By many accounts Joe Paterno is a gracious and humble man, who would go out of his way to help a total stranger and who is often surprised by the accolades he receives. That is the "JoePa" grandfatherly figure that we know from his off-field behavior.
But on the field, Paterno is a controlling egomaniac, who believes that all questionable behavior can be remedied with a few extra laps. Which brings us to the real reason that Paterno and Penn State looked the other way when it came to Jerry Sandusky and his problems.
Winning percentage.
The cold hard numbers are these:
- WITH Jerry Sandusky as an assistant for 31 years, Penn State and Paterno won 79% of their football games, with only one losing season and two seasons with no bowl games.
- WITHOUT Jerry Sandusky as an assistant over a 14 year period (before and after Sandusky), Penn State and Paterno won 69% of their football games, with four losing seasons and five seasons with no bowl games.
Football success trumped children's safety. What a disgrace.
As you settle in this holiday season to enjoy football games--and I plan to watch an enjoy as many as I can--please remember the cost of those victories. Penn State looked the other way while children were raped--in the name of football success. Let's celebrate the teams that truly do "win with honor," that win with high academic standards and high expectations of moral conduct. Let's celebrate true victory--conquering self.
And let's hope that Penn State turns town any bowl invitations this season in a first step to restoring its honor.
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