[homes]

From everything I've read up to now, it sure seems like he did only the bare minimum. I've hoped there was more evidence of his efforts beyond that, but there's been no indication that occurred. I've never defended Paterno's action (or inaction), I've just tried to understand what he was thinking.

Why would he do this? Power, money, reputation? Likely, but not because of what happened in 2002. I submit all of that could have stayed in tact if it had been reported to the police in 2002. Unless, Paterno was well aware of Sandusky's acts before that, and when he heard from McQueary and his dad, it was a "here we go again" moment for Paterno, such that revealing it in 2002 would unearth what was known in 1998, or prior. So, the cover up needed to continue for the aforesaid reasons, hoping against hope this would just go away. However, Sandusky was a monster, who would not quit, making it impossible it would go away, and eventually inevitable that it would be revealed. This is the blind spot - failing to recognize the inevitably of it all, or thinking you can control it. That's the danger in the cover up, and people who start out innocent become guilty.

I think this is going to be much uglier than what we know already, if that can even be possible. Maybe that's why Paterno has hired legal counsel.

[VintageHawkeye]

Protecting his own $elf-intere$t$.
Sandusky was his long-time buddy.
Drunk with power because he was made a demigod in state college.
Believed he could "control" the situation and make it go away.

And several other obvious reasons.

[EddyP]

Their last thought was about the kid which should have been their first thought which is sad.

[20eyes]

Originally Posted by VintageHawkeye

Protecting his own $elf-intere$t$.
Sandusky was his long-time buddy.
Drunk with power because he was made a demigod in state college.
Believed he could "control" the situation and make it go away.

And several other obvious reasons.

+1

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.