The Writer's Life 7/23 - Sad

I just read about the penalties the NCAA imposed on the Penn St. football program. Wow - four-year probation, no league championship game appearances, no bowl appearances, a cut in scholarships, and the vacating of 111 wins since 1998. I didn't expect that last part. This knocks Joe Paterno from winningest coach in history to twelfth. According to Yahoo, Florida St.'s Bobby Bowden becomes the Division I leader with 377 wins, although Eddie Robinson had 408 at Grambling, which is also considered Division I, so I don't understand the discrepancy. I wonder if an asterisk and explanation will be placed in the record book next to Paterno's name. After all, he did earn those wins legitimately, despite his unacceptable behavior regarding the case. Perhaps this ugly, distressing story will now begin to fade into the background. Of course, the victims will have to cope with demons the rest of their lives. If there is a lesson to be learned, it is to come clean immediately. Eventually, the truth will out. Cover ups always make things infinitely worse. Penn St. students, faculty and alumni must be devastated. It is also a sad day for Italian-Americans, especially those from Brooklyn. One of our own has fallen mightily.

I guess Cuz was intimidated by the forecast, which called for severe thunderstorms during the afternoon. We did not play our Monday round of golf, interrupting the groove we had going the last four weeks. Here in Brooklyn it's 5:46, and we've yet to see rain, although I've heard some rumbles of thunder. Of course, it may be pouring in Queens. I look at it this way - I saved about $40, counting gasoline, and I earned some money at the floating book shop. This past Saturday, Munsie, a woman who has asked my advice about writing several times, donated eight non-fiction books. I've sold all but one of them. Today a woman bought one by Joy Behar (yuck!). A young white girl purchased Growing Up X, a memoir by one of Malcolm X's daughters, and a young black woman bought The DaVinci Hoax. And another young female selected Sue Grafton's J Is for Judgment.. I guess it was ladies day. Thanks.

Visit Vic’s sites:
Vic’s Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic’s Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic’s Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic’s 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic’s 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic’s Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f