The current alleged child molestation scandal rocking Penn State is like radioactive waste that nobody really wants to get near.
If you approach the matter rationally and admonish the school and its operatives for their complete and total incompetence, you’ll probably get your media van turned over by these nutjobs. If you try to play Devil’s Advocate for a school and group of people who -- by all accounts -- at best idly sat back and watched and at worst covered up alleged child rape – then you’ll feel the rest of the world’s wrath.
So with that lose-lose proposition, is it any wonder that coaches and various college football big name figures are doing their best to avoid discussing the matter? Of course not.
Fortunately, LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles isn’t one to shirk away from the limelight. Understanding his duty and responsibility, as a representative of the university for whom he coaches to comment on the matter, Miles had this to say on the happenings at Penn State:
"The only thing I can tell you is that I think everybody in America — football coach or not — is probably first and foremost concerned with the well being of the young people that were involved," Miles said. "And if there's any way that that can be addressed first and foremost, that might well take precedence over any other piece. I think that the great coach at Penn State (Paterno) certainly has a distinguished coaching career. The only thing I hope is that all is done right as best as they can from this point forward."
If only Penn State had a guy with some character working for them when you-know-what hit the fan. What a foreign concept Miles introduced in his brief commentary – think of the victims. In 58 words, the LSU head coach said everything that Penn State officials should have said following the scandal breaking, and a mantra they should have lived by 10 years ago when they were first allegedly made aware of what was going on under their very noses.
"It's a great school and a great tradition and there's a wonderful backdrop to Penn State, but the game is not necessarily as important as the things that went on there," Miles added. "I wish them well. I know they'll do the right thing."
As endearing as Miles’ optimism is, it’s probably misplaced. If Penn State has proven anything thus far, it’s that its concerns on anything and everything start and end between the two endzones at Beaver Stadium.
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Couldn't agree more. If only someone at Penn would have had the cojones to stand up for the innocent children!