Brian’s Column: The Paterno Catharsis

Silver lining to cloud of Jock-Culture idolatry
by Brian Wright


The Paterno CatharsisEveryone who hasn’t been freeze dried or stuck in a cave for the past several days knows about the so-called Penn State Football Scandal[1], and I’m sure someone’s put up a Wikipedia page by now. What happened is a high-level football coach, Jerry Sandusky, under the college football icon Joe Paterno of Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)—according to a 40-count indictment for serial abuse of minors returned by a Pennsylvania grand jury on 11/5/11—’had his way’ with a number of young boys (aged 7-13). Several of the alleged sexual encounters/assaults occurred in the locker room and shower facilities of the Penn State Nittany Lions football team. A few were witnessed, and at least one was brought to the attention of Coach Paterno in 2002. Continue reading