A Case of Mixed Up Priorities

Trey Smith

In an effort to repair Penn State's tattered image, new School President Rodney Erickson is holding meetings with alumni to explain the university's actions in the wake of the allegations of child sexual abuse against former coach Jerry Sandusky.

Erickson is in a no-win situation. Some of the alumni are upset at the apparent lack of controls and coverup that it would seem the administration engaged in. Others are upset that beloved football Head Coach Joe Paterno was fired mid-season when the allegations first came to light. So, Erickson is trying to appease two sides that don't see eye-to-eye and, from recent reports, he's not doing a very good job of it on either account.

Here's the part of a recent article that really leaves me scratching my head.

John Cohrac, a Class of 1990 graduate from Pottstown, said he hoped to ask Erickson why there hasn't been the transparency he promised. He and Mike Cohrac, a Class of 1999 graduate from Phoenixville, said they would still support the school's football program but might withhold donations to the academic side until they get answers from the trustees about how they handled the sex abuse scandal.

Let me get this straight. These two brothers are upset by the scandal that enveloped the football team. So, to show their displeasure, they might take out their anger on students who are completely unconnected to the football team, while continuing to support the football players themselves (who have no connection to the scandal either).

I like sports and I think they can teach young men and women valuable lessons about life. They also provide a [sometimes] needed diversion from all the crap that goes on from day-to-day. However, in the overall scheme of things, sports is not that damn important!! You would never guess that from the reverence far too many shower sports team with at all levels.

For some people, sports is greater than God (but usually not greater than money -- which is a different god). While they might be upset with all the shenanigans certain sports teams are guilty of, they simply can't imagine not supporting them.