Some Thoughts on Penn State

I have been closely paying attention to this story coming out of State College, PA regarding former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky and an alleged sex abuse scandal stemming from 2002.  Yesterday was a whirlwind 24 hours for Nittany Lions faithful.  It started with a love/hate relationship for and against head football coach Joe Paterno (the same Joe Pa who has been there for the last 46 years).  Paterno was never a target of the criminal investigation because he "fulfilled his legal obligation" by reporting to his superior, president Graham Spanier.  A graduate assistant informed Paterno that he had alledgedly observed improper acts in a locker room by Sandusky towards a child.  Paterno claimed that the graduate assistant (now identified to be current wide receivers coach Mike McQueary) was "distraught" and failed to provide specifics about what he saw.  However, no authorities were notified.  Yesterday morning, we find out that Paterno decided to retire at the end of the season, which still has 4 games left and potentially more.  Paterno decided to retire so that the Penn State Board of Trustees would not have to worry about his status as they decided what to do going forward.  However, the Board ignored Paterno's preemptive strike.  Last night at around 10PM, after informing Paterno via phone call, the Board announced that both Paterno and Spanier were relieved of their duties "in the best interests of the university as a whole." 

Even before the announcement, there was a very sharp divide on how Paterno should be viewed in all of this.  Many felt that the best thing to happen was for Paterno to retire as he said he would.  It would look really bad for him and the university if they did nothing and Paterno would be allowed to continue as head coach (in spite of calls for him to retire based on age alone, he is 84).  Therefore, with Paterno retiring, the university would save face as it were.  Students flocked toward his home to show their support, and he even came out and addressed them during the night.  Paternoville was full of tents as usual in advance of this Saturday's home finale and Senior Day.  It seemed as if Paterno would be able to go out the way he wanted to, albeit under somewhat dubious circumstances.  However, he would later find out that this would not be the case, and the venom coming from the students is nasty (they're trying to make the University of Maryland look good apparently). 



Joe Paterno

Here's the bottom line.  Here we are talking about the legacy of Joe Paterno and a football program...yet again.  For the last couple of years, the culprits have been improper benefits and academic issues at big schools.  However, Penn State has been mostly isolated from these things, and Paterno had been revered for always running a squeaky clean program.  Unfortunately, we are all missing the big issue here.  Children have been affected.  This happened 10 years ago and they are now all adults, but who knows how many lives were alledgedly ruined because of Jerry Sandusky?  I know it's all allegations at this point and innocent until proven guilty, but right now at least the circumstantial evidence right now is very damning. ***

***Lest we forget, the Duke lacrosse sex scandal.  Now, as far as we know, there are no politicians with axes to grind in State College like there was at Duke with Mike Nifong.  As heinous as the allegations are (and they are pretty heinous), Jerry Sandusky is afforded the right of due process in a court of law.  He can be smeared in the court of public opinion, and with 40 counts coming from the Grand Jury, there is definitely more than enough evidence to put him away for good, but like those lacrosse players, he will get his day in court***

Back to my original point, we are once again talking about the legacy of a coach and a football program, when we really should be talking about the victims and how their lives have been destroyed because of the whims of a madman.  For pretty much the entire time I have run this blog, since January, I have argued that college athletics, although an important part of the higher education system, should not be given a higher level of importance over academics and education.  After all, this is (and ought to be) the primary goal of any college institution.  Penn State may have been squeaky clean for 46 years under Paterno (we think...).  However, as they say, the higher they go, the harder they fall.  The Board of Trustees doesn't need to give Joe Paterno or Graham Spanier any due process.  They have to act on behalf of the best interests of the Pennsylvania State University.  They know that as long as Joe Paterno is the head coach, even if it is only for 4 more games, the only press the University would be getting would be about this scandal and how no action is being taken, just like no action was taken in 2002.  Their primary objective has to be to enhance the university as an educational institution.  In the best interests of the university, an academic institution, the course of action for them was to make a very tough decision and fire the legendary football coach whose name still graces the university library.  I applaud the Board for making a very difficult decision, but I have to say that it is the right one, in addition to canning Spanier. 

History will look at Penn State football and Penn State University with pride.  409 wins, 2 national championships, 37 bowl apperances, and 24 bowl wins without the slightest hint of impropriety will earn you several well-deserved plaudits.  However, in light of recent events, fairly or unfairly, the pride of Penn State football will always be looked at with an asterisk.  What was going on in those locker rooms that we did not know about?  How could anybody be informed of any sense of impropriety and not make the responsible decision to inform authorities, no matter how "vague" the information was?  I know that it's easy for me to say because I was not there, but Joe Paterno has always had that reputation of putting kids first.  The children affected by this scandal had their entire lives in front of them, and they were not put first.  They have to be first and foremost on everyone's mind.  Just like the Board had to make a tough decision they felt was in the best interest of their university, so did Paterno.  Paterno (and Penn State in general) is now suffering the consequences of his decision. 

I have to say that I do applaud Paterno for coming forward and saying that even though his legal obligation was fufilled, he wishes he could have done more for the victims affected.  I am in no way saying that Paterno should be completely disassociated with Penn State.  He should still be held in high regard, as long as he really dedicates himself now for advocating for the victims, and for the victims of any similar crimes.

Jess over at Just Call me Janks (a proud Penn State alum) provides another perspective on this issue.  She argues in favor of letting Paterno stay the rest of the season, taking into consideration his entire body of work (referencing the library).