Penn State deserves death penalty for Sandusky cover-up
Joe Paterno and other Penn State officials enabled the actions of Jerry Sandusky. (AP photo)
(Updated: 12:45 p.m.)
If we make a big deal about a college football program playing dumb when a recruit takes free shoes or tattoos, or his family lives in a house rent free, how can we look the other way when evidence screams that one of the nation’s most powerful universities enabled a pedophile?
How can we sit through something so sick and vile as the testimony in the Jerry Sandusky trial and conclude that this was a one-source scandal worthy of only one individual or entity suffering consequences?
Penn State should not be allowed to play another football game. It put sport, image and fundraising above everything else. That is what every cheater in college athletics does, and because of that it deserves the NCAA’s “death penalty.”
Southern Methodist University, one of the nation’s top academic schools, saw its football program given the death penalty in 1987 because it put athletic success above what so obviously was considered morally acceptable. Isn’t it now clear that Penn State did the exact same thing?
In fact, what the powers Penn State did was worse. Their actions involved not materialistic goods but defenseless victims who will suffer for the rest of their lives.
According to a 267-page report by former FBI director Louis Freeh, the four most powerful men overseeing the university and the football program – president Graham Spanier (since fired), athletic director Tim Curley (on “administrative leave,” under indictment for perjury), vice president Gary Schultz (suddenly retired, also under indictment) and the late coach, Joe Paterno (fired in what would be two months before his death) — knew far more about Sandusky’s sick perversions and abuse than they let on. They knew it far longer than they let on.
And here’s the punctuation, your honor: They “concealed critical facts,” according to Freeh.
There’s a term for that: cover-up.
“Our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky’s child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State,” Freeh stated.
We don’t need to know anything else.
When this story first broke, Paterno said, “This is not a football scandal and should not be treated as one.”
Many agreed. Many still do, including some misguided alumni and football All-Americans and probably surely those numbskull students who marched on campus, embraced Paterno’s statue on campus and protested his firing without any regard for the victims.
The problem is concluding that because Sandusky’s reprehensible acts did not lead to a competitive advantage, the football program shouldn’t pay. But the cover-up changes that. What the powers at Penn State did was beyond anything any college athletic program has ever done, beyond free clothes or free rent and academic fraud.
To hell with a free Camaro. We’re talking about sweeping allegations of a child sex offender under the rug in order to protect a school’s image, fundraising and recruiting. There is no more extreme example of a lack of institutional control.
Penn State deserves to be hit hard. That may seem unfair to the student-athletes, officials and fans who knew nothing of Sandusky’s acts or the cover-up. But that’s the case with all NCAA sanctions.
This investigation was commissioned by Penn State at a cost of $500,000 per month. So much for Freeh having some anti-Penn State agenda. The report numbers 267 pages, resulting from 430 interviews and 3.5 million emails and documents. Freeh’s staff included former prosecutors, FBI agents, police officers, attorneys and a Navy SEAL.
Freeh said he found “more red flags than you could count, over a long period of time.” He said the leaders at Penn State had a “callous and shocking disregard for child victims.”
He said an “inference could be drawn” that the school was trying to protect the football program, noting, “bad publicity affects a panorama of different events, including the brand of Penn State, the reputation of coaches [and] the ability to do fundraising.”
He said Paterno was not being singled out, but at one point declared: “The facts are the facts. He was an integral part of the act to conceal.”
Emails reveal Paterno was clearly following the school’s internal investigation into allegations of a 1998 assault of a young boy by Sandusky in the Penn State locker room showers, something Paterno publicly denied. The same school leaders “proposed a plan of action” after learning of a 2001 incident reported by an assistant coach, but then decided against informing authorities.
“The most powerful leaders at Penn State … repeatedly concealed critical facts,” Freeh concluded.
The “Tone at the Top” of the school, he said, dissuaded school janitors from coming forward after witnessing incidents: “The janitors were afraid of being fired for reporting a powerful football coach.”
Sandusky will spend the rest of his life in prison. He could’ve been stopped sooner. But Paterno and the powers at Penn State were too concerned about the ramifications, off and on the field. That makes it a football scandal, as well.
By Jeff Schultz
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810 comments Add your comment
jfreak13713
July 12th, 2012
3:26 pm
Penn State did get a competative advantage because had they disclosed this information when they knew they would have likely lost some recruits simply from the bad press alone. By not disclosing the acts they assured themselves no bad publicity and likely held on to recruits they may have otherwise lost. Death Penalty for Penn State. It is far past time that we protect our CHILDREN in the country.
5150 UOAD
July 12th, 2012
3:28 pm
Since Carvell wrote a bad article putting words in Robert N…..mouth or twisting what Robert N…… said to CLEMSON we should demand all the AJC Sports Writers be punished.
Ben
July 12th, 2012
3:28 pm
I’m not sure at all that it’s fair to punish current students and athletes for something they had nothing to do with. Find the people involved in the coverup, and get rid of them. Don’t blanket punish a lot of people who have done nothing wrong.
smitty
July 12th, 2012
3:28 pm
Wouldn’t be many pro or college football programs if everyone with rapists was shutdown.
adawgfan
July 12th, 2012
3:29 pm
To all the persons who believe this is not a football issue and punishing the current players / staff is not releveant:
WHAT IS PUNISHMENT FOR? Punishment is to prevent other institutions from commiting the same crime. Whether it is players taking improper assistance, rape or murder, punishments are doled out to give pause to future potential violators. Maybe lets say someone at Who Knows U is considering covering up a crime to save face, will choose to expose it instead to avoid the NCAA death penalty. I say give PSU the Death Penalty to send a message to all Universities. STOP THE CRAP and just play ball.
USMC2841
July 12th, 2012
3:31 pm
Lurker
There are several sections of the NCAA rules that make everyone involved in the athletics department accountable. The NCAA has asked PSU to respond to charges of violation of Article 2.4 which states,” …intercollegiate athletics to promote the character development of participants, to enhance the integrity of higher education and to promote civility in society.” NCAA bylaw 19.01.2 also states that “coaches must do more than avoid improper conduct or questionable acts. These are open ended for just such allegations.
ugab
July 12th, 2012
3:33 pm
This is one messed up, sick situation.. Something should have been done with Sandusky. He will burn in Hell. They will get him in prison. Shame on Penn State for covering this up.. I FEEL SORRY FOR THE VICTIMS.. GOD BLESS THE VICTIMS OF PENN STATE COVER UP.
Tommy
July 12th, 2012
3:33 pm
The people on this blog that think that this has nothing to do with the athletes, past and current aren’t seeing the big picture. By covering this up it enable the program to continue to have a positive image and gain $$ from boosters which in turn is invested in the facilities that they use to recruit the top prospects which are the past and current players. These young men that are there will be allowed to transfer with no penalty. If this had been exposed years ago then the coaches and staff would have to explain the parents of the top recruits how they believe in helping to mold their teens into young men. Recruits would have looked elsewhere, maybe not them all but enough to hurt them on the playing field, and boosters would have demanded explanations. This is exactly why they covered it up and they knew that it would have a negative impact on the program. This is exactly why they deserve the death penalty.
Hand wringers
July 12th, 2012
3:33 pm
EVeryone whining about protecting the current players/staff/fans because they had nothing to do with it. You are correct. But what about EVERY SINGLE PROBATION and PENALTY that the NCAA has handed to hundreds of schools before. Did this not affect everyone of those players/staff/fans as well? It doesn’t have to be the Death Penalty. Loss of scholarships, bowl ban, shame on the University in general hurt the current group who did nothing as well. Yet, I don’t hear much outcry about that when it happens…in fact fans of other programs seem to celebrate those penalties.
Lurker
July 12th, 2012
3:33 pm
adawgfan,
Are you suggesting that we take criminal prosecution away from the courts and let the NCAA decide it? Would you support letting Sandusky out of jail so that the NCAA can take over the punishments? If not, the keep the NCAA out of it. They are not a criminal justice institution.
USMC2841
July 12th, 2012
3:35 pm
I think the only decent thing for PSU to do is vacate their 1983 Sugar Bowl victory.
TR
July 12th, 2012
3:37 pm
Death penalty will not happen , All the pervs who covered this up are gone. no one left to punish!
5150 UOAD
July 12th, 2012
3:39 pm
adawgfan
July 12th, 2012
3:29 pm
To all the persons who believe this is not a football issue and punishing the current players / staff is not releveant:
WHAT IS PUNISHMENT FOR? Punishment is to prevent other institutions from commiting the same crime.
Hahhaha……………..after all the NCAA punishments handed down over the years then WHY do we still see the SAME infractions occur? The death penalty doesn’t stop killing and never will.
Lurker
July 12th, 2012
3:39 pm
USMC2841
Everyone who commited a crime in this case should be IN JAIL. If the NCAA wants to start enforcing morality, then they will be bombarded with all kinds of allegations(The coach smokes marijuana, the coach drinks beer, the coach went to a strip club, etc.) If they start defining morality and character, then the NCAA will be disbanded in a few years. This is not something for them to get involved with. Let the criminal justice system take all of the guilty parties off of the street.
Joey
July 12th, 2012
3:40 pm
“little boy toucher?”
**********************
Damn, somebody leave a link for this idiot, “The Truth” so he can read what that monster did to 10-12 year old boys.
Hopefully Sandusky gets “touched” like his victims did.
How would you feel if your son, brother, or nephew got “touched” like Sandusky’s victims did?
You are a brainless dumb***.
doc
July 12th, 2012
3:40 pm
agreed jeff. sadly, i was for giving joe pa his due until information changed to suggest otherwise. it just did and his family will have to live with it. i felt the same way about mv7 to give him a chance to be honest, right up until the day it all cascaded down on him with evidence of his lying repeatedly about abusing animals. it is time to let of the greatness of joe pa and see so clearly he was part of the whole process of letting this go on as was mv7. all life should be respected and neither did preferring their own pleasures and accomplishments.
mv7 has paid his dues and should go on to any success he can. good for him. joe pa just goes to his grave with his legacy intact no longer.
joe doran
July 12th, 2012
3:41 pm
Joepa was always an arrogant pos!! He’s always put psu football ahead of any moral or just decision. Just a mistake… please.
5150 UOAD
July 12th, 2012
3:42 pm
ddwagfan……PUNISHMENT is hopefully prevent the punished person from continuing to commit crimes but as seen in the recidivism rate that doesn’t work either.
TRS
July 12th, 2012
3:43 pm
@Lurker…there is plenty of room for both the criminal justice system to hand out penalties to those involved with the cover up and also the NCAA to penalize the program. It does not need to be exclusive. The NCAA is the governing body when it comes to collegiate athletics and athletic departments. If in 1998 or 2001 the proper thing was done and the pedophile was handed over to the authorities the school would probably not face sanctions. When the athletic department and presidents of the university decided to cover up the situation and allow it to continue it made the university liable and it allows the NCAA to hand down sanctions against the PSU football program. The reason why NCAA sanctions are absolutely necessary is to provide a deterrent for future incidents.
billyBobjacket
July 12th, 2012
3:43 pm
Joe Pa and the rest hid the truth and covered up for that @$$#!9& so they could keep the recruits and cash flowing in. Everyone affiliated with the program currently benefits from the cash and reputation (tarnished though it is) that the cover-up enabled, so it is reasonable that they pay part of the price. For the kids that wanted an education, let them stay and get a degree on full scholarship…they will be better off educationally without the distractions of football. For those who came because PSU is a football factory and they just want to go on to the NFL, let them transfer to another football factory without penalty. When leaders make bad decisions, everyone below them has to pay the price (just look at our national situation, Greece, etc.), that is just the way the world works. People should be more careful about their blind hero worship of leaders…
B
July 12th, 2012
3:44 pm
On a slightly other note, all of this occured several years ago right? To my knowledge, there was no new incident that occured last football season or right before this past season right? So someone tell me something, why did all the stuff hit the fan and become public only a couple weeks (give or take) after Joe Pa number of football victories passed Coach Eddie Robinson at Grambling State University? Timing is everything, could it be that some folks “sat” on this until Joe Pa passed Eddie Robinson? Again, much of this stuff was known years ago, so why did it become public after he passed Eddie Robinson???
Hand wringers
July 12th, 2012
3:45 pm
A University problem but not a football problem? Sandusky was showering in the Athletic Dept. facility and had an on-campus office within the athletic dept…even visiting it the week before this all came crashing down. He was still bringing Second Mile boys to Penn State football games. You think ole Jer bought his skybox ticket at the window like the rest of us shnooks?
The University AND the athletic department not only protected this guy…they enabled him. The athletic department is just as culpable as the University.
tom
July 12th, 2012
3:46 pm
I have been a Penn State/Paterno fan since a young child. I do not know what to say. Such sadness.
The Reverend Baby Doctor Bedpan
July 12th, 2012
3:53 pm
It is in God’s hands now. If you are a true Christian and follower of Christ, you know that this was meant to be. God has a plan for all of us, even these unfortunate boys.
Let us pray.
Matt
July 12th, 2012
3:53 pm
Once again as most people in the sports world as a profession agree, this has nothing to do with the actual player, nothing, and that’s it. NCAA has no right or room to stick their nose into any criminal investigation unless it includes players. Yes these were horrific crimes, and whoever covered up or knew and took no chain of action should be be locked up, key thrown away. But NCAA has no legal right putting their nose into any criminal act that does not include NCAA athletes. Go Michigan, i hate penn state, but break down the facts, it had nothing do with NCAA athletes, period. One last thing, if NCAA would get involved they will open a door they may not be able to close. Who is to say how far they can go, they are not the law, they are their to govern the NCAA athlete.
Delbert D.
July 12th, 2012
3:54 pm
Vanderbilt abolished the department of athletics wile Gordon Gee was there. From listening to the board and the president speaking at a press conference a few minutes ago, I don’t think they will go that far.
JB
July 12th, 2012
3:56 pm
2 or 3 bad cops on a force say the size of Atlanta should not taint the fine work of the entire force. This was awful. The legacy of this coach is ruined. All the alumni will be ever shamed. I would not condemn the entire student and professional population of this University.
Well
July 12th, 2012
3:56 pm
Hey Dawg/Bama fans.
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but Ruben Foster just announced he’s solidly committed to Auburn.
tom
July 12th, 2012
3:56 pm
You are 100% right, can not agree more.
MrDan
July 12th, 2012
3:57 pm
The sad truth is college football has become such a god on some campus’ that a coach like Joe Paterno would even think about covering up something like this is beyond belief. I’m sure there has been a lot of things swept under the table at universities across the country in order to keep the fund raising in tact. But I agree, this has to be atoned for in a big way. I doubt the NCAA has the b@((s to even want to go near this one but there will be some serious litigation going on. Get used to it. We live in such a sex saturated culture that I bet Sandusky still thinks he did nothing wrong. And Bobby Petrino’s still scratching his head.
John, Ducktown
July 12th, 2012
3:57 pm
Let the program continue to play. But get rid of every person who had ties to Sandusky and “covered up” the allegations, etc.
There is no need to punish an entire institution because of 6-10 people. All you are doing is kicking a dead horse at that point. That is what is wrong with this country. We tend to punish anyone we can, when it was only a few. No need to turn this into a witch hunt. There were players on that team, etc. that had no idea that this was going on. There were people at the university that had no idea that this is going on. So you punish the ENTIRE program because of a few bad apples?
No. You punish the people involved and leave it at that. Punishing the entire university is the easy thing to do. Don’t forget giving the death penalty to the football program isn’t the entire answer either because there were other folks involved who oversaw the university and made decisions for the university (President’s, chancelors, etc.)
All
5150 UOAD
July 12th, 2012
3:57 pm
Who were all the people punished in the Cover Up for years of Sexual Abuse Bill Clinton engaged in as a Governor and the President? Was anybody punished at all?
Just Asking
July 12th, 2012
3:58 pm
So if an employee or former employee of the AJC commits sexual acts against a minor and key managers of the AJC have knowledge of it and do not report it, then should the AJC be forced to close its doors and shut down its web site and go totally out of business.
What’s good for one should be good for all. Serious answers please.
Just Asking.
TRS
July 12th, 2012
3:58 pm
@Matt – it has everything to do with the folks running the football program (head coach, head of athletic department, university vice presidents) and the football program in general. NCAA certainly has jurisdiction when it comes to coaches, ADs, and football programs behaving badly.
HORRIFIC
July 12th, 2012
4:00 pm
In this country, if someone gives a ride to a buddy and they walk in to a bank/store, whatever (while the guy giving the ride is still in the car knowing absolutely NOTHING about what is going on) and his buddy pulls a gun, shoots someone and robs the establishment, the car driver will be charged and go to prison for sure – AND HE DIDN”T KNOW ANYTHING.
NOW – EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE HEATHENS WHO KNEW, SAW,IT, AND IT WAS REPORTED TO, AND STOOD BY AND DID NOTHING SHOULD GO TO PRISON FOR AS LONG AS ANY DECENT/UNCORRUPT/GOOD JUDGE CAN SEND THEM OFF FOR. THIS INCLUDES MIKE MCCREARY – I MEAN HOW CAN YOU WITNESS THIS (IF THAT IS SO) AND TURN AROUND AND NOT IMMEDIATELY GRAB THAT YOUNG MAN OUT OF THE SHOWER WITH SANDUSKY AND THEN CALL THE POLICE – AND I DON’T MEAN THE CAMPUS POLICE? MIKE WAS A BIG YOUNG MAN AND COULD HAVE EASILY DONE THIS. INSTEAD, HE LEFT, CALLED HIS “DADDY” AND THEN REPORTED IT THE NEXT DAY, ALL THE WHILE THAT YOUNG BOY WAS LEFT TO THE HANDS OF SANDUSKY IN A SHOWER……….HE SHOULD NOT BE WORKING AT ALL FOR PENN STATE IF HE STILL IS – HE SHOULD BE FIRED (IF THE REPORTS OF WHAT HE DID ARE TRUE).
ALL OF THESE PEOPLE IN AUTHORITY WHO TURNED A BLIND EYE HOPING IT WOULD GO AWAY SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING OUR COUNTRY CAN POSSIBLY THROW AT THEM. IT IS THE EPITOME OF CORRUPTION AND HUMAN BEINGS LIVES WILL NEVER, EVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.
AS FAR AS THE UNIVERSITY, I HOPE AND PRAY THAT THESE MEN SUE THE PANTS OFF OF THE UNIVERSITY, SANDUSKY, AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, THE NON-PROFIT, ETC. AND GET THE VERY MOST THAT EACH ONE CAN – HIT THEM AS HARD AS THEY CAN.
THEN, YES, I BELIEVE THE DEATH PENALTY SHOULD BE IMPOSED ON PENN STATE U. ANYONE WHO STILL REMAINS AND/OR WISHES TO GO TO THAT SCHOOL NOW SHOULD BE QUESTIONING THEMSELVES AS TO WHY? ANYWAY. I HOPE THE ENROLLMENT FOLDS AND DECLINES – AS THE TRUE LEGACY OF PATERNO, PENN STATE, ET. AL. SHOULD TRULY BE JUST A DECEITFUL, LINGERING SHADOW OF ITS’ HIDEOUS FORMER SELF…….
Ted Haynes
July 12th, 2012
4:02 pm
Even Shephard Smith on Fox News is quoting Jeff’s article.
TRS
July 12th, 2012
4:03 pm
Again…it is the cover up that is the big problem for the university and football program. Had they reported the criminal when they knew about it…this would have all been over years ago.
Paquet du 10
July 12th, 2012
4:03 pm
Just Asking
July 12th, 2012
3:58 pm
So if an employee or former employee of the AJC commits sexual acts against a minor and key managers of the AJC have knowledge of it and do not report it, then should the AJC be forced to close its doors and shut down its web site and go totally out of business.
What’s good for one should be good for all. Serious answers please.
Just Asking.
Yes!!!! I vote Mark Bradley first to go!
Lurkinator
July 12th, 2012
4:04 pm
As I understand, the NCAA can punish universities, student-athletes, and university staff that give the NCAA a bad name; they have, in the past, for much less than this. If, to the NCAA, a legacy of superior athletics is more important than a legacy of integrity, then we should abolish the NCAA completely. However, I don’t think this is the case.
The NCAA is also about good sportsmanship, which means following the rules and playing fairly. In the case of Penn State, certain high-ranking officials failed to show integrity and good sportsmanship, and the NCAA *can* and *should* punish Penn State. I feel extremely badly for the victims and their families and wish for their healing; having had some experience of my own in the area, I can sympathize with their pain and their righteous need for justice. However, the innocent student-athletes and staff members who will be affected by NCAA sanctions is deeply regrettable too.
No one wins in this scenario, but the NCAA should make an example of Penn State and the handful of folks involved in this cover-up so that we can make sure this never happens again.. and not just child abuse, but ANY kind of sexual abuse.
TL;DR: NCAA can and should punish Penn State; not sure if “death penalty” is the right answer, but something needs to be done.
gtfan1951
July 12th, 2012
4:06 pm
Miami and Penn State should be given death penalty! There is no other way!
Matt
July 12th, 2012
4:06 pm
this did not involve the athletes. they can not give a penalty to the program. They could do something to the coach or ad department, but has nothing to do with the football program. Most of u people are giving the same power to paterno yet just as the people of horror valley has done for years, saying that he was the football program, in reality he was not. The players that went their are the program. Nick Saban is not the football program, hes the coach. This did not effect performance, or did not change a recruits mind to come to penn state, as a bag of money or a car would have, which is not a crime, but its against NCAA rules.
Just saying..
July 12th, 2012
4:10 pm
Jeff-
Regrettably, we live in a culture that requires your solution, to get anyone’s attention.
Reggie1971
July 12th, 2012
4:10 pm
Agree. Shut the football program down permanently. The transgressions of Penn State are INFINITELY worse than those of SMU. A five or ten year death penalty won’t cut it.
FOOTBALL FAN
July 12th, 2012
4:11 pm
YES – THE NCAA HAS NO CHOICE – DEATH PENALTY. NOTHING IS MORE CLEAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE REASONS THAT SMU GOT THE DEATH PENALTY.
tom
July 12th, 2012
4:12 pm
its the dark ages, WITCH HUNT PEOPLE, WITCH HUNT! KILL THEM ALL!
tomato
July 12th, 2012
4:12 pm
God’s plan was for numerous boys to be raped? What a horrible god.
rivercard
July 12th, 2012
4:12 pm
Speaking of lack of institutional control and inaction- there is a local trade school that doesn’t seem to care or know how to protect it’s students from harm.
5150 UOAD
July 12th, 2012
4:13 pm
HORRIFIC
July 12th, 2012
4:00 pm
In this country, if someone gives a ride to a buddy and they walk in to a bank/store, whatever (while the guy giving the ride is still in the car knowing absolutely NOTHING about what is going on) and his buddy pulls a gun, shoots someone and robs the establishment, the car driver will be charged and go to prison for sure – AND HE DIDN”T KNOW ANYTHING.
NOT true. The driver in Chatt Hills just won a case for $600K for false arrest on similar situation. It is in the AJC so you can look it up from earlier this week.
Are you guys serious
July 12th, 2012
4:15 pm
Has nothing to do with the football program? Are you serious? What part of a head coach and key assistant is nothing to do with the football program? Do you realize programs go on probation ALL THE TIME because of the bad acts of 1-2 players or coaches, punishing the rest of the team and students, like USC with the bowl ban, the list goes on and on. So to say to punish the school because it doesn’t involve any of the players is a total joke. Of course you can do that and it happened. USC is a prime example. And it should happen.
But the astounding thing is you morons saying this doesn’t involve the football program. I mean serious? what part of the head coach and assistant IS NOT part of the football program? No it didn’t involve athletes, thank the lord. But it involved the program members. There are schools that go on probation JUST FOR THE ACTS of their coaches. It has happened. It can happen. It should happen.
A head coach, covered up criminal acts of an assistant football coach in 1998, and continued to do it for the next 15 years. Why, because it would tarnish HIS PROGRAM. Then despite knowing this continued to let this guy on campus. And you are saying this doesn’t involve the program??? Are you freaking kidding. you folks have to get real. This involves the program as much as a player taking benefits and the coach covering it up. Except, it was an assistant doing criminal acts and the coach covering it up. They are one in the same.
Punish em. Punish em hard.
Marko
July 12th, 2012
4:16 pm
With the disappearance of Ray Gricar, the DA who had investigated the claims against Sandusky and didn’t prosecute back in 2001, you really have to wonder if this is even bigger than it seems now.