Joe Paterno, the iconic football coach from Penn State, has passed away. The events surrounding his former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, who faced charges for sexually abusing young boys over a span of 15 years, have cast a long shadow over Paterno’s legacy. One can’t help but wonder if this turmoil contributed to his decline in health.
Although I’m not a Penn State alum, my own alma mater, Syracuse University, has dealt with similar scandals involving assistant coaches. It’s disheartening to think that Paterno’s illustrious career could be forever tarnished by the actions of one individual, if that turns out to be the case.
There are those who contend that Paterno must have been aware of Sandusky’s actions. They argue that his concern for his legacy and the reputation of Penn State led him to ignore the horrific behavior of his assistant. However, I find myself questioning that perspective.
Since the scandal erupted in November, Paterno granted only one interview, speaking with Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post. In their conversation, which was published on January 14, 2012, Paterno appeared genuinely bewildered by the gravity of Sandusky’s actions, stating that such concepts were foreign to his understanding. Jenkins reported:
“He reiterated that McQueary was unclear with him about the nature of what he saw and added that even if McQueary had been more graphic, he’s not sure he would have comprehended it. ‘You know, he didn’t…’”