Joe Paterno Was Just a Creature of College Football’s Toxic Culture

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Tim Reilly - September 21, 2017

Photo Credit: Matthew O'Haren -USA TODAY Sports

The latest Joe Paterno story slipped into the news cycle two Saturdays ago, nestling itself between the ongoing revelry of a new college football season and the impending calamity of Hurricane Irma.

Given the distractions that presented themselves that weekend, you would be forgiven if you missed it, or, more likely, quickly digested the lede before moving on to the next article.

After all, the Penn State scandal is yesterday’s news. Jerry Sandusky is in prison. Two former PSU administrators and the school’s ex-president received jail sentences for their roles in the cover-up. Paterno is dead, his legacy in tatters outside the Happy Valley bubble. The university has paid millions of dollars in settlements to Sandusky victims.

There are fresh tragedies for the public to consume. Frankly, some of us have even become so inured to atrocity that we’ve lost our capacity for outrage.

However, the primary revelation contained within Sara Ganim’s recent CNN offering should require us all to read past the headline and pause – not for anger – but for introspection.

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This “Mini Movie” Says Joe Paterno was Framed, Blames Media

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Kyle Scott - November 9, 2012

This Joe Paterno video is making the rounds, especially among Penn Staters. Its premise? Paterno is a saint and could never do wrong Joe Paterno, and to an extent other Penn State administrators, were made scapegoats in the Jerry Sandusky saga because it was convenient for the school and perhaps people as high up as Governor Tom Corbett. It also focuses on the media coverage of Paterno, rather than Sandusky himself.

Most of you already have your mind made up, and I do too. But, there are still many who believe that Paterno, somehow, was completely unaware of what his right-hand man was going right under his nose. The truth? It’s probably somewhere in the middle. You can judge for yourself, though. Or just laugh at Franco Harris.

Watch the video after the jump.

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Video: Jason Sudeikis Plays Jerry Sandusky on SNL

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Kyle Scott - October 14, 2012

Jason Sudeikis, who performed his usual outstanding Joe Biden impersonation in the cold open of last night’s Saturday Night Live, played Jerry Sandusky in this spoof of the Gillette Masters of Style commercial. It’s completely random, and somewhat simplistic, but when watched live the comedic timing was perfect.

Watch the video after the jump (bonus video of the debate spoof and Tech Talk included).

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Some Penn State Students Drank and Went to Taco Bell with Jerry Sandusky’s Lawyer Last Night, Just Hours Before Sandusky was Sentenced to 30-60 Years in Prison

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Kyle Scott - October 9, 2012

Pic via Kevin Horne, Onward State's managing editor

Earlier today I came across a Deadspin post which recapped the eventful and odd evening had by some Penn State students last night. It all started for them when Jerry Sandusky’s co-counsel, Karl Rominger, the oversharing sidekick of Joe Amendola, tweeted (and since deleted) an offer:

Screen dutifully grabbed by SB Nation

That was less than 12 hours before Rominger was scheduled to appear in court for Sandusky's sentencing.

A few Penn State students – including some from Onward State, an independent student website that has been covering the Sandusky saga, and The Daily Collegian, Penn State’s student newspaper – showed up. The Daily Collegian reporter, a coed, brought along a notebook in what turned out to be a fruitless attempt to interview Rominger. The folks from Onward State, Kevin Horne and Drew Balis (and friends), whose names I recognized from their coverage over the past year, were just there for the free drinks, ostensibly paid for by Sandusky. They tweeted updates, which Deadspin has aggregated quite nicely. But I decided to reach out to them to see what their night was like– drinking with a lawyer for one of the most notorious criminals of this new millenium just hours before sentencing.

Drew Balis: [edited, for readability]

We walked in there. Rominger was sitting there at the bar and we introduced ourselves one-by-one, joked with him that we were covering the trial and probably shouldn’t be here, but whatever. He went around and bought everybody a drink.

He was pretty relaxed and we asked him a couple of things about [sentencing], and he pretty much said his job was done and, “Tomorrow, I’ll just be praying.” And he mimicked the praying motion.

Rominger was pleased when a coed seemingly responded to his bat signal. Balis:

Karl was tweeting to get a girl to show up, so she (the Daily Collegian reporter) gets there and he’s trying to entice her to get a drink. She said she can’t do that, it’s against the rules [for the Daily Collegian]. She came in carrying a notebook, and he was going to offer to buy her a drink, like he did for everybody. He was trying to get her to loosen up a little bit. But she said she wasn’t allowed to drink in his presence. He asked the bartender to give her a glass of milk, something like that.

He was like, “What do you mean you won’t drink anything? You should go to Messiah College.” Or something like that. Just more jokes like that.

I don’t think he was really trying to hit on her, I just think he was trying to have an informal thing. He was just trying to get her to take off her reporter hat, just relax a little bit.

Perhaps take off something else, too.

Rominger attempts to buy a student reporter a drink, pic via Horne's Twitter

During all this, Horne, the managing editor for Onward State, was tweeting updates. He wrote that Rominger was debating whether or not the Collegian reporter was hot. And, this:

Asked why he was at Zeno’s just hours before a monumental moment in his career, Rominger offered Balis a simple response: “They got Belgian beer, man. What the fuck kind of question is that?”

I asked Balis if anyone gave Rominger a hard time – since, you know, he’s defending the worst person on earth – but Balis said it was all cordial. The bartender at Zeno's knew Rominger, a frequent patron, and joked that he wouldn’t wish him luck at sentencing, but that it was “nice to see” him.

Everyone left the bar sometime around midnight. Balis walked home whilst some of his friends lingered outside the establishment.

Including Rominger.

Balis, who buried the lede in our conversation, told me that Horne and others wound up living mas with Sandusky’s lawyer – now roughly nine hours away from sentencing – when the group crossed the border for some late-night munchies… at Taco Bell.

“Do you want to call Kevin?” Balis asked. “He was at Taco Bell with Rominger.”

Do I want to call Kevin and ask him what happened after midnight at Taco Bell with Jerry Sandusky’s lawyer just hours before the sentencing hearing? Is Big Bird in grave danger?! OF COURSE I WANT TO TALK TO KEVIN!

I called Horne.

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Jerry Sandusky Sentenced to 30-60 Years in Jail

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Kyle Scott - October 9, 2012

via (@TimGilb)

Papa Jer was sentenced to not less than 30 years and not more than 60 years in prison, with credit for time served. That's significantly less than the maximum he was facing, but it probably won't matter. Judge Cleland described his decision thusly:

Sandusky, 68, would be eligible to get out of jail when he’s 98. So, his sentence is, in effect, a life sentence.

In the courtroom, Sandusky reportedly repeated “I did not do these disgusting acts.” Several victims spoke, quite colorfully, about the damage Sandusky inflicted upon them.

Sandusky's terrible lawyers will appeal– they think they weren't given enough time to prepare for the trial.

via CNN, Patriot News

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Jerry Sandusky Releases Statement From Jail, Blames Accusers

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Kyle Scott - October 8, 2012

Papa Jer will speak at his sentencing hearing tomorrow. But tonight, PSU ComRadio obtained an exclusive audio statement from Sandusky. He admitted no wrongdoing and claimed to only have one sexual partner since marriage– his wife. The full translation via PSUComMedia.com, with notable parts bolded, for your reading ire:

"I’m responding to the worst loss of my life. First, I looked at myself. Over and over, I asked why? Why didn’t we have a fair opportunity to prepare for trial? Why have so many people suffered as a result of false allegations? What’s the purpose? Maybe it will help others; some vulnerable children who could be abused, might not be because of all the publicity. That would be nice, but I’m not sure about it. I would cherish the opportunity to become a candle for others, as they have been a light for me. They could take away my life, they could make me out as a monster, they could treat me as a monster, but they can’t take away my heart. In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged disgusting acts. My wife has been my only sex partner that was after marriage. Our love continues. A young man who was dramatic a veteran accuser, and always sought attention, started everything. He was joined by a well-orchestrated effort of the media, investigators, the system, Penn State, psychologists, civil attorneys and other accusers. They won. I’ve wondered what they really won: Attention, financial gain, prestige… will all be temporary. Before you blame me, as others have, look at everything and everybody. Look at the preparation for the trial and the trial. Compare it to others. Think about what happened. Why, and who made it happen? Evaluate the accusers and their families. Realize they didn’t come out of isolation. The accusers were products of many more people and experiences than me. Look at their confidants and their honesty. Think about how easy it was for them to turn on me given the information, attention and potential perks. I never labeled or put down them or their families. I tried and I cared, then asked for the same. Please realize all came to the Second Mile because of issues. Some of those may remain. We will continue to fight. We didn’t lose the proven facts, evidence, accurate locations and times. Anything can be said. We lost to speculation and stories that were influenced by people who wanted to convict me. We must fight unfairness and consistency and dishonesty. People need to be portrayed for who they really are. We’ve not been complainers. When we couldn’t have kids, we adopted. When we didn’t have time to prepare for a trial, we still gave it our best. We will fight for another chance. We have given many second chances, and now we’ll ask for one. It will take more than our effort. Justice will have to be more than just a word; fairness more than just a dream. It will take others: somebody apolitical with the courage to listen, to think about the unfairness, to have the guts to stand up and take the road less traveled. I ask for the strength to handle everything and willingness to surrender only to God, regardless of the outcome."

You can listen to the audio here.

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Touch: Malcolm Gladwell on Jerry Sandusky

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Kyle Scott - September 20, 2012

In today’s must-read stories: I’d suggest you spend some time with Malcolm Gladwell as he deconstructs Jerry Sandusky. Surprisingly, Gladwell didn’t liken Jer to a Jewish lawyer from New York, or blame his tendencies on his inability to spend time with computer terminals at the University of Washington. Instead, this: [New Yorker]

We now know what Sandusky was really doing with the Second Mile. He was setting up a pipeline of young troubled boys. Just as important, though, he was establishing his bona fides. Psychologists call this “grooming”—the process by which child molesters ingratiate themselves into the communities they wish to exploit. “Many molesters confirmed that they would spend anywhere from two to three years getting established in a new community before molesting any children,” van Dam writes. One pedophile she interviewed would hang out in bars, looking for adults who seemed to be having difficulties at home. He would lend a comforting ear, and then start to help out.

It’s long, but worth your time. Or your lunch break. Read it here.

I’d also highly recommend you swing by the Malcolm Gladwell book generator to see what’s on the horizon from Gladwell:

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Joe Amendola to Admit He’s Pretty Much Worst Attorney in the World

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Kyle Scott - September 5, 2012

This story, case and saga will never go away, but the worst attorney in the world, Joe Amendola, might.

Well, sort of.

Speaking to Patriot-News reporter Sara Ganim, Amendola said he will testify that he’s too inadequate to work on Jerry Sandusky’s appeal:

By the end of the year, Amendola will have stepped aside from the Sandusky case.

His plan is to sacrifice his ego, take the stand and declare himself an ineffective attorney in an attempt to help his client get a new trial.

It’s a tactic he has used before. A few years ago, after losing a rape case, he hired a Philadelphia attorney to handle the appeal, took the stand and called himself incompetent to help the 20-something college student who had been convicted.

Becoming a witness in the case means he will no longer be Sandusky’s attorney.

Well! Welcome to the world, Joe.

Not that he wasn’t handed one of the most unwinnable cases ever, but from the outset it was clear that Amendola was in over his head. That thought was hammered home when, just moments after his client got put away for likely the rest of his life, Joe was a bucket of chuckles with Anderson Cooper on CNN.

And – here comes the big prestige – Amendola wants to… wait for it… keep waiting… almost there… be on TV!

It might be the right time to try something new.

“Legal consultant,” he says, containing a smirk. “For a network.”

He’s talking about the “talking heads” who called him a moron, who criticized him for his decisions and tactics throughout the Sandusky case.

“That probably is the most appealing thing so far, because it removes all the nonsense,” he said. “I think I make sense when I try to explain things. Journalists would say, ‘Enough already, Joe. Enough with the talking.’ But I answered the questions.”

A contract with a network could give him time to teach on the side. Maybe even have time to write a book.

It’s at the top of his mental list.

We didn’t see this coming. No, the press conferences, media parties, and general buffoonery were clearly about getting his client off the hook, not about making Joe Amendola a household name. Clearly.

Right.

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