Buzz can buzz off

After reading Buzz Bissinger's response to Joe Paterno's death, I find myself thinking that, yes Buzz drank the Kool Aid. He has decided to take the politically correct route in covering the Paterno story, not a very thoughtful or noteworthy route, however. Bissinger, as a man of “high society,” looked down upon the old and frail Paterno who, in the high-functioning mind of Bissinger, died as a man of one vital mistake: trying to “cover up.” I find it remarkably underhanded that a man of Bissinger's status thinks that he can make demeaning and sarcastic statements about the final years of Joe Paterno's life and career. A man who, in the past decade, lead his team to eight bowl games, two of them BCS bowl games, and a near perfect season in 2006 was washed-up in the diluted mind of Bissinger. I find Bissinger's opinions to be short-sighted and frankly weak in the sense that he has adopted the opinions that the mainstream media has blurted out and, at the same time, has tried to provide concessions to the millions of suffering Joe Paterno fans. A publicity stunt indeed, but I see through his shallow tactics.

Let it be known that “informing a superior,” is not a cover up. Let it be known that the “story” that McQueary told the court is completely different to the one he primarily told to investigators and the public. Let it be known that the Board of Trustees of Pennsylvania State University is full of unprofessional, gutless scum who do not possess a responsible or courageous member whatsoever. Let it be known that a man of dignity, of dedication, and of sincere moral values died last Saturday, January, 21, and with him died college football's last hope for a fair and honest game.

According to Bissinger, the Board of Trustees did exactly as they should have when they fired Joe Paterno. Never mind the fact that the Board had known for three years, that is three off-seasons, that the ongoing case against Jerry Sandusky was present and would soon be breathing down their necks. For three off-seasons they passed on the idea of firing Paterno because they realized that they needed him, and the University desperately needed him as well. Once the media began to focus on the Sandusky case, however, the Board showed their lack of poise and fired Paterno. Just before Paterno went to bed on the night he would be fired, he heard the doorbell. Not expecting any visitors, he opened the door to find the Assistant Athletic Director of Penn State holding a small strip of paper containing a number for which Paterno was instructed to call immediately. The number was that of John Surma, the Vice Chairman of the Board. The conversation was brief and Surma informed Paterno that he was fired and that it was effective immediately. What the Board did not realize was that in their haste to fire the legendary philanthropist, head football coach, and employee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, they had violated state law, and thus, Paterno had to technically be re-fired in a lawful meeting of the Board several weeks later. Bissinger did get something right, the actions of the Board were definitely not “artful,” but where I disagree with Bissinger is that it was not the right thing to do. If he had to go, why not during the three off-seasons beforehand? If he had to go, why not wait until after the season to do so? The Board forced themselves into a position in which they could have made the headless decision, or the heady decision, and they are clearly still running around in the coupe unaware of their poor judgment.

Joe Paterno died as he lived: an honest man and clearly a man of one of the world's finest moral compasses. If McQueary approached Paterno and explicitly stated that he witnessed the “rape” of a 10-year-old boy, there is no doubt in my mind that Paterno would have jumped into action. However, McQueary did not tell Paterno what he saw but gave him a vague picture of what happened calling it apparent “horseplay” between Sandusky and the young boy. What is “horseplay” exactly? Does it constitute further investigation? No, not really. Does it raise an issue in any way at all? Not with 99.9% of Americans it does not. But somehow, Joe Paterno was supposed to realize that the “horseplay” that he did not witness in any respect was undoubtedly Sandusky raping a child. If it was “rape” which McQueary has now elaborated to say, then why didn't McQueary take physical action when he reportedly stopped whatever it was that had gone on in Jerry Sandusky's Penn State offices? He repeatedly claimed that he had not taken physical action until he began to receive emails in which his former teammates questioned why he hadn't. Upon this confrontation, McQueary objected and changed his story and claimed that he HAD taken physical action. Joe Paterno is being vilified for not knowing the details of the Sandusky story that nobody except Sandusky, McQueary and the victim knew about until McQueary told his story under oath. This is where Joe Paterno is receiving criticism where none is due. The ex post facto blame of Joe Paterno is unwarranted and does not deserve to be part of his longstanding and near-perfect legacy.

As Joe Paterno looks down upon us, I find it hard to believe that Buzz Bissinger could ever question Paterno's morals. As a man who resented his lack of action nearly immediately after learning of McQueary's real experience, I hold Joe Paterno in the highest of regards. He did what every decent and noble man should do: look to have done more. He did not by any means hide Sandusky's poorly-described actions, but reported them his superior, the President of the University. Why would a man who gave so much to the education of children in the form of millions of dollars to Penn State University as well as a devoted coach of young men for 61 years turn his back on the obvious rape of a 10-year-old boy? He simply did not. Horseplay is horseplay, but to every native speaker it is not foul play.

Works Cited

Bissinger, Buzz. “Joe Paterno’s Death Shouldn’t Turn Him Into Sandusky Case’s Martyr.” Editorial. The Daily Beast. Newsweek, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2012. <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/01/22/joe-paterno-s-death-shouldn-t-turn-him-into-sandusky-case-s-martyr.html>.