Does the Penn State Debacle Show the True Values of America?

I admit that I do not follow sports. On the professional level, I view it as no more than a business making money by providing circus to the masses, which is fine and good, but I prefer Cirque du Soleil for my circus entertainment. 

Professional sports is often toted as giving value by producing examples and role models for kids to aspire to. Yet, the very opposite is the lesson that is taught to our children.

If a winning QB such as Brett Favre has a child out of wedlock — it's OK. If he becomes addicted to pain pills — that is OK. And we do not investigate to find his drug pusher — if he texts obscene pictures to female acquaintances, so what.

If the NFL and their teams push the players to play hurt — so what. In the end, bodies are torn apart, players become addicted to drugs pushed by the team medicos, and when the players retire, they are often crippled, addicted to pain killers and broke.

On the college level I don't follow sports, as I do not really see what they have to do with higher education, other than a way for the schools to exploit their players.

Coaches and staff make millions more than school presidents, chandellors, administrators or professors. The lesson there is not to encourage your child to become edcuated and a part of academia, but rather to work to be a coach.

The players are not paid or compensated, often graduate with no degree, or if they have a degree it is more often a sham than a learning experience. The NCAA and the schools with the help of congress and the courts have set up a system so that it is actually illegal to pay the students. Just think, if they pay the students and a player gets hurt, they would have to pay workers comp. That would eat into the millions that they are paying the coaches.

Of course none of this could be possible, if the fans did not tolerate it, and even endorse it.

But at what level has not only the system sunk to, but also the fans and the students.

A coach allegedly rapes young boys — allegedly seen having anal sex with a young boy in the school's shower room — and it is all allegedly covered up for years by the head coach, the school police and of course the school administration.

And when finally, after years of this alleged conduct, the school fires the head coach — the students protest.

If what allegedly happened did occur, and if the coach, the police and the administration did actually cover it all up, that is a travesty and shows the worst of human kind exploiting the helpless for monetary gain.

However, as heinous as that all would be — if it is possible — the students and fans who demonstrated against the school taking action, have managed to sink to an even lower level.

Their demonstation is saying in effect, that they are willing to pimp out their young brothers, sisters, sons and daughters if it will let them win more games.

I am sure the people in Roman times who ran trading businesses in the buying and selling of humans to be torn to pieces in gladiator spectacles would be glad if they could take some of this action. Their modern day counterparts may just be the bettors at the books in Vegas or the local bookies — they can pretend to keep their hands clean as they try to profit off the action.