Is the "smokescreen" James referenced actually the culture created by Joe Paterno, fans, and media alike at Penn State?Ī religious fanatacism has enveloped college football and the media is just one vehicle caught up in the frenzy. Nevertheless, this is a question not just for the media to consider, but for the entire culture of college football as well. Of course, James' comments to blame the media are troublingly simplistic, but it does bring to the front an important question and consideration regarding the media's role in the creation of the pristine image of Joe Paterno and Penn State football. James is referring to Sandusky's reputation in the media prior to the terrible truth being revealed, such as this 1999 profile in Sports Illustrated upon his retirement. "The people who are responsible for it are the media,” James said on ESPN Radio’s “The Doug Gottlieb Show.” “The media created this smokescreen behind which Sandusky operated and then they’re trying to blame Paterno for the fact that they were covering up for Sandusky.” Lost amidst James' controversial remarks though was a key point of contention regarding who is and was to blame for enabling Sandusky's criminal behavior within the Penn State football culture. That is, of course, before the Red Sox told James to kindly stop his nonsensical ramblings, which included an embarrassing appearance on Doug Gottleib's radio show. head coach Joe Paterno should not be held accountable for the coverup that allowed Jerry Sandusky to continue his monstrous abuse of children. For some inexplicable reason, James tried to make the case that Penn St. Let's revisit one of the more bizzare things said during the course of the last several weeks, from Red Sox advisor Bill James. Likewise, the sports media will spend the next several days sanctimoniously nodding their heads in approval of the NCAA's sanctions while they (and ever more extreme fan bases) are just as responsible in creating, exploiting, and enabling the "win at all costs" football culture that Emmert denounced yesterday. While the NCAA would like to hand out punishment and act like the grownup in the room for once, they and their member institutions are responsible for this current athletic culture. "For next several years PSU can focus on rebuilding its athletic culture, not worrying about whether it’s going to a bowl game."Ĭertainly though, Penn State's football culture didn't devolve on its own. "The decree (from the NCAA) states the evidence against Penn State "presents an unprecedented failure of institutional integrity leading to a culture in which a football program was held in higher esteem than the values of the institution, the values of the NCAA, the values of higher education, and, most disturbingly, the values of human decency."
PENNSTATE FOOTBALL STORY DRIVERS
"The fundamental message here, the gut-check message is, do we have the right balance in our culture? Do we have, first and foremost, the academic values of integrity and honesty and responsibility as the drivers of our university? Or are we in a position where hero worship and winning at all costs has subordinated those core values?"
And it was the football culture at other schools that was put on notice by the sanctions at Penn State. That it was a football culture run amok that was responsible for where Penn State finds itself today. NCAA President Mark Emmert claimed it was the football culture at Penn State that had to change.
But one word kept striking me throughout yesterday's NCAA announcement… culture.
0 kommentar(er)
