Putting my shock and horror aside, I think Paterno did the right thing in '99. Let's look at the facts:
-1965 Sandusky graduates from Penn State, having played on the football team and been coached by Paterno.
-1966 Sandusky is a grad assistant for Penn State, working under Paterno
-1967 Sandusky is an assistant coach at Juniata College
-1968 Sandusky is an assistant coach at Boston College
-1969 Sandusky returns to Penn State as defensive line coach
-1970 Sandusky promoted to linebacker coach
-1977 Sandusky promoted to defensive coordinator (also started the Second Mile charity)
-1986 Sandusky received Assistant Coach of the Year award
-1998 Sandusky investigated for inappropriate conduct with 2 minors (victim 6 and B.K.)
-1999 Sandusky recieved Assistant Coach of the Year award
-1999 Sandusky retires (and receives Professor Emeritus status)
-2002 McQuery observes Sandusky anally raping a 10 y.o. in the Penn State locker room showers, reports to Paterno who reports to Schultz and Curley
-2008 Clinton County H.S. blows the whistle and gets the investigative ball rolling.
(I did not add all the victims in this timeline, as that is not the point of this post)
IMO only, Paterno knew about the 1998 allegations. He would almost have to, as Sandusky's boss, even if he didn't know "officially". I believe that it about killed Joe to find-out that someone he had mentored, coached and worked with for over 35 years was a pederast. Joe did the right thing and "fired" Sandusky. We all have to realize that Sandusky was covered by a union, so he couldn't just be booted out the door. But Joe made sure Sandusky was gone. You don't retire an Assistant Coach of the Year just because you want to "make some changes" to your coaching line-up. Joe knew and did something about it.
Contrast this to Joe's behavior in 2002. What happened? Did Joe feel that since Sandusky no longer worked for him (or Penn State) that he didn't have to deal with it? Did Joe not believe McQueary? Was Joe beginning to suffer the mental affects of old age? It's just hard for me to believe that a man who could make such a difficult gut-wrenching decision in 1999 could just brush the allegations under the rug three years later.
I have been combing the web to try and figure-out what happened to Paterno or at Penn State in the time between 1999 and 2002 that would change Joe Paterno from a "take charge" man to someone washing his hands about the sexual abuse.
-1965 Sandusky graduates from Penn State, having played on the football team and been coached by Paterno.
-1966 Sandusky is a grad assistant for Penn State, working under Paterno
-1967 Sandusky is an assistant coach at Juniata College
-1968 Sandusky is an assistant coach at Boston College
-1969 Sandusky returns to Penn State as defensive line coach
-1970 Sandusky promoted to linebacker coach
-1977 Sandusky promoted to defensive coordinator (also started the Second Mile charity)
-1986 Sandusky received Assistant Coach of the Year award
-1998 Sandusky investigated for inappropriate conduct with 2 minors (victim 6 and B.K.)
-1999 Sandusky recieved Assistant Coach of the Year award
-1999 Sandusky retires (and receives Professor Emeritus status)
-2002 McQuery observes Sandusky anally raping a 10 y.o. in the Penn State locker room showers, reports to Paterno who reports to Schultz and Curley
-2008 Clinton County H.S. blows the whistle and gets the investigative ball rolling.
(I did not add all the victims in this timeline, as that is not the point of this post)
IMO only, Paterno knew about the 1998 allegations. He would almost have to, as Sandusky's boss, even if he didn't know "officially". I believe that it about killed Joe to find-out that someone he had mentored, coached and worked with for over 35 years was a pederast. Joe did the right thing and "fired" Sandusky. We all have to realize that Sandusky was covered by a union, so he couldn't just be booted out the door. But Joe made sure Sandusky was gone. You don't retire an Assistant Coach of the Year just because you want to "make some changes" to your coaching line-up. Joe knew and did something about it.
Contrast this to Joe's behavior in 2002. What happened? Did Joe feel that since Sandusky no longer worked for him (or Penn State) that he didn't have to deal with it? Did Joe not believe McQueary? Was Joe beginning to suffer the mental affects of old age? It's just hard for me to believe that a man who could make such a difficult gut-wrenching decision in 1999 could just brush the allegations under the rug three years later.
I have been combing the web to try and figure-out what happened to Paterno or at Penn State in the time between 1999 and 2002 that would change Joe Paterno from a "take charge" man to someone washing his hands about the sexual abuse.