SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/77829
From the Sidelines Eric Schroder Editorial Director eschroder@m2media360.com 717-805-4197 SportsTurfTu 1030 W. Higgins Road Suite 230 Park Ridge, IL 60068 Phone 847-720-5600 Fax 847-720-5601 The Official Publication Of The Sports Turf Managers Association I have a 13-year-old son. It's difficult to imagine his being in the shoes of the victims of the monster who is Jerry Sandusky. I don't see how those men can ever be made whole again, and most likely many of their family members will never get over it either. Perhaps a whole lot of money is coming their way down the road but does anyone really think that will even up things? No one knows how much Joe Paterno, a great but flawed man, knew or understood about his former colleague's disgusting behavior and now, thankfully as far as I'm concerned, he's dead and so can't be paraded about on TV to defend himself. Evidence uncovered in the uni- versity's own investigation of the scandal points to Paterno's not being completely in the dark regarding the situation. And I think when Paterno told students outside his home after his fir- ing late last year, "I should have done more," he knew he hadn't done the right thing, horribly so. Cancer, schmancer—this realization is what killed the coach. That the suits that ran Penn State covered up Sandusky's crimes to protect the university's brand, and the football program, there's little doubt, which was inexcusable behavior that I trust will mean prison time for them. What a comedown for a football program that prided itself on being "cleaner" than our competition. And Penn State was cleaner—until we became what many now must consider the "dirtiest" of all time. I don't agree with all the harsh penalties the NCAA handed down but Penn State deserved a heavy hand, given that the decisions made by the "leaders" allowed Sandusky to continue to ruin the lives of young men. It's a shame that so many innocent folks, from students to busi- ness owners to football players, faculty, and alumni, will long pay the price for those decisions. But amid all the heartbreak and tears, recriminations and finger-pointing, one thing keeps coming to mind: those so-called leaders who failed those young men are not Penn State. I am Penn State. Dan Douglas, head groundskeeper for the Reading Phillies, is Penn State. Allen Johnson, head field manager for the Green Bay Packers, is Penn State. Brad Park, Rutgers University sports turf specialist, is Penn State. Vickie Wallace, University of Connecticut extension educator, is Penn State. The student-run IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, which raised $10.7 million for pedi- atric cancer research at the 2012 event alone, is Penn State. The Wall Street Journal's #1 school in a survey of top corporate recruiters is Penn State. A major college football program that graduates 80% of its team and shows no achieve- ment gap between black and white players is Penn State. If there ever was a very large, very diverse group of Americans who will put their hearts, minds (and yes, wallets) together to make something good come of tragedy, it is the Penn State community, past, present, and future. Just watch and see. T HIS ISN'T THE COLUMN I HAD PLANNED TO WRITE. But because of the crimes of one evil man, and the decisions made by a handful of others, my alma mater, The Pennsylvania State University, is being dragged through the mud from coast to coast. And I am sick about it. I am Penn State President: James Michael Goatley, Jr., Ph.D. Immediate Past President: Troy Smith, CSFM President-Elect: Martin K. Kaufman, CSFM Secretary/Treasurer: David Pinsonneault, CSFM, CPRP Vice-President Commercial: Rene Asprion Professional Facilities: Allen Johnson, CSFM Academic: Jeffrey Fowler Parks & Recreation: Debra Kneeshaw Higher Education: Jeffrey Salmond, CSFM K-12: Michael Tarantino, CSFM Commercial: James Graff At Large: Jay Warnick, CSFM At Large: Ron Hostick, CSFM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Kim Heck STMA Office 805 New Hampshire Suite E Lawrence, Ks 66044 Phone 800-323-3875 Fax 800-366-0391 Email STMAinfo@STMA.org www.STMA.org Editorial EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Charles Forman EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Eric Schroder TECHNICAL EDITOR Dr. James Brosnan ART DIRECTOR Brian Snook PRODUCTION MANAGER Karen Kalinyak STMA Editorial Communications Committee Jim Cornelius, CSFM, Jason Henderson, PhD, Paul Hollis, Clayton Hubbs, Joshua McPherson, CSFM, Brad Park, David Schlotthauer, & Grant Spear SportsTurf (ISSN 1061-687X) (USPS 000-292) (Reg. U.S. Pat. & T.M. Off.) is published monthly by m2media360, a Bev-Al Communications company at 1030 W. Higgins Road, Suite 230, Park Ridge, IL 60068. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sportsturf, PO Box 4290, Port Jervis, NY 12771. For subscription information and re- quests, call Subscription Services at (845) 856-2229. Sub- scription rates: 1 year, $40 US & Poss.; 2 years, $65 US & Poss.; 1 year, $65 Canada/Foreign Surface, 1 year, $130 Air- mail. All subscriptions are payable in advance in US funds. Send payments to Sportsturf, PO Box 4290, Port Jervis, NY 12771. Phone: (845) 856-2229. Fax: (845) 856-5822. Single copies or back issues, $8 each US/Canada; $12 For- eign. Periodicals postage paid at Park Ridge, IL and addi- tional mailing offices. COPYRIGHT 2012, SportsTurf. Material may not be reproduced or photocopied in any form without the written permission of the publisher. 6 SportsTurf | August 2012 www.sportsturfonline.com