Paterno: "I'll be damned if I'll sit still while people who can't carry George Bush's shoes..."

[kpete]

Paterno, who has visited the Superdome before, as the coach of the
Penn State team that won its first national championship on the arena's
artificial turf in 1982, went on the attack in his seconding speech,
challenging those who have mocked Bush in recent weeks.

"I'll be damned if I'll sit still while people who can't carry George Bush's
shoes ridicule him," Paterno said, his voice rising as if he was yelling
at his football team.

The 61-year-old football legend said he was
appearing as an educator. "I believe in quality education on all
levels," he said. I'm convinced George Bush will be an education
president."

Paterno said Bush shares his feeling of compassion for
the millions of young people in inner cities who are robbed of a chance
at success in life.

"After a lifetime of being in competition, I
know a leader and I know a winner," Paterno said. "I know the difference
between bravado and the quiet, dignified, confidence of a Joe DiMaggio,
a Walter Payton, a George Bush. . . . He will be a great president of
the United States."

http://articles.mcall.com/1988-08-18/news/2651195_1_gramm-president-dukakis-democratic-ticket-bush

[joeybee12]

1. Joe was essentially a teabagger...

And we know how they feel about responsibility towards others.

KNR

[riderinthestorm]

2. Geez...

[Plucketeer]

3. Just one more example of why I don't give a shit about

sports. It's all about "playing games". When the games are over, it's only the bettors who benefit - sorta like the game of voting in the USA today.

[hfojvt]

7. oh, there are others who benefit

millions of people get entertained for hours watching a real life drama - a struggle of man against man, or woman against woman. They experience the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat. They experience shared camaraderie with fellow fans. They sometimes get to see amazing displays of athletic ability, and courage, and perseverence. They see people pushing themselves. People who keep going in the face of tremendous opposition and past the point of sheer exhaustion. The sometimes experience thrilling and dramatic comebacks. They sometimes witness heartbreaking chokes or errors that allow what was, or should have been a victory, slip through somebody's hands.

They often get what they paid for.

And the atheletes have good paying jobs that win them some measure of fame. Do you know my name? Do you know who Thomas Koch is? Almost certainly not. Do you know who Joe Montana is? Joe Namath? Walter Payton? Payton Manning? Tiger Woods? Michael Jordan? Bill Russell? Bill Walton? Walter Bellamy?

Okay, most people have not heard of Bellamy even though he scored over 20,000 points. Ultimately, he is probably as forgettable as Jack Sikma or Wayne Simien. But he probably got a college scholarship and made a decent living for ten or more years as a player, and then got another good job based on his fame, sorta the way Len Dawson does the sports on KMBC9.

And there are many other people who make their living from sports. And there are tangible benefits for kids even if they don't get scholarships or jobs. They get exercise. They learn teamwork and cooperation and discipline. They learn to work hard and persevere and keep going in spite of set-backs and opposition. They get a sense of self-worth and belonging.

I think sports are certainly over-valued in our society, but I don't think they are completely without value.

[Plucketeer]

8. Sports are like politics

We get the most out of them when the money's taken out of the equation. Imagine a world where one's olympic win didn't interpret to them insinuating that the cereal or shoes they're pushing will put one on equal footing with them. YOU know they're lying, THEY know they're lying, but we still idolize them to the point of them being multi-millionaires. Stupid - just plain stupid.

[hfojvt]

10. pushing, schmushing though

nobody was ever forced to buy a box of wheaties, although both my dad and I were forced to eat oatmeal.

I do think it it sorta funny, because I followed the Olympics more in 1976, 1980 and 1984, sorta like I had the idea that I could be an olympian myself someday. Kinda funny, since I did not even go out for track, not after the 6th grade. And now I do not follow them.

Maybe it is just a function of myself having summers off from school, and so I had time to follow them, unlike now. But as a part time worker in 2008, I had time during the day, but didn't watch anything.

[hfojvt]

4. George Bush Senior, that is.

One person who couldn't carry the shoes of George Bush Sr?

George Bush Jr.

[sadbear]

11. Yeah, to be fair,

he wasn't referring to Shrub.

[CanonRay]

5. My thought on Paterno? One less Rethug vote in Pennsylvania this year.

[Initech]

6. Yeah - all those kids were robbed at a chance of success because of Reagan and Bush.

As if I didn't need more of a reason to hate the Paternos...

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

9. Which set of paws did the shoes fit on - front or rear?

[Octafish]

12. Poppy and Joe P ran in the same circles?

Gosh. Who knew?

[Whisp]

13. fuck you, you evil bastard.

dumb and evil bastard, just like your friend George.

[Bluerthanblue]

14. his friendship with Bush isn't important, his refusal to stop

children from being abused and forever harmed and to enable the abuser to continue to do harm is.

He could have been a loyal Democrat, and that wouldn't change the fact that there is no excuse for what he did (and neglected to do) or make him worthy of any kind of honor.

at least imo.