Let’s not mince words. When Joe Paterno, Penn State’s “Great Man of Rectitude,” was informed that his “emeritus coach” butt-fucked an 11-year-old boy in the Penn State showers, he simply told the Athletic Director that the pedophile engaged in “inappropriate” and “disturbing” behavior (2002). And when the AD did nothing, Paterno–his moral obligation thus “satisfied”– sat on the information for 9 years, allowing the pedophile to roam loose. I … am … Angry! Tear down the whole sick Penn State football program and start over.
[NOTE: The first version of this story had the assistant coach continuing to work on Paterno's coaching staff. That was in error. But in 1999, after the assistant's earlier act of pedophilia in Paterno's locker room, "Joe Pa" simply told the pervert he would not be the next head coach and allowed him to enjoy "emeritus" status with an office full access to the locker room.]
November 13th, 2011 at 5:49 pm
Anyone involved should be stripped of their job and their pension. Sandusky will supposedly get $60k/yr. Disgusting.
November 13th, 2011 at 5:50 pm
Exactly.
November 13th, 2011 at 6:04 pm
Shows just how sick big time college football has become …
November 13th, 2011 at 6:13 pm
Les: The timeline is different from what you indicated, but of course that doesn’t change Paterno’s responsibility or absolutely immoral response. The assistant coach was a former assistant with access to the PSU facilities when the graduate assistant witnessed the rape in 2002 and then went to Paterno.
From the NY Daily News timeline: “Summer 1999: Sandusky [the accused assistant coach) announces he will retire from Penn State at the end of the season. He will have emeritus status, maintain an office on campus and have access to all Penn State facilities.”
Again, the fact that the coaching buddy no longer was employed there or worked with Paterno as a coach does not alter anything. In fact, the situation in some ways is worse. Sandusky made that announcement after reports of such a rape with at least one other boy. The boy told his mother and she and Sandusky reportedly talked. I don’t know what kind of investigation took place, but the DA decided against charges. So, this sick attitude re: this man’s attacks on children predates the 2002 report by the graduate assistant. It is hard to believe that Paterno and the atheltic department and maybe the president of the university did not know something then. Sick bastards, all of them.
Even after the 2002 evidence, the university denied Sandusky only use of the locker rooms; he still was free to be on campus and in the weight room and so on.
At one point I thought that the grad assistant bore the least blame. I figured he was 22 or so and in an uncertain position of no power; his first option was to to tell Paterno, which he did (on his father’s advice). But it turns out that he was 28, and when nothing happened, he did not take it further up the line (he knew what would happen there) or to the police. He didn’t want to lose that position and he still coaches there (but was but on paid leave this past week). The system corrupted everyone. Every spineless, ass-covering of them of them.
November 13th, 2011 at 6:26 pm
I did make that timeline error, Dan. Thanks to you and Mark Bunster (on Facebook) for pointing it out. But, like you, I still don’t weep for Paterno.
November 13th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
I agree completely. There’s so much wrong here it’s impossible to know where to start. When I heard about the riots in support of Joe Pa and saw the banners saying “God Bless Joe Pa” at the football game Saturday, my first thought was “How do the young victims and their families feel when they see these things?” Young people’s lives were changed forever because of adults who abdicated their moral and legal responsibility. I just hope we ALL can learn from this awful situation and prevent similar things from happening in the future.
November 13th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
It was a simple 3 step process. 1. cold cock the perv. 2. get the young man a towel. 3. call the cops not the DA the cops with kids and a family.
November 13th, 2011 at 11:38 pm
Again, the fact that the coaching buddy no longer was employed there or worked with Paterno as a coach does not alter anything. In fact, the situation in some ways is worse. Sandusky made that announcement after reports of such a rape with at least one other boy. The boy told his mother and she and Sandusky reportedly talked. I don’t know what kind of investigation took place, but the DA decided against charges. So, this sick attitude re: this man’s attacks on children predates the 2002 report by the graduate assistant. It is hard to believe that Paterno and the atheltic department and maybe the president of the university did not know something then. Sick bastards, all of them.
+1
November 14th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
yes, fired and stripped of their pensions – and JAIL TIME. Raping a child – and or watching a rape occur? JAIL TIME. PERIOD. The raping of children is not an office management private issue to deal with – the guy didn’t get caught stealing paperclips. Raping of children is AGAINST THE LAW.
November 14th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
The entire issue disgusts me. He (Joe P) should have cared about his friend enough to help him turn himself in and get the help he needed, and to pay for the crimes he committed. And if Sandusky was unwilling to pay for his crimes, Paterno should have turned him in anyway. This good-ol-boys club mentality is systemic of the general ills that plague our country.
However, we should all have a heart and simply overlook Sandusky’s issues. He was simply born that way. He has no control over his sexual orientation / activities.
November 15th, 2011 at 11:02 am
Pedophilia and predatory behavior involving raping little boys is not an inherent sexual orientation. It is true that the males of our species are more prone to this kind of thing. The male bonding in sports is a particularly unfortunate cover for a multiplicity of behaviors that “teammates” often fail to report. That seems to be another social phenomenon that overrides individual conscience.
November 15th, 2011 at 11:36 am
Wendy, thanks for an insightful perspective on this depravity.