Penn State "The Cover Up"

Paterno who has the most wins in Division
1 history (409) won't be known for football anymore

Respected, honorable, integrity, leader, these were the words that for the past 20 years have been used by everyone to describe Penn State football coach Joe Paterno (Joe Pa). A man, who has helped make the university millions of dollars, has coached some of the greatest athletes, raised 18 year olds into men, and has done so many things for the community that rarely got noticed. He was a legend not only among the college football ranks, but a household name across the country. Now he is gone, fired for his despicable actions, by the very Board of Directors that has praised him for so long.

It goes back to 2002 when then graduate assistant and now assistant coach Mike McQueary witnessed then defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was sexually assaulting a 10 year old boy in the Nittany Lions shower room. McQueary said that the young boy and Sandusky noticed him, and he walked away. McQueary did not take action at that present moment he simply informed Joe Paterno of what he saw, and then let the matter settle itself out. When Paterno was informed of the allegations he did not directly ask his defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky if it was true, nor did he immediately call the police. He followed the legal protocol and informed Athletic Director Tim Curley and also told VP Gary Schultz. Once the news got to the top Curley and Schultz decided to protect Sandusky and attempt to sweep this under the rug. For the most part they did by not reporting it to the release, and with Sandusky retiring from Penn State, although he still had free reign on the campus. Thankfully the family took action and reported it to the local police

An investigation was launched but it took years before any trial was held and during that time Sandusky continued abusing young children (between the ages of 7 and 11), and he even had some over at his house over night. It wasn’t until this year in March that Sandusky is wanted for his crimes and a warrant is put out for his arrest. As the police try to arraign Sandusky, Penn State refuses to respond to questions from police, as they continue to try and cover the issue up. On November 5^th Sandusky is arrested but let free on $100,000.00 bail for 40 criminal counts. 2 days later the District Attorney announces Joe Paterno is not indicted on any charges, but will be asked for testimony during the trial. At this time Paterno comes out and announces he will retire at the end of the season. On November 9^th, 2011 the Penn State Board of Directors fire Paterno for his involvement in the cover up of the Sandusky case That brings us to exactly what did Paterno do, and what didn’t he do.

Joe Paterno followed every legal guideline, he informed the Athletic Director, and let the VP and AD settle the issue. However, Paterno was a man who lived on morals and making the right decisions. He along with the Penn State faithful made him out as this god like figure. In this case though, Paterno did everything humanely wrong. He covered up the most gruesome inhuman crime a person could ever commit (molesting a minor). Paterno remained silent in the face of monstrous actions, and for that Paterno is just as guilty as Sandusky. However Paterno is not the only one to blame. The man, who witnessed these gruesome events (Mike McQueary), did not take action and stop the poor excuse of a human being in Sandusky, he did not try to save the child, and he simply told Paterno and remained quiet after that. Now Paterno is out and for reasons that can’t be understood McQueary will still be allowed to coach this Saturday against Nebraska. The bigger culprits in this are the Athletic Director Tim Curley and VP Gary Schultz, these two top officials kept everything quiet just so they could keep the Nittany Lions name safe and holy. Both have now been forced out which they fully deserve. The next step should be legal actions against them both, and hopefully they are sentenced for a long time. There is one main culprit though, the man who did these horrible things to the young boys, and hurt them for the rest of their lives. Sandusky will immediately be tried and if there is a justice out there he will never see the light of day again, but that still will never be enough for the boys whose lives were forever damaged not long ago. There should be no sadness or remorse for Joe Paterno, the only grief that should be given is to the children, who will never be able to forget what happened to them. As I finish this article I ask that you pray for these boys and their families, because the pain they went through so long ago will now again be relived as the trial takes place, and that is a tragedy in itself. As for Penn State the name will forever be tarnished, the students and football players will now live under the dark shadow that was the “Penn State Cover Up”