Saturday, June 23, 2012

From Chapter 9: "Life on the Gridiron"

As the photo below indicates, football is, and has been my favorite sport for over 30 years.  I have been a diehard fan of the Penn State Nittany Lions since the late '70's and have rarely missed a game since 1996 when I began selling football programs prior to kickoff at home football games.  In chapter 9,  I revealed the well kept secret that I had the privilege of watching the closed football practices.  Trainers and graduate assistants alike would unlock the gate to let me inside.  One of the assistant coaches always teased me for "being late."   In chapter 9 I write,

 "As I watched the developing players prepare for their next game, I began to think of winter, the ice and snow, the cold temperatures and the isolation it brought to me as an “opponent.” If I was going to level the playing field I had to have a game plan, a strategy and a playbook.  I had to train myself both physically and mentally just like the young men I had been watching at practice."
 
Although I did not know Jerry Sandusky well, it is heartbreaking for me to learn of his ongoing sexual abuse of young innocent boys. I believe that a somewhat permissive environment had to exist for his behavior to go on for so many years. This will have some effect on how I view the climate of college football, especially at Penn State.
 
My sympathy and primary concern are for the victims, the courageous young men who publicly testified in detail about their experience. I am also grateful to the PA Attorney General's Office and all the law enforcement personnel who worked on this case. It is with a heavy heart that I write and publish this post. I don't do it lightly.

1 comment :

  1. "My sympathy and primary concern are for the victims, the courageous"

    ... I just want to +1 that sentiment. Good post, Annie.

    ReplyDelete