Not exactly an English paper.
Is PSU bigger than one person???? Hmmm. Good point. However it is emotional.
It is emotional, it affects all who love PSU, it is personal and again it is emotional.
Anyone who went there or spent time out of their schedule going to sporting events, understands why.
This is a huge wound to the reputation of the University and one of my Heroes, JoePa.
Just today Saturday Nov.12, on the news before the game, the commentator stated,
Penn State is bigger than one person, it is bigger than one building. But is it? Obviously and realistically yes it is, but I guess you can equivocate this to the USA being bigger than George Washington our first leader. JoePa has given more to the University than any other person not just in currency but in intangibles.
Joe Paterno brings in tons of all donations from his work with the University. He gave millions to the college library. He has coached the team for 60 plus years. Is PSU bigger than one person? Maybe the average person, but PSU and JoePa are synonymous in many many many PSU lovers’ minds.
This week I shut the door to my office when the PSU scandal erupted and cried. I was surprised by my reaction. When I get upset I first tell myself to get a hold of yourself- mostly hearing my Grandfather in my ear because he used to me calm that way. Then I count my blessings. I am a MOM, a Wife, college educated from PSU with a job and a home AND have a family I don’t see often but know they love me.
So why was I crying? Primarily and selfishly, was sad that JoePa was involved and being blamed…please bear with me here, that PSU name was tarnished and that there was a cover up.
Then it struck me, someone and not just one person got hurt here. 8 victims that we know of have been hurt, and most likely they may never get past this. What would I do if someone came near my child? A past acquaintance said to me and I was shocked at his statement. He would do anything to make it right and equal and let the chips fall where they may. My husband stated this as well. Would we let this predator get away with what happened to a child. And let’s not put an age on the victim, we all know life is learning experience and if we all grow at our own pace. So the victims were children at any age. And what about the rippling effect? Where would these victims lives take them with the past they had to endure?
This is coupled with my love for the school, my Hero who is now equated with an awful awful awful event.
I picked up the phone to call my DAD. He is also a PSU fan and more than just this. He WAS THE NITTANY LION Mascot 51 – 54. You know the guy that does the push ups and gets carried around the stadium..that was HIM! He played for JoePA. Who incidentally told my DAD he was too small for the football team, “go out for cheerleading” he said. Joe’s advice turned out to be amazingly spot on. My DAD not only got to go all away games but to all events in sports.
Then I cried again. All these emotions. My DAD was my hero first. Just like when you come into the world you have 2 heroes, your parents. And if your parents took you to church before you could walk, you learned another hero. The Good LORD himself. So I had 3 heroes before I was 18 months. But my DAD had a hero himself. It was JoePa. My MOM learned to also respect JoePA and our family bleeds blue true and true.
So calling my DAD was going to be difficult as his health is delicate. I did not want to upset him yet need to vent and hear his opinion and possibly be comforted. Here I chose again to be selfish. He said what my DAD usually does and says “this too shall pass. Joe is still our hero, this is awful, but Bethie, it will pass and Joe will be vindicated and let it pass over you. Be a better person” That part is his go to line and means to ignore what people say.
But “DAD”, I say, “they are trashing our school, our alma mater, Joe. How can I get over this. Then the PSU board ousted Joe AFTER he resigned. Who the hell does this when they themselves all made cover ups.”
So not only do I want to fight anyone who disses PSU, now I am not to pleased with PSU higher ups. They themselves dissed my Hero. So my emotions are all over the place. I can’t stand behind a school that did not stand behind our hero.
Many think Joe was involved. This is where I get on my pedestal. He heard from McQueary, the NEXT day and went to the College Police. The police came back to question a week and a half later. What was the campus police waiting for, why was the university covering up? Additionally, why Joe did not fire Sandusky himself. I don’t know, maybe we don't know the whole story, and I hate to say this..the man is 80 plus years old with lots of power. When he tells someone to take care of things…they usually get it done. Yes he should have followed up, but we don’t know that the University told him to wait. We don’t know the whole story.
This is why I cry. I grew up loving that school but also love what it stood for with being a student, and an avid supporter and of course respect and love Joe. He actually gave me an award when I graduated. He made the trip to my town to give me a plague at an alumni dinner. My DAD was so excited he forgot to get the pic, so it had to be done afterward.
If you went to PSU you would understand. We love/d our school, it was a great place to spend formative adult years before the freshman year of life and get our degree. It was a close knit town and we are embarrassed by what has happened. This is why I cry. I will follow up on McDumbas later.
He also was someone I respected after watching him coach so many years and reading articles about him on local papers and magazines at PSU, but he should have slammed Sandusky in the nose the minute he saw it happening…but that is another blog. I am tired of this rant and the game is on. Go Lions. Hope we can surpass this soon.
Thank you for reading.
