1. My post today, entitled "Of Fairy Tales and Fallacies: Coach K and Paterno," is posted over at Tobacco Road Blues, a great site owned by my friend, fellow Blue Devil, and Grantland.com writer, Shane Ryan. Please click here to read it. And please check out TRB; the guys over there are not only funny, but they chronicle sports in the Triangle better than anyone else.
2. If you have some time, please read this excellent piece by Sara Ganim of The Patriot-News, who broke the Jerry Sandusky story back in March, long before any of us knew enough to care. She exhaustively details a timeline of events from 1995 through today and demonstrates how the abuse was covered up and watered down by a multitude of Penn State officials. It leaves no doubt that there was a twisted web of complicity throughout the university, The Second Mile, the police, and perhaps even the DA’s office. And it leaves no doubt that Joe Paterno deserved to be fired.
3. I am starting to believe the theory that former graduate assistant, child rape witness, non-caller of police, and current wide receivers coach Mike McQueary is, in fact, protected by Pennsylvania’s Whistleblower Law, found here. Or, I believe this issue is at least being explored. Considering that everyone else connected to the scandal has been fired, retired, or removed, it is puzzling that McQueary is still employed by Penn State. In 2002, when he walked into Uncle Jerry’s Shower Room of Horrors, he was 28-years-old. My age. It blows my mind that he did nothing more than call his father and subsequently report it to Paterno. On Thursday, I told my boss that, while I adore him, if I ever saw him or any of our employees having sex with a little boy, I would immediately call the police; he said he would help me dial. Furthermore, no one at Penn State seems particularly anxious to come to McQueary’s defense. Questions have been met with scripted “no comments” and “he is still employed here at the moment.” So I wonder if he is legally protected from being terminated, due to the fact that as a very low-level figure, he was truthful and reported the incident to his superiors – the all powerful Coach Joe Paterno – who, in turn, did nothing more than tell the Athletic Director. McQueary was promoted to receivers coach in 2004. While he may be protected under the law, it also begs the question why McQueary did not further blow the whistle on his superiors? If he told Paterno, what stopped him from telling the police? Doesn’t that make him just as complicit in the cover-up and therefore, just as culpable? The coward should be fired. Like Paterno, he did "something." It just wasn’t nearly enough.
4. Bobby Bowden called Joe Paterno “a little negligent.” That is like calling Octomom a little pregnant.
5. This is a very powerful piece about Victim 1, who should be thanked for having the courage to come forward and kick-start this entire investigation. Without him, Uncle Jerry may very well still be abusing little boys.
These will probably be my last thoughts on Uncle Jerry and Penn State, at least for the foreseeable future. This week, CDTF will have some final baseball thoughts (i.e., Wilson Ramos, Jonathan Papelbon, and Ron Washington), introduce a new contributor, and slowly transition into college basketball season. Lots of good stuff coming, so please check back tomorrow. Thanks guys and have a great week!
