Embattled Paterno Likely to Step Down at Season’s End

Sport Illustrated has reported that Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno will step down at year’s end.

For some, it is not soon enough. For others, it is about retaining some form of dignity for a coach who deserves much more.

But really, when was Paterno, 84, going to retire any way?

It is a good stepping off point for Paterno, who likely will be hammered with questions about his former defensive coach and his sexual impropriety.

 

The alleged crime is something even fellow inmates at any prison abhor: sexual acts against children, in this case boys as young as 10-15.

Jerry Sandusky allegedly used his charity, The Second Mile, to help underprivileged children, promising them gifts and favored positions on the football team at Penn State. What he did in reality was to take away any dignity they had left as human beings.

So, again, how culpable is Paterno in this whole mess?

Enough to be a scapegoat or guilty by association. You decide.

 Then graduate assistant and current Penn State coach Mike McQueary told Paterno about seeing Sandusky in the shower with a 10-year-old boy.

Paterno then told athletic director Tim Curley about the allegations.

He followed chain of command, but then never followed up on the situation.

How the event went on so long is a mystery to me.

Only to assume that the Penn State community did all they could to ignore or sweep under the carpet.

Any attempts by the college to distance themselves from this horrible act is a joke.

Maybe it was a "boys will be boys" kind of thing.

Believe me, that attitude is unbelievable to me, but also I am old enough to know that that type of situation could exist in other sections of society, be it a football team, Boys and Girls Club, a church, or business.

Trying to make amends and keeping Paterno, a living legend with a record 409 wins, on board until the end of the season is the college’s best attempt to appease Paterno and critics of Penn State.

Do I think Paterno should go now?

My heart says no, but my head says yes.

The din of this situation will be deafening.

I can’t see how Joe will get through the season and it starts with a big home game with Nebraska on Saturday.

However, football is secondary in this situation.