The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is known for hammering sports programs that bend or break the rules. They should add Penn State as a top offender. It is almost certain that administrators of Penn State’s football program knew of, and covered for, a sexual predator among its ranks. For details I refer you to the text of the Grand Jury Report but only if you have a strong stomach:
Detailed herein are the allegations that the school’s defensive coordinator used his position at the University and a charitable organization which he founded as a means to capture young boys for sexual favors dating back to at least 15 years. An assistant coach, according to the investigation, even witnessed the rape of a 10 year old boy by this long time Penn State defensive coordinator. Did he try and protect the boy? Did he alert law enforcement? The answer to both questions is no. Instead he ran from the scene and called his daddy. The next day he told head football coach Joe Paterno what he had seen. The coach then told the University’s Athletic Director. There’s no indication that police were ever informed. The Grand Jury report contains details on the assault of 7 other boys. There is evidence that campus police had done an investigation into sex abuse allegations involving this predator in 1998. Still he remained active in the school sports program and the charity which was formed to help troubled young boys.
The NCAA has on numerous occasions punished schools for violations of various rules. Top offenders include Arizona State (improper recruiting of baseball players and improper benefits for these players), Southern Methodist University (paying players in their football program), Auburn University (improper player benefits) and University of Minnesota (academic cheating). Penn State should now be moved to the top of the list. If only improper recruiting, financial gain of college athletes or academic cheating are causes for punishment then the NCAA should shut down the legendary football program at Penn State for several years for these sex crimes. In other cases it is mostly ethical violations. In this case the damage done is way beyond that and is immeasurable.
I realize no one is guilty under the law until proven so in a court. But the court of public opinion is another matter. You read the Grand Jury report and decide for yourself.
There is one tiny bright spot in this horrific scandal. It is good to see that at least some perverse behavior is still rejected in our culture.
