Imagine a man who is at the pinnacle of his profession; he has no equal. He holds the Division I records for wins (409), bowl appearances (37), and bowl wins (24).

He has worked to shape young men for 66 years, two or three generations.

He instituted a paradigm shift in the way many thought about how college football was played out east. The Nittany Lions fought their way to perennial contender status in the 80s, winning two national championships in that decade.

Five-time Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year. Three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year. Imagine that.

Now it’s all gone. The Penn State Board of Trustees has relieved Joe Paterno and university president Graham Spanier of their duties, and rightfully so. They failed to make the right decision at a key moment and they failed to prevent untold psychological damage to a number of children.

Imagine the magnitude of this fallout. Watergate comes to mind as something that comes close, but I wasn’t alive for that, so I can’t be certain.

They say that no crisis should go unwasted and it’s true in this case. It’s an example of what happens when you trade integrity for comfort and prestige. We should teach our young ones to do the right thing even if it’s not popular or even if they risk losing a lot.

And if you’re so inclined, pray for the victims.

So, a few thoughts.

1. Congratulations to the Boston Bruins, winners of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. Many will say that the series turned on the Horton injury/Rome suspension, but I really think it turned after Game 5 when Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo ran his mouth about how he would have made the save on the one goal Tim Thomas let in. Result? Boston outscored Vancouver 9-2 over the final two games of the series. I suppose that Vancouver Media Relations will be working harder next season to see that this doesn’t happen again.

2. The trip to Ohio took place over the course of 2 days going, 2 days returning. For the trip, I bought a copy of Rob Bell’s controversial new book, Love Wins. It’s a quick read, only 200 pages or so, but man…what a read. It’s a very compelling look at Heaven, Hell, eternity, etc. I recommend it. Of course, that said, I’d appreciate any links or pointers to critiques of the book.

3. I also took the time to brush up on my JavaScript. You know, once you dig into it a bit, you’ll find that little language has some power under the hood. So much so that I’m looking at Sencha Touch and PhoneGap for mobile app development than any native solution.

4. Finally, I’m posting some pictures I took from the trip up north to Flickr. I’m pushing up at least one a day so come back to this post to see them. And don’t forget to click on them, I think the descriptions are worth a read too. :)

1. Wow, did I call the East perfectly or what?
2. I said Sharks-Wings would be a dandy. And it was. It’s the sort of series you put on for you non-hockey-watching friends to get them in the sport.

Now for the picks:

EAST:
Boston vs. Tampa Bay (Boston won season series 3-1)
Boston destroyed Philly. Their offense came alive when it needed to and took advantage of Philly’s wonky goaltending. Tampa Bay just managed to get one more goal than Washington most nights. They’ve also got playoff rookies galore (8 of them).

If Tampa Bay is to have any chance in this series, I think Dwyane Roloson has to keep his hot hand going. And for the most part I think he will. But Tim Thomas is better.

Boston in 6.

WEST:
Vancouver vs. San Jose (Vancouver won season series 3-1)
And here it is — the matchup I’ve been waiting for all spring. Though I thought Vancouver would still be the same juggernaut that made mincemeat of the West. Nope, they’ve looked mighty vulnerable — going 7 games with Chicago and then 6 with Nashville, with Luongo looking shaky at times. Of course, if the Canucks are vulnerable, then I might have to say the same of the Sharks. They did just avoid a monumental collapse.

This one has it all, folks: Marleau, Kesler, Sedin, Thornton, Luongo and Niemi. I expect this one to be a high-octane skatefest for 420 minutes. At least.

Yep, 420 minutes. 7 games. And when the dust settles, it’ll be the Canucks standing tall.

Vancouver in 7.

EAST:
Washington vs. Tampa Bay: Capitals in 6
Philadelphia vs. Boston: Flyers in 7

WEST:
Vancouver vs. Nashville: Canucks in 6
San Jose vs. Detroit: Sharks in 6

P.S. Sharks-Wings should be a dandy.

EAST:
Washington vs. New York: Capitals in 6
Philadelphia vs. Buffalo: Flyers in 6
Boston vs. Montreal: Montreal in 7
Pittsburgh vs. Tampa Bay: Bolts in 6

WEST:
Vancouver vs. Chicago: Canucks in 5
San Jose vs. Los Angeles: Sharks in 6
Detroit vs. Phoenix: Wings in 7
Anaheim vs. Nashville: Predators in 7.

First of all, congrats to the University of Alabama on a well-played game. They’re deserving of their first national title in 18 years. Really, how can you not be bitter when you have the likes of Mark Ingram on that team and all that he’s been through in his young life? And there are many Texans who are proud of Southlake Carroll product Greg McElroy.

Second, I’m proud of my Longhorns. They could have packed it in after Colt was injured early in the game. And Gilbert was definitely shaky early on. But man, to have a freshman at quarterback – on the biggest stage in college football – lead the team to within three points of the SEC champions is just phenomenal. I think the team is going to be in good hands now that Colt’s moving on. That’s a testament to the recruiting they do in Austin.

And yeah, OU fans, I feel your pain now.

Congrats, again, to Alabama. And I think good things are in store for Texas for years to come.

@jdowdell Suppose Olympics Committee disqualified Russian athletes while their country is invading another? What would happen then? Might they do it?

You can find that here. Fucking Textile.

Now, on Game 7 Eve, I’m reminded of just how special this team is. We may not win the Stanley Cup, but this team’s never-say-die attitude should make any Stars fan proud.

GO STARS!!!