College Football Fan Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds

Let's try a little exercise for a moment here. Close your eyes and think of a 'crooked' college football program. What comes to mind? USC? Florida State? Ohio State? Alright now close your eyes and think of a 'clean' college football program. Now what comes to mind? Penn State probably tops that list what with Joe Paterno and all the talk of doing things the right way, right?

But is there really a significant ethical difference between many of these schools?

Let's take a closer look at Penn State for a moment. They've spent the greater part of four decades cultivating an image as college football's white picket fence and apple pie team. They are led by the amiable, cuddly and grandfatherly Joe Paterno, among the most respected coaches in the game's history. They wear simple blue and white uniforms without names on the backs. They play in gritty central Pennsylvania and graduate their players.

But beneath that veneer is just enough to make you wonder.

The big recruiting hoopla this week was over USC's alleged recruiting violation in pursuit of Joe McKnight. USC coach Pete Carroll allegedly had McKnight directly or indirectly speak with Reggie Bush, a no-no per NCAA rules as Bush and all former players are considered boosters.

Well guess what, Penn State is perhaps just as guilty of a similar violation. When the Nittany Lions hosted tailback Broderick Green a few weekends ago, he met at least two former Nittany Lion players: Larry Johnson Jr. and Tamba Hali.

Broderick Green took an official visit to Penn State two weeks ago and came back very excited about his time in Happy Valley. He got to speak with Larry Johnson Jr. and Tamba Hali as the two were in town for the weekend.

"He called me from Penn State and he was so excited," [Green's Mother Wilma] Mrs. Murdock told BWI. "When he wasn't calling me, I was calling him. He loved the place and fell in love with the players."

Exsqueeze me? Whistle blowing time here. Based on what we've learned from the Joe McKnight situation this sounds like a similar recruiting violation. Last I checked Hali and Johnson are big name former Nittany Lions who are clearly classified as Boosters in NCAA rulespeak.

Noticeably absent is the requisite media firestorm about this apparent violation.

Update: Several commenters add that for various technicalities this is in fact not a violation. Apparently booster contact is illegal, except when it isn't illegal. Iike I wrote yesterday, welcome to the hell that is NCAA bylaws.

Ethically Penn State is also dubious at best here according to at least one standard: recruiting players who are verbally committed to another school. Green had been a longtime public commit to USC for almost a year. It's not really a big deal but so many people make hay about schools pursuing committed players it should be noted that Penn State is just as guilty as the next guy.

The strategy worked so well that Penn State felt they had Green in the bag come signing day. They had an urgent need for a tailback yet only pursued a committed guy (Green) and a player coming back from junior college in LeSean McCoy. Their brazen arrogance is clearly on display here.

Not every player on the Penn State roster is an angel, either. Former defensive lineman LaVon Chisley was arrested last month and arraigned on murder charges for the death of a student who was stabbed 93 times. He's innocent until proven guilty but that's a heck of a charge.

And finally there's sweet old JoePa himself. He's a nice enough guy and all but he can also be a real jerk. Several years ago with no solicitation he accused USC wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett of being unfit for college.

"There is a great wideout in the country now playing for one of the best football teams in the country, if not the best football team in the country, New Jersey, we never even looked at because of the academics and things like that," said Paterno, according to Penn State's transcript of his news conference.

"We could take a step backwards, but that is not what I wanted to do for Penn State and I am not going to do for Penn State."

The comment was lacking in tact, substance and class and was shocking coming from Paterno. He never apologized nor backed down from the comment. Classy, Joe, classy.

I write all of this not out of an animus against Penn State but to make a point: college football's long fan history of mudslinging is hypocritical. Penn State is a great light for the game but they clearly have their faults. If the purest among us are doing bad things perhaps it's best to refrain from gathering the torch and pitchfork after every accusation against a major program.

This is big time college football, every single program is going to sin and sin often. A fans' hypocrisy often knows no bounds and it's best to be mindful of how things really are before casting aspersions against rival programs.