough how big Cynthia Baldwin's role is in all of this.
4. CWS, DPS and 2nd Mile will have their day with the feds.
5. People are discovering, finally, that the #psubot is incapable/unwilling to defend it's own and the institution and the #ncaa does not accept due process and criteria to enact punishment(s).
6. For some reason, I seem to be the only person outraged by Don Hahn's remarks at a public State College Boro Council meeting where he alluded to how much pain Joe Paterno caused and likened him to General Lee. Isn't he an attorney? Paterno's guilt is implied, no matter what Hahn's point was.

The list goes on, but frankly, my index fingers are tired.

Sandusky (08-13-12)

As someone with more than just a passing interest in this story, I will just ease onto the playing field with some general observations:

ESPN takes the lead in what will become an epic barrage of false accusations, reckless conclusions and unsubstantiated reports with lack of evidence advanced as factual...that break every known ethics protocol in the history of journalism. And then, of course, we had our leaks.

1. The big story has obviously never been about Sandusky. He could have been a well-known figure in any walk of life in the country. Prosecutors had multiple victims and their testimony. You arrest the guy, charge him, have a trial, convict him and send him off to prison where he belongs.

2. This is all about the perjury charges and all that they imply (re: Paterno, Spanier, Curley Schultz).

3. Nobody looks innocent during a perp walk. The AG dog and pony show for the press, complete with blown-up mugshots of Curley and Schultz, on an off weekend at PSU...was, grudgingly, a master stroke.

4. The PSUBOT was influenced/coerced/threatened by Governor Corbett, which resulted in the following:
Joe Paterno was dismissed, Graham Spanier resigned, Curley took administrative leave and Schultz retired. Subsequently, Erickson was appointed president and Joyner became interim AD.

5. Curley and Schultz still face charges and are moving for dismissal. As I understand it, the perjury charges were based on "McQueary's testimony was more believable than theirs." Then McQueary's testimony changed, then Paterno died, then the date changed, then his father couldn't even remember testifying, there was no victim to testify and finally, a jury didn't convict, based on McQueary's testimony. If I understand the Cynthia Baldwin/PSU legal scenario correctly. Curley and Schultz were not represented by counsel during their GJ testimony, even though they thought they were. Baldwin should not have been present at all. And all of this forms a big circle around the Clery Act.

Now, everyone must wait for the outcome of the perjury charges. The AG cannot afford to lose at this stage. Prosecutors hate to lose, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a dismissal of charges. After all, that leaves a cloud of suspicion and the anti-PSU crowd will spin the "They Got Off " portion of their agenda. All the damage has been done and cannot be undone.

6. The #freehopinion. I was going to say "you can't make this sh*t up," but, apparently, you can.

7. #erickson #emmert #ncaa #psubot $60million+ without evidence. I don't need to provide 200-300 pages to make my point.

Rules of Engagement

1. My blog, my rules.
2. I don't mind a heated debate...I'm Irish. However, I have zero tolerance for personal attacks...on anyone...or random outbursts under the guise of passion for a cause.
3. I actually don't mind if someone proves me wrong. The operative word being "proves." I would rather not travel down the wrong path for any great length of time.
4. I aways try to be clear on issues of fact vs. opinion.
5. I ask a lot of questions that people don't seem to be willing or able to answer.
6. I am an advocate of due process and free speech.
7. I'm not fond of anonymity in an open exchange of points...but, I get it.

Obviously, this is intended for posts that are directed towards controversial issues.
- I can always wax on philosophically about almost anything.
- I may submit the occasional cartoon or photo for your amusement.

My Credentials

Disclaimer per Twitter, my opinion(s) are my own and do not reflect those of my employer, my family, friends or dinner guests.

It's all about me:
- I smoke and swear a lot. Those are my endearing qualities.
- I am a graduate of both State College High School (Little Lions) and Penn State (Nittany Lions). I know the history and culture of Happy Valley better than most.
- It only took me 40 years to get my bachelor's degree in Journalism. You may conclude, correctly, that I am not a scholar. But I do know the media.
- I bleed Blue and White.
- I have a fantastic wife, a bunch of kids, grandkids and one great grandson. You may conclude, correctly, that I am a family man...and I'm not a teenager.
- I have the good fortune of knowing many great athletes, coaches and administrators at Penn State.
- I've lettered in wrestling, football and tennis and competed in wrestling, tennis and rugby at Penn State. I have logged many years competing on baseball fields, softball fields, volleyball courts and racquetball courts and continue to do so. I do not have a mantle dripping with medals and "outstanding" anything to brag about. However, I know a little bit about sports culture.
- I know many of the people currently embroiled in controversy at PSU. I think it's fair to say I have some biases, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong...just better informed.

Now, I know this pales in comparison to having a byline in the mainstream media. I don't even have a cool blazer and microphone over at ESPN, CNN, etc. I don't have any friends named Piers. I don't have a law degree.

But here's what I do have - an eerie track record of being right about a lot of things.