Alabama Fan Charged in BCS Case

I'm not going into the detail of what when down in the Bourbon Street Krystals, but Brian Downing has been charged with sexual battery in the incident.  Good.

His lawyers are a bit incredulous:

"The 18-year-old victim was never physically harmed and, in fact, was so intoxicated that he would have had no recollection of the incident, but for a video posted online," the lawyers wrote. "Any ‘harm' is entirely post hoc and amplified by media."

Fine. It was the media's fault.  But the media didn't put their 32YEAROLD BALLSACKONACOMPLETESTRANGERSFACEINPUBLICWHILEHEWASPASSEDOUT. Yeah, I have some strong views on that.  My guess is Mr. Downing won't have any problems with keeping the boys inside his pants during his time in Angola.

Tell you what, let the LSU fan put a sack of his choosing on Mr. Downing's face, and his lawyers' faces, in public and on ESPN. They could get Jim Gray and make a whole hour out of it.  Then just for funsies, still charge him with sexual battery because YOUDONTPUTYOURSACKONACOMPLETESTRANGERSFACEASSHOLES.
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ACC: On the Clock for Relegation

Wow. I didn't think we'd ever see a more complete pantsing of an ACC team in the Orange Bowl than we did last season. I mean 70-33? Damn.

Bet Pitt and Syracuse wishes they had been a bit more patient.

As Mr. Sanchez at SnG put it: Clemson pulled a Clemson.

It was beautiful.
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At Least We Don't Live in Texas

I swear a friend who doesn't watch football thought this was a 30 Rock spoof.

He's got the career management skills of George Costanza. #firecraigjames

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You can't...

Run the ball when all you do is run the ball.

More tomorrow.
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Why Lee Corso Should Be on all ESPN Shows

Yeah, he dropped an F-bomb on live TV.  We've all been there.



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Joe Pa Gone. It is His Fault He's Gone. I am Sad He Didn't Do the Right Thing.

(h/t Blutarsky, from Pre-Snap Read)

I've debated writing this post for four days.  On Monday, I wrote the only thing I could without getting preachy and devolving into parentyell. Now, I believe the title sums up how I feel pretty accurately.

For those out there that say his contributions, his wins, his spotless now forever tarnished program should grant him more dignity than a phone call or hand delivered letter firing, I say bullshit.  At the minimum, he facilitated and allowed a pedophile's continued access to Penn State's athletic department. That access was Jerry Sandusky's candy.  At worst (and this is speculation based on the known facts), he knew that Sandusky was doing this, took his promise to not do it anymore, and blissfully ignored the rest.

Either way, anything short of doing the morally right thing when he found out what happened is enough to justify his firing.  The liability exposure alone is. That this involves kids being raped at Penn State facilities is enough to let him find out from the press conference, in my opinion.

If you think whatever good Paterno has done for Penn State and the local area trumps what he didn't do for the past decade, well, we'll just have to disagree.  If you think 409 wins somehow over shadows what happened over that decade, we'll definitely have to disagree. I am very sad for how it all ended for Coach Paterno, but that sadness is about his failure to do the right thing, not that it ended on someone else's terms with a phone call or letter.

And for those that think Paterno couldn't have changed the course of events, I call double bullshit.  If he is so revered that students took to the streets, that folks are actually trying to defend his actions, that the local media literally took an accusatory tone with the Board of Trustees in the press conference during the announcement, then Joe Paterno had the power to stop Jerry Sandusky from buggering children, especially on Penn State's campus.  That cannot be in dispute.

The bottom line is this:  Joe Paterno let his relationship, his friendship, with Sandusky trump the welfare of the vulnerable.  That is why he was fired. That is what his legacy will forever be, at least to those of us that are objective about these things.

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Further Reading:
-Paterno failed his biggest decision (Mark Schlach)
-Doyel's report from the ground (Gregg Doyel)

Sad Irony

When your loyalty, the same loyalty that has gotten you famous, gets you fired.

For a very sad example, see Paterno, Joseph Vincent.
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PWD Update: How do you witness this happening and not bust into the shower and rescue the victim. I'm blown away by that. Repeatedly people saw the alleged happen and didn't stop the event itself or whip Sandusky's ass.

Game of the Week

You know, South Carolina vs. Arkansas?  While the game of the Centrury of the Week is being played in Tuscaloosa, likely for the right to beat the bejebus out of the SEC East winner play in Atlanta for the SEC Championship, South Carolina and Arky are playing, with very much on the line for Georgia.  For my money, I'll be watching the game on ESPN.

As for that other game, some Alabama fans have concocted a nearly perfect dish of the game.  Warning, it starts with a bacon weave.

Corndog casserole.  Where healthy hearts go to die.
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(h/t Busted Coverage)

UF Students Caught in The Act

Wonder if they were doing it Dawgy style?

"Well, it was kind of funny in a way, but it was kind of crazy coming in here and doing that, especially on a picnic table where everyone eats lunch," said Mark Lopez, who works at the construction site. "Yeah, it bothers me. People come in a place like this and do that."

Dude, your picture is on the internet.  


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(h/t @celebrityhottub)

You mean...other than their confessions?

My favorite part of the news that Auburn has been cleared of any wrong doing is the part where the NCAA says the allegations against Auburn didn't meet "the burden of proof."

To clarify...that means a confession isn't enough enough proof.

More allegations surfaced in March when the four former Auburn players raised additional claims of wrongdoing in the program.

Raven Gray, Stanley McClover, Chaz Ramsey and Troy Reddick told HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" that they received thousands of dollars while being recruited by or playing for the Tigers.

They said the cash was delivered in book bags, envelopes and even handshakes. Ramsey played at Auburn most recently, in the 2007 season

And by confession...I mean four confessions.

Auburn is running circles around the NCAA. We are truly in the Golden Age of NCAA Rule Violations. Bear Bryant tips his cap to the Aubies. We all stand in awe.

PWD