More To Come At Penn State

It seems impossible to believe that the Penn State story of alleged sexual abuse by Jerry Sandusky could get worse but I'm afraid we're only at the beginning of this terrible tragedy.  So far, Penn State's President has been fired, Joe Paterno has been fired as well as several others.  There will be more names that we won't be as familiar with getting gone in the days, weeks and perhaps months ahead.  There are so many unanswered questions and only a thorough, transparent investigation will reveal them

How many more victims will come forward?  How many more folks on staff at Happy Valley will be found to be part of the group that stood idly by while young boys were being violated.  Questions around the football team and Joe Paterno are many and answers will be found out.  Why did Jerry Sandusky, one of the most successful defensive coordinators in the nation,  resign from the program in 1998?  Was there a coverup with his resignation?  Was there an agreement?  Did the university settle any kind of issue with a family of an abused child? 

Was there any complicity on the part of the administration?  Questions abound and as each one gets an aswerd, there will be ten more. That's how these stories unfold.  We are only at the beginning of the process and State College is now filled with reporters, investigative reporters who know how to ask questions, solicit answers and dig for the truth. 

One must also ask why Jerry Sandusky was allowed to continue to use Penn State facilities and be involved with a youth program that utilized Penn State facilities when there were questions about his pedophia-type behavior all the way back to 1998?  None of it makes any sense. 

I suspect that the soon to be had answers to all of these questions and many more will become apparent in the days ahead.  The trustees obviously hope to kill the story or at least get it off the front page with the firings of the key administrative staff and coaching legend.  This story will not go away and will be reported on day in and day out going forward.  It's being reported the FBI is now involved on some level and they bring a whole new level of investigating to this terrible crime. 

This tragedy will overshadow all the other storylines of 2011 college football.  As it should.  Not reporting this type of criminal behavior when you are in a position of authority and respect is indeed a serious matter and needs to be brought forth in a significant fashion. It isn't hard to believe that more criminal charges will be filed against Jerry Sandusky and just maybe some other Penn State faculty. 

Penn State University needs to wrap it's arms around this in a big fashion and be forthwright, transparent and communicative.  Ultimately, how they respond to the issue now is largely going to determine how quickly the university can regain some of its credibility with the people of the nation.  They do not want to fail this part of the process.  It will determine how much long term damage the university will suffer.  Not so much even with athletics but also with academics.

The university needs to make sure that their internal investigation is as independent as possible.  A statewide well-respected leader would be a great starting point.  Maybe even a few former Penn State football players to help restore the football program through the creation of some type of charitable foundation that supports and helps sexually abused children.  All of this of course will be caught-up in the university trying to protect its flank as well.  Civil suits will certainly be coming their way.  Penn State needs to get in front of this story and work it hard. 

For now, we only have questions that we expect answers to.  How could this go on for all these years and no one took it seriously enough to stop it.