More like “Out of Bounds” on all sides

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A couple of things I picked up from yesterday’s “Outside The Lines” piece on ESPN. I’ve watched it four times, come away with four different opinions…

• Joe Paterno is still the king of the non-answer, but he came across as less genuine and too defensive in the piece. It was not Joe’s best performance with the media in the five or so years I’ve been around the program as a member of the media. And whatever your argument is, he *DOES* need to accept responsiblity on some level. If he accepts responsibility for winning on the field, for losing on the field, he must accept it when his players act like this off the field. They are his players.

• On a related note, I didn’t think ESPN presented fair journalism in the piece. Where were the pro-Joe or less anti-Paterno people? Former players who have talked about things such as fights and drinking and police records going on in the past. ESPN clearly had a slant in mind and clearly forced that slant across to the viewer. Still, that slant doesn’t happen if these players don’t put themselves in this position and if Paterno gives a straight answer.

• I’m still not sure why the piece was necessary. ESPN did not present anything new to the viewer. I’m sure the majority of viewers have some assemblance of what’s been going on up at University Park in recent years. All of a sudden, and even though countless writers have scribed what’s happened ad naseum, now that ESPN parachuttes in, it’s a legit story? Give me a break. This is the same network that will kiss Paterno’s feet if the Nittany Lions make a BCS bowl in 2008.

• Did I read too much into Graham Spanier’s comments, or does anyone else feel like Joe’s fate has long been sealed within the circle of decision makers post-2008? There was something very cryptic in his answers.

• Does anyone else find it funny that ESPN research consisted of public records which if you know where to look on the internet are readily available? (aside from OJA paperwork) and a player who took the stand against two other players after a frat fight? Again, nothing new was presented here and a slant was put in action.

Comments, questions, whatever the case, ethomas@cumberlink.com.

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Tags: Joe Paterno, Outside the Lines, Penn State Football