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.