Cheers for Youkilis; Boos for Ozzie; Jeers for Pinkel

Midweek musings: Kevin Youkilis hits a three-run home run Tuesday (July 17) for the Chicago White Sox and receives cheers from the crowd — at Boston’s Fenway Park in a 7-5 victory over the Red Sox. Tough to imagine that happening to many other players in many other ballparks. “It’s been great and not too many opponents get to come in here and have that opportunity,” Youkilis said. “Usually, it’s a little more negative toward the opposition. I’ve enjoyed it.” As have Sox fans — of the Red and White stripe.

For more April Rose (left) and Melanie Iglesias, there's video below.

* Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen, the former skipper of the White Sox, was in Chicago for his team’s series with the Cubs at Wrigley Field. He was less well-received than Youkilis in Boston. Guillen, who had taken shots at Wrigley during his Sox tenure, was booed when he visited the mound to make a pitching change in his team’s 9-5 victory. Observed his Ozziness: “I love it. Tomorrow, fill up those seats and boo me. That would be pretty nice. Even my wife was booing me. I asked her why. She said she didn’t want anyone to know she was my wife.”

* Guillen on the Sox’ 2012 success: “They’re playing better because they’re good. All those people that say they’re playing better because managers and coaches changed – no, they’re good because Robin [Ventura] is doing a tremendous job and the players are responding the way they should respond. I said last year it’s too bad that they didn’t play good for me.”

Speaking of speaking, there is the case of Missouri football coach Gary Pinkel.

Let the record show that once upon a time I attended (and actually graduated from) the University of Missouri. As part of my undergraduate study, I was fortunate enough to team with Doug Grow to cover the 1969 Missouri football team coached by Dan Devine.

As budding journalists, we were able to cover the Tigers’ Orange Bowl game against Penn State, coached by Joe Paterno. Back then, Paterno seemed more enlightened than Devine. Paterno was smiling, light-hearted; Devine was less so. Devine ran a tight ship with complete control. Surely, Paterno’s world was far different.

If the extremely warm weather in Chicago continues, Lori Colognesi Hess may show up at the talkzone.com studio for "Sports & Torts" in something like this. Hey, we all can dream, can't we?

It was the early days of what would become Paterno’s dynasty. A dynasty that died nastily when allegations of sexual abuse against former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky surfaced and led to Sandusky’s being convicted on so many charges against young boys that he won’t exit prison alive.

Paterno died Jan. 22, 2012. So he wasn’t around for the jury’s verdict. He also isn’t around for the verdict on him. History is not going to be kind to JoePa, who became Penn State’s head coach in 1966. His alma mater, Brown University, has removed his name from an annual award given to the school’s Outstanding Male Freshman Athlete.

“In light of the outcome of the Sandusky trial and the findings of the Freeh Report, the university has been reviewing these tributes to take appropriate action,” the school said in a statement Tuesday.

Paterno’s name already has been removed from a Nike facility. The Paterno statue might even be in jeopardy outside the school’s football stadium.

Paterno’s family wants its own review of the Freeh report. It’s understandable. No one wants to think of their father, husband, whatever-the-relationship as someone who would allow such horrible incidents to occur. To save some time, the Paterno family might want to ask itself what Joe Paterno’s reaction and actions would have been if Sandusky one of Paterno’s sons.

If the Paterno clan can claim Joe would have acted in precisely the way he did in reality, those folks are either delusional or OK with Sandusky being a child predator.

OK, so what does any of this have to do with Pinkel? Glad you asked.

During SEC Media Days on Tuesday (July 17) in Birmingham, Ala. (this is Mizzou’s first year in the SEC), Pinkel was asked about the Penn State situation. His response:

“It’s such a tragedy. Joe Paterno is a friend. I got to know him professionally. You can’t take away the greatness of this man. He was a great man. And however you analyze this, you can’t erase all that this guy has done. You can’t do that. Nobody can do that.”

No, but the bad can — and in this instance to more than a few folks really does — outweigh “the greatness of this man.”

Perhaps Pinkel would have been better off following the lead of South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier: “Well, obviously it’s a terrible mess, terrible mess. The only thing I would say about Coach Paterno, when he coached, he did everything right. His teams played fair, fundamentally sound. He was always revered for doing the right things.

“I don’t want to get into the other side of a terrible, terrible situation.”

But if you do get into that other side, as Pinkel did, you might try to choose your words more carefully. A person is judged on the totality of one’s existence. Being a stellar football coach does not make you a good person.

Well, unless perhaps you’re being judged by another football coach. Maybe Pinkel would like to explain his perspective to Sandusky’s victims.

April Rose , always a favorite around here, is back with “Guy Code” on MTV. Here is a promo for the show that actually ran Tuesday (but you probably can find it somewhere in the cable universe):

For more April, plus Melanie Iglesias, here is video of some value:

If it’s Wednesday (which as this post is being tyoed crafted, it certainly appears to be), then we are only a day away from another exciting episode of “Sports & Torts” with co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris at noon Chicago time on takzone.com.

Among this week’s scheduled guests is Lori Colognesi Hess. Lori is the founder of divaexchange.com, a web site that calls itself “the largest online classifieds site where fitness, figure, and bikini athletes can buy and sell their gently used competition items.” To visit the site, you can click here. Lori also is holistic health coach. We’ll try to find out what this is Thursday. She also is a licensed massage therapist and a figure competitor. In case you were wondering why Lori’s photo is featured on this page.

For those who were wondering (and even for those who were not), there are several more videos from Exxxotica Chicago 2012 yet to come. Interviews with some big (and we do mean big) names (and/or body parts) in adult entertainment. For today, you will have to settle for some video of a Miss Exxxotica dance competition:

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