A firestorm has engulfed what was once a great university — and in the process it has destroyed the reputation of a great coach.
It’s been less than a week since we learned that former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with either sexually abusing or raping eight boys over a 15-year time period. In addition, Tim Curley, the athletic director, and Gary Schultz, the senior vice president for finance and business, were charged with perjury and failing to report to authorities what they knew about the allegations. And last night, the Board of Trustees fired Graham Spanier, president of Penn State, and Joe Paterno, the legendary coach of the Nittany Lions.
The firing of Paterno, who has more victories than any coach in major college football history, has caused outrage among students at Penn State.
For those whose sympathies fall mostly with Paterno, I would simply say to them: Read this. It is a sickening, 23-page Grand Jury report which documents, in clinically gruesome detail, the wicked acts of Sandusky, as well as the extraordinary irresponsibility of top officials at Penn State, including “Joe Pa.” It will transform one’s initial sense of deep sadness to one of burning rage.
The Grand Jury report shows Sandusky to be a man of depravity and malevolence. It is best that we do not delve into the fate he deserves.
As for Penn State: if the Grand Jury report is accurate, it is an institution whose leadership was utterly corrupt. Person after person knew what a monster Sandusky is, the terrible crimes he committed, and yet nothing was ever done to stop him. As a result, he stole the innocence and broke the lives of young children.
There is more. As Tom Boswell of the Washington Post points out in a profoundly insightful column, in 1998, university police did an extensive investigation of accusations against Sandusky, then Penn State’s defensive coordinator, involving his showering with children; two separate incidents, both with 11-year-olds. The mother of one child and a university policeman have testified that, when confronted by the mother, Sandusky said: “I understand I was wrong. I wish I could get forgiveness. I know I won’t get it from you. I wish I were dead.” Yet the case was eventually closed. As a result, Sandusky continued his reign of terror.
Why did so many people – including Paterno, a man who by all accounts has lived an honorable life – not intervene? No one was required to do heroic acts; all that was needed were individuals who understood their most basic moral (and legal) duties. And yet everyone involved failed the test. It’s impossible to know with certainty why they did; each individual case was undoubtedly influenced by different factors. But one cannot help but believe that the actors in this tragedy did not want to rock the boat. Football is iconic at Penn State; perhaps they thought they were protecting the institution many of them had come to love. Instead, they have brought to it disgrace. It’s not the first time people who thought they were defending a noble institution ended up dishonoring it.
For years, Penn State was referred to as Happy Valley. It turns out to have been the heart of darkness.
After reading the documents you'd need to believe Paterno was simultaneously a brilliant coach but also a dumb as a rock idiot to not know what was going on.
First good piece ever on this. Everyone else is just doing identity politics…anti-gay or anti-child abuse or pro-football. I'm not sure the whole child rape thing, as horrid as that is, is that important by itself; after all there is a lot of such stuff going on in the world, and worse. But here we have people who surely never would actually condone that, who lived with success and honor anyone would admire, who actually perjured themselves to protect criminal atrocity. What a disgusting combination. This is up there with the Pope promoting people allegedly of the same ilk, incomprehensible to anyone with any concept of moral authority being important to human beings.
Protecting the institution is rooted in history, and the history is always bad. Communism, Islam, and the Catholic Church are examples. When you boil it down what is usually being protected is the position of a prospered few within the institution. Pride (and personal station) goeth before the fall. The Penn State students who are rallying for Paterno should know this and they should contemplate the horrors of the acts visited on defenseless children and the lives they have in front of them.
Hop step and jump and you could be describing that other Happy Valley to Heart of Darkness honoured member in the UN, with kow-tow or chamberlainian don't mention the lady in the attic "big players" in Africa, Europe and the world. Of course I refer to, as example?, Zimbabwe or Rhodesia as she was. Are we now to witness the same or similar developments in the United States of America, or the Constitutional Republic of same as she was. In the hands of similarly vindictive new "leaders" of the constitutional agencies of administration. Looks very like.
As a Catholic who has anguished through the Church's sex scandal, I have to say if you think Penn State is the only college football program where this is present, you are tragically deluding yourself. I have no knowledge or evidence that such could be the case, but when this evil first manifests itself, it almost always is just the tip of the iceberg.
"Why did so many people – including Paterno, a man who by all accounts has lived an honorable life – not intervene?" n nIn a word – MONEY. TV contracts, bowl recompense, sports gear, alumni donations, NCAA sanctions, putting a spot light on a program that embodies the image of PSU, effect on recruiting (students, as well as athletes), institutionalized group-think of what's best for PSU's image & funding. And now the students are rioting over the fall out to Paterno? When in Rome, do as the Romans – when in Happy Valley, keep an eye on your kids.
Mr Wehner, the first line of your column implies that "the great coach" (Paterno) and his reputation are a victim of the firestorm. n nSorry – other than Sandusky himself, Paterno is the central figure, and most responsible for the decades long coverup. It was Paterno who allowed Sandusky to retire quietly in 1999, after the 1998 events, and continued to give him access and privilege at Penn State so he could pursue his perversions. n nThe fact that he is 84 is irrelevant – this was a horrific cover up of evil crimes. Nothing he's done on the football field makes up for it, and in fact, his culpability in this ugliness exposes his entire reputation as a lie. n nBenedict Arnold was a great military leader in the early years of the American Revolution, but his treason (trying to sell West Point to the British) wiped all that out. At West Point, in the Old Cadet Chapel, there are plaques on the wall for each American general in the Revolutionary War, including one for Arnold. Arnold's name, however, is carved out. It serves as a silent yet powerful reminder of both Arnold's contribution, and his shame. n nIn a similar way, Penn State needs to "carve out" Joe Paterno's name from every public monument and building, and tear down the statue. Paterno has proven unworthy, undeserving, and dishonorable. n nThe PSU Football motto "Success with Honor" has an implied corollary: n nWithout Honor, there is no Success
Few problems I see with some of the statement. The 1998 investigation did not lead to charges. So should the university have sacked him then? Easy to say in hindsight. Then again, we are supposed to live in a country where you are innocent until proven guilty and people are not supposed to lose jobs based on allegations, because sometimes those allegations are false. r nr nSecond, the incident that everyone wants to hang JoePa over happened in 2002, when Sandusky was no longer on JoePa’s staff. People are making assumptions about what JoePa knew or didn’t know about Sandusky after the monster retired. From the grand jury testimony we know some of what is going on, but not all the facts and cirumstances. But yet, every arm chair quarterback wants to play judge and executioner without letting the entire process unfold. r nr nWhat has happened if true speaks very poorly of Penn State and its authorities, to include JoePa. The lynching mentality from which people are calling for Joe Pa’s head also speaks poorly of where we are as a country.