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| (Penn State Assistant Jerry Sandusky with Legendary PSU head coach Joe Paterno) |
First, in the late 1990's, Penn State Asst. coach Jerry Sandusky was caught by a grad assistant coach doing something inappropriate with an under age male in the showers of the PSU locker room. I just can't believe that Sandusky would do anything inappropriate in the showers in the late 90's with anyone that was legal, needless to say an underage boy. This under grad coach reported the incident to head coach Joe Paterno, the Godfather of PSU football, someone almost virtually untouchable at Penn State.
Joe Pa reported this incident to his superiors and apparently that is where it stopped. I had a discussion with fellow coaches on this and couldn't believe that he wouldn't have followed up again (and again, and again ultimately confronting Sandusky if needed) to make sure HIS superiors were doing what they should be doing, like having Sandusky fired, arrested or banned from the premises none of which happened. Instead, with newly released email that the university President, trustees and quite possibly Joe Paterno himself, not only didn't stop Sandusky but covered up what he was doing with under age boys, keeping him from being fired, keeping him from being arrested, and allowing him to have a key to the facility even after his resignation.
I don't know all the details and I really don't want to know all the details, but I do know this there are many people at Penn State who should lose their jobs. Anyone associated with Penn State who knew, covered up and especially were in a position of leadership should be fired period. And from what I have seen in some of the emails, there just may need to be some people go to jail besides Sanduskey including the President and Athletic Director during this time.
I hate to think what the players for Penn State football are thinking, I mean, what the NCAA did to IU men's basketball program was drastic for too many phone calls (which by the way is legal again during certain times of the year), what will they do to Penn State football or worse yet, Penn State athletics? It is bad enough that Sandusky did what he did with under age boys, that he started a faith based group (The Second Mile) to have more contact with under age boys, and that he used Penn State's football facilities as a way to lure boys in, but the people in charge at Penn State from the President, to the Athletic Director, to the Head Coach, what they did is also disgusting.
We are talking about protecting children here, children that were used by an adult with prestige and some star power (Penn State football is huge). During the 12+ years that Sandusky ran amok on these boys, I guarantee you that where were rumors. What should have been done? I am not so sure that I have the answer, but I do know that an answer was not doing anything, covering up, or looking the other way.
So what is the legend Joe Paterno's legacy? What Joe Paterno did through the years for Penn State that was good could never be listed in this article. From bringing notoriety in for their football successes to the money raised for the university to money raised for needy people and probably even taking care of needy people in the surrounding areas. But this happened on his watch and the emails that are coming out is that he knew about it for years. First, he needs to remain in anything that they put out when it comes to their history, but he does not need to be exalted, at all. Second the statue of him at PSU needs to come down. Both are definites for the short term and may be something that changes 20 years from now as we get better perspective and information about what he knew and when he knew it.
We aren't talking about recruiting violations, we aren't talking about phone call violations, we aren't talking about violations of adult women (this too would be awful), we aren't talking about violating ethics or integrity when it comes to coaching or dealing with other adults. We are talking about violating young people, we are talking about violations that those violated will never completely get over. We are talking about something so despicable and heinous that I haven't even mentioned here.
I guess I am writing as a father and don't have much compassion for those involved. I guess I think that if my son had to endure something this bad, that it wouldn't take 14 years for justice to occur, that those in charge would go "the second mile" to ensure that my son was protected. Then if something did happen like this those in charge would do anything to make sure it didn't happen to anyone else....ever.
