Joe Paterno Quotes

'A Man Is Not Finished When He's Defeated. He Is Finished When He Quits.'

My intention with this moonlighting gig as a columnist was never to become someone who wrote about sports all the time. Of the 47 columns I have written for StateCollege.com, 18 have had to do with sports.

But the news coming from college football of late has made it very difficult to ignore it as a subject. Every day this summer it seems a new detail or a new story emerges to cast another dark cloud over the game I have committed a good chunk of my life to.

This time of year, college football is generally out of the spotlight until late July or August when fall camp begins for the upcoming season.

No, this summer: It has been a steady chorus of allegations, accusations and investigations resulting in resignations and litigation NCAA. (This is something good in the final syllable alliteration)

Graduates during recent events, I was invited by Penn Staters on the state of Ohio and about Terrell Pryor. At night, he left school, I even received messages from people who were almost jubilant on the latest developments.

When Pryor went to Ohio State, both Joe Paterno and I have been blamed by some members of the media and fans to be the reason why he went elsewhere. Most people expect that I was pleased with the turn of events.

Watching how this story has ended hasn't given me any joy. Quite the contrary, it has bothered and even saddened me.

Terrelle Pryor first visited our offices in the 10th grade. He was a young man who had already committed to play college basketball at Pitt. In recruiting, you meet family members, friends, neighbors and coaches. Over a few years, you become aware of the threads that form the fabric of a recruit's existence.