Not So Pure, But Simply a Football Scandal

The failures of character and leadership at Penn State University should make all of us question how such a culture could evolve. First we must be sensitive to the victims; pedophilia is a horrible experience. It is a crime and many will lose their jobs, life time reputations, and will be incarcerated. The University and the Pennsylvania tax payers will lose millions in the law suits yet to come. Children will end up in years of psycho therapy.

But as crass as it sounds, this criminal activity will rock the college football world. At least it should. This is Pure and Simply a football scandal. It is very doubtful that a cover up would have occurred if the predator had come from the wrestling program or the volleyball program or the tennis program. If the slightest hint of sexual deviance had occurred in those non revenue generating programs, the situation would have been handled immediately and quietly. Just as the catholic church endured and continues to feel the aftershock tremors of child abuse from its icon leaders, the Penn State disgrace falls squarely on the leaders, the protectors, of the football culture and it's arrogance of power.

This is a sick portrait of what the collegiate football business has become, as pedophilia is apparently sanctioned to protect reputations and revenue. The Penn State football business grosses $72 million dollars and nets $52 million in profit; placing second only to Texas. Football (or for that matter basketball) moves a lot of money. Apparently it must be protected at all costs.

You really have to wonder what was going through the assistant football coach’s mind in 2002 when, as the indictment indicates, he saw the rape of a 10-year-old boy in the showers of the Penn State locker room. Did his cultural indoctrination require him to weigh his career against immediate action? It is apparent that the football culture mandated that he do what was necessary to protect the program rather than immediately call the police.

So what conclusion can we begin to draw about this particular incident Penn State? It is important that major athletic programs review their priorities. Is the tail, the football dollar, waging the university body? This cannot happen at the athletic director level. It must happen at the President and Board of Trustees.

Simply put, money cannot be obtained by sacrificing university ethics and principles. It does however and will likely continue, even in spite of the public disgrace unless a paradigm shift in culture is mandated. That will take administrative courage and alumni support.

University athletics should not be primarily the hallmark of a town’s identity. The mayor should not be the coach and town budgets should not depend on a winning season. Because it does the environment is ripe for corruption and partnerships built solely on revenue rather than the collegiate institution as a whole.

When you think of the University of Texas you think of football, when you think of Florida State, Alabama, or Miami what comes to mind? When you think about Maryland… well… nothing comes to mind. When you think of Duke, Stanford or the University of Virginia do you sense a different priority? It's not likely you will think of their athletic programs taking precedence over the academic mission. You will of course come to the realization that they have excellent athletic programs that support the mission of the university. When you think of the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy you think of nothing more than young leaders in service and honor. You can appreciate Army, Navy football, which is played for all the right reasons.

So what does this have to do with your child and your family? The Penn State disaster slaps us in the face with another example the dangers of blind faith and rabid allegiance to reputations and revenue. The media is providing a service to you by exposing the corrupt cultures that place a higher value on their famous leaders (re-election) and the revenue they create rather than the true intent of the organization’s mission and core values. We would like to think that the football business values, are clever marketing phrases and images to stimulate the emotion of tradition and alumni legacies. But really it is all about giving of the self, money that is. But that is exactly what can and does happen in the business of big college football. Subsequently the football business culture must create a brotherhood of self protection and reward only those who live by the code of silence; even to campus sports outside the football program.

We must remind ourselves how we communicate leadership and character to our children. We must define leadership, how our leaders are created and what leaders should do. This is a confusing time of leadership at every level and it is fair to say we are all very disappointed. As parents need to be educationally vigilant, pro-active and opinionated with our children and define leadership and our expectations. I am personally tired of the political term, “let’s not judge.” We should and say it out loud.