My Twitter Exchange With New York Times Columnist Harvey Araton re Bob Costas and Penn State

HarveyAraton Thank you, Bob Costas, for an intelligent assessment of what people, students especially, are grappling with at Penn State

HarveyAraton As opposed to the armchair and knee jerk condemnations of those who were never conditioned to be emotionally invested in that “ideal.”

irvmuch @HarveyAraton “Conditioned to be emotionally invested in that ideal”? With such euphemisms for mass delusion, we’ll never learn PSU lessons.

irvmuch Costas interview with Sandusky very good, but the Costas wrapup of PSU story was a benediction, not an analysis. (cont.)

irvmuch (cont.) The version of the PSU story that doesn’t whitewash institutional culpability will have to come from news orgs at level below NBC’s.

HarveyAraton @irvmuch only delusion if you are not 18-22 and haven’t been inundated with it by community and the media mythmakers. Ever watch ESPN?

irvmuch @HarveyAraton I’m not focused on the 18-to-22-year-olds who are invested in PSU propaganda. I’m focused on the PSU propaganda. (cont.)

irvmuch @HarveyAraton For Costas — and you by extension — to be making the poor innocent fans Sat. the takeaway of the story is most unfortunate.

irvmuch @HarveyAraton Contrast yr & Costas’ absolution of PSU self-pity with Nebraska coach Pelini’s statement that game shouldn’t have been played.

HarveyAraton @irvmuch who made him and nebraska play it?

HarveyAraton @irvmuch i am all for getting rid of everyone there & shutting down the program for a couple of years.

HarveyAraton @irvmuch but if you’re going to condemn a bunch of kids for being confused and deflated, go away.

HarveyAraton @irvmuch there is no defending the university, isn’tthat obvious?

HarveyAraton @irvmuch they’re not the takeaway, but they’re part of it. they go there, for crying out loud. if u had a kid there as i do, you’d know that

HarveyAraton @irvmuch and they, as well as you, know the only real victims are the abused. you are preaching to the congregation

irvmuch @HarveyAraton So if PSU game Saturday was only “part of the takeaway,” then why is it Costas’ and your closing sentiment with a standing O?

irvmuch @HarveyAraton Also, what congregation are YOU preaching to? I don’t have a kid at PSU but I have 4 kids.

irvmuch @HarveyAraton Good point by u re Nebraska’s Pelini. I’m on record as saying it was easy for him to say AFTER the game. My own point remains.

HarveyAraton @irvmuch all i said was that i thought he accurately summarized what the students there are feeling. do they not have that right?

HarveyAraton @irvmuch congratulations on fatherhood.

irvmuch @HarveyAraton I think Costas context & your own emphasis skewed takeaway message for tens of millions of viewers. Must agree to disagree.

HarveyAraton @irvmuch & i have said that psu should shut down its program for a couple of years as a matter of integrity. $$ will dictate otherwise

HarveyAraton @irvmuch i think millions who watched the ENTIRE interview got it. i respect your points and your work

*****

Meanwhile, in an email to his list of opinion-makers, fellow hellraiser Matt Chaney said this of the performance of Costas (who, by the way, is an acquaintance of both of ours and will be sent a copy of this post): “Bob just can’t flat condemn college football and the institution; can’t do it for any freaking sport….”

Chaney also quoted my summing up to him of Costas’s summing up: “Superbly conducted interview but totally whitewashes the institution in his wrap-up with Brian Williams, and in a way that makes anyone countering him look terrible just for citing some larger facts. The guy’s slicker than owl shit.”

Not exactly the way my dear departed parents raised me to express myself in public – but what the heck, I’m Mr. Transparency here.

Irv Muchnick