Insert Foot Of Clay In Mouth

This is going to get some people POed but I’m not terribly concerned about that. I’ve had this kicking around for a couple of days, so I’m “coming out” with it.

In this area, Joe Paterno, the longtime Penn State football coach, is basically a god, for the benefit of anyone who doesn’t know that. I think he has either the third or fourth most wins of any college football coach in history, which I admit is pretty darn impressive. He is rightly held in high esteem as an educator and a role model for men and women of character, I suppose.

So I wouldn’t be bothering to mention him unless he’d really screwed up, right?

You got it.

This link takes you to an article in The Sporting News that explains why the National Organization for Women is asking Paterno to resign as coach. It has to do with some remarks Paterno made before the Orange Bowl a few weeks ago, specifically, what he would do if “a cute girl” knocked on his door:

“Thank God they don't…because I'd refer them to a couple of other rooms…”

Keep in mind that this came in response to an inquiry about Florida State player A.J. Nicholson, who was accused of sexual assault (as stated in the linked article) and “sent home” before the game.

Do I think Paterno meant to condone Nicholson’s allegedly criminal act? Of course not. I also don’t think Paterno should resign based solely on this.

I don’t think Paterno meant to be negative in any way. I think he just had some kind of addle-brained moment where he thought he was channeling Ward Cleaver or something and said something he wished he hadn’t (I don’t know if Paterno has had any further comment on this…and by the way, the correct thing for Joe to do would have been to ask this sweet young thing what she was doing in a hotel or a dormitory with a bunch of 18-to-22-year-old or so young men who are in absolute peak physical condition with their testosterone raging out of control, quite probably with the assistance of alcohol; “referring them to a couple of rooms” is an answer that, unfortunately, doesn’t indicate sound judgment.)

Now I would ask that you keep this in mind while I point something out.

You may recall that Philadelphia Inquirer columnist John Grogan went bananas a few months ago when he was tipped off to and read the blog of PA state legislator Daylin Leach because it contained some sophomoric, scatological attempts at humor. My objection to what Grogan wrote stemmed from the fact that he also chose to ridicule Leach’s job performance based on highlighting something that I think is trivial by comparison. In this case, I believe Grogan’s parental instinct to protect his daughters overtook his sense of what was truly newsworthy; that’s an understandable mistake in my book, but it’s a mistake all the same.

So, what has Grogan – who I basically admire – had to say about “Joe Pa’s” latest performance, given all of Grogan’s self-righteous feminist outrage towards Leach?

Well, if you asked that question also, you might as well just keep waiting for the answer, because I am also. I’ve done some searches to find out, but so far, I believe the answer is nothing (waiting for Grogan to say something is partly why I’ve let some time pass between the actual event and my response).

This, as far as I’m concerned, is just a wee bit of a double standard. Grogan had to do some digging for Leach’s blog – which, this being the Internet, is a public matter ultimately, I realize – but what Paterno said was in a much more open forum with many more people taking notice.

As I said, Paterno’s comment didn’t reflect negative intent to me, but it did reflect an avoidance of reality. I suppose this is prone to happen to someone who is put on as high of a pedestal as he in a form of fan worship that borders on zealotry. Maybe all of these solid, self-righteous citizens driving around with paw decals on their vehicles (after the Penn State “Nittany Lion”) and bumper stickers with the cravenly self-righteous message of “God Must Be A Penn State Fan, Or Why Else Why Would The Sky Be Blue And White?” plastered all over them should take a minute to reflect on this.

(Another type of zealotry is shown in the ultra-derogatory name calling aimed at NOW by the individuals who left comments to the Sporting News story, by the way.)

One more thing: I went to Temple, but don’t think that’s why I’m picking on Paterno. For the record, I believe John Chaney should have resigned after he sent in Nehemiah Ingram to injure the St. Joe’s player in the college basketball tournament last year.