College Sports
Phil Sheridan, Inquirer Columnist
Finally, at least 13 years too late, Penn State figured out that football can’t always come first.
By announcing the immediate end of Joe Paterno’s reign and the departure of university president Graham Spanier, PSU’s board of trustees put the victims of Jerry Sandusky’s alleged sex crimes ahead of the money-printing football program.
The late-night announcement was the culmination of five breathtaking, gut-wrenching days for the university and its legendary football coach. The unsealing of a grand jury report was the sealing of Paterno’s fate. Along with 40 counts of sexual abuse against Sandusky, the report contained stunning revelations about Paterno, Spanier, athletic director Tim Curley and administrator Gary Shultz.
Phil Sheridan, Inquirer Columnist
So Joe Paterno is going out on his own terms – assuming his terms are as a tone-deaf, misguided enabler of the most abhorrent behavior ever attached to a sports entity of any kind.
The news that Paterno has “decided to retire” at the end of this football season would have been a headline grabber in any of the previous 10 years. It is an absurd afterthought in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky grand jury report. Retire? At the end of the season?
Fine. Then Penn State University president Graham Spanier should – no, must – suspend Paterno for the remaining games of the 2011 season. Say it’s pending the internal investigation necessitated by the grand jury charges. Say whatever. Just stop Paterno from making another public appearance as head coach of your football team.
Phil Sheridan, Inquirer Columnist
The other problem with absolute power — after it corrupts absolutely — is that it leaves its wielder with nowhere to transfer blame. That is why Joe Paterno’s cover story in this disgraceful Jerry Sandusky situation just doesn’t hold up.
Paterno is Penn State. He is the king there. The king doesn’t pass the buck up the line because there’s no one up the line to pass it to. If you accept that the 2002 incident described in the grand jury report on Sandusky was the first Paterno ever heard of his longtime assistant’s sex crimes —and that’s an enormous if — it was up to Paterno to take charge and make sure the allegations were reported.
A young graduate assistant comes to the legendary head coach after witnessing another longtime assistant coach doing something that horrific? Sorry. It is not acceptable or even credible that Paterno tossed the matter over to athletic director Tim Curley and let the whole matter slide.
Phil Sheridan, Inquirer Columnist
By taking his skills to South Beach, Al Golden becomes the first football coach in ages to leave the Temple University job under his own power. Golden will reportedly become the next head coach at Miami.
And no, not Miami of Ohio. The U, which has lost quite a bit of its luster over the last few years.
Phil Sheridan, Inquirer Columnist
Yes, it is ridiculous that the Temple football team will not be playing in one of the 35 BCS bowl games – almost as ridiculous as the fact there are 35 BCS bowl games. Al Golden’s 8-4 Owls got hosed as completely as their friend in the photo here.
We could do the exercise where we point out that Temple beat UConn, which is bowl-bound, and all that. But that would ultimately miss the point, and if the Owls want to avoid this sort of mishap in future years, they need to learn from it.
