On Dec. 19, Joe Paterno blamed Penn State's inability to recruit a big-time quarterback on the only quarterback it had heavily recruited.

The irony.

To be more direct, he claimed that Michigan-bound Chad Henne told Penn State coaches behind closed doors that he was coming and then reneged, leaving the Lions without other options. Back in Reading, the Henne family was preparing for Christmas. Already Chad had been the target of angry Penn State fans who months before were so sure he would wear Blue and White.

Merry Christmas, they must have thought; Santa brought what amounted to a public lashing from a legendary football coach.

Henne signed his letter of intent Wednesday and will play for the Wolverines, who stole him from Penn State the old-fashioned way: by treating him better.

Meanwhile, Penn State pulled off the biggest coup of the recruiting day when it stole Anthony Morelli, who some rated as a better QB than Henne, from cross-state rival Pittsburgh at the last minute.

That old coot Paterno. Gets 'em every time.

Morelli originally had no interest in Penn State because of its dedication to Henne, the only QB the staff went after through at least last spring.

Whether or not Henne ever told Paterno or any member of the staff then that he was Penn State-bound is up for debate. Some say he did, including Paterno, and that's why Penn State did not recruit another QB.

In public, though, Henne was very open about his decision-making progress. During a June press conference, he named five finalists and told reporters when he would be making visits to those schools. He also said he would not comment on the process again until he made his decision in August.

August rolled around, and Henne put the Michigan hat on. Why? Every Wolverines starting QB since 1989 has played in the NFL. Current starter John Navarre had quickly befriended Henne and spoke with him often. So did a former signal-caller that Henne referred to as "Tommy" Brady. (Yes, that Tom Brady.) Quarterback coach Scott Loefler had traveled on his own buck to work a camp at Wilson for free.

How did Penn State lose out?

Penn State quarterbacks have struggled in the NFL, except for Kerry Collins, who went to the same high school as Henne and never contacted him. Henne visited Penn State multiple times and never got close with current starter Zack Mills. There were zero Penn State representatives at the football camp that took place three hours away.

Nevertheless, when Henne chose Michigan, the Penn State staff responded rather maturely. It reportedly stopped all communication with Henne's high school coach, a long-time fan who had also helped them recruit Collins and tight end John Gilmore.

Elsewhere in August, Anthony Morelli verbally committed to Pitt.

He publicly said he would play for the Panthers.

That stood firm until, oh, about two weeks ago. A spat over an all-star game snub -- Henne went, Morelli didn't -- led the latter to reconsider. See, Pitt QB Tyler Palko's dad was the coach of said all-star team, and the Morelli's took this all personally.

The Lions, who had already secured verbals from at least five players who could play QB, nevertheless jumped at the chance to sign a big-time in-state recruit.

Wednesday, a marriage was consummated.

Penn State fans are, understandably, overjoyed.

Morelli the savior is clearly some omniscient being's offer of redemption for the evil Chad Henne wrought on this program.

Pittsburgh signed two quarterbacks. Neither are considered to be nearly as good as Morelli.

See, things really do work out in the end.

Who said life isn't fair?

All's fair in love, war and the unnatural combination of both that we now call college football recruiting.