'Thanks Joe'; For what?

Hopefully the scathing report from former FBI Director Louis Freeh about the scandal at Penn State will be read by every administrator, trustee, alumni, and student at the college, because according to reports and actions coming out of this learning institute they are still in a state of denial. Paterno's son Jay continues to defend his father which I guess is what offspring would do but in the face of the report, he should just drift back into the relative obscurity from which he appeared.

The report found that Joe Paterno was "complicit" in allowing Sandusky to remain at the university and continue his abuse of children. What makes this whole situation so disgusting and deplorable is that the Penn State website continues to feature and sell Paterno apparel -- shirts emblazoned with his picture with the words "Thanks Joe." Perhaps it should read: "No thanks Joe for harboring and enabling a pedophile."

A call I made to the student bookstore also disclosed that the shirts and other items are still being sold and will be because "there is a demand."

And to add further to the lack of leadership, the trustees are considering leaving Paterno's statue in place because they do not want "to be pressured by the media" and "don't want to offend alumni and students who adore the late coach."

According to one trustee the statue "represents the good Joe did and not the bad he did."

I guess the chairman of Nike sees it in a different fashion because the Paterno name has been removed from the child development center building on the campus of the Beaverton, Ore., company.

As we await the report and decision from the NCAA regarding the future of football at Penn State, let's hope saner minds will surface so that all vestiges of Paterno and this episode will at least be physically removed from the university. Unfortunately, the psychological trauma of the victims will remain for the unforeseen future and we have Joe to thank for that. And as the shirts state: "Thanks Joe." Yeah right.