As The Nittany Lion Turns: Under The Penn State Bus

Date line: Happy Valley --  you gotta admit, it sounds like a soap opera town.

In the ongoing horror story that is the Jerry Sandusky Penn State scandal, it looks as if the venerable institution has yet again failed to do the right thing.

Today, NBC news reports that Mike McQueary is claiming in an email to his former teammates that he did break up the 2002 alleged Sandusky shower rape.  To date, almost everyone has inferred from the Grand Jury report that he did not.  An ESPN reporter has subsequently received a conformationof McQueary’s assertion from a law enforcement agency.

Frankly, we hope it’s true.  Now the debate will start about what he actually did an how much was enough.  For example, if he broke up the rape, but didn’t take the kid away from Sandusky, find out his name and take him home, it’s safe to say he didn’t make all the right decisions.  However, not breaking up the rape would be the worst decision in the history of adulthood, so McQueary has nowhere to go but up.

If the reports are true, Penn State has let McQueary down by not issuing a statement  (or allowing McQueary to make one) last week to correct the widely held belief that McQueary did nothing when he encountered Sandusky’s shower crime.   

While PSU official were unwilling to throw Sandusky (and ultimately themselves) under the bus, it now appears that they were willing to throw a loyal player turned coach under the old grey dog. 

In light of all the criticism and the death threats hurled at McQueary based on his assumed inaction, the university should clarify this situation.

If they are unwilling to do so, McQueary should break ranks and tell his version of the events.