Joe Paterno’s Grave Continues To Be Dug Deeper And Deeper

LifeOfaReilly9 years ago

If you are one of those Nittany Lion loyalists who were still holding out a glimmer of hope for Paterno’s name to be cleared, it’s time find a new fight.

The legendary Penn State football coach made headlines from the grave Tuesday morning, and no, it isn’t because the school has decided to resurrect his statue on campus…

The Washington Post reported that Joe Pa, despite heavily disputing the claim till his dying day, was well aware of the sexual assaults conducted by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky on young boys. Citing an unsealed court document from a 2014 testimony, an unnamed victim recalled horrific misconducts he suffered at the hands of Sandusky when he was only 14 years old:

A man testified in court in 2014 that Penn State football coach Joe Paterno ignored his complaints of a sexual assault committed by assistant coach Jerry Sandusky in 1976 when the man was a 14-year-old boy, according to new court documents unsealed Tuesday in a Philadelphia court.

The victim, who was identified in court records as John Doe 150, said that while he was attending a football camp at Penn State, Sandusky touched him as he showered. Sandusky’s finger penetrated the boy’s rectum, Doe testified in court in 2014, and the victim asked to speak with Paterno about it. Doe testified that he specifically told Paterno that Sandusky had sexually assaulted him, and Paterno ignored it.

“Is it accurate that Coach Paterno quickly said to you, ‘I don’t want to hear about any of that kind of stuff, I have a football season to worry about?’” the man’s lawyer asked him in 2014.

“Specifically. Yes … I was shocked, disappointed, offended. I was insulted… I said, is that all you’re going to do? You’re not going to do anything else?”

Paterno, the man testified, just walked away.

Listen, Penn State has already settled for $93 million to be distributed amongst 32 Sandusky victims. If that wasn’t already proving guilt that the higher ups at Penn State were well aware of what was going on, then I don’t know what does. But these new revelations of Paterno are disturbing.

I hate to kick a man while he’s down, or dead in this case, but has anyone fallen from grace harder than Joe Pa? He was once the king of college football. The most powerful man Saturday afternoons had to offer. Loved and cherished by the Penn State community and a large alumni base for not only the championships he brought them on the field, but his contributions towards the university that helped put them on the map.

Football conquers a lot of illegal things on a college campus. Do you want to pay recruits in order to better your program? Go ahead. Hook their families up with new houses and cars? Be my guest. Set up a fake major to ensure your team makes grades to play on Saturdays? I encourage it! We see cover ups every day in order for schools to keep their programs churning out championships. But sweeping sexual assaults on children under the rug should never, ever be done in order to protect anyone, let alone a football program.

I realize Joe Pa didn’t actually touch anyone himself, but that doesn’t make him any less in the wrong. The moment he becomes aware of any sexual incidents involving a member of his coaching staff, for whom he is directly responsible, he absolutely must put the well-being of his football season aside and put an end to it. The buck stops with the head coach. Paterno, and anyone else who was aware of these occurrences at Penn State, should be held accountable for the victims that suffered at the hands of Sandusky after they became aware. Sure, you can’t punish a man who is already dead. But I’m not against furthering the punishment of a once great reputation. Paterno’s coffin keeps dropping deeper and deeper in that grave.

Forget about another white out at Happy Valley; it’s time to officially whitewash the university of anything Paterno-related. That doesn’t mean taking down the championship banners or the removal of trophies; those were earned by perfectly innocent players. I’m saying anything with Paterno’s name, picture or anything else that has an association with the coach needs to go. Let’s not do anything to tarnish the past accomplishments on the field, because punishing the players does not accomplish anything — but ridding Paterno from campus altogether is in order.

Sandusky was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison in 2012, and that’s not nearly enough. Let’s hope he burns in hell for all eternity..

[via Washington Post]

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