To Catch A Predator: Penn State

I know what I would have done. If I walked in on an adult man having sex in the shower with a ten year old boy I would have gone mad. I would charge the rapist, pull him away from the child, and, beat the living shit out of him. Then, I would ask the boy if he was ok. Then, a call to the police. My job, the school, the football program, would have no thought in my actions. A child was being molested and any other concerns at that time are very minor..... I know what I would have done. If I was the head coach of a football team and my assistant coach has been found molesting children, I would have alerted the authorities as soon as possible. The police, the administration, whomever I needed to let know. As a coach of young men-- hell, as a father and grandfather-- I would want this motherless fuck locked up and put away..... I know what I would have done. If I was the Athletic Director or the President of the University or the Vice President of Finance and Business, I would have gone to the police.... I know what I would have done. If I worked for the police department, and, I saw this investigation being pushed under the carpet because of the power of the school, I would have gone to the media. My job at that point is not as important as getting a pedophile off the streets to protect children... The scandal is quite astounding. And, the story has the potential to get even bigger. For a shocking and horrific description of what went on between Jerry Sandusky and the boys he attacked, there is the grand jury testimony transcript that you can access online. I would advise not to read it, however. Especially, if you are a parent. We all know what this monster did, but, to see it in black and white is nauseating. What he did, and, what the school did to cover all of this all up, is indecent and descipable. All in the name of keeping the glory of Joe Paterno and Penn State intact. Which means, money. Because that is the true bottom line in all of this. If Penn State wasn't such a cash cow for the NCAA and the State Of Pennsylvania, this would have come out years ago. Remember, this didn't happen last week or a few months ago with Sandusky, this happened OVER A 15 YEAR PERIOD!!!!! Are they really trying to make the public believe that the powers that be didn't know about what was happening? We know the story. We know about the cover up now. How can these men, who are parents, let this go on? Because of the mighty Penn State legacy?... At some point, you have to wonder when these powerful men in authority lost touch with being a human being. Most of us, well, we know what to do. But, they sold themselves to the devil long ago, with the reward being that they are involved with a powerful college football program, as if that matters in life. Whatever it takes to win is their motto. ''So what if the law and human decency get in the way in the march to glory and profits. We are Penn State!!! We are champions!!! The money is rolling in!!! Why should we care if some children are sexually and emotionally disturbed? We look at our trophies and all is forgotten''... But, all is not forgotten. In due time, justice will come to these people. First, the law of the land, and then, God will get them soon enough.... As in all abuse cases, the sympathy is with the victims. Little boys at the time. Little boys who were deprived of a carefree childhood, which is every child's right. Little boys who trusted a friendly stranger to make them feel a little better about living. Then, the horror set in and these boys will never be the same. That is the sad case with all victims of child abuse- the most horrific of human crimes. A child is not allowed to be a happy child. Instead, the trauma they experience will mark their soul forever... This is the heart of the Penn State story. It seems to be slowly sinking in to the protesters who foolishly believe Paterno and his ilk are the true victims. You can't really blame these college kids too much, they are young and easily manipulated by the school's propaganda machine. As they get older, they will see how power can trample over human decency.... I hope someday, when I die and I meet God, it can be explained to me why children suffer. Why such a person as Jerry Sandusky walks the earth. Why people such as Joe Paterno, Mike McQueary, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, and, Gary Schultze allow this to go on without a care in the world.... My thoughts and prayers are with these victims, and, all victims of abuse. May they find peace in their souls....

Sweethearts Part 2

The cottage, or cabin by the lake, produced the best of times for the family. It was here that Jack taught the kids to fish. It was here that Claire, a born outdoors woman, showed the children to appreciate the beauty of the land. Many times, when the lake was just warm enough, there would be the dinnertime swims with the family. Jack wasn't much of a swimmer, so, it fell on Claire to teach the kids how to swim. Jack didn't mind his role on the sidelines during these moments. It gave him time to take stock of his life and family. He sure was blessed. The kids were growing up good, strong children. His wife and him had done well. And, Jack, would find himself staring at Claire with a love that seemed to grow stronger as the years went on.... As much as they both loved the kids, Jack and Claire had to concede that their favorite moments at the cabin didn't involve the kids. They took place at night, after the kids were tucked away. There was a big fireplace in the cabin. The lights would be turned low. Claire would make them both a drink, and, they would quietly lie by the fireplace in each other's arms. Jack loved to see the light from the fire reflect off of Claire's face. There was sometimes talk between them, but, more often than not, they shared a comfortable silence of love. With the madness of the world just beyond the door, here was a little piece of Heaven, snugly against a quiet fire... With great reluctance, the family would leave the cabin on Sunday nights-- but, not before seeing a heart stopping sunset from the lake-- and, return to normal life. The kids would start up at school, Jack would be selling his insurance, and, Claire would keep the family on track at home. Life hummed along quite normally as the years went by. And, as always, there was the cabin and that magical fireplace in it, that was their oasis...Then..... It started with a small lump under Claire's arm. At first, she ignored it. Then it became too painful to ignore. She went to the doctor and he delivered the grim results: it was cancer. And, it had spread all over her body. He gave her a year at the most. Devastated, she told her family. The kids couldn't believe it. Jack felt as though he had been told he had the cancer. Claire said she would fight it. She was a fighter and she would beat it, dammitt!! At first, she did. The first couple of months she beat the demon. But, the success was fleeting. The cancer wore her down. In and out of hospitals was her life now. She couldn't even visit the cabin anymore.... Jack came out on his memory. Claire seemed to be trying to awaken. It was just the two of them. He was tempted to have the nurse ring for his children in the cafeteria, but, decided against it. Claire opened her eyes one last time. He saw she was going to die. The tears were in his eyes. And, also in Claire's. Jack whispered that he loved her. Claire couldn't talk. She was holding his hand. A squeeze of her hand said the words back to him. Then, Claire closed her eyes for the final time... The family survived after Claire's death, but, Jack was never the same man again. His children were grown and he was proud of them. However, his Claire was gone, and, with her passing, his desire for life. Almost two years later, Jack joined his bride.... The children eventually sold the cabin. They couldn't bear to visit it again without their parents. So, it was sold in due time. A young couple bought it and started their memories with their children. Jack and Claire's children hoped that the new owners liked to lie by a fireplace...

Sweethearts Part 1

Jack looked down at the poor woman laying in the hospital bed. All stricken with the cancer that had been eating away at her body for the better part of a year. Her once beautiful, angelic face was almost unrecognizable. He saw the whiteness in her hair and the ghost pallor of her face. He just knew death was close for his wife. She was in and out of consciousness, but, when she was lucid, he thought she must have known death was near also. He was glad that the children were away for the night. He wanted to be alone with her. But, for right now, he just wanted to remember..... His mind took him back to when they were kids. Jack could remember the day when they met. He was 9. Claire was 7. It was in the schoolyard and for some reason the girls were chasing the boys trying to kiss them. Jack , at 9, was more interested in baseball than girls. But, for some strange reason he thought if this Claire girl wanted to trip him and kiss him, well, that wouldn't be bad. Looking back at that moment in later years, they both would say that moment was their first date. And, it happened: Jack had fallen--- maybe, a little more easily than he would have--- and, Claire said, ''Hi, my name is Claire and I claim you!'' With that, she planted a solid kiss right on his lips! Later, Jack would say it was the best kiss of his life.... Soon, they became friends. They were still young, so, there was no hanky panky going on, just a young boy and girl bonded in childhood. They discovered they lived close to each other, so, soon he was marching to her house almost everyday to play games after school. Their mothers got along well enough, as a matter of fact, both families cared deeply for each other. As Jack and Claire grew older and taller, there was quiet, behind the hand talk among the parents that these two might someday marry. It was done in whispers. Of course, they shouldn't hear the speculation.The parents didn't want to embarass the kids.... As teenagers, the stirrings of young adulthood soon arrived. Jack began to notice other young girls and Claire spotted the guys she liked. At first, they tried to express to each other these new feelings. For some reason, they failed to do so successfully. To tell Claire that he thought the girl in his class was cute seemed awkward for him. Claire shared the same feeling. That is when they both decided to try this new thing teenagers did called dating.... Oh, their first official ''date'' was awful funny!!! Jack made a big show about picking Claire up at her house to go to the movies. They had to be around 17 and 15 then. Jack borrowed his Dad's car and drove over to Claire's. Her mom answered the door with an almost knowing smile. Jack politely asked for Claire. Claire then emerged walking down the stairs. It was at the moment, seeing her all dressed up and looking more mature than he ever had seen her, that Jack fell in life with her. Never in his years of knowing her did that thought ever occur to him, but, now, he knew someday she would be his wife... From that moment on, they were together. After graduating school, Jack stayed close to home and got a job in an insurance company. Claire graduated a few years later and became a secretary. Both knew that they could have each gone away and started another life, as many of their friends did, but, they both knew the life they wanted: it was with each other.... They were married in in 1965. Jack was 22 and Claire 20. The day of the wedding dawned gloomy and rainy. Some people would have thought it was a bad omen for the marriage, but, not them. They were in love, the very embodiment of the term ''Childhood Sweethearts''. Jack was standing at the altar , waiting for her. Claire was brought down the aisle by her father. When her hand was given to him, he felt the feeling surge through his body. He knew he loved this woman with every fiber of his soul. Looking into her eyes during the ceremony, he saw the endless love that she had for him returning his gaze. It might have been gloomy outside , but, inside, it was filled with the golden sunshine of two people in love. They said their vows. They kissed. And, then their life together began... They bought a house near their families and filled that house with three children. Jack stayed with the insurance company until retirement and Claire was a stay at home mom-- the world's toughest job. They had their ups and downs like any couple. Moments of what might have been came through once in a while, but, very rarely. They both loved and liked each other. And, they adored their children. As a gift to each other and the children, Jack scrapped together enough money to buy a weekend cottage by a lake an hour away, up north....

One Man's Day Of Infamy

The ball seemed very much like it was going out of bounds. From his perspective, he knew the wind could have taken it many different ways. But, the people around him had the same thoughts because they were rising in anticipation also. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Moises Alou, the left fielder, coming towards the wall. The ball came closer. It then dropped into the group of fans around him, a few were his friends. Alou jumped, sticking his glove over the wall and slightly into the group of fans. Several hands reached for the ball. Steve Bartman had the best chance to grab it. It is a judgment call whether he interfered or not. At that moment, on live television beamed around the world, a man's destiny was forever altered.... ESPN has been running the new documentary ''Catching Hell'' about that moment and the impact it has had on Bartman's life. The film interviews many of the key people that night, including the fans around Bartman, Moises Alou, and, the security folks who got Bartman the hell out of there. Steve Bartman declined to be interviewed, a wise move. There is nothing to be gained for him to be featured.... What is so fascinating about this documentary is that it shows the human behavior around the central event. We all saw it. We debate whether he interfered. The hand held cameras in the crowd that night tell another side of the story that is rarely seen. And, that story is most disturbing. To actually hear and see the fans reaction is unbelievable. In the back of my mind, I knew that response by the crowd was always there, but, shoved abruptly in the viewers face is mindboggling. Almost immediately, Bartman was showered in verbal and physical abuse from the crowd. Security wisely moved in to protect him, but, that was a thankless job. From his seat, Bartman could hear the calls for his life from those around him and from the street. Of course, these weren't true Cub fans- every team in sports has the irrational lunatic fringe section that calls itself real fans. But, that doesn't matter when your life is being threatened. After several minutes, security took him and led him away. He was belted with beer and other objects. Going down the stairs, again with security his buffer between him and the crowd, there were several drunk fans he narrowly missed getting into a fight with. As we all know,  some foolish people act stronger and tougher when they have alcohol in there systems. Add to that the taunting of the crowd, and, suddenly Bartman is the most hated man in Cubdom. If the documentary has a flaw, it is that I wished some of those moronic fans were interviewed now. Their reactions would be invaluable. I would hope they have sobered and wised up to their behavior that night. If they haven't, then you have to fear their sanity.... Bartman was taken into the security room in the ballpark to wait out the end of the game. Sadly, the Cubs blew their lead in the game--- remember , they were only five outs away from a victory that would have sent them to the World Series. What is also shown in the film, and, also , forgotten by certain Cub fans, is how the Cubs imploded that night. Game 6 turned into a maze of errors and bad pitches. The bottom fell out after the Bartman play, but, Bartman was in the security office by then. He wasn't on the field, making the bonehead mistakes. In typical Cub fashion, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.... The most interesting part of this documentary is the interviews with the security that night. They performed their jobs remarkably that night and people have to remember that. One security woman, who lived around Wrigley Field, took Bartman to her apartment to get him out of harm's way. The media was already stalking him and he needed the shelter of a calm spot. She described him as not really being all in the moment, asking her what really happened. Bartman was in shock, as we all would be. At this point, if the viewer was not putting himself or herself in Bartman's position, then they have missed the whole point of the film. Human compassion is what was needed most for Bartman, and, he found it with this woman. After a long wait at her place, Bartman was taken home to his parents house where he lived. After that long night, he needed the love that only family could give him. By the morning, the world was at his parents front door, ready to pounce.... Helicoptors flew over his house. Talk radio was alive with his name, where he lived, and, all of his back history. The bulls eye on his back had grown. He couldn't leave his house. His life became torment. If those irrational Cub ''fans'' who threatened his life were the bad guys in the Bartman story, then the media became their sidekicks. One moment of trying to catch a ball became a lifetime of always looking over your back, wondering who was going to get you. The dark side of human behavior is not always terrorist acts or physical abuse, but, is also verbal abuse done to sensitive, normal human beings. Steve Bartman doesn't strike me as a evil man, far from it. Just an innocent victim who fate settled on one infamous night.... There is much more to the documentary, which I highly recommend. They drag out the whole ''Cubs Curse'' absurdity, complete with the '' Billy Goat'' story [ by the way, I have eaten at the Billy Goat Tavern and their cheeseburgers suck ] The filmmakers interview former Cub Bill Buckner, who also had misfortune drop on his soul in the 1986 World Series. It took many years for Buckner to deal with his error and the Red Sox fans reaction to him. Finally, within the last few years, Boston welcomed him back to throw out the first pitch. The crowd gave him a standing ovation and he was genuinely touched. All seemed forgiven.... I hope sometime soon Steve Bartman will be welcomed back to Wrigley Field to such fan support. He deserves it. Those who do not like the idea should stay away. Or, better yet, should crack open a famous book that was written years ago. In the Bible, there are plenty of passages that talk about compassion and redemption... And, nothing about the World Series....

The Quiet Beatle Part 4

Cancer wasn't foreign to the Fab Four. Various family and friends had died from the disease. George, like the other three, was a heavy smoker. In 1997, he discovered a lump in his throat. The doctors told him the news. The cancer was stopped temporarily, but, in time it would spread to his lungs, and, finally, to his brain.... In the middle of the night on December 29, 1999, George and Olivia were awakened by strange sounds from downstairs. Investigating the noise, George came across an intruder with a knife. George quickly said, ''Hare Krishna'' to the man, hoping that it would pacify him. It didn't. The man attacked George and stabbed him deeply in the chest. While the two men struggled , Olivia grabbed a lamp and began hitting the intruder over the head. Finally, the man collapsed, but, George was seriously wounded. He was taken to the hospital with internal bleeding. He almost died.... After the attack, he never really recovered. The final two years of his life, the cancer took over his body. In the summer of 2001, George knew he was a dying man. And, because of his faith, he was comfortable in spirit knowing that he was finally going to see the God he had been searching for. The only drawback, he knew, was that he would be leaving his loved ones. Throughout the last month of his life, George said goodbye.... Paul visited him in the hospital those final weeks. They had been on good terms for many years. They held hands for the entire visit. Two old friends who had seen and done so much. Ringo also saw George. The three didn't have to tell each other they loved each other, it was there and it was real. One day in Heaven that reunion will come between the four of them..... The last day, November 29, George was in and out of consciousness. Olivia said he was chanting the ''Hare Krishna'' prayer as he died... In Hindu tradition, George was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Ganges river... So, what to make of this extraordinary man and life? He seemed to live in contradiction. I believe his naughty behavior were the steps he needed to take to find his peace. And, I do believe he got there at the end. Ultimately, it doesn't matter if he wasn't a saint--- he never claimed to be--- but, what he left us. Like John, George is best represented in his music. And, in the music, was a witty, intelligent, gentle, sincere man who wanted to bring love to the world. My heart still gently weeps for the ''Quiet Beatle'', which he wasn't by the way.... John, Paul, George, and Ringo made music that forever will be in our genetic systems, but, more importantly, they were very human men who had the flaws we all do. They are family. And, George was the son who showed us the beauty when the sun comes...

The Quiet Beatle

With the dawn of the new decade, George released the mammoth ''All Things Must Pass'' album. This three record album shot to the top of the charts, spawned a number 1 single in ''My Sweet Lord'', and, showed once and for all, that George was a bit of a musical genius in his own right. The title song was a not too veiled reminder to the public that his Beatle days were over and now we would all have to regard him as ''George Harrison''.... But, underneath the bravado lurked the darkness that was in his life. Pattie and him were not doing well--- George remained very much the player with women-- and, his spirituality was taking over his life. Pattie couldn't compete with both of those outside forces. George kept looking for the truth. Pattie wanted a normal life. They fought constantly. Added to the mix was that George's new best friend, Eric Clapton, was in love with Pattie[ the song ''Layla'' is about her]. Things were quite sticky at Friar Park. Then it got even stickier.... Rumor has it that there were a lot of instances where wife swapping took place. Allegedly, George took up with Ringo's wife Maureen, while Pattie shacked up with Ronnie Wood. Whatever the true story is, both George and Ringo ended their marriages-- and, Pattie went off with Clapton. This is the duality of George Harrison. On one hand a man searching for God. On the other, a very mortal man surrendering to the pleasures of the flesh. Interesting enough, all of this bizarre behavior among the rich rock stars didn't alter their feelings of love they had for each other. Perhaps, it was the life they were used to, where normal behavior has never flowered.... Throughout the 70's George released various albums to various acclaim and audience indifference. While the work of all the Beatles in their solo years is a mixed bag, the public still retained a strong love of the band. Constant requests for reunions. Of course, it never happened. George was reluctant. He also said that if John would do it, he would also. George loved Paul, but, had no desire to play music again with him. He wanted to be close again with John , though. But, the problem continued to be Yoko. John was secluded behind the thick walls of the Dakota building, almost like a prisoner. And, Yoko was the warden. In the last years of John's life, these two, who were once brothers in arms-- who, in another life, in another time, were teacher and pupil-- had virtually no contact with each other.... On the morning of December 9, 1980, George was asleep at home in England. The phone rang. His manager told him the news: John had been shot to death in New York. George put down the phone and said the Hare Krishna prayer for the dead. Not only would the Beatles never reunite, but, more importantly to George, he lost the one person , after God, who had the most influence on him. He cried himself back to sleep.... By the time of John's death, George was a new husband and father. He met Olivia Arias in 1974, and , perhaps for the first time in his life, he was truly in love. They had a son together, Dhani, born in 1978. George and Olivia became even more private after Lennon's death, naturally fearing for their own safety. That fear became a reality in 1999.... Throughout the 80's, George retreated to his garden. He loved the sight of the beauty growing from the earth. Here was God at his best, growing life, instead of the madness the outside world was growing. When he did return to the public in 1987, it was with a new album, '' Cloud Nine'' and a new outlook. Age seemed to mellow him. He had a wife. He had a son. He had a successful career. His spirituality was still strong. And, whatever bad feelings he had about the Beatles seemed to wash away. Friends say he loved to talk about the past and his former group. By the 90's, George seemed poised to grow old gracefully and peacefully. Then he got cancer...

The Quiet Beatle Part 2

At first, George loved the trappings of fame. When the Beatles became a worldwide sensation, everything was thrown at them. Wine, women, and song. And, money. Big time money. George became a millionaire by the age of 21. He purchased a mansion called Friar Park. It was his hideaway from the madness. As an adult , George still valued his privacy. And, when he moved into the house, he now had a roommate... Pattie Boyd met George on the set of ''A Hard Days Night'' . She was an extra and a model. All blue eyed and blonde, she stole George's heart at first glance. He asked her out on the first day of filming. She said no, but, a Beatle didn't take no for an answer. Finally, after putting him off for a week, she consented to go out on a date with him. Very fast, they became an item and Pattie moved into Friar Park. They were married in 1966 and never had any children... George might have been married, but, that didn't stop him having some bachelor fun. All of the boys were terrible at monogamy. The tours they went on around the world were drug debauched orgies. No man was immune. The women were blissfully ignorant of what was happening. The Boys from Liverpool were old fashioned men: the women stayed at home... Around 1965, John and George and their wives were invited to a dinner at a dentist friend's house. Without their knowledge, LSD was slipped into the coffee. Fearing for their health, the four made a hasty exit. They went to a club. That is when the effects of the drug kicked in. The women were terrified. John was entranced. George, however, had the most lasting memory of the trip. It awakened the path of enlightenment for him. George said that was the moment when he found God. He felt God in everything and he felt himself in everything. The part of his soul that lay dormant to spirituality came alive. No longer was he the same person. The door had opened for him, and, until the end of his life, he was searching for the Divine. This was no drug fueled delusion. George felt it deep in his soul.... But, living in the material world tested his new found life. The vices were still tempting him. George tried hard to resist, but, by his own account, he failed many times. Infidelity, rampant drug use, and most depressing of all to him, the Beatles experience was stifling him. While the boys still were each others best friends, the rot was setting in. Brian Epstein's death, the pressures of the public, the runaway madness of their business company Apple, and, above all, the arrival of Yoko Ono in John's life made it all collapse... George never outgrew his admiration of John Lennon. The two became close as the years went by, but, George never lost the feeling that John was his hero. As he was the baby in his family, George became the baby of the Beatles. John and Paul were the older brothers, Ringo was the add on. As George began to write his own songs in 1963, John was his role model. George sang like John, wrote songs in John's pitch, and, behaved as John wanted him to. With the arrival of Yoko, George lost his contact with John. As Lennon changed, so did the makeup of the Beatles. In the past, John would be the buffer between Paul and the band. Paul was born to dominate and he did so frequently with George and Ringo. John would step in and, since he was the leader, Paul would back off. With Yoko on the scene, there was no buffer. And, that was when George and Paul started having their problems. All the pieces began to fall apart. Their empire was crumbling. Sadly, so was the brotherhood they had with each other.... Ironically, with the collapse of the group, George started writing some of his best songs. ''While My Guitar Gently Weeps,'' ''Here Comes The Sun'', ''Something''. George was  finally writing his masterpieces alongside the juggernaut of Lennon- McCartney classics. By the time the group finally disbanded in 1970, George was primed to have the best solo career of the four....