Jerry Sandusky’s silly grin is gone. His image has been obliterated on a prominent mural on a book store wall near the Penn State stadium.
The mother of one of the boys sexually abused by the former assistant football coach asked the artist to remove the image of Sandusky. The sympathetic artist, Michael Pilato, complied with the request, painting over all remnants of the disgraced coach.
For at least 14 years, the sexual predator of Happy Valley found gratification in putting himself on at-risk kids, many of them expecting help from the Second Mile Foundation. An individual without self control or conscience, he brought shame on himself, his family, his children, and friends. He has been ordered by a judge to stay away from his grandchildren.
The effects of his actions are almost equally damning repercussions of some of his associates, including Joe Paterno, college football’s winningest coach. They will continue to ripple thoughout the university, and many heads will fall. No excuses are acceptable for anyone who knew what the monster was up to all those years.
The university probably wishes it could remove any mention of Sandusky’s memory from the record books and media guides. But that’s impossible, and Penn State fans going to be haunted by his image for a long, long time, as well they should.
Sandusky’s actions are despicable, especially when they come to light in the final season of one of the best coaches ever to take the gridiron. Paterno laments the fact that he didn’t do more to get the child-molester under control, but the issue here is why did the university still allow him free access to the facilities even after he was caught in the shower with a young boy.
Happy Valley isn’t so happy these days. They should allow Paterno to finish out the season and then make Jo-Pa do some community service work with at-risk and sexually abused children.