Penn State Riots Parallel the University's Priorities

In the midst of one of the worst scandals to hit NCAA football, Penn State students turned out along historic College Avenue Wednesday night and on into Thursday morning to protest the firing of head football coach Joe Paterno. The rioting centered around students' hatred for the board of trustee's decision to fire Paterno after a long day of deliberation and discussion concerning the Jerry Sandusky allegations.

For the students involved, it must have been a rush to turn over light poles, tip a news van on its side and scream into the early morning "We are Penn State!" But make no mistake, the students involved in the rioting should not feel pride in their university for standing up for Coach Paterno. Their dissension into the darkness and black hole that is this sexual-assault allegation has brought them into the same boat that Paterno now resides in.

Do not confuse this as an attack on the student of Penn State University. Students did what they did because a member of their family was accused, fired and the ensuing criticism and hatred that will soon follow will not stand in their eyes. If a member of our family is attacked, we respond with the animal instinct that was given to us at birth, as we should. Paterno has headlined the Penn State family for over 60 years, and his face is the one you think of when you think Nittany Lions.

The riot besets questions: What is the state of NCAA football? How far are coaches and faculty going to go before risking the success of their program? If a coach like Joe Paterno lies at fault, where do other coaches stand?

The fault lies not on the students; this is the only culture they have known at Penn State. Winning football games and being one of the nation's most upstanding universities starts at the top, with Joe Paterno. Up until this investigation, Penn State was one of only two universities to never undergo an NCAA investigation.

Student athletes sign their letters of intent because they are going to play for the winningest coach in Division I history. When that culture is threatened, athletes and students reacted in the way that those would act with the firing of Bear Bryant, Bobby Bowden, Bob Stoops or how they did react in the case of Jim Tressel.

This tragedy signals something that Penn State didn't associate themselves with until very recently—valuing winning about all else. We've seen it at Miami, Ohio State, USC, SMU and many other college football programs over the years. The culture of sports has changed, so much so that illegally recruiting players and dodging the NCAA seem to be in a university's manual when new coaches are going through orientation.

For that to change, winning will have to take a backseat to doing the right thing. This is an opportunity for Penn State University to prove that winning football games is just a blemish on the radar in comparison to protecting the lives of young people in this country. They started by sacrificing Joe Paterno, and whistle-blower Mike McQueary should be next.   

I don't blame Penn State students for what happened Wednesday night in State College. But in terms of loyalty and protection, students lined up at the wrong building and wanted the wrong man. No one will ask why they didn't show up at each victim's house to apologize, or at the front door of Jerry Sandusky's house so they could beat him senseless over the mess he has created. 

Take pride in being Penn State, students. "We are Penn State" is a great slogan, and one you will need in the coming weeks, months and years. But Nittany Lions and Americans alike should recognize this as an opportunity to rise from the ashes and turn college football into something more than winning at all costs, or this will become another scandal in another review of what is wrong with sports today.