The list of obscenities in the story of child sexual abuser Jerry Sandusky is far longer than that of the 45 counts he was convicted of Friday by a jury at the Centre County Courthouse in State College, Pa.
For myself, it became clear during the Sandusky trial that another obscenity is the continuation of Penn State football — to move on, as the program hopes.
This should be the Chernobyl of college football — a cold, stark place that is a reminder every day of the horrors that were allowed to happen, not a place where the business that forever will be linked to this atrocity should be allowed to pick up where it left off.
There should be no Penn State football this season.
The school hired a coach to replace the late Joe Paterno, recruited new players and has a home opener scheduled for noon Sept. 1 against Ohio University.
Stop all of it. It will create some chaos, and there will be those who had nothing to do with this who will be penalized.
But on the list of victims in the Sandusky scandal, those who would be affected by the absence of Penn State football for one season rank at the bottom of the list.
Penn State posted this obscenity Friday before Sandusky was convicted of dozens of sexual abuse crimes:
“The anticipation for the 2012 Nittany Lions football season continues to build, with Penn State students purchasing more than 21,000 season tickets this week to again sell out the student section at Beaver Stadium. … Penn State’s proud and enthusiastic student section in Beaver Stadium is the nation’s largest full season student ticket section of any school for any sport.”
This doesn’t seem quite right. Penn State football was on trial with Sandusky, however painful that may be for its supporters.
The Penn State football cocoon protected Sandusky for perhaps more than 40 years as an assistant coach and then in retirement with its close connection to his charity, Second Mile.
Penn State football will be on trial when former athletic director Tim Curley and finance officer Gary Schultz go to court on perjury charges and for failing to alert authorities about at least one act of sexual abuse by Sandusky.
Penn State University likely will have to pay millions of dollars to at least 20 victims of Sandusky’s sexual abuse. One lawsuit already has been filed, and many more are expected.
Following the verdict, the school issued this statement: “The university plans to invite the victims of Mr. Sandusky’s abuse to participate in a program to facilitate the resolution of claims against the university arising out of Mr. Sandusky’s conduct.”
And thanks in part to a proud and enthusiastic student section at Beaver Stadium, the university has the money to pay.
Examiner columnist Thom Loverro is the co-host of “The Sports Fix” from noon to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on ESPN980 and espn980.com. Contact him at [email protected].
