Why Joe Paterno can’t be allowed to coach another game
Here's Penn State president Graham Spanier, shown with his boss Joe Paterno. (AP photo)
Penn State felt the need to cancel Joe Paterno’s news conference Tuesday, but allowed him to conduct practice later that afternoon. On Saturday the Nittany Lions will play host to Nebraska. Paterno cannot be allowed to lead Penn State onto the field.
In all likelihood, the Nebraska game would have been the 84-year-old’s last home date as coach if Jerry Sandusky had remained a footnote in Penn State’s athletic annals, but whatever Paterno wanted is immaterial now. At issue is if a proud university wants to be remembered as a school that was handed a last chance to do something and finally did it, or as an institution that again chose to do next to nothing.
The New York Times reports that, in May 1999, Paterno told Sandusky he wouldn’t become Penn State’s head coach when the incumbent, meaning Paterno, retired. Could it have been mere coincidence that, in 1998, Penn State had investigated Sandusky for showering with an underage male? No charges were filed, but Sandusky announced in the summer of 1999 that he would retire as defensive coordinator — at the not-exactly-advanced age of 55.
Did Penn State know back then that such a man couldn’t continue to represent it and nudge him aside? If so, why didn’t it inform the proper authorities? If so, why did it continue to allow Sandusky to hold emeritus privileges on campus and to use team facilities? This is no trifling issue: It was, according to the grand jury’s presentment, in a Penn State locker room that Sandusky was allegedly seen having sex with a 10-year-old — in 2002.
This was the act allegedly witnessed by Mike McQueary, then a grad assistant and now Penn State’s recruiting coordinator. McQueary told Paterno what he’d seen, and Paterno told his superiors, and then nothing much happened for a very long time. He was barred from bringing children on campus, but he maintained an office and reports indicate he was in the team’s weight room as late as last week. According to his lawyer, Sandusky has known he was being investigated for three years before the indictment was handed down.
Think about that. Penn State has sought to act as if this all has been a bolt from the blue, but in 1998 the school should have had cause, if not exactly to know, then surely to wonder. And here we must also wonder if Paterno, faced with a choice between what was right and what was best for his legacy, didn’t take the path of least resistance.
For all the lack of ostentation in Paterno’s image — the ugly glasses and the khaki pants and the football cleats — this is a man who cares very much about how he’ll be remembered. He once famously said he planned to keep coaching because he didn’t want to leave the sport to the likes of rogue operators Jackie Sherrill and Barry Switzer, but the Penn State Story is infinitely more distressing than any $100 handshakes with recruits. Lots of schools cheat in the attempt to get players. The program that has portrayed itself as above it all might well have concealed a predator.
When first the charges against Sandusky surfaced — and here we stipulate that he’s innocent until proved guilty — the reaction was, “How could he have kept such a life hidden?” After further review, it defies credulity that he could have. Someone had to know something. Someone had to wonder why a grown man was showering with boys and traveling to bowl games with adolescents who weren’t his sons.
In 1977 Sandusky founded a charity called The Second Mile, named after a verse from the Gospel according to Mathew, to provide aid and comfort to troubled boys. In the second paragraph of the grand-jury presentment is this chilling sentence: “It was within The Second Mile program that Sandusky found his victims.”
As a player and a coach, Jerry Sandusky had been part of Penn State from 1963 through 1999. Someone had to know something, and surely the 1998 shower incident was enough to generate suspicion even among those who didn’t want to know. Joe Paterno has been at Penn State since 1950. If he knew nothing, it was only because he wanted to know nothing.
But that’s the thing about being a head coach: You’re paid to know everything. Joe Paterno had come to be a case study in ethics in modern athletics, and he’ll retire with the most victories of any FBS (formerly Division I-A) coach ever. But Paterno also emphasized that there’s more to his job than winning, and that’s why he needs to coach no more. If he knew, he needs to go. If he didn’t know, he should have.
By Mark Bradley
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404 comments Add your comment
Ted M
November 8th, 2011
7:42 pm
Paterno DID absolutely know in 2002. How come he didn’t wonder why he wasn’t in prison…he did wonder that and he didn’t care. He should have wanted him in prison instead Paterno let Sandusky continue to rape children and use Penn State’s facilities.
Paterno let Sandusky continue to rape children.
If it was my kid I would want to kill them both.
notduckytoday
November 8th, 2011
7:43 pm
@Katherine – nothing in my post implies otherwise. However, only the grad assistant and the janitor were witnesses – and thus not subject to the report being heresay.
hearsay,
n 1. the testimony given by a witness who relates not what is known personally but what others have stated.
jostaycla
November 8th, 2011
7:44 pm
I am fairly certain that Paterno had a legal responsibility, as well as the obvious moral responsibility, to report this to the police. The young eyewitness apparently put his faith in Paterno to do the right thing. Paterno should have escorted the eyewitness to the police first and reporteded the incident to his internal chain of command second. Paterno failed the eyewitness, himself, the victim, the victims yet to come, and what the University is supposed to stand for(Honor, Integrity, etc). Paterno’s football career and reputation are of no concern or importance. If the accussations leveled at Paterno are accurate he should be fired immediately. PSU should send a message to coaches and anyone entrusted with the safety and well-being of children. PSU dont make the same mistake Paterno did, dont fail these victims again. The country is watching.
Just saying
November 8th, 2011
7:45 pm
Hummon, that particular sports talk person is ALWAYS RIGHT. He is the bastion of integrity, ethics and morality. I don’t even listen to his rantings any more. 680 the Fan can do better….However, I must say, the Penn St situation is very, very sad. Many of us know what we should have done on many occassions, but failed. Remorse stays with one a long time until the person can find redemption and forgiveness.
DawgDad
November 8th, 2011
7:45 pm
I’m not up on the facts (from other sources) yet, but from what I read here I do not see a case to dump on Joe Paterno at this point. Child predators are all around us; I used to work in a small business where a Senior Executive was charged and convicted of statuatory rape of his babysitter. There is no “magic button” to just wish them away with – they have Constitutional rights, too, and even if charged and convicted they quite often reenter society, either on probation, parole, or after serving out their term. Sandusky being “around” may actually prove nothing about someone else’s potential misconduct for failure to act. It sounds like the 1998 incident led Paterno to report the issue to superiors and get Sandusky off the staff. Perhaps there was nothing else he could have done without exposing the University to legal action.
katherine
November 8th, 2011
7:49 pm
dawgdad….he isnt off the staff…he has risen in the ranks since 98
Hippo Crit
November 8th, 2011
7:49 pm
Hey Mark, since in at least some indirect way you are profitting from this story by having us morons post onto this webpage, please reply for all to see that you are making a financial donation to a charity of your choice to reduce future sexual abuses. We’re waiting.
katherine
November 8th, 2011
7:52 pm
what a stupid thing to say hippo…mark is reporting the news
Michael G.
November 8th, 2011
7:53 pm
You people trying to defend Paterno are just making yourselves look like idiots. You obviously do not have kids of your own (thank goodness). Now slink away and let the grown-ups do the talking.
katherine
November 8th, 2011
7:55 pm
agreed michael….you think about this stuff differently as a parent
ffjsisk
November 8th, 2011
7:55 pm
JoePa probably doesn’t even know the names of all his coaches, he thought he retired 10 years ago.
Mark Bradley
November 8th, 2011
7:56 pm
Let’s not be too hard on a grad assistant. He wasn’t a Penn State icon. Sandusky was. The grad assistant was one of the few people who tried to do the right thing.
Hippo Crit
November 8th, 2011
7:57 pm
Hey Kat, I think Mark is writing what he has read or heard from other sources. More than that, he is making a public judgement.
Mark – if you have personally interviewed anybody directly connected with this story, please enlighen us.
Mark Bradley
November 8th, 2011
7:57 pm
I should mention that a Philadelphia television station is reporting that the number of Sandusky victims could go as high as 20.
LakeDawg
November 8th, 2011
7:57 pm
“Perhaps there was nothing else he could have done without exposing the University to legal action.”
————————————————————————————————————————————-
DawgDad, did you really think through that last sentence? I’m sure you didn’t mean to imply that exposing PSU to legal action was more important than preventing the future rape of children.
katherine
November 8th, 2011
7:58 pm
hippo….seriously….mark has been a journalist for a long time…its comical that you think you know how he should do his job
SEC Commissioner
November 8th, 2011
8:00 pm
This is very disturbing. Allowing any person much less a coach to be around young people who are capable of defending themselves. The entire retirement of Sandusky was odd and many reported back then that there was some underlining issues with the program and Sandusky was being forced out. Well we know why now.
Onto Joe Paterno, he has been a fine representative for College Football, but we must all face the facts, he stayed in college football to get the all times win record and he was afforded that when Bobby Bowden was forced out at FSU. Joe Paterno was actually greedy and self serving for staying on. The program at PSU has suffered the past few years and now we know that the problems were festering under the roof of the athletics department.
Joe Paterno does not need to be roasted for his actions, as he did what he was supposed to do, he reported the incident to his boss, removed him from the staff. What he should be roasted for is turning his head to a person who he knows hurt children and youngsters. Joe Paterno should be roasted and popped for allowing a know criminal back into the PSU facilities. Joe Paterno should be roasted for not pressing with his bosses about why Sandusky had not been reported criminally.
Joe Paterno will be allowed to coach on Saturday and we will all watch after the game as he announces his immediate retirement. He wants to hear that crowd cheer him one more time and absorb the love that many will afford him as an elderly statesman.
Barf
November 8th, 2011
8:02 pm
Wow, now a university finallhy ties AUBURN for the filthiest college football program
James
November 8th, 2011
8:06 pm
I see/read that I’m in the minority here. I don’t see that this reflects much on Joepa. HUGELY on Penn State leadership but not on the head football coach…..in MY opinion. We all have one right?
M A Double T
November 8th, 2011
8:14 pm
Roll Tide!
James
November 8th, 2011
8:16 pm
I read the entire indictment and yes, I do have kids; 2 of them….boys in fact. The way I see it, just my opinion and point of view mind you, is that the grad asst reported saw something that would disturb anyone, or should, and talked first to his Dad about it and then reported it directly to his boss – followed the chain of command as would be expected. I seriously doubt most folks would do any differently. Heck, you see videos all over the web and read stories all the time about things like this where people see something happening right in front of them and for whatever reason choose not to get involved or take any action at all. At least the grad asst did SOMETHING. Then Joepa reported what he’d been told to HIS superior. I think he did what he should have done. By that time, the monster (aks Sandusky), was no longer on the football staff (he’d retired and only had ties to the university via his emeritus status according to the indictment and contrary to katherine) no one involved reported to Joepa in any way. So, he told his boss and I think it’s reasonable that he relied on THEM (the AD, the university’s VP of Business, the university president) to do THEIR job. I think head coaches have enough to deal with and worry about. I think folks are adding things onto this coaches plate that he never agreed to take on and should not be held accountable for. He’s NOT the university president; the caption is in jest. Admittedly, he’s a major figure head for the university but beyond being the head football coach, nothing more than that, just a figure head.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Dr. Phil
November 8th, 2011
8:19 pm
Good assessment, Mark. Coaches like Paterno are paid a lot of money. If they don’t know what is going on with their team, then they are not doing their job. Same with the AD and the President. They all have to go. This is what happens when politicians, not educators, take control of our universities.
Tim
November 8th, 2011
8:20 pm
Mark, You’re so full of crap. You need to go from the AJC.
Rodney Dangerfield
November 8th, 2011
8:22 pm
Anyone who knew or witnessed these atrocities and did nothing should be terminated immediately.
7576DAWG
November 8th, 2011
8:31 pm
A friend of mines daughter was with a group partying at a house that some of the boy’s had broken into while the home owner was on vacation. This group did over $10,000 in damage. The daughter didn’t even know the house was broken into but the law said she was just as guilty as the ones that did the actual invasion. Each kid’s parent’s had to pay $1500 and the kid’s had 200 hours each of community service.
Paterno is just as guilty as the guy that did it. The entire athletic department, Paterno the AD and the President knew about it and and did nothing. Because of this the abuse continued for years ON Penn State property THERE IS NO EXCUSE AND THEY ALL SHOULD BE PROSECUTED AND LOSE THEIR PENSION. GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION.
LakeDawg
November 8th, 2011
8:31 pm
@James
You outlined JoePa’s responsibilty as a head coach. What about his responsibility as a human being? He “has a lot on his plate.” So he can’t be bothered with making sure a pedophile is taken off of the streets?
DetroitBraves
November 8th, 2011
8:32 pm
@Dawgman, I was wondering the same thing about the NCAA. I mean, to me at least this is much worse than anything that went on at Ohio State, Miami or USC. But I’ve been reading that the NCAA doesn’t consider this under their jurisdiction. I’m not going to pretend to understand their jurisdiction but if this isn’t lack of institutional control I don’t know what is.
DESPICABLE
November 8th, 2011
8:34 pm
First and foremost this is a tragedy. My heart goes out to the victims and their families. Second, anyone aware of what happened in 2002 that didn’t go to the police should be fired (including Paterno). How anyone can defend any of the parties involved is beyond me. The grad assistant, his father, Paterno and the AD all made a conscious decision not to report the incident to the police. It’s absolutely despicable.
7576DAWG
November 8th, 2011
8:36 pm
All are Guilty By Association . If I was in the crowd and Paterno was on the side line all I would do is boo. Every official who knew about it should be prosecuted and lose their pension.
Why Joe Paterno can’t be allowed to coach another game – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Daily Buzz | Best Articles Directory
November 8th, 2011
8:38 pm
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James
November 8th, 2011
8:41 pm
@Lake
I’ll accept that. As a human being he should have done more. But that has nothing to do with him being the head football coach at Penn State. So why fire him for not doing more. As I said also though, there are videos all over the web and stories all over the news about attrocities that happen in plane view and witnessed by dozens of people that do NOTHING for whatever reason. Do we say those people should get fired from their jobs? No, we say they’re idiots! Question is, what would we do in the same situation? I’d LIKE to say I’d do something. I’m pretty sure I would. But, I’ve never been put in that situation, thankfully. And I hope I never do because I’m afraid of what I WOULD do to a monster like Sandusky if I caught him in the act.
Fan of the Game
November 8th, 2011
8:42 pm
They couldn’t turn Sandusky in. He was too good a Def. Coordinator. Their only concern was getting to the National Championship game like everybody elses. Nobody cares about morals, character or integrity, including the NCAA. All they worry about is the BCS and TV contracts. College football is going down hill. The good Lord is trying to tell us and nobody will listen.
Sick Sick Sick
November 8th, 2011
8:44 pm
November 8th, 2011
8:40 pm
I’ve heard and watched Jim Tressel and those like him excuse themselves for not knowing about violations their players and assistants engaged in. These were adults steering high school and college students astray with offers of cash and cars and other enticements to attend their universities or reap rewards for performance.
Paterno’s assistant is accused or raping a 10 year old which was supposedly witnessed by a graduate assistant. He reported to Paterno who reported to the athletic director and president. Paterno choosing to let it go at that is nothing short of aiding and abetting the chance of child molestation.
What if the charges were not true? Who in their right mind could let this go without getting to the bottom of the issue before signing off completely on it?
JoPa may have helped enable a child rapist to continue his predatory ways another dozen years!
This makes breaking NCAA rules for recruiting or player enticements look like small potatoes. Jim Tressel is a saint compared to Jo Pa!
Cj
November 8th, 2011
8:45 pm
Scary example of a whistleblower being swept under the rug and how corrupt the culture of collegiate athletics can be. I’m sure sociologists could give an explanation of how this could occur, but everyone that knew something about the atrocities should be held accountable. I feel like the assistant that witnessed the shower incident should have gone straight to the cops.
DILLIGAF
November 8th, 2011
8:45 pm
“Mark Bradley
November 8th, 2011
7:56 pm”
“The grad assistant was one of the few people who tried to do the right thing.”
Really Mark? “did the right thing”?
That’s funny because my interpretation of doing the “right thing” would not be to walk away as a grown man rapes a child without intervening in and stopping the situation right then and there with whatever means necessary to ensure that vile piece of garbage did not inflict further harm to that little boy.
Really? Maybe you shuld rephrase that.
McQueary should be tried to the fullest extent of the law for being a morally devoid coward.
figures
November 8th, 2011
8:46 pm
@Fan
The “good lord” was the trap set for the kids in 2nd Mile. People should stop listening and open their eyes.
LakeDawg
November 8th, 2011
8:50 pm
@James
Fair enough. I’ll posit that he should be fired because he is an icon that represents PSU and has brought shame to the university. Also, he is in a leadership position at a public school and his ethics should be beyond reproach. That is what is required. PSU can’t be forced to fire him, but if they don’t, it says a lot about that institution.
Sick Sick Sick
November 8th, 2011
8:50 pm
GA:”hey Joe, I saw your assistant raping a ten year old in the shower room.”
JoPa: “oh yeah? Well I guess I should report it to the athletic director and if he chooses not to report it to the cops then I’ll just let it go and act like nothing happened.”
Geez what in the hell is wrong with a society that will let this stand because a guy is a successful coach?
Fan of the Game
November 8th, 2011
8:50 pm
That is just it. Nobody wants to open their eyes. Look at parents today. They are just sorry or they overprotect and think their kids do no wrong. These kids were at risk kids. They undoubtedly got no raising and then were subjected to this crap.
Michael
November 8th, 2011
8:50 pm
This is what you all get by making role models/heroes out of musicians, sports stars, coaches, politicians, etc. Live your own life well instead of someone else’s by proxy.
E-rock
November 8th, 2011
8:52 pm
Good article Mark. Let paterno coach for he last time in “not so” happy valley. Then, let him retire on Monday. He deserves that. Put Sandusky in a deep-dark hole and don’t let him out.
Hummon
November 8th, 2011
8:53 pm
Thanks, Just Saying. I wanted to be clear that I don’t excuse the grad assistant’s failure to intervene. My problem is with cheap moral posturing on the radio. There’s a lot of that going on right now, but we have the champ right here in Atlanta.
Ga Tech Old Timer
November 8th, 2011
8:54 pm
Mark – I just have one question / comment concerning the focus on JP and his “Moral” responsibility to do something more than alert the officials on up the ladder of command – as in calling the cops himself and following up on the case. What part – if any does the alledged witness – Mike McQueary play in this sortid tale of what happened and what should have happened? Why isn’t his name being called out in this media frenzy to clean house at PS and right the ship? Didn’t he have the same moral obligation that JP had to report to higher-ups and then follow up? I’m not saying JP is OK in all of this – I’m just wondering about the other “player” in this “cover-up” and why all the focus is only on JP.
Ed
November 8th, 2011
8:54 pm
Where’s the outrage towards McQueary? He supposedly witnessed it and walked away! Speaking for “most” men, one of two things should have happened. He should have stepped in and kicked Sandusky’s butt or stepped in and got his butt kicked by Sandusky. Either way, the kid gets away.
Fan of the Game
November 8th, 2011
8:54 pm
Michael – All walks of life have these fools in it. What is sad are sorry parents that don’t give their kids the guidance, the love and the discipline they need. Their parents should be their role models.
Fan of the Game
November 8th, 2011
8:56 pm
Need to put all these idiots on some island together and they can enjoy each other. That is what they deserve, each other.
Mark Bradley
November 8th, 2011
8:56 pm
There’s a little difference between being the patriarch of a program and a graduate assistant. One has all the power; the other has none.
figures
November 8th, 2011
8:56 pm
The whole thing is sick. Don’t like Paterno being the scapegoat because of his national recognition but he is culpable and understandable a target. The real vitriol should be focused on the creep and a little less on the enablers Makes you want to grab a pitchfork, lanterns and a bucket of bad intentions and head to Sandusky’s house while he’s out on bail… even Eddie Long’s antics didn’t stoke such emotions from me.
LakeDawg
November 8th, 2011
8:57 pm
Fan of the Game, you are spot on about the NCAA and its member institutions. I don’t know how much longer I’m going to care about college football. It’s a shame, because its always been a love of my life since childhood.
figures
November 8th, 2011
8:58 pm
@ Fan
That was the original intent of Australia. Perhaps its time to repeat history.