Get a Clue Already, Penn State

By - Kris Fletcher

By now, we all know the details.

We know Jerry Sandusky will spend the remainder of his days behind bars. We know several higher-ups at Penn State University knew what was going on. We know Joe Paterno lied -- repeatedly.

The facts are the facts.

What we don't know is -- what exactly is the school thinking after the fact?

On Sunday, the Penn State Board of Trustees announced that they will not order the removal of Joe Paterno's statue from in front of Beaver Stadium.

Photo by: Pat Little

"It has to stay up," one trustee who wanted to remain anonymous said. "We have to let a number of months pass, and we'll address the issue again. But there is just no way. It's not coming down."

Funny how the one group in this equation that should get it, doesn't.

Nike sure didn't waste any time removing Paterno's name from their child development center. After all, "Paterno" and "child" are two words that should probably never collide in the same sentence again.

Former Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden, who was one of Paterno's close friends, is among the many who believe the statue needs to come down.

"Every time somebody walks by and sees that thing, they're not going to remember the good years," Bowden said. "They're going to remember the thing with Sandusky."

Try telling that to the university Bobby, because apparently -- they're not up to speed with what's going on in the real world.

Or if they are, they're choosing to ignore it.

Again.

The fact of the matter is, any reminder whatsoever of Paterno's tarnished legacy should have already been wiped clean from the campus.

And that statue should have been the first thing to go.

I understand what you're going through, Penn State. The man you thought was a saint all these years turned out to be anything but, and now you're stuck in a complete state of disbelief and denial.

Hey, it happens to all of us.

Still, that denial is no excuse to continue to make the wrong decisions. The healing process is always a long one, and in this particular case -- it can never truly begin until JoePa's bust is gone.

I've heard a lot of people suggest that the statue should simply be turned the other way. That's cute and all, but allow me to offer up an alternative to that.

There's a men's restroom not far from where the statue is currently sitting. Just relocate it there, and turn it into the world's most detailed urinal.

It would be a fitting end to this extremely sorry tale.