LaVar Arrington: Penn State Legend Deserves Praise for Speaking Out

The Jerry Sandusky case became a lot more personal for former NFL linebacker LaVar Arrington on Monday when he realized that he knew "Victim No. 4" while in college at Penn State. 

As Arrington wrote in the Washington Post, the alleged victim mentioned him multiple times before the jury on Monday, talking about wearing his jersey and getting his photo taken with him.

Arrington built a relationship with the alleged victim (now 28 years old) when he was part of Sandusky's Second Mile foundation at Penn State.

Arrington wrote that he always remembered Victim No. 4 being angry, figuring it was because he lived in a troubled home. But this new development has put the Sandusky case in a new light for Arrington: 

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It’s mind-blowing to realize that a kid I took an active interest in during my time at school was suffering right in front of me and I had no idea that the pain allegedly came from someone in my own football program.

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Arrington had a revelation of sorts after the alleged victim spoke out on Monday. He realized that he never took the time to understand him at Penn State, instead making assumptions about him that may prove to be false. 

It's a lesson for everyone, and Arrington deserves praise for speaking out. In any context, it's important to take the time to better understand one another instead of making judgments. It's necessary to understand where someone is coming from.

In today's fast-paced society, it's easy to get caught up in what you are doing. Arrington even admits, "I guess with everything that I had going on, it certainly wasn’t a priority for me to try to figure him out."

But even setting aside a little more of your time could make a big difference for someone that needs help. 

Arrington's lesson is a lesson for all, and his revealing article on Tuesday opened up an important discussion.