The Hungry Journalist

I watched the Outside the Lines report on Penn State’s arrest problems, and was blown away by how much trouble the football program has been in.

And I’ve been in the middle of a season in which a football program has had some jailhouse blues.

Last year, beginning in the summer months prior to the season, the Texas football team had more encounters with the law than I can count on one hand, including a couple of felonies. Like Penn State’s issues, there was an apartment assault involved. There was also one crazy dude who tried twice in one night to break into some cars.

I must admit that I drank the anti-burnt orange kool-aid during the entire season when it came to character issues with the team, which I was covering then. I was on high alert for arrests and accusations and kept my eye on the local blotters. I got a little too deep into it toward the very end, and I learned a lot of lessons from that season when it comes to what people find appropriate when covering athletes and crime.

But I cannot imagine being a reporter in State College.

And recalling my own experiences after watching the ESPN peice, which I enjoyed, I realize now how well UT handled everything.

Like the fact that, after a certain point, the arrests stopped. This means that the team, coaches and administration got a hold of the situation. They talked to the players and send a resounding message that seemed to work.

Get your shit together, or we will do that for you and throw it and you out of this university.

Penn State, on the other hand, had no such luck. From beer-bottle brawls to threats at knifepoint, the trouble just won’t stop for the program. It’s gone beyond bad press to a legitimate problem within the program.

It seemed last season that Texas was heading in the same direction.

But the reason Texas seemed to get stuff under control, in my opinion, stems from coach Mack Brown. I’m no Brown apologist. But when I saw him at the impromptu press conference put on to adress the team’s legal issues, I believed him when he said he’d been unable to sleep for a week.

It was obvious he cares about the integrity of the team, and that he recognized just how bad things were getting.

Penn State’s coach, Joe Paterno, took a very different approach. Though he forced his kids to clean up the stadium, which was very old school and sounded like a good idea, it was more show than solution.

And when approached by OTL, JoPa called it a “witch hunt.”

Stephen A. Smith called for Paterno’s job. I don’t agree with that, mostly because I have no right to think someone should have their ability to work taken way, but it seems to me that Paterno didn’t do his job with the OTL interview.

Blaming the media for pointing out a blatant problem like this is like being mad at a doctor for telling you smoking is dangerous to your health. OTL did a bad job in trying to say that Penn State started recruiting bad seeds, even if it’s true. I feel it was in Texas’ case, but trying to present that as fact in reporting is irresponsible.

But JoPa was out of line calling this a witch hunt. If he doesn’t start redirecting those emotions toward his wayward players, people will continue to call for his resignation.

And worst of all, his players might keep clogging up the State College blotters.