"A king like you has policy prepared on everything. What's the official line on sodomy?" King Phillip to King Henry in The Lion in Winter
Happy Valley is no longer so happy. Sadness and revulsion increase with each new revelation in the scandal involving Jerry Sandusky, who coached at Penn State from 1969-1999.
Sandusky has been arrested and charged with 40 counts of sexual abuse against eight victims. Another nine victims have since come forward, and no one will be surprised if others do so. One hesitates to think how many more victims will choose to privately bear the burden of Sandusky’s heinous acts.
Sandusky may have committed these crimes, but let’s be frank; they could not have continued without being aided and abetted by others at the University. In fact, former athletic director Tim Curley and senior vice president Gary Schultz have been charged with lying to a grand jury investigating the crimes. They’re also likely to be charged with failing to notify authorities about them.
It as been widely reported that someone currently on the coaching staff at Penn State caught Sandusky in the act of sodomizing a ten-year old boy in a shower at a campus athletic facility. After that incident, Sandusky was forbidden to bring young boys on campus.
Surely, that suggests people in high places knew what was going on. But rather than report the crime and protect children, they chose instead to protect the image of their institution. That sort of reprehensible behavior is not limited to the Catholic Church.
• • •
The big question in all this, is what did saintly Joe Paterno know, and when did he know it? One hint as to what he knew and when he knew it was that in 1999 Paterno informed Sandusky he would not be his successor as head coach. Sandusky left his position not long afterwards.
That is supposition, of course; what’s been reported is that when Paterno was made aware of this specific crime, he passed on the information to his immediate superior. But for Paterno to have left it at that makes a mockery of everything we have been led to believe about his high moral character.
Surely a man held up as a moral exemplar should be expected to do more than the bare minimum in reaction to such a heinous crime. That begs the question: Is Paterno really a man of high moral character, or just another coach willing to bend the rules to succeed in the ultra-competitive world of big-time college athletics?
The answer to that question will be revealed in days to come, but surely no mortal man is capable of remaining unaffected by the kind of praise, nay adoration, heaped upon Paterno in that once happy valley – to say nothing of the rest of our sports-obsessed world.
That near-deification of Paterno kept him in a position of absolute authority long past his sell-date. It allowed him to operate as a dictator long after he was capable of making sound decisions. If he were capable of making sound decisions, he would have retired long ago.
But that’s always the way with old lions, so now he must suffer the same fate as befalls every lion in winter.
The Lion in Winter
All hail the conquering hero, his broadsword in his hand
Is there anything we worship like the warrior in a man?
Hoist up the tattered battle flag and see his sharp salute
Misty-eyed at memories of a once and glorious youth
September's a seductive month, or so it's always said
Cascading in a symphony of brown and gold and red
One almost doesn't recognize the quickening of days …
The lion lifts his nostrils as the leaves are set ablaze
And December, ah! December, and the very first snowfall
Spreads an easy ermine blanket and makes virgins of us all
One almost doesn't recognize the cold chill in the air …
The lion looks on listless as he paces in his lair
And winds will howl and storms will rage
And drifts will block the door
And the lion roars inside his cage
And licks the wounds of war
The warrior waits in winter and denies his growing old
And no one ever told him it was going to be this cold
He swears that in the distance hears the sound of fife and drums …
The lion waits in winter for the spring that never comes
©2011 Tom Cordle
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Comments
The real shocker was this "graduate assistant," one of the eyewitnesses, who is now on the coaching staff. When the assistant walked in on Sandusky sodomizing a boy in the locker room shower years ago, he walked out, phoned a relative, then told Paterno a day later. Who does this? Why weren't the cops called within one minute? Or better, how about stopping the monster then and there? I'm sure he was rattled by what he saw, but come on.
I suspect the feeling was probably mutual
desert rat
thanks
I haven't the stomach to read the report. As for the GA, his behavior is incomprehensible as well as reprehensible. It's no excuse, but his failure to do more might be explained -- not justified, explained -- by the fact that at the time he was an underling not willing to make waves and disturb his chances of landing a good job on the coaching staff. From my perspective, the last thing I'd want is to work at a place that hid -- and thereby condoned -- that kind of behavior.
It's pretty damned clear that absolute loyalty to Paterno was high on the list of job requirements on the Penn State coaching staff. I'm reminded of the staffer who got grilled during the hearings on the Rove-mandated firings of DA's. When she testified to being a devoted Bush loyalist, she was reminded that her oath was not to Bush, but to the country.
In my book, Paterno deserves what will surely fall on his head from all this. He passed himself off as a moral exemplar, and that subjects you to a higher standard. That said, he's no worse than the supposedly even more moral "moral exemplars" in the Catholic Church who knowingly participated in pay-offs and cover-ups of sexual abuse of children.
Some are bemoaning the fact that this will sully Paterno's saintly image. Too damned bad if he participated in a cover-up either actively or tacitly -- and it's hard to see how it could be otherwise -- they ought to take down his statue as well as his image. If so, he has nobody but himself to blame for trashing his vaunted reputation.
Thanks
Ardee
Sorry to be the one to break the news
R
I confess to being a sports fan, and I confess to buying into the hype that Penn State was somehow different than other big-time football factories. I should know better; the idea of the "student-athlete" went out the window with the first TV contract -- if not before.
I suppose big-time college athletics is no more corrupt than any other part of the notoriously corrupt entertainment industry. But when it comes to being hypocritical, the only thing that compares is big-time religion, another part of the corrupt entertainment industry.
"Bury our illusions one by one" true indeed, and at my age, I'm afraid I don't have many left
Tr ig
Thanks, yes it is a sad situation, one without any heroes
I've already confessed to being a fan, actually since as a sixth-grader I attended my first football game at Michigan State University. The illusions of our childhood die hard -- Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and the Student Athlete.
To be fair, student athletes do exist, especially in sports that are little-watched. They also exist in big-time sports, tho that is getting rarer.
I'm old enough to remember when football players stated their major when they were introduced on TV before the game. On one such occasion back in the 70's, a burly behemoth from Utah State stared into the camera and announced "Merlin Olsen, Nuclear Physics". Merlin also carried a high 3 point average, despite that major and the demands of football.
Much more typical was the introduction of another team on which every player announced his major as Social Studies. Can we guess some football-friendly profs were handing out grades in those classes?
These days, the major of a lot of athletes seems to be cashing in on student tickets and memorabilia, and the only tests they take are for drugs. It is really sad what that says about college athletics -- and about us.
I have the same feeling
Rita
The fatal flaw always seems to have something to do with hubris, and anyone who fancies himself indispensable surely shows signs of that character flaw. That Joe had it is evident from the fact he didn't resign a decade or more ago.
I don't wish to pile on an old man, but the fact remains he set himself up for a fall by accepting the accolades as someone above reproach. As for his culpability in the crimes themselves, what can be proven is one thing, but if he didn't know, he certainly should have -- no way that kind of repeated behavior stays undetected over thirty years,
I see no way for Paterno to escape a fall, and from such a pedestal as he was on, it will be a very long -- an possibly fatal -- fall. I'll be very surprised if this scandal doesn't hasten his departure from coaching, and it may well hasten his departure from this Earth.
when idols fall, boys (and girls) are confused and
cannot trust anymore.
sports is thrust upon us men like a moral imperative,
as boys. morality and sports are a wild combo.
Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words it is war minus the shooting.
George Orwell,
Yes, that is strange, and it will certainly be fodder for conspiracy nuts. But as the scandal proves yet again, conspiracies are almost always exposed. That millions still believe JFK was murdered by the CIA or LBJ or some other such nonsense flies in the face of the reality that not one person supposedly involved ever spoke up. And that defies human nature, as well as logic.
Thanks for the Orwell quote, apropos -- as he always is. The saddest part of this is I do believe sports help build character. At their best, they confirm what Kipling pointed out:
"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same"
Unfortunately, the "win at all costs" mentality corrupts young men -- just as it corrupts sports. But let's not kid ourselves -- that mentality is everywhere in our society, and nowhere more so than on Wall Street and in Washington. Case in point? Mitch McConnell.
Thanks
Norwonk
The comparison with the Catholic Church is informative in many ways. Don't know about Norway, but in the US many fans of teams exhibit what can be categorized as religious fervor. And just as it all too obviously is with the Church, those who see their Institution as being above reproach and beyond criticism are willing to excuse all manner of evil to protect that which they deem even more important than the protection of children.
In short, for such people, it is more important to defend the Institution than it is to defend that which makes the Institution worth defending.
No, I had not heard that Paterno was fired. Good riddance, I'd say, tho I hate to have to say it. At least that's a sign someone at that school is coming to their senses. But the head of Joe Paterno will certainly not be the end of this matter.
Wren
Sorry, I'm sure it must be troubling for a Penn State grad to discover their idols have feet of clay and souls of stone. You mention lawyers and recompense -- I suspect the lawyers are trying to put a lid on the University's exposure to lawsuits. Good luck with that -- this scandal could result in a considerable financial burden for the school. And the cruel reality is that burden will ultimately be borne by future enrollees and by the taxpayers of Pennsylvania.
TY for posting, I do hope that when the truth comes out in the wash, it does clear JoePa's name; we have precious few hero's left in this world; and I do believe we need some. Blessing, BB.
"After that incident, Sandusky was forbidden to bring young boys on campus." That's it? That's all the action that was taken. I wonder where he took them then.
Love the poem, esp. this:
The warrior waits in winter and denies his growing old
And no one ever told him it was going to be this cold
"I found out the way your mind works and the kind of man you are. I know your plans and expectations - you've burbled every bit of strategy you've got. I know exactly what you will do, and exactly what you won't, and I've told you exactly nothing. To these aged eyes, boy, that's what winning looks like!" -Henry II
Thus, someone could have immediately reported the incident to the appropriate university authorities with a clear conscience, assuming that the powers that be were on the case (when in fact they were not).
The thing that is a firing offense for Joe Pa is that he kept this pederast on the payroll as a consultant for many years after the incident occurred.
One can only assume that after football, Mr. Paterno won't have many months left to live.
I'm glad to see that the youth of America have not lost their moral bearings.
Tom,is the poem out of your feather?
-R-
I'm with you that we are standing in the need of heroes, but I'm afraid that Joe Paterno does not stand the test. He may not have committed a crime, but he has grievously, unforgivably sinned, whether by commission or omission.
"That near-deification of Paterno kept him in a position of absolute authority long past his sell-date."
That principle. That it's ALL of us. Is the one that's hardest to learn.
I was thinking about injecting Tressel into this piece, but in comparison his crimes look trivial. They're not, of course; they are born of the same twisted root, the childish need to win at all costs, a need evinced by the powers that be at The Ohio State University when they stooped to hire a man who clearly had a history of bending the rules.
How can any rational adult deny that big-time college athletics goes against everything we've been led to believe about how athletics builds character?
As for The Lion in Winter, it is one of my favorite movies, and what a cast! What acting! And what writing! This is the standard by which I judge films, and by this standard, today's FX spectaculars fall tragically short -- just as Joe Paterno and Penn State have fallen tragically short. Methinks there may be a connection there somewhere.
You're quite right that the insular nature of such institutions is unhealthy and makes cover-ups all the more likely. But for the individuals involved, the GA, Paterno, the AD among other co-conspirators sure to be named, that's no excuse.
Even if I had reported such a godawful incident to campus authorities, I'm pretty sure my conscience would have pricked me deeply the first time I saw Sandusky show up on campus or making chummy with Paterno -- as you pointed out, Joe Pa he kept this pederast on the payroll as a consultant for many years after the incident occurred..
I'm pretty sure I'd take things to another level of authority, and if that didn't work, I'd drop a dime on someone in the media. In short, I'd have to see Sandusky keel-hauled before my conscience would rest.
I confess that film provided inspired the poem of mine I included in this post. It was actually written some time ago, but it seemed absolutely fitting for this bizarre scandal involving the once-noble coach of the Nittany Lions.
Brazen Princess
Thank you. I'm saving my grief for the real victims in this tragedy. To me, there is no excusing what Paterno did and didn't do. When football becomes more important than protecting innocent children, we -- like Paterno -- have our priorities tragically out of whack.
I'll cut nominally-adult students a little slack -- surely they are in a mild state of shock to discover their "god" has fallen from his lofty pedestal under such revolting circumstances. And, yes, there's no excuse for having deemed him a god in the first place, but boys will be boys.
I'll save my wrath for men who will be boys. The putative adults who turned a blind-eye to this horror get no slack. Instead, I'd say the noose needs to be tightened until anyone and everyone in authority receives a fitting punishment -- tho it's hard to imagine a punishment that fits such crimes.
No, the poem is not about my father, my poem Desperate Men was written for him. The Lion in Winter was written when I was 53, and the chill hand of Father Time began to touch my bones.
Our habit of deification of mere mortals isn't limited to sports figures. Clearly, it kept Ronald Reagan around long past his sell-date, too. I'd say one of the reason's Obama has fallen so far so fast is because so many put him on a pedestal long before he had done anything to warrant that placement.
The desire -- nay, need -- for a knight in shining armor to ride to our rescue seems to be wired into the human genome. Unfortunately, that leaves us susceptible to savage dictators, petty deciders, and various other villains -- such as those exposed in the Penn State scandal.
What the protests of the Sixties and their current Love-Child ought to teach us is that while our faults lie not in our stars, but in ourselves, so does our salvation.
Thank you , your opinion is highly-valued by me.
Tom,I am asking you again:What do you do with your talent?Are you a member in a pen club?
There must be an org.in the States too.I like the idea of the poem you have written for your father.I'll go to your blog tomorrow.
My dog kept me awake all night because of indigestion due to solid meat his stomach could not take.
-R-
Sorry I missed your feather reference -- my poetic license should be suspended. Obviously, you and I are birds of a feather. Speaking of animals, hope your dog gets better soon.
Kate Geiselman
Thanks for visiting, and thanks for the compliment
Bellwether
Yes, I think most of us find the cover-up more shocking than the crime. And I think that shock is amplified by the fact that Paterno and Penn State have long enjoyed a reputation of being above even impropriety, let alone anything so awful as this.
{sigh} This weekend pals are gathering to watch a 60's flick called "Morgan" about a nutball into gorillas. They have it on VHS. "vhs" -what? They are bragging about scoring a Video Player and "Morgan" at a church rummage sale. Show-offs. I plan to spring the Jimmy Stewart film Harvey on them. Gorilla vs. Invisible Rabbit *wee ha, got it at a church rummage sale too!*{sigh} I think I'll use this comment as a diary entry… You still there? You poor dear. You are going to CLOSE THE IRON DOOR on me. {sigh} ~Ciao and Happy Viewing!
You may recall that in "The Lion in Winter" King Phillip beards King Henry with a line drawn that could be drawn from today's headlines and aimed at King Paterno:
"A king like you has policy prepared on everything. What's the official line on sodomy?"
But, let's do change the subject. You're quite right, the film version of The Lion in Winter is definitely a theatrical production, but oh, what a marvelous film/play. I've never had the privilege of seeing the play, but I don't see how it could top the film.
Five Easy Pieces, you say? One of my favorite films. For one thing, it was Nicholson before he began to parody himself. For another, the scene in which he tries to speak to his father tore my heart out for reasons I'd rather not go into. Then there was my favorite scene, where he tries to get an order of toast at a HoJo's. Oh, how many times I would have liked to use the line in that film where he tells the snotty waitress where she can hold the bacon, lettuce and tomato.
Now since you're a film buff -- I'm really not, but I do have my favorites -- here's a test that only two other people I know have ever passed. Have you ever seen the Anthony Newley film Can Heironymous Merkin Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? (I'm not making that up!)
Bonus Coverage: Here's a link to a post I wrote about one of my favorite film actors:
My Love Affair with Javier Bardem
.
Very good piece Tom, as always.
It's difficult for me to believe that in an insular community like State College, PA, the other people weren't aware of Sandusky's proclivities as well. But this has to be one area in which minding one's own business does not apply.
Yes, pedestals are no place to be, and I've done everything I could to keep people from putting me on one. Every time they do, I know that sooner or later I'm in for a hard fall.
Thanks for visiting. Comments are not required -- but they sure are welcomed. Thanks for yours.
The Lion in Winter... I do recall the "sodomy" line and when I saw the film version of the play I had no idea who Anthony Hopkins was! You would probably love reading the play. I never "saw" the play. I spent a year reading plays (only plays) and Lion in Winter was one of them. Along with Glengary Glen Ross, Play it Again Sam, Waiting for Godot and all of Wallace Shawn's work... a whole year of reading plays, too many to recount. Some were horrible some were brilliant. One of the lines I loved in Lion was the imbecile hilarious words of Prince John: My God, if I went up in flames there's not a living soul who'd pee on me to put the fire out!
Five Easy Pieces: sigh. A stellar film! The scene you love, I do too! I saw that one during a year of seeing every 70's film I could rent. I was moved by that movie.
Years of inhabiting libraries, like a drunkard inhabits a bar, enabled me to gorge myself on all the good stuff that bored my peers. Haha… {sniffly sniffle} Like you I love the diner scene (oh so good). My fave though is when Jack frightens the rabid hitchhiker's "trash trash garbage filth" rant by saying Alaska had the big thaw.
You asked me [[here's a test that only two other people I know have ever passed. Have you ever seen the Anthony Newley film Can Heironymous Merkin Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? (I'm not making that up!)]]]
No I haven't and now I'll search for it! Thank you! I think you and I would have a blast talking cinema and maybe finding some new ones to watch. Fun fun. And much better than the disturbing reality of Sandusky and other "trash trash garbage filth" perpetrated in this world :(
I'll check out your "My Love Affair with Javier Bardem" soon.