Penn State's Shame

I always wondered what a Nittany Lion was. Now I know.

I don't know if I can add much to what has already been reported and commented on over this Penn State football scandal involving former asst. coach Jerry Sandusky. Sandusky, who had been involved with Penn State since 1969, was allegedly observed having sex in the university football showers with a pre-pubescent boy in 2000 by a janitor. Apparently, that janitor did nothing more than tell a couple of colleagues. Nobody reported it to police. Then in 2002, a graduate asst. allegedly observed Sandusky having sex with a boy in the showers. The next day, he reports it to Coach Joe Paterno, who tells the athletic director and another official. Sandusky is "removed' from his position, but still holds emeritus status with the university and still hangs out around the facility. Nobody notifies the cops.

Fast forward several years until the authorities learn of the allegations and start interviewing people. Now, in 2011, we have grand jury indictments against Sandusky and two university officials (for perjury).

And Joe Paterno, 84, legendary football coach at Penn State, has his reputation in tatters-as does Penn State.

Here is what should have happened. Let's assume that Sandusky's proclivities were a secret until 2002 when the graduate asst. saw him with the boy in the shower. That's pretty naive to believe in the first place, but let's start there. Here is what you do.

Intervene and pull the attacker off of that boy. Secure the boy and call 9-11 (cops). Then you can go to your supervisor and report what you saw.

Here is what Paterno should have done: After he notified the two university officials, he should have stayed on them to ensure they notified the police immediately. Once he learns they have not, he notifies the police.

Now we have to ask ourselves how many boys were molested by Sandusky between the years 2000-2 and 2011 because the university took no action?

One also has to ask whether Joe Paterno knows anything in life other than football.

How much of this is a result of a university culture that has convinced itself that the university is some sort of sanctuary from the outside world and the laws that the rest of us live by? How much of it is the result of the major influence that big-time college sports, especially football has on a university? What are the priorities-protecting a major football program or the reputation of the university? How is it that Penn State officials learn that an employee is raping a child in the shower room of their football facility and they never go to the cops? Of course, there is a campus police force at Penn State, but we also know that they work under and report to the university- some dean.

I don't care if Joe Paterno is the winningest football coach in history or that he has been at Penn State for 4 decades. He has failed in his moral responsibility. This is not a game of tag where you pass the news on and let the next person deal with it. Everybody in this chain of command failed in their moral responsibility. You can fire Sandusky, force him to retire or whatever the Hell they did. Unless you notify law enforcement of what you have learned, you are part of a cover-up.

Paterno has no business remaining as coach until the end of the season. He should resign now. If he doesn't, he should be fired.

On second thought, who at Penn State is fit to fire him?