As a Penn State alumni, I can’t tell you how many times Joe Paterno has held key players out of important games because they didn’t follow the rules. He’s never been one to sweep infractions under the rug for the sake of enhancing the team’s win/loss record, or his own legacy. This season senior Stephfon Green, who was expected to be the #1 running back, was suspended for the first five games. Last season it was our top defensive back who received a similar punishment. Joe has always been known for consistently following and enforcing the rules.

I believe JoePa is every bit as consistent when it comes to criminal laws as he is with the rules of the university and of his football program. When it came to his actions after receiving the disturbing report about Sandusky from graduate assistant Mike McQueary, he didn’t go off half-cocked on a personal vendetta. Instead, he complied with one of the fundamental guiding principles of the US Constitution: Innocent until proven guilty. I know how outraged and sickened I felt after reading the 23 page grand jury finding. Imagine how difficult McQueary’s report must have been for the man who placed his trust in that predator for all of those years.

Of course there is the possibility that McQueary’s description to Joe had much less graphic detail than what was revealed to the grand jury. After all, the assistant was meeting with a 73-year-old man who’s regarded as a living legend. Also, McQueary was probably feeling guilty about his total failure to intervene on behalf of the young victim. The fact that McQueary is still on the coaching staff leads me to believe there was a fair amount of spin on his account to Joe.

Paterno has been living and breathing team sports his entire life. Each team member has a specific set of responsibilities. As head coach, Joe’s list probably includes hundreds of items relating to game planning, operations, recruiting, fundraising, and meeting with other members of the university. The only way he can possibly do his job effectively is to delegate responsibilities to those below him, and expect that those above him follow through on their assigned duties. After receiving McQueary’s account, Joe immediately reported it to his boss, Athletic Director Tim Curley, with the expectation that Curley would follow protocol regarding an investigation by the proper authorities.

As the head coach of a major college football program, JoePa has probably been told how to do his job practically every day since assuming that role. Alumni, fans, sports reporters, students, and supporters of other programs are never shy about offering opinions. So, I didn’t find it at all surprising that Joe didn’t try to micromanage his boss by requesting follow-up on whatever McQueary had told him about Sandusky.

Several years ago Billy Crystal starred in a film called City Slickers. Jack Palance played a legendary cowboy. Billy asked him how he attained that status and Jack held up one finger. We later learned that he meant a person becomes truly proficient by focusing on one thing. I’m the author of the Rock & Roll Mystery Series. In interviewing musicians, I have discovered that the best of the best have that single-minded perspective. With the exception of family relationships, music is their world. I imagine JoePa has a similar focus on his football program. Had Joe delegated the report to an underling, he definitely would have been responsible for following up. But protocol dictated that the matter move up the chain of command. At that point I’m sure his focus returned to the multiplicity of duties that regularly burn out men half his age. Expecting Joe to assume the role of amateur detective on top of all of his other responsibilities was ridiculous.

Throughout this ordeal Joe’s focus has been on the victims. Firing him for not attempting to oversee his bosses was a very poor decision. The board of trustees decided that they needed a scapegoat, and threw Joe to the media wolves while keeping Curley on paid leave. I believe the board needs to be held accountable for that deplorable decision. It’s unfortunate that my alma mater is currently being led by a group that would rather sacrifice the legacy of an exemplary man than show a little backbone by standing up for one who has given so much to so many.