Sports Agenda For Monday (11/7/11)
Big Story:
Wow, what a weekend of football. From the game of the century to the Dolphins first win. It was quite the weekend of sports. The NBA tried to spoil it, but football wouldn't let it.
By the way, I have to share my prediction for the LSU/Alabama that was submitted for a story, but unceremoniously left out of a national story.
Being from Alabama, you'd think my pick would be automatic. But this one is a different monster. LSU has been tested and met every challenge. On the other side, Alabama and Nick Saban just know how to win. Both sides have suffocating defenses capable of shutting anyone down. But, given LSU's performance so far, I'm picking the Tigers to roll into Tuscaloosa and beat the Crimson Tide.
Unfortunately, we have to start this agenda with a very negative story.
Penn State Scandal:
The national sports media frothed at the mouth earlier this year when Nevin Shapiro leveled his bombshell accusations against the University of Miami.
In hindsight, that's nothing compared to what happened in what should be known as Unhappy Valley, Pa.
If you're not familiar with the story…A Penn State assistant coach was indicted on numerous charges of molesting and raping young boys while on the job and after he retired, but was still on campus at Penn State.
It's disgusting in ways few people can imagine.
One of the worst aspects is that a graduate assistant saw the coach allegedly raping a boy and didn't say anything. He instead ran to head coach Joe Paterno and told him. Paterno then fed the information up the chain of command.
Since the indictment and arrests were made public, the athletic director and a vice-president have resigned.
But Paterno has not stepped down and the graduate assistant who saw the molestation is actually on Paterno's coaching staff now.
It's probably one of the worst scandals I have ever had to write about in the 12 years I've covered sports.
The allegations themselves are at a level of depravity not seen in college football, maybe ever.
What has to happen at Penn State is that Paterno and anyone who knew anything about this case MUST step down immediately.
Not only that, but the NCAA should be involved with this and come down harder on Penn State than they did on Ohio State, USC, Miami, or North Carolina.
This is complete lack of institutional control and is basically an institution covering up criminal activity.
I had respected Joe Paterno for a long time, but this is absolutely inexcusable.
And to allow him to remain on campus with an office, is beyond reprehensible.
Paterno stayed at Penn State for too long, that's a given.
But his legacy of having a clean program is completely out the window after this scandal.
It's tarnished his legacy in a way that almost no other college football scandal could have ever done.
Paterno escaped indictment, but the stench of this and the stench of his knowledge of it is enough so that he should never again be allowed on the Penn State campus.
Hopefully, Paterno will do the right thing and step down. Hopefully, the NCAA will drop the hammer on Penn State like never before.
Hopefully, the victims of these crimes will one day recover.
Miami Dolphins:
The Dolphins win it…The Dolphins win it…..Oh My God The Dolphins Win It. (said in my best Harry Doyle voice)
Yes, the Fins are off the schnide in the NFL.
They got their first victory Sunday behind a stellar passing day from Matt Moore and some great catches from Brandon Marshall and Reggie Bush.
Amazing what happens when you catch the ball, huh?
Simple game, you throw the ball, you catch the ball, you run with the ball.
And don't look now, but there's absolutely no reason the Dolphins can't….*gulp*….win two in a row!!
They play the Redskins this weekend in a game that will feature the NFL's worst offense outside of Indianapolis (sorry Jawan) with the Skins.
I don't want to say the Skins don't have a quarterback…but John Beck and Rex Grossman = no quarterback.
Can the Fins pull off two in a row?
They better hope so because after that the schedule gets increasingly brutal.
NBA Update:
No real update here.
The NBA gave a take it-or-leave it deal to the players who are basically going to tell them to stick it.
At that point, you can kiss the season goodbye as the unbridled greed of the owners will cancel the entire season.
And that's what it breaks down to, the greed of the owners.
The players have bent over backwards to get a deal done and the owners have refused to budge.
It's a microcosm of today's America.
You have the owners (big business) who are about only one thing…money, money, money, money.
You have the workers who are trying to better themselves but are being run over by unbridled greed from the greed of a few.
The only thing missing is the rich teams (wealthy) complaining about high luxury taxes.
Oops.
Maybe we should send these groups to Congress, it's not like it would be a big change!
