First off, let me congratulate ESPN's Trevor Matich for standing up to the senseless coverage his employer has taken with this story. Mr. Matich played football at the NFL level and played for Brigham Young University as well, as much of a moral school as it gets in today's society. Yet Matich is the only one that thinks it unfair how Paterno was let go before all the facts are revealed. We are so quick to judge anymore, that it feels at times like we are one step away from returning to the era of stoning people. Paterno was wrong in not doing more with this scandal than he did, no doubt. But the vilification of such a good leader of young men is ridiculous.
As Matich said, the testimony in the grand jury report is not enough to justify the termination of the longtime coach based purely on what was said. Also, the testimony that is being taken for fact is the testimony of a man who not only did not go to the authorities himself, but waited a full 24 hours before even approaching Paterno with the information. As Matich also stated, we don't know the full extent of what was actually told to Paterno. Paterno only recalls vague statements of touching or horsing around. The then grad-assistant and now assistant coach, Mike McQueary, told the jury all the details. How are we to know that he told the full story to Paterno. And then we are to assume that no matter what Paterno was told, he should've picked up the phone and called the police right then and there based on something he didn't witness himself and on information that may not have been delivered as cut and dry as people want to make it out to be.
Nothing is being reported on the timeline. ESPN posted a crude timeline that stated Jerry Sandusky was fired in 1999, but allowed to stay as a consultant with access to facilities. The main incident happened in 2002 but then the grand jury did not come with their investigation until 2010. Someone went to them. Someone did turn in Sandusky. We don't know when, so how are we to know that the PSU administration did not present this to authorities and then the legal system drug its feet?
Also, why is it that this story is only revolving around coach Paterno? The only coverage has been about "what did he know?", "when did he know it?", "why didn't he do more?" Jerry Sandusky, the actual one accused of the heinous acts, has all but vanished onto the back pages. An afterthought in the wake of this embarrassment that has gone on at Penn State. All the coverage has centered on Paterno. Not only that, but many now question the very pillars that Paterno built his football program on and helped build within the entire university. For one mistake to wipe out all the good things this man has accomplished is beyond my comprehension. He never came under investigation in an era when almost every major coach and/or major program has been dirty in some form or fashion. He graduated his players at or near 90% in an era when 50% has become acceptable. All this vanishes because people want to vent their anger at the highest profile person? Ridiculous.
Why is Paterno fired and not McQueary? How can people justify the idea of getting rid of Paterno, who did not act on a watered down story, but the man who actually witnessed the act, did not act on it for an entire day or longer and then passed it on to someone else retains his job? He is just as responsible, if not more so. Yet he gets a pass in most public opinion. What is wrong with society that we have to vilify the highest profile person and push the others, who are more prominent in the story to the side?
Did Paterno do all he could in every sense? No. That's not the point I'm making. Paterno will have to go to whatever end a person chooses to believe in knowing the truth about what he could've done and will have to meet his maker with that information. We don't know the full truth, but are more than happy to judge anyway. Let us for one moment take this out of the world of sports. A rookie cop (McQueary) goes to his captain and gives him a vague story about the captain's longtime collegue. The captain deliberate's the information and goes to the Chief of Police. If the Chief of Police, i.e PSU's president, does nothing, would the precinct captain be just as responsible? Morally yes, but I highly doubt there would be as much furor calling for the job of the captain. There wouldn't be as much looking down the nose and saying all the good the captain had done for the community now meant nothing.
The man they call JoePa is not without responsibility in this, but Sandusky was the villain. He is the sick, twisted person that robbed these children of their identities. That is where the blame should rest. Why do we blame Paterno with such passion, but mothers of abused children get a pass when they let their husbands or boyfriends beat them near to death? Why is there not a news truck parked outside of the house of a parent who does not report the beating of their daughter who is with an abusive partner? The crimes are quite similar. Society is quick to toss blame at others with disregard for the victims actual needs and then hide behind saying they are thinking of the victims. Have any of them blamed him for not personally stopping Sandusky? Have any of the actual victims come out and said they feel better now that Paterno has been fired?
Ultimately it boils down to this. Paterno should have done more, if he knew all or most of the details. He did go to his superiors and though morally that may not have been enough, I do not feel he should have been forced out in such a rushed and unprofessional fashion. The man stood for good things and in the end, most people will only remember him for this ugly situation. The mere fact that it took eight years to get the case heard might be more the fault of the judicial system than Paterno himself. It is just a sad end to what was a great career of a fine coach and mentor.
As always, this is just one man's opinion...but I feel I'm right.
