The New York Times is reporting today that, according to two individuals that were briefed on conversations by top officials at Penn State University, Joe Paterno will soon no longer be the head coach of the Nittany Lions. The University is said to be planning an exit strategy after news broke of the sex scandal that blew everyone’s doors off this weekend.
A former defensive coordinator for the Nittany Lions, Jerry Sandusky, has been charged with sexually abusing eight boys (a ninth is said to be coming forward) over a 15 year period. In some cases, witnesses are available who saw Sandusky performing inappropriate acts with the boys in the showers.
In 1998, there was an investigation into whether or not Sandusky (D Coordinator at the time) had showered with a young boy at the schools facilities. Although Penn State knew the truth, no charges were filed and Sandusky abruptly retired in 1999.
Then, since no one did anything about it in years prior, in 2000 a janitor reported seeing Sandusky in the shower with a 10 year old boy and in 2002 another witness claimed to have seen Sandusky with another young boy and this time the word “rape” was used.
Editors note – I chose not to disclose the specifics of those encounters because they make me completely sick and I didn’t want to ruin my wireless keyboard by throwing up on it.
In 2002, At least one of those witnesses reported to Joe Paterno what he had seen and Paterno, in turn, notified University administrators. While he claims he did not know the specifics of the actions that were witnessed, Paterno did in fact comply with what he was to do in that situation, according to University guidelines. He had met his legal obligation.
While it is true that Paterno acted properly on paper, his moral compass is currently reading “FUCKED”. First of all I find it hard to believe that someone would come to the coach with such outlandish allegations only to have the coach not ask for specifics. I know no one wants to hear about the pervert in the shower but if you are going to make allegations, you had better have your facts straight. Furthermore, how do you sleep at night after you report it to University officials (Campus Police, AD, President, etc) and nothing is done about it? I’d give it a day or two, a weeks tops, before I am at the police department putting an APB out on this pederast.
Let’s not forget that Paterno is not the only one in hot water here, either. Senior VP of finance and business Gary Schultz and Athletic Director Tim Curley have been charged with perjury for failure to report the allegations to the authorities, as required by state law. The two had information about the allegations but failed to report it to the grand jury. Cowards. Shultz has stepped down from his position and returned to retirement while Curley has been put on administrative leave while he deals with his legal troubles.
A lot of people think President of the University Graham Spanier and Joe Paterno should follow suit and I couldn’t agree more. Failure to report the allegations to the proper people allowed Sandusky to continue to prey on the young children that trusted him. By saving a friendship, a university or someones reputation, they took the youth of at least one child. Such an act is inexcusable and should be punished to the fullest extent possible. If that is dismissal from the University, then so be it.
All we can do now is offer up thoughts and prayers that might help the victims and their families hold strong through these dark times. Penn State owes it to them to completely wash itself clean of the filth that has accumulated on the campus of Penn State over the years. They need to do the right thing for the first time in more than a decade.
