Harvard / Yale "The Game" - 11.17.12

 

Harvard Yard

Penn State and Coach Paterno - My Memories and Thoughts

I can't help but observe the scandal that is unfolding in "Happy Valley" and feel sorrow. I have no ties to Penn State outside of the one opportunity I had to visit there almost three years to the day. I took away fond memories of a classy establishment that was steeped in pride not only for it's educational facility but it's football program, as well as it's community. I feel sorrow for the victims, their families, the program, the iconic leader, and the entire borough that is State College. I honestly don't know who is to blame for all of this. Obviously the offender, if guilty, should be locked up for a long, long time. I understand the president being removed - he is the head man on that campus and if something like this happens on his watch and he had knowledge, then bye-bye. Then comes Paterno. Part of me says, 'yes' he too should be gone, no questions asked. But there is also a part of me who spent time after my visit learning a lot about this man. An Italian-American from 1920's Brooklyn, NY, Paterno only really knew one thing his whole life, football.

From what I have learned and what little I know about 'old-school' sports guys, I can just envision what took place when these accusations were brought to his attention. I see him turning to his superiors, as he did, and saying "Take care of this". I'm not suggesting he ordered some sort of a cover-up or turned a blind eye to the matter. He probably thought "This is not something I am supposed to deal with. Let the higher-ups handle it". He has stated when it was first brought to his attention, the GA was 'vague' about what he saw. When his superiors never came back with anything on the matter, he assumed either the claims were baseless or where handled as needed. He's a football coach and that's what he continued to do.

Now as we all look back on his actions and how he handled it, we discover 'yes' he could have done more. He has even admitted it. But it seems as if his dismissal signifies some sort of a heinous crime itself. Maybe it was. Many journalists have said it in their columns from coast to coast, yet none of us have really heard many of the facts. As bad as I feel for the victims - and I do - I also feel bad for the 84 year-old Paterno. I just don't believe that he let his 'ego' get in the way of doing what was right. Not this man. But many of you are suggesting this. Well, you are entitled to your opinion. I just don't agree with it.

Meanwhile, Down On The 40 Acres...

Last night the UT Tower was bathed in orange lights in honor of the McCombs School of Business students who won the GE Experienced Commercial Leadership Program Case Competition. The Tower is usually illuminated in all white lights , but on special occasions it will look like it does in these pictures. In 1947 Carl Eckhardt helped create guidelines for using the orange lights.

The full Tower glowing orange represents a victory over Texas A&M in football, Commencement, UT's birthday (9/15), Texas Independence Day (3/2), and other special occasions the university president deems appropriate.

I had been waiting for an occasion that the Tower would be lit this way so I could shoot a set of photos for my collection. I noticed that the campus had different buzz about it when the Tower looks this way. I saw many students out stopping just to gaze at the Tower, taking pictures with their phones and heard many just commenting on how beautiful it looked. Pretty neat!!

Good "Luck" Stanford!!

Florida Gators

Well, I decided to save this one for the last post of the day. Today we saw Urban Meyer's six year career at the University of Florida come to an end. When AD Jeremy Foley hired Urban Meyer on December 4, 2004, the goal was to return Florida football to SEC and national prominence. Mission accomplished. In his six seasons in Gainesville, Meyer guided the Gators to a pair of National Championships, two SEC championships, three SEC Eastern Division crowns and six straight January bowl games, including three BCS bowl games. He became the first coach in the history of the Football Subdivision to post consecutive 13-win seasons and he is the only coach to post three 13-win seasons in a four-year span. I took the picture above while I was in Jacksonville for the annual Florida/Georgia game. I happened to stay at the same hotel/resort as the Gators and caught the team arriving. Little did I know that a few months later I would meet my wife; a Florida alum. I now have, by default, become a Gator fan. We were in Gainesville the weekend of Tim Tebow's final game at The Swamp and I got to see first hand the madness that is Gameday in Gainesville. I can tell you with certainty that the brightest chapter ever in Florida football history, came to an end today. For all he has done over the last six years, I join in with all of the Gator Nation in saying a big, heartfelt Thank You, Coach Meyer!!!

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium