John Amaechi on Joe Paterno: “You can’t be a part-time man of principle”
Dan Le Batard had John Amaechi on his show yesterday to discuss the Penn State scandal and, as you might have expected, the former Nittany Lion knocked it out of the park in his usual eloquent fashion. Despite being embarrassed and horrified by what’s allegedly taken place at Penn State, Amaechi approached the topic with reason, logic and sensibility, otherwise known as character traits that, for the most part, cease to exist in State College.
The clip is close to seven minutes long, which equates to roughly nine hours in internet time, but it’s absolutely worth watching in its entirety. Though if you’re truly pressed for time, skip ahead to the 3:35 mark where Amaechi drops the following line:
“Again, nostalgia, history, legacy, loyalty, all of these things that are personal selfish qualities are getting in the way of empathy for young people who, we know, the evidence shows, lives have been changed forever. Damaged forever.”
John Amaechi clearly needs to serve as the voice of reason far more often. A former pro basketball player who uses the phrase “unwittingly complicit” simply must be the go-to guy for issues that stretch well beyond the game.

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85 Responses to “John Amaechi on Joe Paterno: “You can’t be a part-time man of principle””
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November 17th, 2011 at 1:05 PM
Amaechi approached the topic with reason, logic and sensibility
Where is the fun in that?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:06 PM
If there’s any famous alum that would know about anal sex it’s Amaechi.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:08 PM
“You can’t be part time man of principle”
Yep.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:08 PM
First half of the sentence is spot on, the second half reeks of broad generalization
November 17th, 2011 at 1:09 PM
@Roeth: That’s why “for the most part” is there.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:10 PM
Why is Lebetard doing his show in a kitchen? A kitchen from the 50s??
November 17th, 2011 at 1:10 PM
Dude’s accent is the best.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:10 PM
¿PSU ALUM?
Is this questioned? Are we going for the spanish market senor Lebetardo? What the fuck is this? Where is Sandra Lee and why are you in her kitchen? I am confused.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Lebetard
Wow.
/Goes to lunch.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Wondered how long it would take for a gay joke. 2 comments. Bravo, guys.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:11 PM
The back and forth between Amaechi and Le Batard was like going from a historic novel to a cartoon.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:12 PM
If there’s any famous alum that would know about anal sex it’s Amaechi.
This seemed…unnecessary.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:12 PM
eh, if he was truly reasonable he’d understand that all of those “selfish” qualities can be endured simultaneously with empathy for the children. It’s much more difficult to do when your goal is to show your level of outrage.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:12 PM
Definitely this
November 17th, 2011 at 1:13 PM
Fun fact: Amaechi has sex with men.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:14 PM
Thought the same thing. How the fuck did that show get approved?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:14 PM
ESPN blew its budget on Jackie MacMullen’s stylist
November 17th, 2011 at 1:14 PM
John Amaechi #randomNBAplayer
November 17th, 2011 at 1:15 PM
something rarely seen around these parts depending on who is writing the PSU post.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:15 PM
amaechi knows a thing or two about butt sex
November 17th, 2011 at 1:16 PM
eh, if he was truly reasonable he’d understand that all of those “selfish” qualities can be endured simultaneously with empathy for the children. It’s much more difficult to do when your goal is to show your level of outrage.
We have a winner.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:16 PM
That was my problem with it – it implies that the largest percentage of PSU denizens are insensitive morons when clearly that isn’t the case. Are there those people, absolutely, and that’s what the media continues to focus on instead of the vast majority of alums/locals who essentially share the same opinion as Amaechi.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Guys, I really think one gay joke would’ve sufficed.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Le betard is gonna do the next interview running down the world’s longest hallway with the same picture zooming past every 5 seconds
November 17th, 2011 at 1:17 PM
he’d understand that all of those “selfish” qualities can be endured simultaneously with empathy for the children
He’s stating in this case those qualities are in conflict.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:17 PM
Amechi. butt secks. knows a thing.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:18 PM
“it implies that the largest percentage of PSU denizens are insensitive morons when clearly that isn’t the case.”
Preceded by
“If there’s any famous alum that would know about anal sex it’s Amaechi.”
/Just busting your balls, Roeth.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:19 PM
Colon Patrolin’
November 17th, 2011 at 1:19 PM
If there was a show with a gay guy about coupon clipping in Europe for hair loss products…
November 17th, 2011 at 1:20 PM
Hey guys (and girls), I haven’t been around much lately, anyone care to fill me in on this Penn State story?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:21 PM
Colon Patrolin’
+1
November 17th, 2011 at 1:21 PM
Hey guys (and girls), I haven’t been around much lately, anyone care to fill me in on this Penn State story?
Stay focused. There is a great tragedy going on at Yale right now.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:22 PM
Roeth, what did you think about the Matt Paknis interview?
Sorry if you already answered this yesterday. I was out for the most part.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:23 PM
Hey AC, I sent you something in the TBL league, check it out.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:24 PM
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again I don’t care how many football games a person wins, how many lives they positively influenced, or how long they have held the same job. You let ONE child get molested without reporting it to the COPS, you fail at life. Paterno is a part of a cover up of kids getting raped…damn his legacy or reputation…
November 17th, 2011 at 1:25 PM
John Amaechi #randomNBAplayer
Hardly. Skill-wise, sure, but he started a long-overdue conversation – for the Association at least – about professional gay athletes, locker rooms, etc…
November 17th, 2011 at 1:25 PM
Not to mention an Iowa cheerleader somehow winning the Miss Iowa Pageant with questionable knees.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:26 PM
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again I don’t care how many football games a person wins, how many lives they positively influenced, or how long they have held the same job. You let ONE child get molested without reporting it to the COPS, you fail at life. Paterno is a part of a cover up of kids getting raped…damn his legacy or reputation…
something, something, something, WITCH HUNT! something, something, something.
/Darrell
November 17th, 2011 at 1:26 PM
Hey AC, I sent you something in the TBL league, check it out.
checking now
November 17th, 2011 at 1:26 PM
I like LeBatard for short periods, and his columns stir up stuff pretty well.
His show is awkward. I don’t get the draw of having his dad, barely keeping up with the topics. Dunno who approved the high concept, but that person ought to be reassigned to the mail room.
/Acknowledging that the mail room is adjacent to the room storing floppy disks.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:27 PM
It’s just a bit on twitter most famously performed by The Tim Hernia.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:28 PM
Stay focused. There is a great tragedy going on at Yale right now.
Not to mention an Iowa cheerleader somehow winning the Miss Iowa Pageant with questionable knees.
You forgot the aftermarket boobies.
Hooray for boobies!
November 17th, 2011 at 1:28 PM
An interview worth watching.
And what mrejr8234 said.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:28 PM
Doesn’t mean we don’t like insensitive jokes
I didn’t hear the interview, just read the summaries afterward. I have no doubt that Joe knew EVERYTHING when he was there in the early 1980′s. As Joe has aged, I’ve begun to question how involved (and to some extent lucid) he has remained, but I’m of the opinion he almost definitely knew about it. It’s not a secret that Sandusky/JoePa didn’t get along personally, which makes it further troubling that JoePa would keep silent on the matter simply to cover his/the program’s ass from public scrutiny in the matter.
Now Switzer on the other hand saying that the entire staff knew, that I don’t believe.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:29 PM
if he was truly reasonable he’d understand that all of those “selfish” qualities can be endured simultaneously with empathy for the children.
But what wins when it comes right down to it? The selfish pursuit or the empathy for the children?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:30 PM
May your fate be met by this man.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:32 PM
Now Switzer on the other hand saying that the entire staff knew, that I don’t believe.
In his defense, he was only on his third bottle of scotch when he said that.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:33 PM
Roeth, Sandusky aside, this is a pretty damning accusation and tough to believe when I 1st heard it.
If Paterno and the program was as squeaky clean and dignified as the public perceives:
“Well Mike, three things stick out in my mind from my experience from what I can remember, it was a long time ago. One is I grew up in a mixed neighborhood in New Jersey, and my first friend was African American, and I was in a staff meeting one time and we were having some problems at quarterback with Kisner, and someone recommended what about Darren Roberts? He was an All State quarterback from New Jersey. And Coach just said we’re not ready for a black quarterback. And we had Ron Dickerson in the room who was an assistant, and he just went ballistic which I always thought was pretty cool that he stood up to Joe. But Randall Cunningham was the starting quarterback at the time for the Eagles. But Darren never got a chance for us; I don’t know why, but that was stated in the room. So clearly that’s one incident where if any manager in corporate America said that, they’d be gone the next day. Another time, just the academic adviser coming over shaking his head and saying ‘it’s happening again.’ Coach would pull guys and make sure they were going to practice rather than going to class and he’d say ‘he can’t take that class, it’s during practice.’ So pretty much all the stuff that they projected was controlled spin.”
November 17th, 2011 at 1:34 PM
He’s not part of the administration and he wasn’t a witness. He wasn’t part of a coverup. 2. To reasonable people not more interested in participating in this collective outrage party, the totality of his life will be measured appropriately.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:37 PM
November 17th, 2011 at 1:38 PM
He’s not part of the administration and he wasn’t a witness. He wasn’t part of a coverup. 2. To reasonable people not more interested in participating in this collective outrage party, the totality of his life will be measured appropriately.
Crystal Ball or Terrot Cards?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:40 PM
2. To head in the sand cunts not more interested in participating in this collective outrage party, the totality of his life will be measured appropriately.
/Hey Soused I saw Jerry raping a kid
//Really WTF? Stay here we’re calling the police
///Would not want to be a part time man of principle
November 17th, 2011 at 1:40 PM
What should win is getting it right. The selfish pursuit and empathy for the children shouldn’t have to be in conflict. Humans have the ability to feel multiple emotions. Empathy to the point of outrage isn’t a reason to not get it right for all involved.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:40 PM
This is just looking for shit to stir.
I wrestled for a DIII program, we had the same restrictions. Kids had to leave the team because academics came in the way of practice, namely athletic training majors.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:41 PM
Being sincere, when the fuck did they give LebaTard a show?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:42 PM
He wasn’t part of a coverup.
“You can’t be a part time man of contradiction”
November 17th, 2011 at 1:43 PM
To be fair this was standard practice for any sport. In fact, the school scheduled (at least in the 1990′s) some sessions of the more common undergrad courses in the evenings specifically so the athletes take them together outside of practice hours. The athletes got first dibs on these, and then the rest of the students can fill in.
As for the Darren Roberts story I hadn’t heard it. But, I have some doubt as Mike Cooper started for PSU in the early 1970′s .
November 17th, 2011 at 1:43 PM
Nice use of the code words…
November 17th, 2011 at 1:43 PM
He had reasonable knowledge that kids were getting raped and didn’t do shit to get it stopped “I wish I would have done more”- as said by the man himself. Well wish in one hand and shit in the other..you know who else wishes he would have done more? the kids who got raped. it isn’t like peopel are outraged over kids pawning football pants. they’re outraged because kids got raped and a number of adults who kids are groomed to respect and have reverence for turned their backs on them,if you cant understand why people are outraged and don’t give a rat’s ass about paterno’s legacy then you’re a goddamn moron
November 17th, 2011 at 1:45 PM
+1
November 17th, 2011 at 1:46 PM
Facts. Unless you want to show me the part where the story went no further than Paterno.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:48 PM
But what wins when it comes right down to it? The selfish pursuit or the empathy for the children?
What should win is getting it right. The selfish pursuit and empathy for the children shouldn’t have to be in conflict. Humans have the ability to feel multiple emotions. Empathy to the point of outrage isn’t a reason to not get it right for all involved.
I agree. In this instance, they didn’t get it right. (Otherwise, Sandusky would have been stopped in 2002.) “Why?” is a pretty complex question that may never be fully answered.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:50 PM
Facts. Unless you want to show me the part where the story went no further than Paterno.
Further like contacting the police or finding the sodomized boy because Paterno did neither.
/How much meth are you smoking presently?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:50 PM
Facts. Unless you want to show me the part where the story went no further than Paterno.
You said “part” of a cover-up, you really think JoePa had absolutely no knowledge of any of this since 1998? You are fucking high, and I’m sure Spencer would appreciate if you kick down, because apparently that is some good shit.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:51 PM
“for the most part” = LAZY. Like RD said, painting with such a broad brush may get you page views and allow you the out of saying “i didn’t say EVERYone man?!”, but in the end if it isn’t truly “for the most part” then it shouldn’t be told as such.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:52 PM
Clapping over here. That was an awesome interview.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:57 PM
You do your thing, I’ll do mine.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:02 PM
Do I think Paterno had knowledge of boys getting raped since 98? NO, and neither does anyone else which is why you guys with your hungry outrage revert to the “but he was a God in Pennsylvania, he knows everything”, which is ironic coming from the soupedbergin character.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:05 PM
Sexual Nature. Shower. Young Boy. Jerry Sandusky.
/You call the police
//He didn’t
///Fuck him
November 17th, 2011 at 2:07 PM
/fixed
November 17th, 2011 at 2:07 PM
Fair enough, TSH; fair enough indeed.
/you’re still the best contributor here
November 17th, 2011 at 2:08 PM
I believe it’s suppose to be sorta lite hearted, sitting at home with his Dad talking about life & sports in general, prob similar to the kitchen he grew up in Miami. I was born in Miami, that’s my parent’s kitchen!
November 17th, 2011 at 2:09 PM
further like reporting to his superior when he received the information 12 hours after it happened. You don’t know what that dude told Paterno that morning, especially in light of him changing his story in recent days. Now Paterno was supposed to turn into Columbo, put on his trenchcoat and look for and identify the boy too? You’re ridiculous.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:14 PM
Shower. Young Boy. Jerry Sandusky. 1998. No criminal charges levied.
/You report the inappropriate behavior to your higher ups
// He did
/// that does not equate to a Paterno coverup
November 17th, 2011 at 2:15 PM
All ANYONE had to do was call the police.
All ANYONE had to do was talk to 2nd Mile to find the victim.
After a week and the police were still not called all anyone had to do was call the police.
Joe Pa’s grand jury testimony what more do you need to know about moral failure?
November 17th, 2011 at 2:15 PM
You don’t have to be Columbo to go to Sandusky and say, “He Jer. Heard you were horseplaying with young boy in the shower yesterday. What was the young boy’s name? Oh and you’re fired.”
November 17th, 2011 at 2:24 PM
Except for the inconvenient to the narrative fact that Sandusky was not employed on the staff at that time.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:34 PM
Except for the inconvenient to the narrative fact that Sandusky was not employed on the staff at that time.
Really?
It’s a small town and a smaller campus that Sandusky was reported to spend a great deal of time at. Even if old senile Paterno was oblivous he was still told “sexual.shower,boy.Sandusky” and never went to the police at any point. Even if Joe had known the smallest amount of information he’s still a piece of shit.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:36 PM
I didn’t catch this female level outrage earlier. Never mind.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:42 PM
I didn’t catch this female level outrage earlier. Never mind.
Damn females and their emotional responses to decades of child rape.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:44 PM
Amaechi approached the topic with reason, logic and sensibility
Meanwhile, a dude is getting raped in the shower.
/had 10 days to think about it.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:45 PM
The only inconvenient part of this story was that Sandusky was sexually assaulting young boys.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:58 PM
it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get shit right.
November 17th, 2011 at 3:09 PM
Great interview. That’s how a lot of PSU alums feel.
Also it’s fun to see these gay “jokes” made by, laughed at, and tolerated by folks who are standing up for what’s right. great bits, guys.
November 17th, 2011 at 3:36 PM
Fun fact: Amaechi has sex with men.