The scandal at Penn State is the most devastating in sports history. The events themselves--40 counts of child sexual abuse that could represent hundreds of actual incidents--are horrific enough. But also damning is the reaction of the university officials to early reports of misbehavior on the part of the coach in question (Sandusky). Looking at how the incidents and reports were handled I am left with one disturbing conclusion:
Joe Paterno knew.
JoePa, that grandfatherly figure on the sideline for the past 62 years at Penn State, knew about the behavior of his sidekick, Jerry Sandusky. He knew about it and turned a blind eye toward the suffering of the children who were Sandusky's targets. Paterno knew that Sandusky was a scandal waiting to happen, and distanced himself from his protege. Consider the following:
Look at Paterno's reaction to sexual assault by an opposing player. In 2006, on the eve of the Orange Bowl, an opposing player was sent home amid allegations of sexual assault. Of that incident, Paterno said,
There’s some tough — there’s so many people gravitating to these kids. He may not have even known what he was getting into, Nicholson. They knock on the door; somebody may knock on the door; a cute girl knocks on the door. What do you do?
What do you do, Joe? You condemn the player's action. You say that you are appalled that supposed student-athletes are given a free pass to treat women like objects. You applaud the opponent for standing up for what's right instead of bowing to football-related pressures. If the opponent wins despite the absence of that player you say, "That's 'winning with honor.'" But you don't say, "What do you do?"
JoePa looked the other way while his players committed off-field infractions. This led to an ESPN "Outside the Lines" investigation in 2008 (found here). Among other things reported, ESPN found:
Since 2002, 46 Penn State football players have faced 163 criminal charges, according to an ESPN analysis of Pennsylvania court records and reports. Twenty-seven players have been convicted of or have pleaded guilty to a combined 45 counts.
Does that sound like "winning with honor," supposedly the Paterno Tradition at Penn State? How does Penn State get such a pass when other schools (Miami, USC, etc.) are vilified for their behavior? At USC, the school committed "victim-less infractions," by paying money and favors to key players. USC was suspended from playing in bowl games and forfeited football-related awards. And Penn State? Nothing.
According to police reports, Sandusky was investigated for child sexual assault beginning in 1994. No charges. Child welfare services investigated further in 1998. No charges. But...
...Sandsuky "retired" in 1999. Really? Was he too old?!? Even though he was Paterno's junior by 17 years?
JoePa knew. He knew that Sandusky couldn't be allowed to be around the program. Sandusky was the architect of the Linebacker U. mentality that led Penn State to its national championship seasons of 1982 and 1986. In 1994, when the first allegations happened (and the behavior had to have already gone on for a while before this), Penn State finished the season ranked #2, and won the Rose Bowl. It seems that Paterno looked the other way, letting football success cloud his moral judgement. Five more years went by--and countless opportunities for Sandusky to use his position to gain access to his child-victims--before Sandusky retired in 1999.
When Sandusky retired, Penn State went through fives straight middling seasons. Many were caling for the old man to retire, stating that Paterno had "lost it." What he had lost was Sandusky--the defensive mastermind. Did Joe Paterno hold on to Sandusky--despite the allegations and evidence of abuse--because without him Paterno was only an average coach? I think he did.
I have no original information about this case. I have only an assumption based on a reading of the available facts. I assume that Paterno has a men-will-be-men attitude toward sexual behavior on the part of his coach, and players of any program. He looked the other way as his program racked up an impressive number of criminal charges. He dismissed Sandusky in 1999 because the allegations were too close to home; the 1998 investigation shook him, as it might take a private, football-related matter (though it wasn't really) and make it public. Even after the information in 2002--that eventually led to the grand jury charges--all Paterno did was call his superiors.
JoePa knew. And he did nothing. That's not the worst tragedy (nothing compares to the child sexual assault), but it is pretty awful.
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