Ruminations on JoePa statue, Bills stadium lease, Syracuse leaving Big East,Linsanity, etc.

 

                From my perspective, it’s a no-brainer: Joe must go. If I were a Penn State alum, I’d be clamoring for the school’s board of trustees to immediately remove the Joe Paterno statue from campus. Yes, I know JoePa did so many great things. Graduated, at high rates, student-athletes, who were, for the most part, truly students first, athletes second. Raised truckloads of money and awareness that helped a small agricultural school become a world-renowned research university. But the legendary football coach’s involvement in the coverup of the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal is so egregious that all that other stuff becomes secondary. Jettisoning this painful reminder of a man more concerned about his reputation and his empire than the welfare of the kids abused by a monster named Sandusky will be another step in the healing process. A step that needs to be taken ASAP.

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                The most haunting part of the Freeh report was how the men in power spoke about treating Sandusky “humanely” while never mentioning the “humane” treatment of the kids he had abused and was about to abuse.

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                Speaking of statues, I was happy to see the Buffalo Sabres will be honoring the French Connection with a bronzed likeness outside their arena. My beautiful bride is especially pleased with this development. She grew up with a crush on the Sabres dynamic center from that 1970s line, Gilbert Perreault.

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                Linsainty was indeed fun while it lasted and I know a lot of Knicks fans are sad to see Jeremy Lin go, but I don’t blame New York for not matching Houston’s ridiculous contract offer. Offering this shooting star $25 million guaranteed based on 25 games would have been true insanity.

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                I hope Erie County Executive Mark Polonocarz is sincere when he says he is seeking an iron-clad lease from the Bills. The team wants county and state taxpayers to pony up the lion’s share of the $200-plus million it will take to bring Ralph Wilson Stadium up to speed. In return, he should receive legal assurance that the team won’t be bolting for L.A. or some other greener pasture in the next 10 years. Polonocarz would be wise to follow the lead of Jacksonville city officials who attached enormous escape fees to the Jaguars new lease that would make early departure cost prohibitive.

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                I never thought a Yankees team that lost Mariano Rivera for the season would wind up running away with the toughest division in baseball, but that’s what’s happening. The Bronx Bombers are up 9.5 games on second-place Tampa. As Casey Stengel used to say: “Who would have thunk it?”

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                Here’s hoping my adopted National League team – the Pittsburgh Pirates – continue to play well. As you know, it’s been ions since they finished above .500 and made the playoffs. They currently find themselves one-game back of Cincinnati with a 50-40 record.

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                I enjoyed Reggie Jackson’s ability to rise to the occasion in big games, but I was never a fan of his larger-than-Yankee Stadium ego. He obviously got himself into trouble for popping off about the Hall-of-Fame worthiness of several players, who clearly are as deserving as Reggie was. But I do agree with his thoughts about the gaudy numbers compiled by Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds being tainted. Reggie echoed something I’ve long said – that Hank Aaron is the true all-time home run champion. I also believe that Roger Maris is the true single-season HR champ, despite being surpassed by steroid users Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.

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                 Don’t mean to sound like Super Patriot Scott here, but I do have a problem with the USOC and Ralph Lauren for having the U.S. Olympic team’s garb made in China. I think the folks who made that bone-headed decision should be out-sourced.

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                I’m still a little saddened by Syracuse’s departure from the Big East, though I see the reason for the move to the ACC. The Big East clearly isn’t what it used to be and the Atlantic Coast Conference will be a good fit both athletically and academically. Still, I’ll miss the great basketball rivalries with Connecticut and Georgetown and the annual Big East tournament in the Big Apple.

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                Had to laugh when I heard the acting Big East commish say the conference will be stronger than ever, once “eastern” schools such as Houston, Boise State and San Diego State join. Next thing you know they’ll be adding schools from Japan. Then, they can call themselves the Big Far East. Or perhaps the Big Farce.