Friday, November 11, 2011

Penn State's next steps and catching up with Scott Norwood

So, if I’m running Penn State University in the aftermath of this unfathomable scandal, here’s what I would do.

I would take all the profits realized from Saturday’s home game against Nebraska and create a fund for those boys who were allegedly molested by Jerry Sandusky.
Furthermore, I would endow a child abuse studies program at the university. I also would hold seminars on campus to discuss the failures of Joe Paterno, Mike McQueary and other officials to do the right and moral thing.

Students need to get over their shock and anger and they need to realize that JoePa isn’t coming back, nor does he deserve to.

There has been enough deception and obfuscation in this sordid mess. It’s time for the school to be at the forefront of addressing the issue and to be honest and truthful. This is what institutions of higher education are supposed to do. These steps would certainly aid the healing process.

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It was heart-warming to see Scott Norwood finally return to Ralph Wilson Stadium and receive a rousing ovation. The kicker who will forever bear the burden of Wide Right has handled his link to sports infamy with remarkable class and grace. I did a column for Bills Digest about Scott this week, and he appears to have come to grips with the missed kick that sadly has defined his career. He says he has accepted ownership of Wide Right and has put it into perspective. It is part of his legacy, just as all those game-winning kicks are. And that miss, though the most visible play in that Super Bowl XXV loss to the Giants, was merely one of numerous blown opportunities by the Bills that memorable evening in Tampa. Had they tackled better and executed better on offense, it never would have come down to a last-second 47-yard field goal.

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If you are going to be on the Syracuse University campus tomorrow from 2-3:30, please stop by the bookstore and say “hello.” I’ll be signing copies of my newly published biography, Color Him Orange: The Jim Boeheim Story. I’ll have more about the book next week in this cyberspace. I have several other signings scheduled in the Syracuse and Rochester areas that I’ll let you know about.

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