Penn State University has been under the microscope of an entire nation this week. A university that 'does things with pride’ and simply ‘the right way’ is under fire for the opposite of those cherished moral values.
With the recent fallout of the disturbing allegations against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, Penn State is under heavy fire from the media nation wide. So far four positions at Penn State have been vacated including athletic director Tim Curley, vice president Gary Schultz, president Graham Spinier, and perhaps the most well known names in college football, head football coach Joe Paterno.
Joe Paterno’s firing has not been taken lightly on campus. Students have observed their right to protest while simultaneously causing damage to property and their own reputation. Some have considered Penn State students’ actions immature and irresponsible.
While some are outraged over the firing of the College Football Hall of Famer, others are saying that it was the right move. There are the speculations, there are the facts. The legendary coach was informed of an incident in 2002 when then graduate assistant Mike McQueary informed Paterno that he had witnessed a horrific scene in the locker room with Sandusky and a boy who he estimated to be 10 years old. Paterno then called Tim Curley, Penn State Athletic Director and reported what he had been told by McQueary. Paterno did not report this incident to police, just to his higher officials.
This is where the issue lies. The whole “Penn State Scandal” is about people saving their jobs and reporting to higher authorities while at least eight young boys were scarred .
Throughout this whole week, people have been trying to find the appropriate cork board to pin the blame on for these incidences not being put to a halt when they could have. Whether it be Paterno, Curley, Schultz, Spanier, or McQueary, the debate may never be put to rest.
Many other debates have sparked from this scandal such as “Did they (The Board of Trustees) handle it properly?” And “Should ‘Joe Pa’ be allowed to finish out the season?” As to the first debate, did they handle it properly? They handled it the best they could. How many protesters and Paterno supporters were outside his house that evening? There was no way a member of the board of trustees could have gone inside his house and say, “Hey you’re fired” without being mauled by protesters. A letter was given to Paterno in his home with a phone number to call and they proceeded from there. Joe Paterno should have been gone Sunday when Curley and Schultz were fired. This matter is not about football. Joe Paterno had to go, no matter what he has accomplished or done in the past.
As to the second debate, “Should Paterno be allowed to finish out the season?” We all love Joe Paterno and everything he has done for the university, we all love his personality. Joe Paterno should not be allowed to finish out the season for the same reason Mike McQueary should not. Why he is still on the coaching staff, nobody knows. The fact of the matter is, he did not do everything that he could have done. Life is always spent looking back at the what ifs and this what if is one of the most biggest what ifs in the history of what ifs. What if. What if Joe Paterno would have gone to the police? Would there be as many victims? Unfortunately, we will never know.
Joe Paterno had to go. Again, this matter is not about football. It is about the victims and their families. If people are going to continuously say that Joe should finish out the season and he did everything that he could, fine. It is America and thankfully we have that freedom of speech and press. But look at the facts people. Those bias opinions are not justified. Put yourself in the victims parent’s shoes. These horrific events take place and one of the most powerful men in the state of Pennsylvania says, “Well I told my boss what else do you want me to do?” You would be outraged. Yes, Joe Paterno has given his entire life to the University. These victims lives are forever scarred because of the actions not taken by this group of men. There is no going back.
Who knows how many victims there actually were? We know six victims will testify at Sandusky’s trial. The two not testifying mentioned in the Grand Jury Report are the other two of the eight victims that have, as of now, came forward. On November Eighth, a possible ninth victim of Sandusky contacted state police as calls for the termination of Spanier and Paterno grew within the state and beyond. How many more will there be? The truth is, we may never know how many victims there actually were.
There is speculation that an incident in 1998 involving Victim Six lead to Sandusky retiring from Penn State’s coaching staff in 1999. Was there a talk between Paterno and Sandusky? The whole coaching staff had to have known what was going on. Sandusky continued with his games for almost the next 10 years (Early 2009) and was not stopped. Simply because nobody wanted to lose their job.
Who is this Jerry Sandusky? Gerald Arthur “Jerry” Sandusky is one of the most notable major college football coaches to never held a head coaching position. He received the Assistant Coach of the Year honor in 1986 and 1999, his last year of coaching. Sandusky is your next door neighbor. He is the first one to help you rake your leaves. He is the first one to shovel your sidewalk. He is the man you thought you knew.
This game coming up Saturday in Happy Valley against Nebraska will be a very different game for Penn State. 46 seasons with the same head coach and suddenly, he is not there anymore. Interim head coach Tom Bradley will lead the Big Ten’s top team into Beaver Stadium in front of 107,000 anxious fans for the senior’s last home game.
Whether you believe any of the actions taken in this process were the right way or not, this case is more than football, more than a head coach, more than a University. Say a prayer for the families and victims. Say a prayer for the accused and the for blamed. And most importantly, say a prayer that these obscene actions never happen again.
By Josh Croup
