We here at The Blather have steered relatively clear of the Jerry Sandusky scandal and trial because had we tried to follow it closely it would dominate this blog. Since this is a PITT sports blog and because writing is hard enough that was our choice.
However, here is an opinion piece entitled Saturday Diary / Tarnished and traumatized, we are still Penn State in yesterday’s Post-Gazette from a recent PSU graduate, Lexi Belculfine, who worked on the PSU student newspaper over the last four years, obviously including reporting on the issuance of the Grand Jury report and the subsequent fallout and on-going trial.
I did write an article on The Blather immediately after the Grand Jury report was issued entitled Flames around State College. Upon re-reading it and reflecting back through the prism of all the information I now have from following the scandal and trial today; I don’t think I would change anything. I ended that Nov 9th piece with these thoughts:
“I don’t revel in this happening to Penn State. I’ve always held a healthy respect for both the University and for the football program. I’ve been around a few blocks in my 56 years, both personally and professionally, so I certainly never bought into the hype that PSU and its fans have worked so hard to create. I’ve also worked in law enforcement and have seen many instances of lying and deception although nothing of this magnitude.
But now? Now I look at the University exactly how it must be looked at by the criminal justice system of the state of Pennsylvania. As an entity where heinous crimes were committed and where lying, deceit and abuse of authority has run rampant. The State must forget about reputations, past good works and loss of revenue and do the right thing. Prosecute to the highest extent of the law. To not do so sends a message that there are institutions more powerful that the State itself and that the power they wield can twist the fabric of our basic right of protection against deliberate harm by others.”
I believe Ms. Belculfine means much the same but with less strength of wordage. She seems to have taken great pains to not only look at her whole PSU experience with a clear eye but also to examine the Sandusky scandal and its impact on her university, which she loves, in much the same unjaundiced eye and then go public with it. That is not an easy thing to do when such strong public negative emotions are still running rampant on this subject.
Her wrap up is heartfelt and I believe her thoughts here are something that all of us want – complete investigations and complete justice and punishment for those involved not only in the abuses but also in the cover-up – no matter how far back it goes. She writes:
But what defines “the end?” For the victims, recovery may extend years beyond a verdict or sentence. We can hope more questions will be answered about the university’s handling of the Sandusky affair — from former FBI director Louis Freeh’s internal investigation and other investigations and litigation.
As for me, I hope for reflection and growth, and a revived faith in my alma mater. As they say, we are still Penn State.”
In my opinion it is important to understand that not every PSU alumni/supporter are like some of their more obsessed and rationalizing fans we read on the message boards. To think that they are is prejudiced and, I think, naïve. I believe it is going to continue to get worse for the PSU family even after this trial ends because of the new revelations that have surfaced of complicit illegal behavior to keep theses abuse cases in-house so as to protect the persons involved. In trying protect the persons involved they were in fact trying to insure their own self interests and those of the University.
I appreciated this young lady’s opinion piece; I disagree with some of what she feels and says but I don’t see it as an apologist’s point of view and I let her know that via email this morning.
Some of you will have differing opinions than mine and so please remember this article is an opinion piece in itself – I don’t speak for Chas here.
On a similar note: If you are interested in following this case and trial in detail here are two very good websites for it. First is the PennLive.com website. This is the media outlet who has Sara Ganim, a PSU graduate BTW, who won the Pulitzer for her excellent coverage of this issue. She’s still writing and reporting very well.
The second is a running blog by the WGAL News outlet, WGAL.com who has the most up to the minute proceedings of what is happening in the trial. It is set up backwards so you see the earliest posts first but just click on the “Newest>” button and you be at the up to date posts.
Every time I think of the intentional cover ups it literally sickens me…to think how many of these disgusting acts may have been prevented if a few people with knowledge and power weren’t selfish cowards.
What would you have done with the football program if you were on the Board of Trustees at PSU over the last eight months?
Spindler – I believe that the title “Professor Emeritus” is largely an honorific and is non-salaried.
Character is what you do when you think so one is watching. By that criterion, PSU failed miserably.
How about this …”WE ARE…SORRY”.
You are correct PSU should change to WE ARE Sorry,
they should regret what knowingly went on and realize that PSU is a SORRY PLACE.
Spanier gets his health benefits paid for by PSU (nice deal) and should lose his pension from PSU if convicted. If convicted do you think anyone associated with Harrisburg or PSU has the balls to strip Spanier of his hefty pension.
The PSU arrogance was displayed when Spanier’s replacement was named , they went in-house instead of hiring a candidate outside of PSU. They didn’t learn a thing from the Sandusky saga.
Almost any retirement is like that. For instance the Coast Guard can take my pension away only if I am incarcerated for over 60 days sequentially but then only until I am 65 years old.
After age 65 I am not subject to active duty recall and can only have my pension taken away if I am convicted of a treason felonies under US Code 5-8321….
But basically it is untouchable as pensions should be.
I often tell people that if this happened at Pitt, I would want anyone involved to be punished and I would understand if the football program was shut down for some time period to help show that football and sports are not more important than everything else.
and pitt has one 4 star but rivals rates him a 3 star and a 2 star and a un rated and some 3 stars for a total of 7 why are they kicking are ass on recruting i dont get it.
There are really two problems: One is the football program and its coach being allowed to function without normal instutional accountability. The second and possibly primary is the self serving instutional culture that apparently developed over many years at PSU involving at times secrecy, projection of a positive and idealized image and protection and enhancement of this image and PSU’s reputation as primary goals. We now see that these came at terrible cost. That is what can happen in any organization when accountability of the organization to larger societial norms is trivalized (we saw it in investment banking) and when accountability within the organization is overlooked.
Even though I like the rest of you am a loyal Pitt supporter. I hope this all gets fixed and Penn State is ultimately honestly regarded as a high quality university (ok, possibly second among state universities in PA only to Pitt), one that learned many painful lessons. It is in all our interests that PS is a quality school.
Superb analysis. Send it to the concerned parties. One of them is bound to read it. Hopefully, your succinct message will resonate and trigger something more than the collective sigh and admonishment that this is a “shame”.
Before he stepped in and took action, I called Corbetts office and spoke to his staff and let them know that true leadership was required since it was clear no one in State College had any leadership skills and even less courage.
2 days later, the Governor stepped in. Was it my call to his office that did the trick? Yes. Mine and hundreds if not thousands of others. Send it. Shit like this can’t be allowed to happen ever again.
So who does that “punish?” PSU’s non-revenue sports that depend on excess football money for their equipment, coaches salaries, and travel costs. The only other sport at PSU that turns a profit is women’s Volleyball.
There are a lot of armchair heroes on here making broad assumptions about things like “PSU’s motivations” and vague entities like “the administration.” Give the program the death penalty to teach “the cult” a lesson? How absurd! Football fans are not on trial; Sandusky is. Others may also be charged later on, but let the justice system run it’s course.
Hail to Pitt.
The taxpayers of Pa foot a major portion of the bill at PSU and Spanier made a heft salary while entrusted with the formation of our youth development as good human beings. Spanier needs to serve jail time and not still be on the payroll as professor emeritus.
Football was the reason for the coverup but the lack of leadership to appropriately handle the situation makes a greater indictment has to what -WE ARE PENN ST- really stands for, and I am certainly proud that I have no connection to PSU.