I wanted to write something about Penn State and the stuff going on there but I had nothing. Nothing that would warrant you reading ANOTHER tired piece about how wrong that entire university’s upper management was in reacting to Jerry Sandusky’s alleged behavior.
What I can understand is Graduate Assistant Mike McCleary’s hesitation when he saw it. I get why he would go to Joe Paterno and expect him to do the right thing. I get why Paterno may have hesitated in reporting EVERYTHING and trying to protect his friend because its his friend and you never, in your heart of hearts, want to believe that a good friend is capable of something like this.
What i DONT get, is the institutional policy of reporting this kind of behavior up a food chain. WHAT? Did I miss something? Did I miss the lecture on ethics where we’re all supposed to go up the chain of command when we see something wrong being done? I thought society had determined that when we see something like that happen, we report it to the police.
But unfortunately, all joking aside, that’s normally NOT what happens. Somewhere along the line, HR policy suddenly made it imperative that all employees report any unethical behavior to the authorities within that company in order for that company to handle the charges and police themselves. Of course when something like what happened at Penn State happens and the authorities that were in charge fail us, it comes to reason that we question whether they were equipped ethically to handle it at all.
That more than anything is the reason that Joe Paterno, a college sports institution is now out of a job and will shamefully exit a job he thought he would eventually decide himself. That is why above the obvious disgust we all feel towards Sandusky and sympathy for the victims of his crimes, the deeper rooted evil here is the institution itself.
What made these people think that they would get away with it? Why hide these crimes for 9 years? Why let this man walk and roam the campus free? Forget the fact that he has had countless encounters with young boys that he had access to as a result of his foundation. Even ONE child would’ve mandated this kind of response from the community but we KNOW he’s going away and he will be tried and found guilty barring any amazing setback by the prosecution.
No, what we do NOT know is how institutions will continue to follow this policy of keeping things in-house before making a decision to come forward to the police. I mean, I understand the reasoning and it goes back to the one entity that has NOT said a SINGLE word in this and who really should be put to trial: the NCAA.
The NCAA is the biggest farce in all of sports. That much has been proven true over the last year as colleges have moved from conference to conference and schools have put the mighty dollar over common sense. See, the NCAA can’t police schools moving and destroying conferences that have stood for years but they can strip a young man of all his hard work if he accepts a five dollar bill from his friend or for borrowing someone’s car for a weekend getaway. See, THAT’s wrong.
The NCAA comes down on kids hard because they are holding on to the last fiber of its control: the students. They don’t have the balls to tell college sports AD’s to not break up conferences or drag their kids across the country to play in conference games because that will bring major dollars in, but they can destroy a kid’s future simply for accepting money. Ok, now let me rephrase that. Don’t get me wrong. Accepting bribes are wrong. Yes. But let’s consider that the NCAA has NO moral ground to stand upon. They have for years operated, not as an educational governing body but more as a corporation. Looking for an extra dollar anywhere. Why ELSE agree to a BCS champion decided by computers and complex formulas than have a playoff?
The fact is the NCAA has never cared for the students, because they have used them and squeezed them for every last dollar and find it reprehensible that the students try to cash in independently. The people we hold to a higher standard don’t do it themselves and now we expect them to act rationally in this situation? The Penn State situation is one of lack of institutional control. Every university runs itself as its own corporation. Who believes that Joe Paterno didn’t know more than he was told by that AD? Who thinks that Penn State higher ups didn’t think they could bury this situation? They wanted to protect Happy Valley, the Penn State name and most importantly to keep the coffers full.
Now they face the pressing dilemma that they wished they hadn’t. See, the reason that the Board of Directors are cleaning house is simple: that school is rotten to its higher up core. The students are the victims. They have been fed a lie that this school above any other cares for them and their education. College athletics keep that school running. Joe Paterno IS Penn State. Joe Pa was a familiar name that always got them nationally televised dates. Their alumni association is one of the biggest in the world. Its a school academically to be proud of, but big colleges are no longer about education. The Big colleges are no longer the ivy leagues. Those are great if you want to, I dont know get an education. But if you want to go to a school that’s a brand name, you have to go to a Penn State or a North Carolina or a Duke. A school with a recognizable brand name that has a huge number of economic backers that will always give to the school to continue to make it look pristine. Until the shoe falls off, and a prosecutor comes walking in the door levying charges against administration and others for violating moral code number one: WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING WRONG YOU REPORT IT TO THE PROPER GOVERNMENT BODY! You don’t sit and wonder what your boss will think if you saw his friend doing whatever to a young helpless child.
I ask of you all to sit and wonder to yourself this: If you were in Mike Mcleary’s position what would you have done? Many of you may say that you would’ve beat the holy hell out of Jerry Sandusky. Some of you would’ve called 911. Some may have been too shocked to do anything. But I bet most of you would’ve eventually told the police. I bet you would’ve went to the police and told them what you saw and would’ve given him up.
But the fact is, we’re all tied to corporate policies. A few days ago I took an exam for my job that appears every quarter. It was your regular HR class where you learn what to do in situations that may require you to speak up. The end of that class is an exam. In that exam, you’re asked a question about what you would do in a situation. The correct answer is “you report it to your supervisor before reporting anything to local authorities” Unfortunately the correct answer is NO WHERE on that sheet. If you see something wrong, you tell the police.
That in a nutshell tells you what’s wrong with our society. What happens when you go food chain instead of moral fiber? What happens when you are taught the wrong options all your life. Where are we going as a society if even one of us do NOT know that in McCleary’s shoes you would NOT have reported it to the police? This is supposed to be an institution of higher learning.
Hmm. Good luck!
Steelers (-4) over BENGALS- Bigger game for who? A Bengals team looking for legitemacy and its first real big test? OR a Steelers team still facing whispers that its done?
Broncos (+3) over CHIEFS- I’m tired of pretending to know what a good QB in this league is anymore. OR underestimating Tebow.
COLTS (+3) over Jags- How many Colts fans will boo at the end of this game if the Colts win.
COWBOYS (-5.5) over Bills- The Boys HAVE to win this game in order to keep pace. No dr jekyll/mr Hyde team this week. No excuses.
Texans (-4) over BUCS- Wow, on what planet would we have ever seen the Texans as a legit favorite week in and week out?
PANTHERS (-3.5) over Titans- If Cam can’t beat the Titans, I think we need to get off the Cam as Rookie of the Year lock and start introducing complementary candidates.
REDSKINS (+4) over Dolphins- I’m not kidding when I say this: Rex Grossman completely FLIPPED this line.
FALCONS (PK) over Saints- The Saints are lacking SOMETHING. I can’t put my finger on…oh wait, I know: a defense.
Lions (+3) over BEARS- I’ve always been low on the Bears. Nothing personal.
RAMS (+2.5) over Browns- Stephen Jackson, say hello to the endzone.
Cardinals (+13) over EAGLES- not liking this DeSean Jackson news at all.
Ravens (-7) over SEAHAWKS- To think, this place could have THE SINGLE BIGGEST HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE and its ruined on a Pete Carroll run franchise.
49ERS (-4) over Giants- not picking the GIants anymore.
JETS (-2) over Pats- Pats and Jets in two different directions.
PACKERS (-12) over Vikings- Ponder won’t sneak up on the defending Super Bowl Champs this time.
Enjoy Week 10
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The Lazy Eye of Sports 