I agree with the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Organization for Women when it said that Joe Paterno's comments were not appropriate and that he, as football coach, should have known better ("Women's group wants Paterno to resign," Jan. 9). Although the facts are not publicly known, his comments could easily be interpreted as suggesting that the woman was at fault.

This is unacceptable, and Paterno should publicly admit it.

However, there appears to be a larger problem in our society when most fans and observers are more focused on the impact of the allegation on the outcome of a college game than the fact that a 19-year-old woman may have been sexually assaulted. This manifested with a reporter asking Paterno how the allegations will affect preparation for the game, setting him up for an inappropriate response.

The obsession with winning in our country has distorted our values, and we have forgotten the purpose of a college education: to create conscientious citizens who are able to care about each other.