Victims and Sandusky, not JoePa, are what matter

I hate writing about popular stories.

And I can pinpoint exactly why. Usually they're overhyped and overblown, sensationalist arguments engendered so that talking heads may fill the 10 AM hour with impassioned diatribes about the higher calling of sport and humanity. Radio hosts, bloggers, and ESPN-watchers work themselves into a lather, spouting righteousness while losing sight of what the heck the issue was in the first place.

Contrary to popular belief, the Penn State Scandal is NOT about Joe Paterno.

The Penn State Scandal is about eight (or more) victimized young boys and one sick, sad... (for lack of a better word) fuck.

These are eight victims who will live with their abused adolescence for the rest of their lives. Likely inexorably scarred, they have lived with the personal shame and embarrassment for years. Now they will face an (almost? I don't even know) equally difficult task - living with the public humiliation and unending association to such a horrific act. Is that really what's best for them?

We are all disgusted that such despicable acts took place. But we don't live with it. We haven't had to cope with it the past 9+ years. Their well-being, and the well-being of all victims of child sexual abuse, is most important. That's what really matters here. I wish a greater emphasis was placed on the welfare of these, and all, victims. That is where the true attention should be.

Having read the grand jury testimony, Jerry Sandusky is a sick, sick man. Absolutely, no one -- not Paterno, or campus police, or Spanier -- should've turned a blind eye. I can't argue with that. But can we get back to the real culprit here? Sandusky's acts should shed light on the greater issue of pedophilia, and that is the other prominent issue that we should be concentrating on.

I believe that characters like Sandusky, and other abusers in general, are much more prevalent than we know of. I've probably watched too much Law & Order SVU (okay, I definitely have), so I'm somewhat desensitized to Sandusky's actions, but emphasis should be placed on pinpointing and stopping these predators.

I love sports. This is not a sports story. This is a story about humanity, and all the shades of grey from innocence to evil. It is, as some talking heads have correctly pointed out, a struggle between doing what is easy and doing what is right.

Lastly, short thoughts on JoePa. Joe Paterno was fired. Rightfully or not, it will tarnish his legacy. I don't know the man, but from all accounts he was an inspirational and decent individual. It shouldn't discount the people's lives he touched, not the Penn State diehards who live and breathe Nittany Lion football, but the players, coaches, and people that he influenced as a decent and influential human being. No one can take that away, and it shouldn't be forgotten.

JoePa probably should've blown the whistle. Then again, we're righteous from afar. None of us know what it's like to have a 40+ year legacy on the line. I, like the rest of us, remain very convinced that I would've reported this. It's too sickening and transcends the decency of humanity to turn a blind eye. But I haven't walked in those shoes and I don't know all the circusmtances.

I don't know.