As a life-long Pennsylvanian, please allow me to say this:

[PCIntern]

In 1988, Joe Paterno addressed the Republican Convention. My father, then an employee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as is/was Paterno was incensed. "Sonofabitch can't do that." was what he said. Of course, it is against the rules to be politically active when employed by the government. From that time on, every time I'd see that Penn State lost, I would think, "Good."

They have created a religion of football up there: why else would God have made the sky Blue and White? they're only half-kidding. The grotesque investment of time and energy of the University's students would have been better served in pursuing their own studies, and yes, I get that this stuff is 'important'...but it's not THAT important. Fall Semester at Penn State is geared to one and only one thing: the circus that is Nittany Lions football.

Paterno succeeded in creating an Empire for himself, utilizing his brother George as the shell-company: real estate, broadcast network, products, speaking fees, and all the other forms of income-in-extremis were shunted his way. Years ago, someone asked Paterno why he never considered going Pro. He laughed in the questioner's face. Why would he leave THIS to go somewhere where he'd be accountable?

I am quite gratified that he is leaving with such ignominy. I am astoundingly upset that these were the circumstances for the sakes of the victims and the families and grieve for them all, and this should be a lesson for all those who unfailingly look to sports teams or individuals as 'role models' without any real knowledge of what these people are off-camera. Oh, and one more thing: this scandal actually goes a LOT farther than has been made public, at least so far: there is little doubt that the entire upper echelon of the Commonwealth's government knew about this as well as many members of the Board of Trustees. Take a look at the time line in the indictment, and look up the officials in charge when the acts were reported and look at the past behavior of some of these folks and you'll get the idea.

Shame on them all.