Say it ain't so, Joe!

The Yard usually tries to find the humor or irony in the world and delivers it in a sports themed wrapper. This week there is no humor or irony and unfortunately the wrapper is still tied to sports.

The reign of terror that Jerry Sandusky was allowed to perpetrate at Penn State University is not humorous or ironic. Joe Paterno was collateral damage yesterday when his unprecedented reign at Penn State was terminated by the board of trustees. The trustees took swift actions in an attempt to reconcile events from over a decade ago. Swift action a decade ago would have ended this story before it ended this way.

Tuesday, Joe Pa tried to orchestrate his departure as has been able to do for so many things for the past half century at Happy Valley. He encouraged the trustees not to waste one second of their time thinking about his status as coach. He would gladly retire at the end of the season. Joe figured he could get past this. He lamented that he should have done more as the egregious actions of his former defensive coordinator, Sandusky came to light this past week. The Yard is not sure if Paterno could have done more when these events were brought to his attention. We are most certain that it would have been impossible for him to have done any less.

The rioting on campus by PSU students demanding that Paterno not be fired is ignorant and misguided. Joe had to go, not coach another game and not collect another paycheck from PSU. If anyone’s doubts Paterno’s culpability in these horrific events go the Yard blog site for a link to the grand jury transcripts. It is a rugged read and tears will flow as witness testimony recounts the activities of a sexual predator that Paterno and the PSU administration let roam free.

In 2002, then graduate assistant coach Mike McQueary ventured into the Penn State locker room looking for his tennis shoes. The lights were on when they should not have been and he went to investigate. What he came upon is not for the faint of heart. He found Sandusky raping a ten year old boy in the shower. He ran from the scene and it took him a night of soul searching to report this not to the police but to Paterno which he did the following morning. Joe Pa reported it to the athletic director. His superiors reported it to no one and Sandusky remained a PSU coach for another 18 months.

The story got distilled by the university in this manner. McCreary witnessed a rape and reported it to Joe. Joe reported that something might have happened that was of a sexual nature. The administration testified that it was merely horse play and possibly the boy’s genitals were touched. The University looked out for the University not the victim. Quietly, Sandusky was allowed to retire in 2003 while being promoted to the position of professor emeritus. He was awarded a full pension and full access to the University’s facilities. He was instructed not to bring any children on the campus anymore. Penn State really stood their ground on that note. They knew what he was doing and they firmly told him not to do it on campus. They still did not tell authorities.

Sandusky molested, raped and abused another 7-8 young boys in the years that followed. He was in a position of trust and influence as the head of his foundation. He was not helping disadvantaged youth, he was trolling for them. The PSU administration knew what type of demon he was. Monsters that rape young boys did not make an error in judgment or a mistake. They have violated the core of our very existence. They are demons that need to be locked away from society. The fact that Paterno allowed Sandusky to continue to coach and work in the foundation with immunity is a crime of monstrous proportions. Joe, wished he had done more? Joe, would you let one of your 27 grandchildren spend the night at the Sandusky house? You wished you had done more? You did virtually nothing hoping it would all go away and your legacy would live on untarnished.

This story is not over. There will be more victims. There will be Catholic Church size lawsuits and payouts. Penn State will never be the same place. Joe Paterno will never coach another game and his career will forever be tarnished. The victims will never recover and their lives will never be the same. PSU student body, protest the actions of the administrators who are now indicted for covering this up. Protest the lack of institutional control that your university has displayed. Do not spend another second in front of Joe Pa’s house praising his saintly leadership and legendary career. He allowed a demon to operate in your midst for over a decade. What if the victims were your nephew or your cousin?

Interestingly enough, the NCAA has not said anything yet. If Sandusky had given an athlete an extra tee shirt or dinner, PSU would be on probation and lose scholarships and bowl games. Rape a ten year old in the shower and it is outside their jurisdiction. USC was cited for lack of institutional control when Reggie Bush’ parents took money from agents. PSU allowed a known sexual predator to roam free on their campus for over ten years.

Humor and irony will return to the Yard soon. Today we pray for the victims. We all need to protect our youth and keep an eye out for the monsters that walk among us. May Jerry Sandusky find out what rape is all about daily for the rest of his miserable life behind bars.