Joe Paterno lost his say in whether he can stay on as head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions. With the Jerry Sandusky scandal looming, the university’s next move is clear: fire the once lovable legend from his post.
Now, before I continue, let me say that I will accept a somber resignation where JoePa apologizes for his apathy. Make no mistake, the man has to go if Penn State is ever going to rebuild the image of honor that we all must now question.
Some of you are thinking that Paterno must be saved; the old man didn’t do anything and actually told authorities about the allegations that came to him.
By now, we have all heard about former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky and the allegations that he used his charity for high-risk youth to sexually abused eight underage boys over a period of 15 years.
If true, the man was a walking monster, free to commit crimes that no doubt destroyed lives and the innocence of mere boys.
So, what did Paterno do to warrant his dismissal? Well, he did nothing. Ask yourself how you would handle the knowledge that a little boy was raped and consider how you would go about receiving the news.
Many of you are sick to your stomachs thinking about it. Many of you would go to the authorities if you just had the name. Paterno reportedly had the name and the specifics of the incident and simply told university officials.
After nothing was done to Sandusky, Paterno remained quiet. The moment he saw that the cavalry didn’t break down the doors to apprehend and question Sandusky is the moment Paterno should have asked if the officials let police authorities know.
Paterno simply heard from a witness that something very bad happened, and since Sandusky was retired he told officials and let the matter leave his memory.
Who cares if Sandusky was a coach at the time or not? This was a monster running rampant on Paterno’s turf. He should have investigated such a wild accusation further; the fact that he couldn’t be bothered to do so affects me.
I never thought I would say this, but I don’t want to see Paterno on the sidelines again. I know I am not alone in that sentiment, so it goes without saying that Paterno needs to do what is right and correct by the university and just leave.
