Penn State Football Under the Gun

I grew up about 50 miles from Penn State and have always had a soft spot in my heart for them and their incredible football history. Even after becoming a Midwesterner and a Badger fan, the Nittany Lions were one of my teams. Yes, at times, I have believed that Joe Paterno, their seemingly ageless antiquity of a coach, would and should retire, but about now it may be clear why he hasn't?

It has been making news that one of the former coaches, the Athletic Director and a University official are under serious investigation for the former coach's sexual abuse of boys. The others are being investigated for hiding what they knew and not reporting it. Even JoePa seems to have gotten his hands a little dirty for not having reported what he may have known to law enforcement.

Sad. Very Sad!

I almost don't know what to say, actually. The story will continue to develop and will become old news, of course. People have resigned. Many are starting to call for Paterno's and the U President's  resignations. Fingers will point. And a number of young men who were abused may never get the justice they deserve. These stories are never pretty- and lots of people get hurt. But in the end the saddest is that the victims of the abuse in the first place often end up being hurt even more. In the charges and counter-charges, the attempts to spin and keep a storied University's VALUABLE football program from being tainted, you never know what might occur.

Whether it's Clarence Thomas, Herman Cain or football in Happy Valley, the powerful and important tend to slip through. I hope we don't forget the victims.