I'll remember him as the winningest coach in college football.

damn that sucks

There are so many elements to this story and obviously no one can step into another's mind and decide what they knew and thought. We can however draw some conclusions.
First it was 10 years ago and Joe was near the top of his power and game. He WAS Penn State. His word was strong enough to tell the board to stuff it when they asked him to resign. To me he had the power and place to keep Sandusky from ever associatiating with Penn St or being on campus again. Forget the legal side he could have prevented Sandusky from hurting kids at PSU. He DID NOTHING and that stains his legacy.

Joe later testified that he reported it to his boss and let it stand there. But wasn't he a leader? Wasn't it his duty to pursue what was happening in his house (the football areas were his)? He never followed up, never confronted Sandusky HE DID NOTHING. Sandusky continued to office in the football area and hold camps and use PSU as a tool for his perversion. That is a failure of leadership both professionally and personally. Again we aren't talking about what happened 2 months ago but over the course of 10-12 years.


Some argue that either he wasn't friends with Sandusky or he was loyal or he didn't understand what was happening. Again to me none of these hold water. First Maclary WAS his assistant you would think Joe would have believed him. Sandusky worked for Joe a long time. As so many from PSU say they are a family. He knew Sandusky well enough. The question that haunts us and should have haunted him was how could he not have at least asked Sandusky to explain what Maclery had told him. Taking action to ban Sandusky from the football offices and associating with PSU was within his power and low risk.

In the end I feel bad for Joe. He apparently did so much good. That should be remembered and honored. However it should never wipe out the fact that he enabled by inaction and denial (maybe self denial) Sandusky to trade on PSU in his perverted actions. Like so many others failure to act, take leadership and ultimate responsibility will weigh heavily on Joe's legacy.

very sad day

That was my impression too. Joe Pa let the AD and higher ups handle the situation because he didn't understand what was going on. Joe is from my Dad's generation when this type of thing rarely if ever occured. I remember when we played Penn State in the Orange Bowl when I was a kid in the early 70's. Jo Pa was well respected then as a head coach. John Cappaletti won the Heisman that year as PSU's RB. Jo Pa had some oustanding teams when running the ball down hill was routine in college football.

Again while the AD was Joe's titular boss Joe was THE man at PSU. Joe wasn't the frail shadow in 2002 he was this fall he was in control. He had a duty to act like the leader he was. He failed there in 2002 not 2012.

Sexual abuse of a minor is destructive. Even the description Joe gave of Maclary's report is so horrible Joe can't hide behind his age or generation. He had grandchildren certainly was aware of the existence of child predators.

While he might not be faulted as much for not pushing criminal action he should have confronted Sandusky at least and banned him from PSU

What evidence did he have to confront Sandusky?? Mclary said such and such?? Sandusky would have just lied about it. Then what was Joe to do??

Paterno did what he was allowed by law to do. I don't care how big of a cheese he was at Penn State ... the Criminal Justice System reserves certain rights of action to itself. The only people allowed to overrule such are the politicians ... like the President of the University, etc. .. who are in deep doo doo right now.

You are mixing criminal justice procedures with private matters. Joe had Maclary's statement. That should have been enough to approach Sandusky. If Maclary couldn't be trusted to give an accurate account of what he saw why did Joe employ him. Can you imagine some one bringing that info about someone who was frequenting my office and not at least asking questions? This was Joe's office and he had every right to approach Sandusky, warn him and tell him to stay away.Even if Sandusky lied he would be put on notice. Joe could and IMO should have approached Sandusky on this. He did not have to go to the police if he expected the AD to do so.
Again Joe was supposed to be a great leader and man of morals. Both traits abandoned him here.
Nothing cancels the fact that he was the face and moral authority of Penn State and had the juice to get what he wanted done. To deny this is to ignore reality as he seems to have done.