What’s going on in Penn State right now is a lot more than a college football scandal. It’s a lot more than a Penn State University scandal. It’s an evil, and complicity to evil so large in its scope that it transcends both football and education. The case of criminal pedophile Jerry Sandusky is a world-turning story that includes, but also goes well beyond the man with the most wins in college football history.
But it’s more than a college football story.
And it’s clear now that the legacy of Joe Paterno, one of the most iconic figures in the sport’s history, is ruined forever. And JoePa earned it, through the sin of omission, rather than the sin of commission.
JoePa’s defenders will say that he’s old and out of it, and hasn’t been in charge of the program for a long time; that he’s just a figurehead. I’m calling BS on that- he’s the most famous and powerful figure in the history of PSU, not just PSU football, but PSU.
Paterno may have fulfilled his legal requirement to report suspected abuse by his former assistant, state police Commissioner Frank Noonan said, “but somebody has to question about what I would consider the moral requirements for a human being that knows of sexual things that are taking place with a child.”
He added: “I think you have the moral responsibility, anyone. Not whether you’re a football coach or a university president or the guy sweeping the building. I think you have a moral responsibility to call us.”
Agreed one hundred percent. They didn’t just have suspicions with Sandusky, they had the smoking gun! They caught him in the act. And JoePa did nothing beyond the bare minimum about it. You would expect any normal everyday person to take action when becoming aware that a sick freak created a foundation for at-risk, troubled youth and used it to prey upon those especially weak individuals so that he can rape them.
And when that normal everyday person has actual power over that sick freak, and happens to be someone who proverbially walks on water in both the literal state of Pennsylvania, and the proverbial state of the game, you REALLY expect them to move.
According to the AP:
When asked if it was possible that there were more victims, (the Pennsylvania district attorney) said: “When you look at the totality of the circumstances and the number of victims that we have, I don’t think it would be beyond the realm of possibility that there are other victims that exist here.”
Sandusky sexually abused eight boys over 15 years through his charity for at-risk youth, authorities charged.
That’s right, there could be even more victims out there. I think it’s safe to say that should you have revered Paterno before this story broke, you really shouldn’t revere him any more.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, a Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports.
A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; he’s also a member of the FWAA, USBWA and SPJ. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.