Joe Paterno, longtime coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, was fired yesterday by the university's board of trustees for his role in covering up the alleged sexual abuse by his former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. University President Graham Spanier tendered his resignation rather than face termination.
Mike McQueary, the graduate assistant who witnessed Sandusky performing anal sex on a boy of about 11 years, was not fired and was set to coach in Saturday's game. However, latest reports from the team say McQueary, the wide receivers coach, will not attend the game.
Click on, if you are interested in reading the Grand Jury report on eight victims stories involving sexual acts Sandusky performed or tried to perform on them.
**I should warn that some of the acts are of extremely graphic nature, however, I think people should be aware of some of the behavior sexual predators employ to lower their victims' defenses. So please read with caution.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Penn State continues to drop the ball in this sex scandal
Few days ago, I was blogging about a sexual harassment issue within the ESPN enterprise. Little did I know the U.S. would be rocked by a far worse sexual scandal involving the highly regarded Penn State University. Well, at least it used to be highly regarded until this mess officials at the school have created by turning a blind eye to an egregious crime.
I am enraged that such a thing was accommodated by the school for nearly a decade after it was first reported to officials. Penn State is losing more respect as a university with each hour that passes without the announcement of current coach Joe Paterno being fired. He should not even be allowed to retire, he should be fired effectively. However, the university's board of trustees are sitting on Paterno's decision to play out the season and retire at the end? They continue to empower Paterno even after the revelation that he was aware of the alleged sexual abuse between his defensive coordinator and several underaged boys? The school first announced that Paterno would give a press conference, but would only address football-related questions, not the scandal. When word of the backlash got back to the school, the press conference was canceled. Why on earth would anyone be interested in anything but the abuse allegations? Since then, there has been no public address from Paterno except to announce he plans on coaching the remainder of the season? Way to send the message that football continues to be your priority, instead of a moral obligation to the victims of these heinous crimes and their families.
If you've somehow missed the biggest news in American sports right now, and certainly one of the biggest news nationwide, former Penn State defensive coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested and charged with 40 counts of sexual misconduct including indecent assault of a minor under 16. The allegations occupy a 15-year period between 1994-2009. Some of the alleged victims are as young as 10. Sandusky is an adoptive father of six kids, who along with his wife, started The Second Mile foundation to help at-risk children. However, he's now accused of taking advantage of these children. Authorities allege there were likely much earlier instances of abuse and details, which went unreported. And now it makes me wonder if he preyed on his own adopted children.
Several grand jury reports have been released alleging many incidents including the following:
The first reported incident involved a boy of about 11 or 12, who revealed physical contact with Sandusky during overnight stays at Sandusky's home. The boy's mother reported the sexual assault allegations to his high school, and Sandusky was banned from the child's school district in Clinton County.
Another accuser, now 27, testified that Sandusky initiated contact with a "soap battle" in the shower that led to multiple instances of involuntary sexual intercourse and indecent assault at Sandusky's hands. The accuser said he traveled to charity functions and Penn State games with Sandusky. But when he resisted the coach's advances, Sandusky threatened to send him home from the 1999 Alamo Bowl.
Another child, a boy between ages 11 to 13, was seen by a janitor pinned against a wall while Sandusky performed oral sex on him in fall 2000.
And in 2002, then-graduate assistant Mike McQueary, now a wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, saw Sandusky sexually assault a naked boy, of about 10 years old, in a team locker room shower.
Now this is where the blame game begins. Prosecutors say McQueary reported what he saw to Paterno, who immediately told athletic director Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, the school's senior vice president for business and finance. By this time, Sandusky had retired as defensive coordinator (in 1999,) but was still allowed to use the Nittany Lions' facilities to host foundation events. Penn State's decision was to ban Sandusky from hosting youth camps on the campus, however reports are he continued to host events on Penn State's satellite campus in Erie, Pa. Curley and Schultz are now facing charges for lying to cover up the incident, instead of reporting to the authorities. If you're interested in what their responses to the charges are, you can read more here. McQueary and Paterno, despite being aware of the incident, never followed up on the outcome.
As it stands, there are calls for even the university's president Graham Spanier to resign or face being fired.
Here's portions of Paterno's retirement statement, which he announced today.
"I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief. I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season. At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more. My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this university."
Your goal now is football? Really? In hindsight, you would do things differently, however, you currently choose to focus on coaching your team through the remainder of the season? Would he still take the same stance if one of those boys was his son? You accepted the university's decision to ban him from coming on the main campus, but it's OK to go somewhere else to sexually assault boys?
In 2009, I joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization in Virginia. The organization focuses on pairing at-risk children with mentors, who could guide them to become responsible adults. That is essentially what Sandusky signed up for. These children are not necessarily poor kids who are desperate for monetary gifts. They are children who may be products of broken homes or who have been exposed to the kind of lifestyle that could lead to a life of crime. These children look to their mentors to give them the positive guidance that would lead to a productive future. My little sister wasn't my blood, yet I worried that at 11, she had a Myspace account. I repeatedly cautioned her against the dangers of falling prey to a sexual predator online. To hear that a man, who's a father of six, would take advantage of children under his care is appalling.
Which is why I'm disgusted that Paterno and McQueary, as of this moment, are still scheduled to coach Saturday's game; to continue to be representatives of Penn State. The university has already lost respect for not handling this case years ago and preventing the abuse of many more victims. But allowing Paterno to go out on his own terms sends the message that they care more about their legendary coach of 46 years than of the abused victims.
I am enraged that such a thing was accommodated by the school for nearly a decade after it was first reported to officials. Penn State is losing more respect as a university with each hour that passes without the announcement of current coach Joe Paterno being fired. He should not even be allowed to retire, he should be fired effectively. However, the university's board of trustees are sitting on Paterno's decision to play out the season and retire at the end? They continue to empower Paterno even after the revelation that he was aware of the alleged sexual abuse between his defensive coordinator and several underaged boys? The school first announced that Paterno would give a press conference, but would only address football-related questions, not the scandal. When word of the backlash got back to the school, the press conference was canceled. Why on earth would anyone be interested in anything but the abuse allegations? Since then, there has been no public address from Paterno except to announce he plans on coaching the remainder of the season? Way to send the message that football continues to be your priority, instead of a moral obligation to the victims of these heinous crimes and their families.
 |
| Jerry Sandusky faces multiple sexual abuse charges on boys |
Several grand jury reports have been released alleging many incidents including the following:
The first reported incident involved a boy of about 11 or 12, who revealed physical contact with Sandusky during overnight stays at Sandusky's home. The boy's mother reported the sexual assault allegations to his high school, and Sandusky was banned from the child's school district in Clinton County.
Another accuser, now 27, testified that Sandusky initiated contact with a "soap battle" in the shower that led to multiple instances of involuntary sexual intercourse and indecent assault at Sandusky's hands. The accuser said he traveled to charity functions and Penn State games with Sandusky. But when he resisted the coach's advances, Sandusky threatened to send him home from the 1999 Alamo Bowl.
Another child, a boy between ages 11 to 13, was seen by a janitor pinned against a wall while Sandusky performed oral sex on him in fall 2000.
And in 2002, then-graduate assistant Mike McQueary, now a wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, saw Sandusky sexually assault a naked boy, of about 10 years old, in a team locker room shower.
Now this is where the blame game begins. Prosecutors say McQueary reported what he saw to Paterno, who immediately told athletic director Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, the school's senior vice president for business and finance. By this time, Sandusky had retired as defensive coordinator (in 1999,) but was still allowed to use the Nittany Lions' facilities to host foundation events. Penn State's decision was to ban Sandusky from hosting youth camps on the campus, however reports are he continued to host events on Penn State's satellite campus in Erie, Pa. Curley and Schultz are now facing charges for lying to cover up the incident, instead of reporting to the authorities. If you're interested in what their responses to the charges are, you can read more here. McQueary and Paterno, despite being aware of the incident, never followed up on the outcome.
 |
| Tim Curley |
 |
| Gary Schultz |
As it stands, there are calls for even the university's president Graham Spanier to resign or face being fired.
Here's portions of Paterno's retirement statement, which he announced today.
"I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief. I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season. At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more. My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this university."
 |
| Penn State coach Joe Paterno |
In 2009, I joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization in Virginia. The organization focuses on pairing at-risk children with mentors, who could guide them to become responsible adults. That is essentially what Sandusky signed up for. These children are not necessarily poor kids who are desperate for monetary gifts. They are children who may be products of broken homes or who have been exposed to the kind of lifestyle that could lead to a life of crime. These children look to their mentors to give them the positive guidance that would lead to a productive future. My little sister wasn't my blood, yet I worried that at 11, she had a Myspace account. I repeatedly cautioned her against the dangers of falling prey to a sexual predator online. To hear that a man, who's a father of six, would take advantage of children under his care is appalling.
Which is why I'm disgusted that Paterno and McQueary, as of this moment, are still scheduled to coach Saturday's game; to continue to be representatives of Penn State. The university has already lost respect for not handling this case years ago and preventing the abuse of many more victims. But allowing Paterno to go out on his own terms sends the message that they care more about their legendary coach of 46 years than of the abused victims.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Thrilla in Manila revisited
If you haven't seen the documentary Thrilla in Manila, you have to. HBO's 90-minute documentation of the historic final fight between two of the greatest boxers in history, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, is worth the watch. Released in 2008, the documentary is presented from Frazier's perspective, and doesn't include any direct interviews from Ali beyond archival footage from 1969-1975, when the trilogy of fights were hosted after Ali's boxing license had been restored. Still, with commentary from the Ali camp, including his ringside doctor and Manila liaison, this is a pretty good account of their series of fights.
What everyone should easily remember is that Ali won that fight and has since been referred to as the "greatest boxer of all time." What many may have forgotten is how Ali's hunger for maximum publicity, beginning with the first fight, drove a wedge between the one-time friends. Frazier would never get the kind of fame or money that Ali was awarded, and at the time of the documentary was living in a shabby apartment on top of his boxing gym located in one of Philadelphia's poorest neighborhoods. To get a more in-depth or accurate synopsis of the documentary, you can go here.
I'm more enthralled by the courage and resolve of the two fighters on that day. When you watch highlights from the fight, it's clear why boxing was the biggest sport during that period. It was a period when the best wanted to go against each other. Frazier not only lobbied emphatically for Ali's license to be restored, he assisted Ali financially and helped stage some of the earlier publicized friction between the two (before Ali's 'Uncle Tom' and 'gorilla' taunts resulted in a broken friendship.) It's a far cry from today when the two biggest fighters currently in the sport, Manny Pacquaio and Floyd Mayweather, cannot come to terms to stage arguably the biggest fight since Thrilla. I was captivated by Ali and Frazier's ability to go toe-to-toe for 15 rounds of pure boxing; each taking explosive jabs and combos at each other unlike today's style of dancing around the ring for two of the three minutes allotted for a maximum 12 rounds.
By the time Frazier's corner threw in the towel at the start of the 15th round of the Thrilla fight, both fighters were barely standing upright. I feel like Ali's body had taken more beating of the two by the end; just as some–and I mean just some–of the analysts who called that fight had suggested. But Frazier's face, notably his right eye, had suffered the most external damage. We'll come to find out later that Frazier had been fighting with a partially blinded left eye for most of his major fights, and could barely see once his right eye was shut from swelling. It explains why though he appeared to be the more agile of the two, Frazier couldn't evade Ali's punches. He couldn't see. That alone was the reason his camp threw in the towel on the final round.
"Would you have been willing to risk your life for that final round?" documentarian John Dower asked Frazier in an on-camera interview for the film. "Yes!" was Frazier's response, which he gave even before Dower was done asking. And I don't doubt that for a second. Frazier's trainer Eddie Futch was quoted as saying years after the fight that he had watched eight fighters die in a ring in his lifetime and didn't want to watch a ninth. Many have said Ali was set to win the fight based on punches landed regardless, unless he was knocked out. Some even speculated that Ali was also considering throwing in the towel, especially since he fell to the mat after the fight was ended. We may never know what Ali's strategy for the last round of his greatest fight would have been. Not that it matters now.
Sadly, both boxers continued to fight instead of ending their career on that iconic fight. Ali now struggles with Parkinson's disease. Both fighters endured years of friction, particularly from Frazier toward Ali because the former felt he never got a real apology. In 2001, Ali apologized in a story published in the New York Times, saying he regretted many of the words he called Frazier and had done it merely for publicity. Sadly, Frazier never did leave down some of those words. Being called an Uncle Tom, even though of the two, he was actually the one who had worked since he was a kid. And even though Ali had associated himself with the white supremacist group known as the Ku Klux Klan.
I assume HBO is re-airing the documentary now in light of the news that Frazier, 67, is battling liver cancer. BBC has reported that Ali, 69, has offered his prayer and support to his old friend. Many Frazier fans have offered their livers for a possible transplant to keep him alive, which I only hope will happen. But thanks to documentaries like this, sports fans like me get to relive historical matches, games and fights that we never could have witnessed.
**Update**
Unfortunately, Frazier passed away late Monday night from complications from his battle with liver cancer. R.I.P. Smokin' Joe!
What everyone should easily remember is that Ali won that fight and has since been referred to as the "greatest boxer of all time." What many may have forgotten is how Ali's hunger for maximum publicity, beginning with the first fight, drove a wedge between the one-time friends. Frazier would never get the kind of fame or money that Ali was awarded, and at the time of the documentary was living in a shabby apartment on top of his boxing gym located in one of Philadelphia's poorest neighborhoods. To get a more in-depth or accurate synopsis of the documentary, you can go here.
 |
| Joe Frazier's only win against Muhammad Ali came in the first of their three fights. |
By the time Frazier's corner threw in the towel at the start of the 15th round of the Thrilla fight, both fighters were barely standing upright. I feel like Ali's body had taken more beating of the two by the end; just as some–and I mean just some–of the analysts who called that fight had suggested. But Frazier's face, notably his right eye, had suffered the most external damage. We'll come to find out later that Frazier had been fighting with a partially blinded left eye for most of his major fights, and could barely see once his right eye was shut from swelling. It explains why though he appeared to be the more agile of the two, Frazier couldn't evade Ali's punches. He couldn't see. That alone was the reason his camp threw in the towel on the final round.
 |
| Ali won the brutal final fight between the two, sealing his place as boxing's greatest |
Sadly, both boxers continued to fight instead of ending their career on that iconic fight. Ali now struggles with Parkinson's disease. Both fighters endured years of friction, particularly from Frazier toward Ali because the former felt he never got a real apology. In 2001, Ali apologized in a story published in the New York Times, saying he regretted many of the words he called Frazier and had done it merely for publicity. Sadly, Frazier never did leave down some of those words. Being called an Uncle Tom, even though of the two, he was actually the one who had worked since he was a kid. And even though Ali had associated himself with the white supremacist group known as the Ku Klux Klan.
I assume HBO is re-airing the documentary now in light of the news that Frazier, 67, is battling liver cancer. BBC has reported that Ali, 69, has offered his prayer and support to his old friend. Many Frazier fans have offered their livers for a possible transplant to keep him alive, which I only hope will happen. But thanks to documentaries like this, sports fans like me get to relive historical matches, games and fights that we never could have witnessed.
**Update**
Unfortunately, Frazier passed away late Monday night from complications from his battle with liver cancer. R.I.P. Smokin' Joe!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Ex-ESPN employee involved in masturbating scandal
I met Keith Clinkscales in 2005 or 2006 while I was a student at Florida State University, taking my journalism classes at Florida A&M University. I don't remember the specifics, but I recall being extremely excited that my professor and mentor Joe Ritchie had invited me to a small group meeting with an ESPN executive, which was aimed at encouraging budding sports journalists.
Five or six years later and Clinkscales now joins the ranks of an increasing number of ESPN employees involved in sex scandals. Unlike the likes of MLB analyst Steve Phillips, who engaged in a sexual affair with a network production assistant turned stalker, or NFL analyst Jeremy Green, who was busted for child pornography and drug charges, Clinkscales is accused of not only physical assault on a fellow employee but also masturbating in an airplane to another employee. That employee? None other than Erin Andrews, the notably sexy college football sideline reporter. Can Andrews' tenure at ESPN get any more plagued? You may remember she was unknowingly taped in the nude through the peephole of her hotel room by a stalker. And as if that wasn't creepy enough, now an alleged masturbating incident by a vice president within her workplace?
Thanks to the editorial team at Deadspin, the website known for breaking the Brett Favre sexting scandal involving former FSU Cowgirl Jenn Sterger, the public is now aware of a defamation lawsuit by Clinkscales against the woman he believes leaked the unreported and unpublished masturbating event to the site. I won't go into the details of this story, you can read it here. But I will point out that according to the article, Andrews confirmed the incident happened, but didn't want to report it for fear of losing her job especially in the wake of her very public nude video.
Clinkscales, innocent or not, has been plagued by negative incidents despite his brilliant works. At Vibe magazine, where he worked before ESPN, there were allegations of intimidation on the magazine's staff. At ESPN, he's credited with discovering ESPN anchor Sage Steele and writer/contributor Jemele Hill. He was also behind some of the network's successful creations like its 30 for 30 documentary series and the magazine's Body issue, which I believe was created to mirror the success of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit edition. So it's definitely a red flag that he would leave the network's successful content development section, which he headed, to become an independent producer. Even more telling is ESPN's decision to close the division in the wake of his departure.
When Clinkscales, also a FAMU alum, left that boardroom after speaking to my group, I wished he had taken note of me. I wished he had seen the potential in me, as he did with Steele and Hill, and tabbed me as a future star. But as this allegation surfaces and his track record as an executive emerges, maybe it's not so bad that I wasn't discovered by him.
So what say you? You think Clinkscales is innocent or guilty? Meanwhile, you can find more about ESPN's sex scandals, including NBA moderator Mike Tirico's, here.
Five or six years later and Clinkscales now joins the ranks of an increasing number of ESPN employees involved in sex scandals. Unlike the likes of MLB analyst Steve Phillips, who engaged in a sexual affair with a network production assistant turned stalker, or NFL analyst Jeremy Green, who was busted for child pornography and drug charges, Clinkscales is accused of not only physical assault on a fellow employee but also masturbating in an airplane to another employee. That employee? None other than Erin Andrews, the notably sexy college football sideline reporter. Can Andrews' tenure at ESPN get any more plagued? You may remember she was unknowingly taped in the nude through the peephole of her hotel room by a stalker. And as if that wasn't creepy enough, now an alleged masturbating incident by a vice president within her workplace?
 |
| Photo illustration of Keith Clinkscales and Erin Andrews courtesy Deadspin |
Clinkscales, innocent or not, has been plagued by negative incidents despite his brilliant works. At Vibe magazine, where he worked before ESPN, there were allegations of intimidation on the magazine's staff. At ESPN, he's credited with discovering ESPN anchor Sage Steele and writer/contributor Jemele Hill. He was also behind some of the network's successful creations like its 30 for 30 documentary series and the magazine's Body issue, which I believe was created to mirror the success of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit edition. So it's definitely a red flag that he would leave the network's successful content development section, which he headed, to become an independent producer. Even more telling is ESPN's decision to close the division in the wake of his departure.
When Clinkscales, also a FAMU alum, left that boardroom after speaking to my group, I wished he had taken note of me. I wished he had seen the potential in me, as he did with Steele and Hill, and tabbed me as a future star. But as this allegation surfaces and his track record as an executive emerges, maybe it's not so bad that I wasn't discovered by him.
So what say you? You think Clinkscales is innocent or guilty? Meanwhile, you can find more about ESPN's sex scandals, including NBA moderator Mike Tirico's, here.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
My meeting with Barack Obama...
...never happened. But I came close last Friday. How close? Well, a door stood between me and the Oval Office, which, at the time of my visit, was occupied by President Obama. He was probably preoccupied with working to pass an executive order on drug shortages in the U.S., while I was hoping he'd pop his head out so I can ask him all sorts of sports-related questions. Alas, I didn't get my wish, but it was a memorable experience all the same.
I was part of a group of students from Florida A&M University (the No. 1 historically black college & university in the U.S.) who were invited to the White House to learn about career opportunities within the White House office of communications. We also visited Capitol Hill to hear about similar opportunities within other branches in government. Thanks to FAMU alum Quintin Haynes, the associate director of finance operations at the White House, and Kevin Lewis, White House director of African American media, we got a rare opportunity to hear from White House Press Secretary Jay Carney and his deputy Josh Earnest.
Growing up in Nigeria, I was never interested in politics. If you know anything about Nigerian politics, you know it is a dirty game where "no holds barred" is the only rule applied. If you need some context as to how different the political game is between the U.S. and Nigeria, then you only need refer to the case of U.S. Rep William Jefferson of Louisiana, who was convicted for corruption charges involving a number of shady dealings with several African countries. Among his cohorts was then-Vice President of Nigeria Abubakar Atiku, who was never investigated in Nigeria for his role in this criminal act. Ironically, one of the people we met on the Hill was Jefferson's former press secretary Melanie Roussell, now the Democratic National Party's press secretary. Roussell, a FAMU alum as well, was very genuine in her recollection of how difficult that period was her, job-wise, and for Jefferson, who wanted more focus to be placed on the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. Along with other officials at the Hill and White House, she convinced me that a career in U.S. politics could be beneficial and rewarding.
The trip wasn't all work, though I wouldn't totally classify a White House visit as work. We stopped by the newly dedicated Martin Luther King Memorial. We were scheduled to cover its original unveiling, but missed out on the opportunity thanks to Hurricane Irene, which forced its postponement. If you haven't visited this national monument yet, you should. There's something serene about this place. And you never know who you may meet there. I ran into noted black historian Henry Louis Gates, who was also visiting for the first time.
Overall, I enjoyed this trip immensely. I didn't get to talk sports or play basketball with President Obama, but I left with a valuable experience worth savoring for years. Meanwhile, I'm encouraging total honesty here. For those of you who've known me and know about my passion for sports, can you envision a career in politics for me?
I was part of a group of students from Florida A&M University (the No. 1 historically black college & university in the U.S.) who were invited to the White House to learn about career opportunities within the White House office of communications. We also visited Capitol Hill to hear about similar opportunities within other branches in government. Thanks to FAMU alum Quintin Haynes, the associate director of finance operations at the White House, and Kevin Lewis, White House director of African American media, we got a rare opportunity to hear from White House Press Secretary Jay Carney and his deputy Josh Earnest.
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| Jay Carney imitating the Rattler strike. |
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| With White House officials. FAMU connections indicated by the strike. |
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| With Henry Louis Gates at the MLK Memorial |
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| The gigantic sculpture of Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Jr. |
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| White House Press Room |
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