Joe is Gone

I am trying to imagine how this story would have been shaped if it involved virtually any other program. Notre Dame would have had its own special coverage due to it being a Catholic university, but no other traditional power would have had this level of scrutiny other than PSU because Penn State was considered a program doing things the right way. Of course this is a unique case in which the head coach is 84 and has been at the school as an assistant and then head coach for 60 years. And due to Paterno's impressive coaching resume, the story shifted from Sandusky, the child molester, to Paterno, the coach who did not do enough.
Is Paterno worthy of both the vitriol and the support? Should he have been allowed to coach out the season, or fired over the phone? What is the correct reaction concerning Paterno? Anger for his not doing everything to protect the victims in this case, or understanding that he was not told all of the facts. Demand that e be fired or riotting if he does?
Although I want this case taken on its own merits and not shaped by anyone's dislike of Penn State that was formed by a jealousy over their ability to win without breaking rules (in ESPN's awful summation of Paterno's career they have him coming up with the novel concept of having a great program of players that also went to school as if PSU is unique in that way), it did become clear to me that Paterno needed to step down. It is unfortunate that he tried to last out the season, but it is also clear that he should have retired years ago. Perhaps a 60-year-old Paterno reacts differently if approached by a grad assistant with awful charges about a trusted friend (Sandusky is described as "gentle" and "kind" in an old Paterno autobiography). And this weird hiding behind a misconception of what happened in the shower that awful 2002 evening, that somehow Paterno was okay in what he did not do because he only thought it was horseplay or fondling. What would be okay about Sandusky being naked in a shower after hours with a 10-year-old boy? And what is okay about fondling? No sugar coating of the phrase "anal rape" would be enough to prevent Paterno from calling the police. That a high school had to do it after Sandusky the volunteer was caught with young wrestlers many years later is sad. Penn State failed miserably and everyone involved needs to pay a high price.
And what is to be done about Sandusky? Obviously he is going to jail for life, but it is difficult to understand how he can continue to live his life, wife by his side, with all that is happening. Clearly the sickness drives him, but to remain in the community all of these years despite being caught numerous times is really unfathomable. His doing so really drives home the point that once you hear anything like this you must get the authorities involved because no matter how the abuser spins it, he cannot stop himself. No level of embarassment stopped Sandusky.
And what does this case tell us about ourselves as a community? It is not pretty. A lot of people are talking tough about what they would have done to Sandusky if they saw him do anything, but there is no report of anyone challenging him or threatening him. He was caught numerous times and the only adult who seemed upset was the one mother from 1998. Why didn't any of the tough PSU players past and present, when they heard the rumor and innuendo (and they ALL did) confront the guy? Matt Millen is now trying to talk tough on ESPN when he not only never bothered to find out more about his former coach but he remained on the Board of Directors of his not-for-profit. We have seen this before in other sports, especially those that involve children like gymnastics and swimming, and I do not remember a case where someone beat up the adult responsible or where the adult responsible was stopped immediately and taken away from kids ASAP. Instead with these types of cases, where the predator is not some creepy guy in an overcoat but the person in whom you put a ton of trust--a family member, a priest, a coach--we find that a majority of people chose to keep quiet about what they discover. It is unbelievable and sad.