Seth Vigdor
The flood gates have opened again in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. After the latest report that Joe Paterno knew of Jerry Sandusky’s child sex abuse as early as the 1970’s, Joe’s son, Scott, came rushing to his pop’s defense and called the new allegations “bunk.” This, of course, is not a shock, nor is the reaction of many Penn Staters [though, not all of them]. But, as the old saying goes, when it rains, it pours.
There are some more huge developments in this story. CNN is reporting that a Jerry Sandusky victim stated that Joe Paterno told him to drop the sexual assault allegations. If true, this could eliminate any credibility Paterno had as a legend, and is quite simply an even bigger scumbag than I could’ve ever imagined.
CNN interviewed a man they call “Victim A” for their story. That name is used in keeping with the way that authorities labeled the Sandusky accusers. He was just 15 in 1971 when he says Sandusky raped him. He stated last year that he would’ve been willing to confront Paterno in court, however Paterno had passed away shortly after stepping down as the university’s football coach. In this CNN report, “Victim A” states he was on the phone with two men from Penn State after his foster father made him call them when he told him he’d been raped. Here’s his story:
He found himself on the phone with two men from Penn State. “I tell them what happened — well, I couldn’t get it out of me that I was — I can’t even tell it to this day. It’s just degrading — that I was raped,” he said. “I told the story up to a certain point. I told them that he grabbed me and that I got the hell out of there.” He insisted that he “made it very clear” it was a sexual attack. “I made it clear there were things done to me that I just can’t believe could have been done to me and I couldn’t escape. I said, ‘I’m very upset and scared and I couldn’t believe I let my guard down.’ They listened to me. And then all hell broke loose. “They were asking me my motive, why I would say this about someone who has done so many good things.” They accused him of making it up. “‘Stop this right now! We’ll call the authorities,'” he said they told him. Victim A says he couldn’t think. “I just wanted to get off the phone.” The men on the phone had introduced themselves as Jim and Joe, he said. He had no idea who Jim was, and can’t, to this day, say for sure. “There was no question in my mind who Joe was,” he said. “I’ve heard that voice a million times. It was Joe Paterno.’
I urge you to read the full story from “Victim A” here.
As if that news wasn’t bad enough, last night, NBC news reported that as many as six Penn State assistants witnessed Sandusky’s “inappropriate behavior” with boys.
EXCLUSIVE: As many as 6 former Penn State coaches witnessed "inappropriate behavior" between Sandusky and boys: https://t.co/6ZFjbsClR8
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) May 6, 2016
The report states that “it is unclear if any of the men reported what they saw to higher-ups at Penn State before the sex-abuse scandal erupted in 2011.” This information comes from court documents and sources with knowledge of legal proceedings.
Here’s more:
Sources told NBC News that one former Penn State assistant coach witnessed an incident in the late 1970s. Three other coaches, who have gone on to work in the NFL and at Division I colleges, allegedly saw inappropriate conduct between Sandusky and boys in the early and mid-1990s. “You won’t believe what I just saw,” one of those three coaches blurted out after bursting into a room filled with Penn State football staff, according to sources who spoke to a person who was in that room.”
Penn State University released the following statement yesterday regarding the latest allegations:
In a court opinion issued yesterday (May 5) by Judge Gary Glazer related to a lawsuit between Penn State and an insurance provider, testimony was released about allegations that former Penn State Coach Joe Paterno was aware of incidents of sexual abuse by Jerry Sandusky in 1976. Media organizations have been reporting on the contents of the court documents and the University is issuing the following statement in response to these recent events. We note the court’s opinion states the alleged incidents are based upon the deposition testimony of persons who claim to have been victims of Jerry Sandusky. We note these are allegations, and not established fact. The university has no records from the time to help evaluate the claims. More importantly, Coach Paterno is not here to defend himself. Penn State does not intend to comment further, out of concern for privacy, and due to the strict confidentiality commitments that govern our various settlement agreements.”
This story continues to get more and more nauseating and that’s really difficult to do. The kool-aid drinkers will continue to defend Joe Paterno and the school because it’s football over everything to many [again, not all] up in Happy Valley. [Editor’s note: Hey, Scott Paterno’s reasoning for “bunking” PennLive.com’s report yesterday was why would his father protect a football coach that nobody knows?] They will continue to say that we need to let Paterno just rest in peace already, but, honestly, screw that. The victims can’t live in peace, so this story shouldn’t just go away. Everyone involved in Sandusky’s child sex abuse cover-up should be exposed. There are plenty of guilty parties still roaming around and they should be exposed for the sick, twisted, scumbags that they are.
Wow Seth. It sounds like you are the kool aid drinking clown for believing everything you read/makeup. The media is really disgusting these days with a lot of made up bull$hit to create “news”
So someone who is a victim of sexual abuse comes out and states his story and your automatic reaction is to call the story and the media BS? Even though Sandusky was convicted of raping boys and there’s been a clear cover-up from day one with the University, coaches and even government officials, but I’m a clown? Rape is disgusting enough. Raping of children is even worse. And those that enable child rapists are even lower than the lowest form of scum. So again, where there’s smoke, there’s generally fire. Thanks for reading the post. I appreciate it.
Dear Mr. Vigdor:
I’ve read your story and it appears that you may have been initially mislead regarding what really happened, however don’t be embarrassed because most other reporters followed the facts as outlined in the Freeh report and now this “Bombshell” revelation. I suggest that this continues to be America and the news and sports media doesn’t get to decide whether Joe Paterno gets tried in the court of “Public Opinion”! You are entitled to your opinions, as are those people who want to know the truth about what happened and who is responsible for allowing these hideous actions to occur.
I have read the entire Paterno report and agree that it has a clear agenda, so did the Freeh report. The Freeh report was structured so the evidence would draw attention away from the school, BOT and the Governor of PA and place responsibility on two middle managers and an aging coach! While the Paterno report and his son’s reaction to the current allegations attempts to point out inaccuracies in the Freeh report and exonerate Joe Paterno. Frankly, if someone made inaccurate statements about your father, I believe you would do what you could to set the record straight!
Most of these reporters are very good writers and I enjoy their pieces as I do yours! However, I think if professional news and sports writers want to comment on these types unsubstantiated accusations, they should complete their own investigation first, then write their piece based on their OWN findings, not their opinions. I really could care less about your opinions, as I’m sure you care very little about mine.
I’m not even a BIG Penn State fan and I smell something funny here. Now we know that PA’s past governor, Tom Corbett, who was the Pennsylvania Attorney General involved in the initial investigation of these allegations, may have sat on information and/or allegations rather than vigorously continue the investigation into these sexual abuse cases. By doing nothing, Governor Corbett and these unidentified sources, may have jeopardized the lives of additional children. If he and they had vigorously investigated these allegations, perhaps additional children may have been spared the pain and humiliation of sexual abuse. Now there are new allegations made by unidentified sources, that occurred 40 years ago. Why didn’t these unidentified sources tell anyone? why aren’t you questioning who they are and their responsibility to contact law enforcement?
As you may expect, I’ve waited for some well respected news and sports reporters such as yourself, to pursue the Governor and these “unidentified sources” with the same vigor and indignation that you’ve pursued Joe Paterno, but to my surprise there is only silence.
Joe Paterno, a football coach, was fooled by a master manipulator (who also fooled trained professionals and law enforcement) and immediately informed his superiors when he heard of the allegations, and everyone rushes to judgment that he should have done more and he gets fired!
Past Governor Corbett, an attorney and the AG at the time of the allegations, may have sat on this information, never arrested the alleged perpetrator who may have gone on to commit more atrocities, and no one screamed for his dismissal.This alleged young man had a conference call in the early 70’s with two men? first, I’m not even sure there was conference calling at that time. Second, where were his parents? Why weren’t they involved in the conversation? Doesn’t this seem like questions that should be asked?
Where are all those reporters, such as yourself, who crucified Joe Paterno? were you afraid to challenge the Governor of PA? Don’t you want to know the complete story? Don’t you want to report the complete story to your readers?
FOX Sports, ESPN and most major networks and websites, like yours, currently have egg on your faces due to all the new information that came out regarding this issue. The NCAA gave back the wins and acknowledge that they strong armed PSU and prosecutors into manipulating evidence.Now reporters, like yourself, are trying to deflect the questions posed by the Paterno report and his son’s assertions by more speculation. You and your fellow reporters and the major networks, should do their own, in-depth investigation and set the record straight, once and for all. Even if the media outlets have to admit that they were wrong (and perhaps their not!!!), no one will ever know the truth except those idiots who challenge anyone who pursues the complete truth, and then make accusations that anyone who challenges the Freeh Report or these new allegations, is supporting child molestation!
Stop following the music… Investigate and if Paterno is involved, he should be shamed! If he’s not, eat crow and make your apologies. Reporters, such as yourself, talk about morality; if you believe that Joe Paterno traded his morality to save his football team, then do your due diligence, be better than Joe Paterno, do your job!
I don’t expect you and/or your associates to respond to this e-mail because that’s what Men of Integrity do; Cowards hide behind someone else’s empty words and win awards by bringing down icons….
Draw your own conclusions….
Thanks for your time,
Jimmy Bussacco