Sandusky Convicted, But Victims' Strength Was Heroic

Last night, the world watched as former Penn State assistant football coach and monster Jerry Sandusky was convicted on 45 of the 48 counts brought against him in Pennsylvania for horrific crimes against children.

After the verdict was read, I heard one person call this a "joyous day."

A just day perhaps, but there is nothing "joyous" about any of this.

As the verdict was read, we watched as families sat outside the courthouse, many with their own children, and Sandusky was whisked away into a police car to spend the rest of his life in jail.

One individual even yelled "Rot in Hell," as he was taken.

Amen to that.





In this day and age, we in the media, and others, are constantly calling athletes heroes, simply because they can run fast, throw a ball hard, make a tackle, or exhibit some other physical feat.

Which is why it is so cruel and ironic that Sandusky used an organization called the Second Mile - a foundation for kids - to lure them into his twisted, evil world.

Those athletes we are always honoring on the field or court? They are not the real heroes. The victims who had the courage to testify against this sickening excuse for a man ... those who looked him in the eye and sent him away forever?

Those are real heroes, folks.

For more than 15 minutes after the verdict was read, one victim simply sat there and cried. Anyone who thinks that this verdict is closure is sorely mistaken. It is merely the beginning. It is but the first step ... the first rung of justice all the way up this slimy ladder of deceit - one that was allowed to go on for far, far too long.

When the indictment was brought down against Sandusky, I sat with tears in my eyes reading the horrific details about what this man did, in near disbelief. And if you haven't read the indictment yourself, you simply cannot yet truly grasp the full scale of what evil things went on under his watch.

Today, I call on all current and former Penn State University alumni to demand the resignation of the board of trustees, athletic department, and anyone and everyone who was involved with this situation in even the most minor of ways. Flush them all out.

Only then can a speck of the healing process even start to begin for these poor victims. Because for them, that is the worst part of all. That there are still countless others out there who knew something was going on, but did nothing. Or those who helped cover it up.

There were people who knew this was going on, including now-deceased Penn State head coach Joe Paterno, who was once considered an icon at the school, and will forever have his legacy tarnished because of this, and deservedly so.

All it would have taken, perhaps, was one person in his position of power to call the police, to take seriously the rumors they'd heard. Just one grown-up to stand tall against the Penn State machine.

Again, there is no joy in that.

There are more people out there who knew about this ... more who covered these sick actions up. If the Feds need to come in and continue to clean house, so be it. But we cannot stop here. Sandusky went from Penn State, to State Pen(n) yesterday. Where he belongs, forever. But it is not enough, not by a long-shot.

Right now on Twitter.com, in this new-fangled technologically advanced era we live in, guess what one of the top trending topics on twitter was today? The hashtag #WhenIWasAKid.

Don't think that's a coincidence, folks.

It's America's unique way of honoring these kids who were so brutally victimized by this evil man, and by those who supported him in the community. It is a reminder that we as people still stand by our kids, and dream of a better, more innocent world for them.

Perhaps someday, instead of a Joe Paterno statue outside of Penn State's football stadium, or a statue honoring any athlete, for that matter, they can build a statue honoring these victims ... these kids, and those who had the courage to testify against Sandusky and send him to jail, where he will die.

It would forever send a message to the hundreds of thousands who pass by each Saturday, and be a constant reminder that we are still a society that hasn't forgotten that loving, cherishing and protecting our children is the most important of all causes.

You want to make a statement about honoring REAL heroes, Penn State? You want to move forward and set an example for the rest of the world?

Here's your chance.