Breaking Down the Penn State Debacle (Part One)

It's hard to believe the events that occurred Thursday evening. Starting with the appallingly bad actions taken by media at the press conference where Penn State broke the news of Joe Paterno's firing and ending with rioting by members of Penn State's student body, it's a challenge to make sense of it all. I'll try to break everything down piece by piece over the next few days, including the different media coverage as well as the rioters themselves. There's a lot to get through, and there's sure to be more in the next few days as more heads roll and protests continue.

The Press Conference

The Board of Trustees at Penn State held a press conference to discuss the issues surrounding Paterno and the university. The future of Paterno, who is 84 and has shown no desire to stop coaching anytime soon, had been in question for the past few days. Pressure was put both him and the school for his tenure at Penn State to end, though this pressure was not without controversy (as the ensuing riots obviously proved).

"Joe Paterno is no longer the head football coach, effective immediately."

Before John Surma, who spoke on behalf of the board, could even finish reading this statement, the room was filled with boos and cries of outrage and dismay. Outrage. There was visceral outrage by those in the media who were present at the press conference over Paterno's firing. This was a room filled with reporters. This was a room filled with journalists.

"Who will coach on Saturday?"

That was the first question asked after Surma gave his opening statement. I wish I were kidding. I'm sure that a lot of the reporters there cover the football team or work for local news affiliates. This was the first question blurted out, and it was blurted out by multiple people. I can understand that being a sports reporter in this situation might put someone in an unfamiliar situation. But to be more concerned with that than the situation at hand? Are you kidding me?

"What was the driving reason behind the removal of coach Paterno?"

This was the third question. Are you serious? Perhaps it was not going straight to the authorities upon hearing his assistant coach sexually assaulted a 10-year-old. Perhaps it was not going to the authorities at all. Paterno learned about the assault in 2002. Perhaps it was not firing the coach right away. Perhaps it was lying to a grand jury about how much he knew about the initial incident.

"Given the popularity of coach Paterno, how hard a decision was this for you and your colleagues to make?"

This was the fifth question asked. Think about what you just asked, sir. How hard a decision was it to fire a man who covered up child sexual abuse? How hard to you think it was? You'll notice a running theme with the questions asked at the press conference, how the reporters asking the questions appear to have a Joe-Paterno-is-God complex. I know he's been there since the 1960s. Darren Rovell pointed out that at the time of his hiring, Simon & Garfunkel's The Sound of Silence was the number one song. He's an institution. He's also covered up child abuse for nearly a decade.

"Should coach Paterno have alerted the police when he learned of the allegations in 2002?"

Eighth question. If you can call it a question.

"Did you see him [Paterno] in person or over the phone?"

While Surma didn't answer the question, earlier reports stated that Paterno was fired over the phone. Members of the media loudly grumbled about this as Surma avoided answering the question. "You would let a man go that's been here over 46 years and won't tell us if you let him go over the phone or in person?" one reporter griped. When Surma mentioned a phone conversation, multiple people groaned. "You didn't have the courtesy to go to his house?" another asked, with someone else chipping in, "after 60 years?" Clearly these journalists (and I use that term lightly) have their eyes on the ball.

"What would you say to those that this is a rush to judgment?"

Have you read the grand jury testimony? It's quite unequivocally clear about what Joe Paterno's role was in this case. In fact, it's so clear that the only issue is whether Paterno committed perjury when giving his testimony. Many men have been fired for much less. I know it's hard to watch an idol go down in flames, but no one's infallible.

"What would be the harm in letting the coach continue through the end of the season?"

I'm not sure. Maybe it would be a signal that Penn State doesn't care if you protect child predators as long as you win football games. That's a sure way to draw in prospective students. In fact, it should definitely be the new school slogan.

"Do you think the authorities should have been alerted?"

Are you fucking kidding me?

"So you don't rush to judgment when it comes to facts but you rush to judgement when it comes to dismissing coach Paterno?"

This wise ass sounded quite proud of himself for asking this rhetorical question. A couple reporters even laughed snidely after this question was asked. Read the grand jury testimony. There's not much rushing to do.

"Sir, are you aware of the number of students that were marching back and forth campus when they thought there was a possibility of this happening? And therefore, what are you concerned about happening tonight"

Unfortunately, this boded to be all too true, as rioting on and near campus took place. And yet the question was framed in a hostile manner, as if to try and place the blame of whatever the reaction to Paterno's firing was squarely on Surma and the Board of Trustees. It should be noted that Paterno did little to quell the rioting. By the time he spoke, lamp posts had been upended and news vans had been flipped over.

"What do you make of the perception that the Board has been gunning for coach Paterno since '04 and this has provided the perfect opportunity for his dismissal?"

This was actually the last question asked, and it fittingly went the conspiracy theory route. I'm pretty sure there was a second shooter on the grassy knoll when Joe Paterno was fired. Joe Paterno's also never been on the field at Ohio State. That was staged and filmed in a Hollywood studio.

"What was coach Paterno's reaction?" "Who made the call?" "Have you though about changing the Board?" "Is coach Paterno subject to compensation?" "Was there any pressure from the outside like the governor's office or anyone else?"

A handful of meaningless questions, none of which were directed at Paterno's (or anyone else's) criminal  activity. I don't go to a school where any of the current coaches are revered as saints, and Bob Knight was before my time. But I find it almost inconceivable that a room full of journalists can have so much trouble staying objective in this situation.

I loved Sammy Sosa growing up. He was the best baseball player in the world, no matter what Mark McGwire did. I was as much a diehard Sosa fan as anyone else in Chicago. But then things turned sour. Sosa left the team under troublesome circumstances, and it's become all too clear that Sosa used steroids. I've watched as my idol growing up (aside from Michael Jordan, of course) slowly become an unsympathetic figure, one that no longer deserves the devotion I once gave him. I realized this before I set foot in a journalism classroom.

"What do you think Joe Paterno has meant to this university?"

Joe Paterno has been the face of Penn State for a few decades now. He looks like everyone's grandpa and doesn't coach for Ohio State, so everyone loves him. And I mean everyone. I have an aunt and uncle who live in State College that don't care about football at all. They can tell you how to win at Robo Rally or Settlers of Catan, but have no clue what a draw play is or when to risk an onside kick. Even they know who Joe Paterno is.

I understand that he's an institution. He's JoePa. He's 84 and still going strong. But this isn't about untarnished legacies or reputations. This is about dozens of children who were sexually abused. This is about Joe Paterno's failure to protect these kids. This is about the university's failure to protect these kids.   No one remembered that. Not when they were rioting, and not when they were asking questions at the press conference.

Go back and look. There's not a single question, or even a single mention of the victims. Not one. Joe Paterno failed to do what was right. And Thursday evening, so did the journalists at that press conference.

Until next time, Orange Hat Guy