Paterno Covered Up Molestation, So Some Say Eddie Robinson Should Get His Record Back
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, KultureKritic.com
An attorney in Louisiana is pushing to reinstate legendary coach Eddie Robinson to the top of the all-time wins list after it was revealed that Penn State Coach Joe Paterno was part of a long-term cover-up of child molestation taking place at the university over a number of years. The Jerry Sandusky scandal has rocked the Penn State community and severely tarnished the legacy of Joe Paterno on the school’s campus and across the nation.
Robinson coached at Grambling for 57 years, making himself the winningest coach in college football history. This record was broken by Joe Paterno, just barely. An attorney is asking that the NCAA infractions committee step in and vacate some of Paterno’s wins, since he should not have been the head coach during the time that he was engaged in the alleged cover-up.
Paterno has exactly 409 wins, and Robinson has 408. Paterno broke Robinson’s record just two weeks before the Sandusky scandal broke. Attorney Pamela Breedlove has filed a request that Robinson’s record be reinstated. The request was approved by Mayor Edward Jones, according to the Shreveport Times in Louisiana.
Breedlove says that she is not concerned with how many victories are vacated, but she probably feels that just two would be enough. The letter was sent to the NCAA on three pages explaining why the city feels the way that it does on the issue.
”We just believe that you would want to associate the record with someone who had the character of coach (Eddie) Robinson,” Breedlove said. ”Especially now that we’ve come to realize how bad things really were (at Penn State).”
NCAA spokesman Amy Kudwa Dunham says that the letter is in her possession, but that the matter has not been placed before the infractions committee as of yet. The president of Grambling has been relatively mum on the issue, but we can guess what he’s probably thinking.
”Grambling State University is a proud institutional member of the city of Grambling, Louisiana and a proud member of the NCAA,” Grambling President Frank G. Pogue said in a non-committal statement. ”We are as passionate about Coach Eddie legacy as anyone. This is an NCAA matter.”
Robinson died in 2007 as one of the greatest coaches in the history of college sports. He was less-celebrated than he should have been, largely because only white men got jobs at major universities. Today, some of that has changed, as the best black athletes pass up HBCUs for predominantly white institutions with multi-million dollar budgets. It’s easy to argue that the exploitation today is just as bad as the exclusion from yesterday.
I have no idea what inspired Attorney Breedlove to make this request, but I have three words for her: I-Love-It. It’s difficult to argue that if anyone had known about the abuses being committed by Jerry Sandusky, that Paterno would have had his job. Once he was found to have been part of the scandal, he was forced to resign. This says, quite clearly, that Paterno should not have been coaching at Penn State for the last several years of his career.
When NCAA athletes have been found to have accepted illegal benefits or engaged in “unethical” activity during their time on the field, the NCAA has no problem stepping in and forcing the players and their schools to vacate victories that were the result of ill-gotten gains. What makes this case different is that the same penalties that we readily place on young black kids would be placed on an old, legendary white guy. The NCAA stepping up and replacing Joe Paterno with Eddie Robinson at the top of the wins list would take nothing less than a complete act of God. The fact is that the NCAA is known for exploiting black people, not rewarding them.
I don’t expect that this attorney is going to have her request granted. But when measuring up against pre-existing standards, it’s an absolute no-brainer. What Paterno did by looking the other way while dozens of young boys were being molesting is nothing less than pure evil, and it’s a reminder to all of us to speak up when children are being harmed, even when there is money at stake. Penn State should be absolutely ashamed.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and founder of YourBlackWorld.com. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
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Paterno was definitely negligent in his failure to report Sandusky. What he and the players on his team accomplished on the field should have no bearing on his aberrant behaviors but on his ability to coach his teams in spite of his moral shortcomings. His record as a coach should stand!
I thought that Dr. Boyce, could not get any stupider, than he already was. This so-called professor, has to be one of the most stupid, and immoral educators, of all times. What the h**l, does a person’s moral deficiencies, have to do with their accomplishments as a coach? Legendary coach, Eddie Robinson, would be appalled at the suggestion that he would attain a false position, because someone else was accused of something, that had nothing to do with their coaching ability, and won, lost record.
This Dr. Boyce, is not worthy of tenure, at any credible school, or university, and I sincerely believe, that racism, had absolutely, no part in him being denied it. Dr. Boyce, is nothing but a race hustler, and to refer to him as one of our great black leaders, is a farce, and a disgrace. The only reason why I bother to even read anything that this moron writes, or says, is to refute his ridiculous garbage. Only illiterate, or stupid, and weak people, would give any credence to anything that this race baiting pimp espouses.
This isn’t about race. It’s about ethics. Paterno was willing to sacrifice the safety of children to save his football program. He is an absolute embarrassment to humanity and collegiate sports.
Going by your logic, the NCAA shouldn’t have punished Reggie Bush, OJ Mayo, or USC. What’s good for the goose should be good for the gander.
agree with you 100%, boyce is nothing but a race baiting pimp.
race baiting is his bread and butter, he was denied tenure at syracuse u..therefore he had to find a new hustle.
from his recent articles to polarize the black community for fame and wealth, i think we know why he never received tenure at syracuse…i’m sure mentally unstable is at the top of the list. lol
Yes Coach Rob should still have the “winningest coach” title. HE DESERVES IT! Joe Paterno was forced to retire, the halo was removed and the statue will soon be removed. All games going back to the beginning of the coverup should be forfeited.
Let’s get real. The rich are very powerful. A cover up is what they do if you know what is good for you. If any of you remember the WATER GATE scandel. A security officer did his job, he spoke up. he told what he found. The biggest scandel this country ever had. involving President Nixon. The security guard did as he was hired to do. He reported what he found. He spoke up. He lost his job. No one would hire him or anyone in his family. He opened his mouth against the rich. I beliieve it was 10 or 15 years later, the son of the security guard was arrested for stealing a pair of shoes, because he had none. His intire family was blackballed. All because he dared to speak up. So he was damned if he did and d**n if he didn’t. A big time coach, open his mouth, against the powerful in this rich mans’ play ground is suicide. So what do you do? Yes! you care about the kids. Now it’s you or them. I DON’T KNOW. i just don’t know.
What Dr. Watkins fails to mention is that while Robinson was at Grambling State his football team was placed on probation for recruiting violations during his last season on the job.
Paterno should be stripped of all wins going back to 1998 when he first decided to cover up Sandusky’s heinous crimes in order to save the Penn State football program from embarrassment and NCAA sanctions.
Surely the NCAA does not want Paterno as its all-time winningest football coach.
Joe Paterno told the School tried to sweep it under the Rug & OH yeah Black People alot of those touched was Black Children from Philadelphia stop trusting these Crackers! They not to be trusted,Negroes I treat them the same eating out whitefolks a***s & this was a slick Cracker who was very Calculating & knew it was no Male Figure in these Homes & you Women stop judging your Children & listen to them if my Offspring says he don’t like somebody I wanna know why! I will get to the bottom of this Quick! Tired of these Crackers if you a f*g in this day & age you know where to go! Stop victimizing my people I’m p****d!
One has nothing to do with the other.
What Sandusky did was deplorable, however it was not the cause of winning or losing a football game. The record stands on it’s own.
yes this man is the real thing, http://www.scribd.com/doc/72798819/JOE-PATERNO-S-ORGANIZED-CRIME-CONNECTIONS
In the Joe Paterno situation, double standards abound. I am of the same mind as is ‘Netta,’ in her post. Besides, “Coach,” in its transitive verb (vt) rendering, means to train intensively,instruct, and/or demonstrate; intransitively, it means to direct,instruct, or prompt. Paterno could not/did not do any of those things while layingup in the the hospital or up in the clubhouse unwired. Did PSU win the game? Of course PSU won the games and should be credited with the wins_ but not Paterno! Rest assured that the side line coach of the games won during Paterno’s rehab absences, has the win(s) on his own resume’ (and rightly so). When Jim Tressel was suspended at Ohio State and Luke Fickell was put in charge of coaching the team, Fickell was credited with winning or losing the games_ not Tressel. The subliminal message resonated throughout the PSU final two seasons under Paterno and the institution. But what was very much overt was that the PSU powers-that-be were either overwhelmed by the mystique of Paterno, or that they shared Paterno’s view of an unspoken goal of ‘an HBCU coach (E. Robinson), must not go down in history atop of HWCUs. Olympic Gold Medals, Heisman Trophies, Boxing Championship Belts, etc., have been stripped from athletes/contestants for far less than the Paterno/PSU travesty.
Ishmar Muhammad, could you please provide us with the list of the black males that Sandusky has raped that was from the Philadelphia area? I have been following this case from the beginning, and the majority of the boys that I am aware of, were white boys, so if you have evidence to the contrary, I would be grateful if you would divulge it. I sincerely hope, that this is not just an delusional racist rant about the white man, because the white man doesn’t live in my head, and doesn’t determine my growth, wealth, or destiny. While you are concentrating all your waking life worrying about the white man, he is going about his business, getting richer, and more powerful. Why don’t you emulate, instead of assimilate? Your hatred of the white man, has certainly not attained you anything, but poverty, and an ulcer.
Why must EVERYTHING turn into a racial issue? As bad as what happened at PSU is, it has NOTHING to do with games won on the field. STUPID LETTER!!!
Clarence everything is racial because since the Founding Father’s (former slave owners) it has been about race in America. You need to read Frederick Douglas’ auto-biography, one of his basic arguments was how could preacher’s who preached about a just God could at the same time own slaves……..I commented on this on another website, Mr. Paterno was determined to beat Coach Robinson’s record it seems even if he had to coach until he was 100 years old. Mr. Paterno was driven so much by visions of grandeur that he forgot the basic rudiments of said populatrity. The “Force” is alive and well in America and until we are all on equal footing, it will continue to be about race……look around you’ll see what I mean don’t let your naivete trap you, Watch as well as pray…………………..Wf3 Peace!!!!
While they’re at it, strike all the games where Sandusky was the offensive coordinator. That should set the record straight.
At first, I had given coach Paterno the benefit of the doubt, thinking that he was unaware of the matter with Sandusky until the issue had blown up and that he had no other recourse but to acknowledge and address the situation. But now that reports have come to the forefront confirming that he knew about his staffer’s sick appetite for young boys for years and chose to cover up the matter is making me see the “light” and the character of this man who many in the State College area saw as someone who could do no wrong. While I’m skeptical that the letter will prompt the NCAA to remove the wins from Paterno’s record, (after all, there are probably a dozen or so names on that list who have sacrificed or disregarded ethics for the sake of winning a football game), I think that behind Paterno’s name should be that dreaded asterisk and the description that so names him as one who put personal gain ahead of integrity and the safety of those he was supposed to protect..
I think its fair game to consider Paterno’s record to be deleted. And the Reggie Bush case is an excellent argument that’s right on point.
Mr. Robinson deserves to be number1.
I do not speak badly of the dead but Mr. Paterno should have come forward. So many lives were affeted due to his negligent actions.
It is as about as bad as what happened in Colorodao minus of course the tragedy of loss of life.
I attended Gramblin’s cheif black rival: Southern University in Baton Rouge from 88-91. I remember very well how loved he was throughout the state and SWAC.
Good Luck Mr. Robinson and may your soul rest in peace.
The wins have been vacated! Eddie Robinson is king again!
Great news. The NCAA has vacated all of Paterno’s wins from 1998 to 2011. A measure of justice has been served for this immoral coach who sacrificed children on the altar of self-aggrandizement.
Me my self I think that is wrong yeah the bible says “ye I am my brothers keeper” but it also says “reap what you sew”. As futherthest as I am concerned they were adults, theses college grads do they know the word no. with all gay and bisexual alligations that are going on how do we know that this was mot a scam, who was in the room when this was going on to prove that it was or wasnt consentual s*x… He is old but these guys could have said no or been ratted him out…. Someone couldnt get what they wanted so they went and cried wolf…. But remember dont cry wolf to many times because people will get tired of coming to your rescue…..
To comment on the post by Rena: First of all, the victims were young boys – 10 to 11 years old-no where near the age of consent when it comes to something like this. Secondly, these boys were told by their molester that harm would come to them if they divulged any details to anyone. Finally, how can you not conclude that this went on after 10 victims chose to speak. One victim could bring on some doubt, but not 10.
Mr. Robinson, should get his record back, just as they took all Patrino win. Eddie Robinson, wins should be reinstated by right.