A Not So Happy Valley
The allegations against former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky are horrific and disgusting. There are now nine victims that have either been identified or come forward claiming to have been sexually abused by Sandusky. All of the victims were linked to Sandusky through his "The Second Mile" charity that is meant to help the youth of Pennsylvania. The aura around State College, PA is that of safety and security. It was a place where parents wanted to raise their children. All of that is gone and it is not coming back, at least not totally. There will always be the memory of what Jerry Sandusky did, no matter how much the culture is built back up again.
Obviously, the most pain that is being felt as a result of Sandusky's actions are not on the part of the citiens of State College, students of Penn State, fans of the football program, or the family members of anyone in the Penn State athletic department. The most pain that is being felt is that of the victims. I am not qualified to assume what they are feeling, nor could I ever imagine what it would feel like to be subject to such disgusting acts. I just know that, more so than the community of State College, nothing will ever be the same.
Penn State has to clean house. The Athletic Director, President, Joe Paterno, and everyone underneath them have to go. Some people will lose their jobs that were not directly involved in the misreporting of Sandusky's actions, but they now have the stain of this scandal on them. Penn State needs a clean slate. No, Joe Paterno and his graduate assistant (identified as Mike McQueary) didn't do anything against the letter of the law and will not be subject to any sort of legal punishment. They did not, however, fulfill their moral obligation. McQueary saw a rape first hand, knew it was Sandusky, talked to his father and Paterno, but did not do enough. Paterno sent the matter to the AD and did not pursue it any further. If you see a rape happening, especially if you have identified the assailant, you don't go to your boss with the matter - you take it to the local authorities. Even if you do take it to your boss, wouldn't you assume nothing has been done if you see Sandusky walking around the facilities in the days, months, and years afterwards? And wouldn't the fact that nothing had been done make you want to at least revisit the issue with your boss if not take it to the authorities yourself? How was Sandusky still allowed to use the facilities without anything being done? Yes, it is sad that Paterno's career will end with a dark cloud hanging over him, but he should have done differently.
The NCAA has no place to come down on Penn State. This scandal does not involve money being paid to players, the selling of game-worn jerseys, or free tattoos. This is purely a legal and moral issue. If the NCAA takes away scholarships or suspends the football program from participating in bowl games, they will have overstepped their boundaries. The only governing bodies that will have rule over this will be that of Penn State University and the state of Pennsylvania. The punishment against Penn State will not be the same thing that has been brought down on USC or Ohio State. The punishment for Penn State will be simple: Penn State, the "good guys" of college football, will no longer be Penn State.
