Paterno Legacy Is Jerry Sandusky

What I usually do with this blog is give my latest opinion on the matters that take place in the political

sphere on a daily basis. It usually has to do with the latest Mitt Romney gaffe concerning his tax returns, or President Obama and the Democrats inability to message properly.

I would be remissed if I didn't take this opportunity to respond to the horror that is the child sex abuse scandal at Penn State University that is right out of the pages of the nearest Catholic Church.

Former F.B.I. Director Louis Freeh announced the findings of his seven month investigation into the University on Thursday, and in my mind confirmed a lot of things I had already thought, most notably that legendary Head Football Coach Joe Paterno was up to his neck in misconduct.

Freeh basically said a cover-up of the highest order had taken place at Penn State since initial rumors of then Defensive Coordinator, and now convicted child molestor Jerry Sandusky was involved in having inappropriate conduct with children in 1998 were brought to light.

No one should ever make the mistake of remembering who the biggest villian in this tragedy is, it is that disgusting piece of excrement Sandusky. There will never be a terrible enough punishment for this scumbag, who will most likely die in prison. The old saying goes the cover-up is worse than the actual crime, that is not the case here, but it comes pretty damn close.

Joe Paterno, a college football coaching legend who won over 400 games, 2 National Championships, and graduated countless players from a fine academic institution, was basically the point man in concealing facts surrounding questions about his colleague and friend Sandusky. Paterno had the people who were supposed to be his superiors answering to him in this sordid saga.

In 1998 Penn State campus police investigated a claim by a mother who said her son was molested by Sandusky, when this was made public last year Paterno's first reaction was to say he knew nothing about that claim. The Freeh Investigation shattered Paterno's defense saying that he was well aware of the fact that police were looking into Sandusky.

In 2001, Paterno was told by Graduate Assistant and former PSU Quarterback Mike McQueary that he had witnessed an incident involving Sandusky and a ten year old boy in the locker room shower at the athletic complex on Campus. Paterno's response was to tell McQueary he would take care of it.

After Paterno notified his superiors, they were prepared to go to police with the information that they had, only to be talked out of it by Paterno himself. Allegedly a conversation took place between Paterno and his boss Athletic Director Tim Curley, where Paterno basically said the best thing to do in terms of handling the situation was to tell Sandusky not to bring young boys onto the school's campus anymore. Paterno and Company basically said we don't care if you molest children just don't do it at our workplace.

As I said earlier, Sandusky is the real scumbag, but Paterno comes extremely close to matching him. Nevermind the Governor of Pennsylvania or any elected official in the state, Joe Paterno was the most powerful man in the commonwealth. There is also a story that Freeh relates from his investigation where a janitor at the University witnessed Sandusky perfoming oral sex on a young boy, that janitor didn't come forward because of fear that Paterno would have had him fired. If that doesn't scream too much power for the football coach I don't know what does.

I am as big a sports fan as anyone in the country, and like most people I cringe when I hear the latest story about an athlete or a coach who has run afoul of the law. While DUI's and domestic violence should never be taken lightly, they pale in comparison to child molestation and adults taking advantage of society's most defenseless.

In that case Sandusky and Paterno because of his refusal to drop a dime on his lifelong pal are two of the worst individuals who ever graced everyday life let alone the sports world. Their crimes make strip club brawls and steroid use from athletes look extremely small.

Also before the Paterno apologists scream at me for neglecting to mention the 61 years of service the man gave to the school, the endless amounts of money he raised for the school and for charity, and the countless number of players he turned into fine, upstanding gentlemen, save it. All of Paterno's good qualities have been washed away as far as I'm concerned. Jerry Sandusky's victims prove that, especially the ones that could have been saved had Paterno been a man and not a coward.