Penn State football may be enjoying a refreshing season of relativity for all the right reasons on the football field, but the past continues to get in the way sometimes. Today, former Penn State football players issued a statement in response to comments made by Detroit Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy that took issue with Joe Paterno and his role in the Jerry Sandusky scandal in State College.
Levy said he was proud to be the Wisconsin player that broke Paterno’s leg during a sideline collision back in 2011. Levy called Paterno a dirtbag in a Men’s Journal profile. Levy said it was his “proudest moment in college,” after reflecting on everything that has since been learned about Paterno in the wake of the Sandusky scandal over the years.
This obviously did not sit well with a number of Penn State football players, alums and fans who still view Paterno as a holy spirit of sorts and will stop at nothing to defend him at every opportunity.
“We find the recent statement by DeAndre Levy about Coach Paterno appalling, along with the silence that has accompanied it,” a statement from the Penn State Lettermen reads. “To joyfully and proudly take credit for hurting a defenseless human being is sad, in and of itself. But, to couple this gleeful statement with a willful ignorance of the facts and circumstances surrounding our coach speaks to a complete lack of character and moral integrity on the part of Mr. Levy. Mr. Levy’s comments reflect poorly on him, his university, the Detroit Lions and the NFL, and are certainly deserving of vocal comdemnation.”
So, yeah, those who played for Paterno continue to defend him. Those who didn’t will continue to bash him. Is there a middle ground here with the Paterno legacy? Not really. Not yet at least. Given all that has been learned about this unfortunate saga in State College, Pennsylvania, it is easy to place a degree of blame on Paterno. The ultimate monster is still Jerry Sandusky, and he will likely rot away the remaining years of his life in a prison cell for it. While Paterno has most certainly done a great number of good things for Penn State and the community, that simply cannot completely overshadow his ties to this whole Sandusky scandal.
Former #PennState football players condemn @UWBadgers @Lions DeAndre Levy's statements on Paterno, contend "willful ignorance of facts." pic.twitter.com/Pm6d6mUEtn
— Maribeth Schmidt (@MaribethSchmidt) November 22, 2016
Having studied this story from as many angles as I have over the last five years, I do think there is blame to place on Paterno’s shoulders. At the same time, I do believe there are many people from both sides of this who tend to jump to their conclusions without taking all of the information into consideration. The former Penn State football players knew Paterno on a level very few of us ever could have, and their devotion to their former coach is equal parts admirable and unfortunate, because at times it shields them from seeing the negative side to the story.
Levy may not have all of the facts to jump to his conclusion, but some former Penn State players may be wiser to just let some of these comments go at times.
