I think that the thing that makes Posnaski a great writer makes him a lousy journalist. Say what you want about a guy like Dan Shaughnessy or Mike Lupica, but I don't think that they would have let Paterno or the Paterno family push them around if this story broke while they were embedded with the guy. But that's precisely why Shaughnessy or Lupica didn't get the gig.
I can't remember if it was this thread or another Pos thread but I felt really strong about him bumbling this opportunity and I still do*. For awhile I went on an extended Pos break because I didn't feel as if I could trust him anymore. And I don't think that I can trust him when writing about certain subjects (I haven't read "The Machine" since it came out, but if memory serves me, he pretty much took everything Pete Rose said as gospel, which is problematic since Rose is a liar), but I started reading him again and I think that his every day stuff is still excellent.
* I still can't believe that when this story literally fell in his lap, he didn't call up his publisher (or his publisher call him) and say, "I have to take my book in a completely different direction. It's going to be late, but it will be worth it." Posnanski spent a long time with Paterno in what could be his most difficult year and it doesn't seem like he changed a word from his original thesis. Reporters beg the gods for shit like this. And I'm not suggesting that he do a hatchet job on Paterno, but he had to really address it heavily. I don't give a shit that Paterno won the SI Sportsman of the year in 1986, but I was interested in hearing whether he knew about Uncle Sandy's Kiddie Kapers.
I don't know the guy personally, but I get the impression that Posnanski isn't cynical and he really believes that everyone is always trying to do the right thing. He's an eternal optimist in an industry full of assholes, which is why I like to read him. If I'm reading a daily column I don't want to be bludgeoned every day about how major league sports are always rigged and the people who own the teams are jerks, the people who run the league are worse, the players are ignorant idiots and the referees are all crooked. If reading that every day takes a toll on a person, writing about it must take an even worse toll, which is why Shaughnessy, Lupica and the rests are all bitter, twisted husks of the people they used to be.
BUT in this case, we needed a bitter, twisted pessimist that had to poke holes in the Paterno story and bring all facets of the man to light. Because I think that's what's missing from Paterno's thinking. If you ignore something like this, you look like another enabler. And Paterno has an entire state full of them. But if you really talk to the guy, find out what makes him tick, figure out why he ignored this, you have the power to change others' minds.