By now everyone’s heard the news. In 2002, a Graduate Assistant to Penn State Football Coach Joe Paterno witnessed former Defensive Coordinator, Jerry Sandusky sodomizing a ten-year-old boy in the shower room. The GA reported what he saw to Paterno, who reported it to the Office of the Athletic Director.
And that’s all.
He didn’t follow up. He didn’t investigate the incident himself. He didn’t go straight to the police. He fulfilled his legal obligation, but not his ethical obligation. As a result, an alleged pedophile had nine more years to prey on boys while using a Penn State legend as cover. There’s a lively debate going on in cyberspace about JoePa’s role in all this. Defenders say he had nothing to do with the allegations, and shouldn’t be tarred by association with Sandusky. Everyone else seems to think he needs to fired immediately.
At a press conference today, Paterno announced he is stepping down at the end of this season. He may not get the chance to finish the season, as the Penn State Board is meeting Friday to decide his fate. At 84, Paterno has more wins than anyone else in Major College Football history. With 46 seasons at the helm of the Nittany Lions, he is the Dean of football coaches. Unfortunately, his half-century of work will forever be tainted by the worst scandal in NCAA football history.
A little overly dramatic, perhaps? All the other scandals involved money: illegal benefits to recruits and players, point-shaving, etc. This involved the rape and sexual abuse of boys as young as 8. Sandusky ran a program that purported to help young boys in need. It appears he used his stature to single out vulnerable boys for his own sexual satisfaction. This occurred over the span of 15 years. Who knows how many boys have been affected. You’re telling me Paterno never heard any rumors about his friend and former player? Really?
More ominously, Sandusky retired in 1999 at the age of 58, still prime coaching age. Why would a coach suddenly retire at the height of his powers? Was he forced out? Was Paterno aware of the reasons? There are going to be many more uncomfortable questions on the way during the trial. Paterno’s proximity to Sandusky might drag him into the most unpleasant court situations in memory.
In 2005, the Penn State tried to get Paterno to retire. He resisted. Penn State Football was his life. At 78, he was already 13 years past normal retirement. Now at 84, JoePa is looking like something no one ever contemplated: a doddering old man who has lost touch with his program and the people around him. To his credit, his announcement was contrite and empathetic to the victims and their families. I have no doubt in my mind that he is sincere.
However, had he gone to police in 2002, many tragedies could have been avoided.
0 comments:
Post a Comment