Local opinion: Penn State must pay high price

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on July 15, 2012 12:01 AM

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We reside in a society without consequence and are too willing to give second, third and even fourth chances to lawbreakers -- particularly the rich and powerful.

Michael Vick spearheaded a dog-fighting ring.

Barclays Bank manipulated lending rates.

The Catholic Church protected pedophiles.

Bailouts and weak apologies abounded in response to immorality.

Will it ever stop?

Maybe the child abuse sex scandal that has rocked the Penn State community since last November has opened some eyes.

It certainly opened mine.

Why did Jerry Sandusky get away with molesting kids for more than a decade? Why did Penn State officials sweep it under the rug for fear of tarnishing a university which supposedly "did things the right way?"

They were scared of morality.

Our society feels it's best to keep things secret until it becomes such a uncontrollable monster that you finally have to set it loose. Sandusky did -- and was convicted -- on 45 counts of molesting children while associated with Penn State. The disgusting man belongs in jail and most likely will take his last breath behind bars.

His punishment fits his crimes.

What about the rest of the Penn State administration that so blatantly stood aside while all this took place? They were told by more than one person about Sandusky's indiscretions, but they refused to talk because of the repercussions they could suffer if they so much as snitched in any way against the football program.

I'm sorry.

Had I seen it, I would have reported it.

Had it meant losing my job, I still would have reported it.

Football fuels the Penn State community and its reverence to the late Joe Paterno is starting to waiver. Some fans still support the coach, who gave 61 years of his life to the university and made considerable donations through his own accord to help either renovate or construct new facilities.

But a message needs to be sent ... now.

Every single administrator who knew and willingly hid behind the curtain while all this took place should face some kind of punishment. Jail time, community service, fines are excellent prices to pay and great ways to warn future lawbreakers that this kind of behavior -- especially against children -- will not be tolerated.

The NCAA hasn't pursued its investigation.

President Mark Emmert opted to wait until former FBI Director Louis Freeh conducted his probe and released his detailed 296-page report that will permanently curl your toes and hair.

Emmert has said that Penn State "will answer his questions" regarding the debauchery that had been covered up since 1998 and continued until Sandusky was eventually banned from the campus. Emmert, if he so chooses -- and he should -- could deliver a harsh penalty to the Nittany Lion football program.

I'd slap Penn State so hard the blue would drop out of its logo and all that would remain is a gray hue. That's a deserving color for a program that will have a black cloud hovering over it until everyone is held accountable for their immoral behavior.

Forget the second chance this time.