Reagan Gomez: "I Was Embarrassed For The Penn State Students Protesting"

When the Penn State scandal first broke, I found myself listening to sports radio. Something I don’t usually do. Ever.

I wanted to get an idea of what college sports fans thought of the firing of Joe Paterno and the reasons for it. I wasn’t surprised by what I found. People were outraged. Disgusted. Pissed off. And if you ask McQuery, some are pissed off enough to take “justice” into their own hands. Oh, McQuery... we’ll get back to that coward later.

I have to say, I was, to be frank, embarrassed for the students, the school, and the victims watching the Penn State students riot after coach Paterno’s firing. To be fair, I know a large number of the students probably didn’t know the exact reasoning for his firing, and I highly doubt any of the rioters actually read the Grand Jury Report. They just jumped to the defense of their coach and school as an automatic “We Are Penn State” reaction.

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OK. But, if they had read the report showing, in detail, the obvious cover up by Paterno, the school and others, how could they support this man?

“He did what he was supposed to do in contacting Tim Curley (Penn State’s athletic director), it was up to Curley to contact authorities.” “Jerry Sandusky is the monster, not Paterno." And, here’s my favorite, “If it were my kid, I’d only be worried about Sandusky." These are actual excuses. Why one would have to explain why the firing of Paterno was the right thing to do is amazing. The phrase, 'ignorance is bliss' is obviously not just a phrase, it’s a way of life for some people. One thing I can agree with, if Paterno had to go, McQuery, should’ve been on that list. I mean, come on! What type of man can walk in on the rape of a ten year old boy, and do nothing? Not only do nothing, call his daddy for advice? Then just LEAVE THE LITTLE BOY THERE, go home, eat dinner and go to bed. Then report what he saw the NEXT DAY. Not to police, but to Paterno who calls Tim Curley to his house...THE NEXT DAY. We all know what happened after these conversations. As Smokey from Friday would say... "Not a damn thang!"

This case has everything that Americans love and despise all mixed into one big Penn State gumbo. Football, greed, pedophilia, possible child prostitution, and the cover up by all involved. This is what I wished the rioting students realized. Ironically, had the circumstances of some of these students been different, some of them could’ve easily been victims of Sandusky...and Penn State.

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I wonder what the victims thought, watching people their age care more about the football program, than their abuse? It was an embarrassment. And I was so pleased to know that more students held a candle light vigil, and wore colored t-shirts in honor of the victims.

Some say, all of the proceeds from the game on Saturday should’ve been donated to Child Abuse Charities, an idea I agree with. This story is deeply troubling on all fronts. People turn their heroes into mini-gods so when they see them doing horrible things, as McQuery did, they let it go.