The Arrogance of Silence

I’m watching the Nebraska-Penn State football game, and believe me I could not care less which team wins.

At this moment, Nebraska is leading 17-0, but Penn State is driving.

The camera scans the Penn State sideline, gathering the reactions of the coaches and players to an excellent play, a run to the five yard-line.

Stephfon Green scores! The camera again scans the sideline at the 5:07 mark of the third quarter. It’s a game now and the Penn State staff is excited. Shouting, extolling.

Where were they for the last decade or more? Why weren’t they shouting and rooting for the underdog over the long years of Jerry Sandusky’s alleged abuses?

They knew, of course. How could they have not known that Sandusky was a pedophile?

Coaching is a fraternity. The same group that knows the heavy drinkers among them, or those who carry on affairs, or those who may be a trifle dim-witted—why shouldn’t they know of the pedophile among them?

The arrogance of silence overwhelms even the roar of 107 thousand in Happy Valley.

It is a deep, shameful noise.

A football game is being played in State College today.

But there will be no winner.


TS