Multiple outlets, including ESPN, are reporting that Penn State president Graham Spanier will be gone by the end of the day- either he’ll resign, or he’ll be forced out. The man now nicknamed “Cocker Spanier” has gone unseen and unheard during all this.
The on-campus rioting/demonstration last night conveyed that this has really gone on long enough.
Obviously Spanier has to go, there is a groundswell of grassroots support for his ouster.
More than 1,600 people in nearly every state created a popular campaign on Change.org calling on Penn St. Universityโs Board of Trustees to fire President Graham Spanier after he failed to notify the police about a 2002 incident of suspected child sexual abuse in the locker room of the universityโs football team by retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.
โMr. Spanier is ultimately responsible for what happened to those kids,โ said Darrell Lucus, who launched the campaign on Change.org over the weekend. โHe knew that there was an allegation that a child had been sexually assaulted, but he didnโt call the police, and now Jerry Sandusky is being indicted for hurting many more kids since then. I think we have to hold leaders like Spanier accountable for taking all allegations of child abuse seriously.โ
News of the online petition should increase pressure on the Penn State Board of Trustees to act swiftly. Within a few days of the campaignโs launch, Darrell Lucus had recruited over 1,600 supporters on Change.org Maybe it’ll make a difference on forcing JoePa out now, instead of at the end of the season?
Clearly Spanier and company knew what was going on. Here’s an article from 7 MONTHS AGO on the situation. Check out the excerpt:
In 1999, Penn State was rid of Sandusky. His rep was unblemished, which allowed him to continue running a charitable foundation that gave him access to underage males. To be a volunteer assistant with a high school football team, thus gaining access to underage males.
If Paterno and Penn State knew, but didn’t act, instead facilitating Sandusky’s untroubled retirement – are Paterno and Penn State responsible for untoward acts since committed by Sandusky?
This is far from an outrageous hypothesis, especially given the convenient timeline.
Initially accused in 1998. Retires in 1999. Never coaches college football again. Sandusky was very successful at what he did. The architect of Linebacker U. Helped win national championships in 1982 and 1986. Recognized as college football’s top assistant in 1986 and 1999.
Never any stories about Sandusky being pursued for a high-profile job. Never any rumors about him coming out of retirement.
But there’s no shortage of stories and rumors about Penn State football sweeping problems under the rug, is there?
Why did college football let an accomplished coach like Sandusky walk away at 55? Why did he disappear into relative anonymity?
I implore to read the whole thing here.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, a Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. Heโs also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports.
A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; heโs also a member of the FWAA, USBWA and SPJ. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.
