Tears were shed Wednesday morning by 84-year-old Joe Paterno when he met with the Penn State football team and announced his retirement — but was he crying for the boys raped and molested during his days as Happy Valley’s legendary football coach?
Apparently the Board of Trustees didn’t think so and fired the iconic Paterno by phone while the president of 16 years, Dr. Graham Spanier, "was allowed" to resign. John Surma, VP of PSU’s Board of Trustees said, “We thought to allow this process to continue was damaging to the university. We had to end it and to make a change in the leadership. This was a unanimous view for long term benefit of the university and to show this university is about more than just sports.”
Jerry Sandusky, the defensive coach under Paterno, and who was a professor emeritus of physical education, has been arrestedon charges of molesting and raping eight young boys (though the number is some say up to 17) over a 15-year time span. One alleged victim was a 10-year-old boy.
Bottom Line: The Board of Trustees did not believe Paterno did enough to stop Sandusky. A thousand students gathered on campus Wednesday night to protest Paterno’s firing.
I am a Penn State graduate and remember Paterno. When I was an ArtEd student at PSU, I met my former fiancé, the quarterback Dick Hoak, who became an All American. He also had an All American physique and a virility unmatched by any man I have met since.
He looked like Adonis and had the talent of a championship football player. His coach was Joe Paterno. Mike Ditka and Richie Lucas were fellow teammates. Dick Hoak hated Paterno and would never say why.
Just looking at Dick was a sexual turn-on for me and for many men who hung out after the games. Homosexuals would line up outside the locker room just to catch a glance at these specimens of cro-magnummen or to cop a quick touch or feel.
Many football players came from poverty stricken homes. Dick was from Jeannette, Pennsylvania. His mother would wash her hair in the kitchen sink. They had to make do with what they had and were grateful that Dick had won a scholarship to Penn State. I do not know if they were grateful for all the homosexual sponsors who wanted to give money to Dick under the guise of helping him become the All American and pro ball player and coach that he became.
He had one sponsor who wore a dark raincoat when it was sunny. Dick Hoak went on to be drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers and became a running back then anassistant coach.
Just how long has this sexual misconduct been going on at Penn State? And just what did Dick know about Paterno that he would not say? I originally had thought Dick’s dislike for Paterno had to do with Dick’s talent, but when Dick was chosen All American and drafted by the Steelers, I realize his dislike for Paterno was not about Dick’s talent or ability.
For 45 years he was with the Steelers as assistant coach or player. Today Dick Hoak owns five super bowl rings.
Dick was a quiet man. I am not a quiet woman.
