What was a sad and sickening situation in State College, PA became even more so today with the release of the independent investigation’s findings, findings that showed Joe Paterno didn’t have just a passing knowledge of just one incident involving convicted child sex abuser Jerry Sandusky. Instead it painted a picture that Paterno along with other high ranking athletic department and unversity officials attempted to sweep not only the incident at hand, but the 1998 investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Sandusky, under the rug.
In the Freeh report the details became mind numbingly sickening as I scrolled through each page getting sicker by the word. I found myself asking just one question:
How could any adult sit back and let any hint of child abuse, let alone sexual abuse, continue? Instead they took the option of protecting their own reputations, the university’s reputation, and that of Sandusky. Not once is it indicated that the needs or protection of the kids was taken into consideration.
Well, so much for “Success with Honor” huh, JoePa? Honor and morals aren’t a sometime thing, they are an absolute thing. Do we all have failings from time to time? Yes, to be sure, no one is perfect in life. However, there are just some things that should be vastly black and white – no middle ground – and protecting children from abuse is one of them.
But, what more can I say that hasn’t already been said? So with that in mind I wanted to give you the reader some of the best from not only the Penn State community, but around the college sports world.
It’s truly a sad day and over at Crystal Ball Run, our friend Kevin McGuire talks about JoePa letting him down personally and how his tarred image just got feathered.
Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated penned one of the best articles about this tragedy, stating Penn State leaders can’t hide their guilt any longer.
One of the organizations that’s been most controversial in all of this, ESPN, had a few things to say:
- Gene Wojciechowski states that Paterno Empowered a Predator (couldn’t agree more for what it’s worth)
- Mark May calls it the single worst thing to happen in sports in our lifetimes (video clip)
- Matt Millen continues to try and protect JoePa with his reaction to the Freeh press conference, as if we need any further proof that he just needs to go away.
- Finally, for historical reference they bring out Brent Musburger for his take.
The fallout for Paterno has already started as the name of Paterno has been removed from a child center at Nike‘s headquarters in Oregon.
As for the family of JoePa? His son Jay Paterno continues to deny wrongdoing by his father and is totally sickening in his response on ESPN earlier today, which is documented here.
Reading that article makes me so sick to my stomach. Seriously, I get that he’s your father and you want to believe all that is good, but stop it already. He FAILED at the one moment he couldn’t fail, stop trying to sugar coat or spin. Enough is enough. Adults in powerful positions didn’t do anything to help protect children and instead decided to “remove the problem” from campus.
I know this isn’t the end, nor are we probably close to the final chapter on this. Look for our good friend Mike and I to talk much more about this on a special episode of our national sports debate show AM in the Evening this weekend.
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