I’m really amazed that I haven’t seen anything mentioned about the pen-state football program sex abuse scandal,… not on face book, not in the forums of hub pages where I occasionally write. Perhaps a blip here or there, but not much really.
There is so much sadness in the whole situation,… so much to be revolted by,…. So much to be angry over. I find myself feeling very sorry for a lot of people,…. The victims,…. All three groups of victims.
The young boys that this man savaged for years, traumatized by a predator that seems to have operated with impunity,…. Beyond the reach of law,…. Heart breaking.
We are disgusted by the vision of a person in authority ruining the life of young boys who look up to him,… devouring them like a heartless glutton.
This sick predator has ruined the lives of three groups.
First and foremost he has shattered the innocence of young boys that looked up to him as a man,… trusted him as a human being.
Second, he has wrecked the moral character of his fellow co-workers. These men in the athletic department have lost not only their careers to this scandal, but have lost their moral compass by their mere association with him. He has ruined the conscience of these men because his behavior has put all of them in the horrible position of having to do the right thing in the face of certain career ending repercussions,… a test that all of them seem to have failed.
And lastly,… he has wrecked the college football careers of these fabulous athletes that have quite probably nothing wrong,… other than have the misfortune of having a coaching staff with little or no moral fiber.
No matter how Saturdays game goes,… these athletes will loose,… its lost for them, before the coin toss.
In my heart I wish I could whisper in the ear of those players tomorrow,.. I wish I could put in their hearts what to do,… what to say to their team mates,…. What to do,… what to say to the world,…
I do soo wish that one young man,… even just one,… would have the strength to stand in front of his team mates and say,…..
“we put on our jerseys and pads,… we put on our helmets and head out there today,… but this little football game,…. Its just a game. The game is already lost,… if one of us runs a 80 yd touchdown,… they wont be talking about it,… if I drop the ball 3 plays in a row,… they wont talk about it,… the game is already lost,…. And its only a little game.
We’ve all been preached to about how this is our senior year,… the best year of our lives,… the big game that will be the greatest day of our lives,…. But its not,…. Its just a little football game,…
I cant play this game,…. But I absolutely have to play the BIG game,… and this,… the jerseys, the helmets, the fans, the crowd,… this is not the game that matters,…. All of this bullshit is not the BIG game.
Some day I hope I get married,… when I kiss my wife, I want THAT to be the best day of my life,… when our son is born, I want THAT to be the best day of my life,… when he gets his first touch down, I want THAT to be the best day of my life,… and I cant imagine something like Sandusky did happening to ANY child of mine,…
Football is not the game I want to win,… so I’m throwing my jersey down on the field,… on the 50 yd line,… and my helmet too,… because I HAVE to win the BIG game,… not play this game.
If you guys wana play this little football game,… you go ahead,… but I gota play the BIG game.”
I hope at least one young man has the moral courage to do something like that,… I hope at least one young man has the strength to lead his brothers,… because real leadership is so desperately needed right now.
and as is all to common in the human experience,.... it falls on the shoulders of our children to make the right move,... Not all the right moves,…. But the ONE right move. i sure hope they will.
