What the Penn State Scandal tells us about Society

"Paterno told Penn State athletic director Tim Curley that McQueary had seen Sandusky "fondling or doing something of a sexual nature to a young boy." About two weeks later, Curley told McQueary that Sandusky's keys to the locker room had been taken away." -The Detroit Free Press

Really? That's it. Are you kidding me? Paterno and the Penn State brass are told about a young boy being sexually abused and they treat it like some underage drinking offense? Whether or not this quote is fabricated,  the fact is Paterno did not do enough. In this case it's not enough to just play by the book. Paterno backers and Penn State Alum will defend Paterno to the death and I guess I can understand that. He is Penn State.  At the same time don't for one minute think they would be defending any other coach from any other school if they did the same thing. Sports fans have blinders on especially when it comes to the college they went to.

In case you've been living under a rock for the last week you know about the heinous acts committed by former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky to 8 (probably dozens more) young boys during his tenure at Penn State. The acts are the most despicable you can imagine. The fact is Paterno knew that it was happening and didn't put a stop to it. Taking away someone's keys to the locker room? What a joke.

The riots at Penn State are microcosm of what is wrong with society. We treat our sports figures as larger than life and put them on a pedestal. The backers are all talking about how Joe didn't deserve to go out like this or they should've let him finish the season. Why? First off Paterno stopped coaching the team about 6 years ago but that is besides the point. If this happened anywhere else the person would've been fired. Did Joe commit a criminal act? No. At the same time he knew a criminal act was going on and just filed a simple complaint. That isn't acceptable. This isn't someone cheating on a test. This isn't someone getting a free ticket. This is knowing one of your coaches is having sex with young boys and ruining their lives forever. Yes, these kids lives are ruined forever and I guarantee he did it to more boys because not enough was done.

I saw riots at Umass after Red Sox wins and didn't understand them.  In fact I don't really understand riots and breaking stuff in general. This isn't just a Penn state thing it's a society thing. I love sports as much as anyone but why are we so passionate about relatively unimportant things like sports and not about moreimportant matters like a child's well being? There were more people rioting against Joe Paterno's firing than rioting against the the Penn State leadership and everyone involved with these crimes. It's sickening.

Did we forget about moral code? Why is selling a jersey more of an offense than not following up on sexual abuse to a child? Sometimes it's not enough to just play by the book when their are young kids lives at stake. These kids are tainted forever and so are there families and so are there families families. Sure, Penn State is in chaos now, but it will bounce back. Unfortunately the victims will never be the same.

The Red Sox Didn't Deserve It

Last night's Red Sox loss to the Orioles completed an epic collapse never seen in MLB History. It marked the first time a team has lost a 9 game lead going into September. What made it that much more pathetic was that the Red Sox had to rely on the Yankees to get them into the playoffs. They didn't deserve to play in October.


Let's look at the facts. The Sox started the season with World Series aspirations and right out the gate went 2-10. The overly sensitive and dramatic Red Sox fans freaked, but the season is 780 games long so no one really should have paid attention.

The Sox ended up going on a roll and looked prime to grab only their second division title since 1995. Instead, the Sox and their $162 million payroll lost the final game and wild card spot to a team with a $42 million payroll. The fact that this salary disparity even exists makes me not really respect the game of baseball, but that is for another blog.

No one should feel sorry for Sox fans. We have won two world series titles in the last 7 years. We're relevant every year. We get any top player that doesn't go to the Yankees or Phillies. We are everywhere, so always have fellow Sox fans around.

With that being said, Red Sox Nation should be concerned with the direction the team is going. Being from DC, it reminds me a little of what Dan Snyder has done. Paying players exorbitant amounts of money ( Carl Crawford) and basically saying, you have to be an MVP or you are a failure. Crawford came on later in the season, but with his salary we probably won't be able to keep one of the best and most popular young players in the game Jacoby Ellsbury. We do not want to turn into the Yankees (if we haven't already).

The question really becomes, would you rather have the pressure to win it all every year with high priced free agents? Or would you rather build a team around less known entities like Ellsbury and Pedroia? Obviously, most players don't turn out like those two, but sometimes I miss the feeling of watching an underdog succeed. I haven't enjoyed the Red Sox the last few years because it just seems like the culture has changed.

Look, I don't blame the Red Sox for spending money. If you really want to change baseball you need a salary cap. While Bud Selig can talk all he wants about parody in baseball, the fact is the Orioles will probably never be in the playoffs again and the Red Sox, Yankees, and Phillies will always at least be in the hunt. While this is a tough loss to take, I can take comfort in knowing that at least they will be back in the hunt next year. Unfortunately, most fans can't say the same.

Low Risk, High Reward....That is the Patriots Way

The last time I wrote in this blog the Patriots had just been dominated by the hated Jets and I was in a state of depression. Was the Patriots dominance over? How would we bounce back from this? I should've known better. The Patriots are a winning organization. They are the best organization in sports because they draft well, only spend money on indispensable players (Tom Brady), and always follow the formula of low risk and high reward.

When I first heard the news of the Haynesworth signing yesterday I was shocked, then angry, then a little giddy. Look, I've lived in DC and seen first hand how much of a scum bag this guy is. I don't know if there has ever been a worse teammate in the history of sports than Haynesworth was on the Redskins. However, I then realized that bringing him in was pretty much a no risk situation.

We only have him for one year and have to pay him $5 million. The Redskins needed to get rid of the guy so we got a former defensive player of the year for a 5th round draft pick. Does anyone remember what happened after the Randy Moss trade? I sure do.  I'll never root for Haynesworth but the Patriots were in serious need of D-Line help and I think at the end of the day Fat Albert will be a positive fit.

Ocho Cinco was a great pick up. People get this impression that he is a bad teammate. Not at all. Sure he's flamboyant and over the top but the guy plays hard on the field and wants to win. More importantly he already has a good relationship with Belichick.  If Belichick sees something in him than I am on board. Also, remember that the corpse of Carson Palmer was throwing to him last year. The guy can barely throw 10 yards anymore. With the Patriots other weapons on offense Chad will get more single coverage and I expect 75-80 catches and 9-10 touchdowns out of him this year. He doesn't have to be a top 5 receiver for us he just needs to be a threat. Our lack of a true #1 was exposed in last year's loss to the Jets.

The Patriots do it again. Even if the Haynesowth and Ocho Cinco trades don't pan out(which I think is highly unlikely) what have we really lost? We still have one of the best young defenses in the league, the best quarterback in the league, and the best young pass catching tight ends in the league. Not to mention Robert Kraft who is the best owner in all of sports. I can't wait until football.

Not a fan of the favorite role

After yesterday's tough loss to the hated Jets it reaffirmed my distaste for being the favorite. I hated the undefeated 2007-2008 Patriots season. Every week there was everything to lose and nothing to gain. This postseason was much the same. People all had us in the Super Bowl. Furthermore,  playoff football is a one game elimination sport. The best team doesn't always win. It is about who is playing the best on that day.

With that being said, on paper the Jets are a better team than the Patriots. Overall they have better players than New England. They have more proven receivers and running backs. They have better corners, linebackers, and pass rushers.  People always say in Belichick and Brady we trust, and I agree that they are the best coaching/QB duo of all time and have not lost faith in them. At the same time they surely aren't unbeatable. The Jets are what the Patriots used to be. A team with something to prove. The difference is the Jets like to talk smack and create controversy but that's for another blog.  I'm hoping that next year the Jets will be the team everyone is going for and that the Patriots can get back to the underdog role they played so well earlier in the decade.

Before the season I thought this was a rebuilding year. We had a very young defense, Welker was coming off injury, and the O-line had question marks. On paper this was a 9 or10 win team. We flat out overachieved because of the great play by our rookies, most notably McCourtey, Gronkowski, and Hernandez. Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Law Firm for short, were outstanding.  Brady had a season for the ages and Belichick showed he still has plenty left in the tank. We dealt with the Randy Moss issue and as usual came out on top. There is a lot to look forward to for next year especially with the 157 picks we have in the draft.

I hope we are in the Jets position next year. I hope we are the underdog going into New York. This is when the Patriots are at their best.  I'm not going to start complaining and being bitter about this loss. I'm fortunate enough to have a team that is good enough to make the playoffs. Think of being a Browns or Lions fan. At the same time it's not always great being the hunted. On day's like this I think back to 2002 Super Bowl win against the Rams and get nostalgic. Anyway, it's Celtics season now. Time to move on. Life's too short to let a sports game get you down.

Should we forgive Vick?

Dog Killer. Felon. Star Quarterback. Comeback. Redemption. Which word would you use to describe Michael Vick? Coming off his spectacular performance Monday Night against the Redskins I think it is a perfect time to ask the question: Should we forgive Vick?

We all know the story of Vick by now. We know what went on at Bad Newz Kennels. We know where he grew up from and what the culture was like. It seems like he has changed but has he really? Or rather, does it even matter?  Some people will hate Michael Vick forever. Some people have already forgiven him. But for those of us that are undecided why have we not made up our minds yet?

America is a forgiving country especially if you are really good at something. If Michael Vick wasn't an NFL star he'd be working at your local grocery store or be out on the streets right now. People wouldn't be giving excuses for him or saying he served his time. He'd be another ex-con from the streets.  But since he is a superstar athlete he is given a second opportunity at life. Whether or not that is fair it is the reality. 

Do I think Vick has changed? In some ways. I'm sure he recognizes what he did was wrong and that he is sorry to some degree. But I don't think you can ever truly change someone's core values. In his head he knows he was wrong, but in his heart he probably will never realize how atrocious his crimes were.

For those of you who say he served his time and deserves a second chance I'd ask you the same thing I ask people who are anti-death penalty or anti-abortion. What if it happened to you? What if it happened to your dog? This guy knowingly allowed Pit Bulls to be hung and electrocuted on his property. These are defenseless animals killed for sport. Now the guy is going to get a huge multimillion dollar deal after this season and these dogs are still going to be dead.

But this is a place where we allow Dante Stallworth and Leonard Little to keep playing after killing someone while drunk. We allow people like Ben Roethlisberger to serve a 6 game suspension after an alleged rape. Why not give Vick another chance? Were his crimes worse than theirs? I guess it is all a matter of opinion.

If you do choose to forgive Michael Vick please never forget what he did.  While I'm glad to see all the good he doing now for the community, it doesn't take back what he did for so many years before this. While he came from a place where this was part of the culture that by no means excuses his actions. Especially when he had the means to get out of that lifestyle and still chose to stay in it.  Yes, Michael Vick is indeed back. Whether or not that is a good thing is for you to decide.

You have to be a little crazy to play in the NFL

One of the hottest topics around the sports world these days are the huge fines and suspensions being handed down to players who partake in "dangerous hits". Some say it's good that the league is emphasizing safety and protecting its players. Others think the strict punishments will water down the NFL and change the way the game is played.  Players like Steelers linebacker James Harrison have even gone so far as to threaten to retire from the NFL all together.  It's certainly touched a nerve in both players and fans alike.

I'm somewhere in between on this one. I think on one hand you can't have defensive players taking head shots at defenseless receivers. On the other hand, suspending and fining players exorbitant amounts of money is a little excessive, especially for first time offenders. The biggest problem is what defines a dangerous hit because theire are so many factors involved. What if the receiver puts his head down at the last minute and the tackler inadvertently makes a helmet to helmet hit? Is that really worthy of a suspension? How do we know if certain plays are intentional or accidental? Most importantly, how can you really implement a rule that is so vague?

The fact is football  is a crazy sport. When I have kids I'm going to encourage them to play tennis or basketball.  I've played pretty much every sport and nothing compares to the feeling of making a big hit. It's not something that can be described. At the same time it is an extremely violent game and I only played at the high school level. I remember coming home after two a day practices with massive headaches every night from the beatings I took. I can only imagine what getting hit by Ray Lewis must feel like. The pads really don't do much. 

The point is, when you're an NFL player you have to be a little crazy. You can't be a normal human being like the rest of us. You have to be a little off in the head. Why else would you risk debilitating injury every Sunday.  In my opinion NFL players deserve every penny they get. You know what the average career for a running back in the NFL is? Two years. Name another profession like that. It's nuts and that is why we like watching. Americans pride themselves on being tough and its why NFL is king in this country.  At the end of the day, let's remember that everyone in the NFL signed up for this. Safety is important but no one is making these guys go out there. They know what their getting into when they sign that dotted line. Let's hope Goodell and company don't start policing the NFL like David Stern does the NBA. 

No rhyme or reason to the NFL

It's impossible to analyze the National Football League. It just changes too much from week to week. Last week the Redskins looked like world beaters for three quarters and this week lose to the Rams. The Cowboys look terrible in week 1 and 2 then crush a supposedly solid Texans team. The defending champ Saints have looked downright pedestrian despite returning most of their Super Bowl team. Even the freaking Bills scored 30 points! Shame on you Patriots.

But this randomess and lack of consistency from week to week is why people love the NFL. It really is true that on any given Sunday any team can beat any other team. Except of course if you are the Browns, but even they give teams a run for their money.  This is why it frustrates me when analysts and so called experts proclaim one team to be dominant one week, then totally switch around their opinions the next.  The fact is the true identity of a team is somewhere in the middle.

Look, at the end of the day it's all about match ups and who is hot at the end of the year. When the Patriots lost last week to the Jets I didn't care. It's week 2 and they were playing in New York. You're supposed to hold serve on your home field right? Same with the Redskins. The Skins aren't as good as they looked against the Texans for 3 quarters, and not as bad as they looked against the Rams, who by the way aren't that bad of a team themselves. People need to be patient and look at the body of work. 

With the 24 hour news cycle and constant analysis we basically have no choice but to buy into the hype. The Colts lose their opening game and suddenly their reign is over? I wish, but that is far from the truth. The Bears are 2-0 so now Jay Cutler has it figured out? Talk to me in week 8.  Why do people feel the need to make such big statements about their teams. Just let the season play out.

The fact is it's hard to have consistency in a sport that has just one game a week. Each game is entirely different from the one before. But this is why we love football. Sports are one of the only things in life we don't want to know the ending too. We want to be surprised. We want to root for the underdog. We love sports because there is no script.  I say stop all the analyzing, kick back and enjoy some football.