Will restoring Joe Paterno's wins erase the pain of the Victims?
I read in the paper this morning that the NCAA is in negotiations to restore 111 wins that were stripped from Joe Paterno because of his apparent acquiescence in the presence of a convicted serial child abuser. Many of us in Pennsylvania lived through the sordid details of the trial. Jerry Sandusky, under the guise of Penn State acceptance, recruited children for his Second Mile Foundation. He would offer them trips to Bowl Games, tickets to his suite and assorted romps in the showers. He would then abuse them. When he was arrested for his crimes, he had on a Penn State track suit.
The sanctions imposed by the NCAA were draconian and I think warranted. One of the most telling statements I heard Joe Pa say was that he 'never heard of sex and a man.' What part of the idyllic splendor of Happy Valley is that? Jerry Sandusky coached on Paterno's staff for almost thirty years. It was a foregone conclusion that he was going to succeed Joe Paterno when and if Joe retired. It finally occurred that Joe was retired by the Board of Trustees after the numerous children came forward with allegations of abuse at the hands of Jerry Sandusky.
I feel sorry for a former Penn State Assistant Coach who has been unable to find a job as a result of reporting allegations against Jerry Sandusky. In 2002, Mike McQueary reported to Joe Paterno that he saw Jerry Sandusky engaged in inappropriate actions with a young boy in a shower on Penn State's campus. He made sure to tell Joe that it was sexual in nature. Joe relayed this information to his superiors but Jerry was allowed to continue his sexcapades with numerous young boys. A student made allegations of sexual abuse at Central Mountain High School in 2008. A parent reported Sandusky to police in 2009 but was rebuffed. I think the trustees made the right decision by letting Joe go.
Many of the Penn State faithful were blinded by Paterno's pursuit of the most wins in NCAA Division 1 history. Some trustees wanted Joe to identify a successor and begin to transition. Joe basically told them to go stick it. I attended Joe's 400th win over Northwestern. It was an awesome experience to be surrounded by over 100,000 people in a stadium. I think Joe's supporters are still mesmerized by his ability to pack the stadium. There are even discussions about having his iconic statue placed back in front of the stadium. It is as if the victims of the child abuse inflicted by Jerry Sandusky do not exist.
There had to be a reason why Jerry Sandusky retired in 1999 and still kept an office at Penn State. Why would he voluntarily give up a job like that to only hang around the university and its environment? The University willingly concealed facts about the abuse inflicted on children from the authorities. Joe Paterno could have went to Jerry and told him to leave the University premises. Enabling a pedophile and child rapist is not a crime to be glossed over in an attempt to restore Joe's wins and faded glory. Penn State's bowl eligibility was restored a year early. They received their full allotment of scholarships.
What is the purpose of restoring the wins accrued during a time of repeated sexual abuse by a close associate of Joe Paterno? The victims, including the adopted son of Jerry Sandusky, would beg to differ with these efforts by the current Board of Trustees. I don't think that Joe was a saint. Mrs. Paterno and her family are suing Penn State. Dotty Sandusky is denying that any abuse took place even though her husband was convicted. He refused to testify on his own behalf. Google Joe Paterno and all you will find is the glowing reports on wins and the unfair actions of the NCAA. Who will speak for the victims?
The sanctions imposed by the NCAA were draconian and I think warranted. One of the most telling statements I heard Joe Pa say was that he 'never heard of sex and a man.' What part of the idyllic splendor of Happy Valley is that? Jerry Sandusky coached on Paterno's staff for almost thirty years. It was a foregone conclusion that he was going to succeed Joe Paterno when and if Joe retired. It finally occurred that Joe was retired by the Board of Trustees after the numerous children came forward with allegations of abuse at the hands of Jerry Sandusky.
I feel sorry for a former Penn State Assistant Coach who has been unable to find a job as a result of reporting allegations against Jerry Sandusky. In 2002, Mike McQueary reported to Joe Paterno that he saw Jerry Sandusky engaged in inappropriate actions with a young boy in a shower on Penn State's campus. He made sure to tell Joe that it was sexual in nature. Joe relayed this information to his superiors but Jerry was allowed to continue his sexcapades with numerous young boys. A student made allegations of sexual abuse at Central Mountain High School in 2008. A parent reported Sandusky to police in 2009 but was rebuffed. I think the trustees made the right decision by letting Joe go.
Many of the Penn State faithful were blinded by Paterno's pursuit of the most wins in NCAA Division 1 history. Some trustees wanted Joe to identify a successor and begin to transition. Joe basically told them to go stick it. I attended Joe's 400th win over Northwestern. It was an awesome experience to be surrounded by over 100,000 people in a stadium. I think Joe's supporters are still mesmerized by his ability to pack the stadium. There are even discussions about having his iconic statue placed back in front of the stadium. It is as if the victims of the child abuse inflicted by Jerry Sandusky do not exist.
There had to be a reason why Jerry Sandusky retired in 1999 and still kept an office at Penn State. Why would he voluntarily give up a job like that to only hang around the university and its environment? The University willingly concealed facts about the abuse inflicted on children from the authorities. Joe Paterno could have went to Jerry and told him to leave the University premises. Enabling a pedophile and child rapist is not a crime to be glossed over in an attempt to restore Joe's wins and faded glory. Penn State's bowl eligibility was restored a year early. They received their full allotment of scholarships.
What is the purpose of restoring the wins accrued during a time of repeated sexual abuse by a close associate of Joe Paterno? The victims, including the adopted son of Jerry Sandusky, would beg to differ with these efforts by the current Board of Trustees. I don't think that Joe was a saint. Mrs. Paterno and her family are suing Penn State. Dotty Sandusky is denying that any abuse took place even though her husband was convicted. He refused to testify on his own behalf. Google Joe Paterno and all you will find is the glowing reports on wins and the unfair actions of the NCAA. Who will speak for the victims?
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