It was a cruel irony for me to be in Pittsburgh on the weekend when the Penn State scandal erupted.
Sunday, some pals and I were indulging in being immersed in American football culture and lapping it up. It was a scene right out of a bad Tom Cruise movie. Me and the boys sitting in a greasy spoon/bar/hangout – aptly called Locals – on the South Side of the Steel City, quaffing beers and devouring all day breakfast.
The TVs were showing every afternoon game imaginable, with our attention focused on the Bills getting t-rexed by the Jets. Most of the bar was clad in black and yellow, in anticipation of the Steelers’ evening clash with the hated Browns… err, Ravens!
But between Cruise sightings (he was actually in town filming a movie, which I am pretty certain isn’t the sequel to All The Right Moves), and Ray Lewis -bashing, our talk turned solemn to the scandal erupting in not so ‘Happy Valley.’ I could not believe what I read online. No one could.
It has gotten even worse as the week has unfolded. I don’t need to rehash what has been said in a thousand places. But I do need to share my thoughts with you. Because they are sad ones.
I can live with Miami being a school for convicts.
I can believe Bill Belichick cheated.
I understand when some kids at Waterloo cheat with drugs.
I am not surprised when Cleo Lemon is so disrespectful, he tosses off his head coach.
But when Joe Paterno stays silent for nearly a decade and maybe longer, it makes me want to scream. How can that be?
This is my game. My religion. I preach the value of it to my players and to my own sons.
When four kids are killed in Grand Prairie by an impaired driver, football brought together a community.
When a tornado rips up Alabama, the teams, coaches, and players were a big part of the recovery work and emotional recovery.
When a twenty-two year old former player of mine dies tragically, playing games this year helped those of us who knew him immensely.
This game is supposed to teach leadership, character, and poise.
This game is supposed to create heroes like Lombardi and Campbell.
This game is supposed to build young men into great men.
Penn State should lose their program. But that would be unfair to the thousands who have done it the right way.
But someone should pay.
Young boys lost their innocence. Joe Paterno lost his legacy. We fans are losing our zeal.