Joe Paterno has announced his retirement at the end of the season. He stayed at the party too long.
Paterno took a major hit because of the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal. It's all too apparent that Paterno had information Sandusky was abusing little boys, and Paterno did little to stop it.
Paterno has not been criminally charged, but if arrogance and hypocrisy were crimes, Paterno would be in jail.
Joe Paterno is the guy who threw the PSU president out of his home, when the president came to fire him in 2004. Back then, Paterno thought he had no boss.
Seven years later, when Paterno learned of the Sandusky problem, he suddenly had a boss. Paterno told the athletic director about Sandusky, and walked away. Police say Sandusky's abuses continued. Paterno could have stopped Sandusky from victimizing children. He didn't. Paterno's legal obligation was met-- barely. His moral obligation was nowhere to be found.
Sandusky continued to use PSU football facilities up until recently. Where was Joe? Either he didn't care, or he was too out of touch to realize there was a problem.
Look at the big picture. Paterno offers his football program as squeaky clean and holier than thou. Yet, PSU is close to leading the country in the number of players with arrest records. (Source: CBS News and ESPN) Joe Paterno recruits thugs.
Late last night, the board of trustees fired Paterno and president Graham Spanier. There was no other choice.
A student riot followed-- so much for Paterno & Co. shaping the young minds of tomorrow. A shameful event became even more so, because so many people just didn't appreciate the gravity of the action and inaction of those involved in the sex scandal.
As I watched, and listened to the rioters on television this morning, all I could was think of is how they've disgraced themselves and their school. It's time to grow up.
All of this could have been prevented with a well timed and dignified resignation. It doesn't work that way at Penn State. Paterno and football became bigger than the school, and the school happily allowed it to happen.
Joe Paterno, the party's over.
