Source: Penn State to be hit with fines in excess of $30 million - CNN.com Source: Penn State to be hit with fines in excess of $30 million By Ross Levitt and Susan Candiotti, CNN Updated 9:05 PM ET, Sun July 22, 2012 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – Workers on Tuesday, July 24, remove the concrete landing area and wall where the Joe Paterno statue once stood in State College, Pennsylvania. Hide Caption 1 of 13 Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – A girl takes a picture at the site where the statue of former Penn State University football coach Joe Paterno stood. It sits empty now after it was removed by workers outside Beaver Stadium on Sunday, July 22.

Hide Caption 2 of 13 Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – The statue was removed exactly six months after Joe Paterno, the winningest coach in Division I football history, died of lung cancer. Hide Caption 3 of 13 Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – Workers wrap the statue of late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in preparation for its removal on Sunday. Hide Caption 4 of 13 Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – The 900-pound bronze statue will be stored in a "secure location" in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, university President Rodney Erickson said. Hide Caption Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – Onlookers battle emotions as the statue is removed Sunday. Hide Caption Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – Visitors gather around the Paterno statue on Saturday, July 21.

Hide Caption 7 of 13 Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – Though the statue was removed from Beaver Stadium, the university library will continue to bear Paterno's name. Hide Caption 8 of 13 Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – Fans like Rachel O'Brien, center, 20, of Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, have been steadily flocking to the site since Paterno's death in January. Hide Caption 9 of 13 Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – The removal of the statue comes ahead of sanctions on Penn State from the NCAA, to be announced Monday. Hide Caption 10 of 13 Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – A tribue to Paterno sits at the base of the statue on Saturday. Hide Caption Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – Visitors gather around the statue on Saturday.

Hide Caption 12 of 13 Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – The Paterno statue continued to draw visitors Saturday, a day before it was removed from the stadium. Hide Caption Source: The Penn State sanctions are "well beyond" past penalties Source: NCAA will not suspend team, though school may have preferred that Statue of Joe Paterno taken down from outside stadium Family of late coach says "tearing down" statue will not help victims, community Penn State University will be hit with fines in excess of $30 million as part of "significant, unprecedented penalties" expected to be announced Monday by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a source familiar with the case told CNN on Sunday. While the school's football program will not face the so-called "death penalty" that would have prevented the team from playing in the fall, the school might have preferred a one-year suspension because of the severity of the scholarship losses, postseason sanctions and other penalties, the source said.

"If I were Penn State or any other school and were given both options, I'd pick the death penalty," the source said, adding the range of sanctions "is well beyond what has been done in the past" and "far worse than closing the program for a year." The expected punishment is part of the continued fallout from the child sex abuse scandal involving former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, who was convicted in late June of 45 of the 48 counts he faced involving 10 young victims. The news came the same day the statue of Penn State's iconic head football coach Joe Paterno was removed from outside the campus stadium. MUST WATCH Is Paterno's legacy beyond repair? 02:42 The NCAA's punishments follow an independent investigation led by former FBI Director Louis Freeh, whose report held four top Penn State officials, including Paterno, responsible for failing to stop the abuse. Everything the NCAA "needed to know was detailed in the Freeh report," according to the source. Monday in Indianapolis, the NCAA plans a press conference "to announce NCAA corrective and punitive measures for the Pennsylvania State University," it said in a statement.

The NCAA last imposed the so-called "death penalty" to a football team in 1987 against Southern Methodist University's program in the wake of a payments-to-athletes scandal. The source says the sanctions "will really paint a picture that essentially says that leadership failure and systemic failures can't be tolerated." NCAA President Mark Emmert wrote a letter to Penn State President Rodney Erickson in November that included four questions he wanted the university to answer. According to the source, the NCAA felt the questions were answered by the Freeh report and therefore it could act before the university responded. The source wasn't sure if the university has been made aware of the penalties yet but says the university was not involved in the decision. It was "not a negotiated process," the source said. While not divulging specifics, the source said, "The penalties go well beyond the loss of a scholarship or not being able to go to a bowl game." The source also said the plan includes provisions to provide "leeway" and "minimize the impact" on current players who had nothing to do with the Sandusky scandal.

Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Also Sunday, in State College, Pennsylvania, the 900-pound bronze statue of Paterno was removed. Penn State President Rodney Erickson said in a statement the statue is being stored in a "secure location." The statue was removed exactly six months after Paterno, the winningest coach in Division I football history, died of lung cancer. Paterno had coached at Penn State for 61 years, 15 of them as an assistant. He died less than three months after he coached his last game, an October 29 victory over Illinois that gave him a record 409 wins. Under Paterno's 46-season tenure as head coach, the Nittany Lions won two national championships, went undefeated five times, and finished in the top 25 national rankings 35 times. The tribute to the coach, who died in January, had become an object of contention after the child rape scandal involving Sandusky . However, Paterno's family said they believe taking down the statue serves no purpose. "Tearing down the statue of Joe Paterno does not serve the victims of Jerry Sandusky's horrible crimes or help heal the Penn State community.

We believe the only way to help the victims is to uncover the full truth," the family said in a statement. "It is not the university's responsibility to defend or protect Joe Paterno. But they at least should have acknowledged that important legal cases are still pending and that the record on Joe Paterno, the board and other key players is far from complete," it added. Dan Vecellio, a staff writer for the blog Black Shoe Diaries, said there were about 100 people who watched the statue taken down, put on a forklift and driven into the stadium through a loading-dock door. Penn State board member resigns over Sandusky scandal The Freeh report found several Penn State officials concealed evidence that Sandusky had sexually abused minors. Freeh concluded that Paterno could have prevented further sexual abuse had he taken action. "I now believe that, contrary to its original intention, coach Paterno's statue has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing in our university and beyond," Erickson said. "I believe that, were it to remain, the statue will be a recurring wound to the multitude of individuals across the nation and beyond who have been the victims of child abuse," he added.

Sunday, Penn State employees began placing fencing around the statue, as well as a tarp. Local and university police were at the scene, and some students gathered near the football field, Beaver Stadium. Airborne banner: Take down Paterno statue Another tribute to Paterno -- the university library that bears his name -- will remain as it is, Erickson said. "The library remains a tribute to Joe and Sue Paterno's commitment to Penn State's student body and academic success, and it highlights the positive impacts coach Paterno had on the university," he wrote. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) called Paterno "a powerful man who acted selfishly" who "deserves no public honors whatsoever." "We're glad the statue is gone but that's just a tiny step forward," SNAP spokesman David Clohessy said in a statement. "We as a society must learn that a good way to deter child sex cover-ups is to punish, not praise, those who instigate such cover-ups." NCAA not ruling out tough sanctions on Penn State football Sandusky is expected to be sentenced in September. His legal team has said it will appeal the convictions.

Two former university administrators are awaiting trial for their role in the scandal, and more charges are possible as the state's attorney general investigates what Penn State may have known about Sandusky's behavior. Joe Paterno statue: Penn State removes monument from Beaver Stadium | Daily Mail Online Next Penn State REMOVES Joe Paterno statue from football stadium Paterno was fired in November amid the child sex abuse case against his former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky Report two weeks ago revealed that Paterno had a role in covering up child sex abuse allegations against Jerry Sandusky Paterno family says tearing down the statue does not 'serve the victims' of Sandusky's 'horrible crimes' Findings may lead to the end of Penn State football programme Paterno died of lung cancer in January Statement from Paterno family over statue removal | Fox News Statement from Paterno family over statue removal Published July 22, 2012 STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The statement issued by the family of Joe Paterno in response to the famed coach's statue being removed from outside the Penn State football stadium: ___ Tearing down the statue of Joe Paterno does not serve the victims of Jerry Sandusky's horrible crimes or help heal the Penn State Community.

We believe the only way to help the victims is to uncover the full truth. The Freeh report, though it has been accepted by the media as the definitive conclusion on the Sandusky scandal, is the equivalent of an indictment — a charging document written by a prosecutor — and an incomplete and unofficial one at that. To those who truly want to know the truth about Sandusky, it should matter that Joe Paterno has never had a hearing; that his legal counsel has never been able to interview key witnesses, all of whom are represented by lawyers and therefore unavailable; that there has never been an opportunity to review critical evidence which has not been made public; that selective evidence and the opinion of Mr Freeh is treated as the equivalent of a fair trial. Despite this obviously flawed and one-sided presentation, the University believes it must acquiesce and accept that Joe Paterno has been given a fair and complete hearing. We think the better course would have been for the University to take a strong stand in support of due process so that the complete truth can be uncovered. It is not the University's responsibility to defend or protect Joe Paterno.

But they at least should have acknowledged that important legal cases are still pending and that the record on Joe Paterno, the Board and other key players is far from complete. ___ Joe Paterno statue removed from outside Penn State University's Beaver Stadium comment The Joe Paterno statue was removed Sunday morning from its pedestal outside Beaver Stadium, and it will be stored in an unnamed "secure location," Penn State president Rodney Erickson announced. Erickson also said the Paterno name will remain on the university's library. Shortly before dawn in State College, Pa., a work crew installed chain-link fences to barricade access to Porter Road outside Beaver Stadium and covered the fence with a blue tarp. The work crew then removed the 7-foot, 900-pound bronze statue by forklift and placed it into the lower level of the stadium. Erickson released his highly sensitive decision to the public at 7 a.m. ET Sunday. As workers moved the statues, 100 to 150 students watched, some chanting, "We are Penn State." The decision came 10 days after a scathing report by former FBI director Louis J.

Freeh found that Paterno, with three other top Penn State administrators, had concealed allegations of child sexual abuse made against former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. The Freeh report concluded their motive was to shield the university and its football program from negative publicity. Meanwhile, on Monday, the NCAA hit Penn State with a $60 million sanction, a four-year football postseason ban and a vacation of all wins dating to 1998. Paterno's career record will reflect these vacated records, the NCAA said. Penn State must also reduce 10 initial and 20 total scholarships each year for a four-year period. The Paterno family issued a statement only hours later saying the statue's removal "does not serve the victims of Jerry Sandusky's horrible crimes or help heal the Penn State community." "We believe the only way to help the victims is to uncover the full truth," said the family, which vowed its own investigation following the release of the Freeh report. The family called the report "the equivalent of an indictment -- a charging document written by a prosecutor -- and an incomplete and unofficial one at that." A Paterno family spokesman told ESPN.com that Penn State has not been in communication with them about the statue's removal.

Paterno's widow, Sue, and two of the Paternos' children visited the statue Friday as students and fans lined up to get their pictures taken with the landmark. The statue was built in 2001 in honor of Paterno's record-setting 324th Division I coaching victory and his "contributions to the university." Erickson's decision to remove the statue but keep the Paterno name on the library appears to be the product of compromise. Keeping his name on the library does not entirely disconnect Penn State from Paterno's contributions -- from the millions of dollars he donated to his 61-year coaching career to the university's academic life. Erickson said in recent days he had heard "many differing opinions" about the fate of the Paterno statue and the best way to "memorialize such a revered figure." "I now believe that, contrary to is original intention, Coach Paterno's statue has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing in our university and beyond," Erickson said in his 592-word statement.

"For that reason, I have decided that it is in the best interest of our university and public safety to remove the statue and store it in a secure location." If the statue of Paterno, his right index finger raised in a No. 1 salute, had remained in its current location, Erickson said he believed it would "be a recurring wound to the multitude of individuals across the nation and beyond who have been the victims of child abuse." Erickson's announcement came exactly six months after Paterno died. Erickson acknowledged that his decision is bound to be an unpopular one in central Pennsylvania. "I fully realize that my decision will not be popular in some Penn State circles, but I am certain it is the right and principled decision," he said. White House press secretary Jay Carney told Washington reporters that President Barack Obama believed "it was the right decision" for the university to remove the monument. Erickson did not say where the statue would be kept. He also did not say whether it would be later placed in a public place for viewing or placed into storage. Trustees over the past two days who have spoken with Erickson said two possible locations have been discussed: the Penn State sports museum and the library, which still bears the Paterno family name.

Erickson's decision comes at an especially sensitive time for the university. Trustees and administrators are the subject of an NCAA investigation, and several trustees have said that if the statue remained it could weigh as a negative symbol in the NCAA's discussions on a punishment for the football program. Last week, trustees told each other in private conversations that the Paterno statue had become a negative symbol for the university that inevitably would have to be removed. In many of those conversations, trustees and university officials said they hoped that if the statue would be removed, it would send a positive message to the NCAA that Penn State was "moving forward" past its symbolic embrace of Paterno. But within one hour of the statue being removed Sunday morning the NCAA released its statement, at 9 a.m. ET. Some critics had also called for the Paterno family name to be removed from the library. But Erickson said no. "The library remains a tribute to Joe and Sue Paterno's commitment to Penn State's student body and academic success," Erickson said, "and it highlights the positive impacts Coach Paterno had on the university.

Thus I feel strongly that the library's name should remain unchanged." The issue of the appropriateness of the Paterno name on the library has received far less attention as the future of the statue, which was paid for by a group of about 35 alumni and their spouses in the late 1990s. The issue quickly divided the country and the Penn State community. Commentators argued about the symbolism of the statue, from college coaching legends like Bobby Bowden to iconic stars of the football team like Franco Harris. For three days last week, a small plane pulled a banner over State College that read, "Take the statue down or we will." Several nights last week, a handful of students guarded the statue from vandals. On some days, a campus auxiliary police officer guarded the statue. The bronze statue of Paterno has been a place for supporters to rally and pray since the coach's death on Jan. 22. One late night after Paterno died, one of his sons, Jay Paterno, visited the statue and had his photograph taken with fans. Supporters have placed flowers and signs at the statue's foot, most supportive of Paterno.

On Friday, Joe Paterno's widow, Sue Paterno, visited the statue with her two daughters, accompanied by Harris and trustee Anthony Lubrano. The Paternos took pictures of the statue. Late last week, the trustees and Erickson decided whether to remove statue should be an administration decision. As recently as Friday, some trustees expressed fury that the statue might be taken down. "People want to kick Joe's bones," a longtime trustee said Friday. "It's outrageous." What made the decision especially difficult for university officials was the Paternos' philanthropy to Penn State. He and his wife, Sue, donated more than $4.5 million to the university to help with the library's construction, and they have paid for scholarships. The Freeh report found that Paterno, ousted longtime university president Graham Spanier, athletic director Tim Curley and vice president Gary Schultz worked to keep the Sandusky child sexual abuse allegations from becoming public across a period of 14 years. Paterno and Spanier were fired in November by the Board of Trustees.

Erickson said the decision to remove the statute but keep the Paterno name on the library is one that "both recognizes the many contributions that Joe Paterno made to the academic life of our university while taking seriously the conclusions of the Freeh Report and the national issue of child sexual abuse. Today, as every day, our hearts go out to the victims." Many of those watching the removal stared in disbelief and at least one woman wept, while others expressed anger at the decision. "I think it was an act of cowardice on the part of the university," Mary Trometter of Williamsport, who wore a shirt bearing Paterno's image. She said she felt betrayed by university officials, saying they promised openness but said nothing about the decision until just before the removal work began. Dozens later gathered to watch and listen to the sound of sawing, scraping and shoveling as white-helmeted workers behind tarpaulins removed Paterno's name and various plaques from the walls behind where the statue had stood. Shortly before midday, all that appeared to remain was the bare concrete and stone. Much of the work was hidden by blue tarps strung across temporary chain link fences while barricades kept observers on the other side of the street.

Few watching said they understood the decision and feared what kind of punishment the NCAA would pile on. Derek Leonard, 31, a university construction project coordinator who grew up in the area, said the construction workers on the project told him it was like watching a funeral when the statue was lowered onto the truck and then rolled away. He didn't completely agree with the decision but worried more that the NCAA would shut down the football program. "It's going to kill our town," he said. Richard Hill, 67, West Chester, a Penn State alumnus, said, "If you punish the football program or Joe Paterno -- they're tied together -- this town is going to suffer. The revenue does an awful lot to keep this town viable and lively." Colby Walk, 40, who grew up in the Penn State area, wondered why an NCAA punishment was necessary, given the criminal charges, officials fired or forced out, Paterno's death and now the statue's removal. "It's kind like we already have the death penalty," he said, referring to the worry that the NCAA would shut down the Penn State football program.

Diane Byerly, who traveled from Harrisburg in the morning when she heard the statue was coming down, wondered if the university was trying to make a symbolic gesture in hopes of lessening the NCAA's penalty. "Maybe it was an olive branch," said Byerly, 63, a onetime season-ticket holder whose father and son went to Penn State. "Maybe they'll go softer on us." The statue's sculptor, Angelo Di Maria, said he was upset to hear it had been taken down. "It's like a whole part of me is coming down. It's just an incredibly emotional process," he said. "When things quiet down, if they do quiet down, I hope they don't remove it permanently or destroy it," Di Maria said. "His legacy should not be completely obliterated and thrown out. ... He was a good man. It wasn't that he was an evil person. He made a mistake." Don Van Natta Jr. is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. He can be reached at don.vannatta@espn.com and followed on Twitter @DVNJr. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Penn State removes Joe Paterno statue with NCAA sanctions on the way | AL.com Penn State removes Joe Paterno statue with NCAA sanctions on the way comments Workers handle the statue of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno before removing the statue Sunday, July 22, 2012, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/John Beale) STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania -- The famed statue of Joe Paterno was taken down from outside the Penn State football stadium Sunday as the NCAA announced it would be issuing sanctions against the university whose top officials were accused in a scathing report of burying child sex abuse allegations against a now-convicted retired assistant. Workers lifted the 7-foot-tall statue off its base and used a forklift to move it into Beaver Stadium as the 100 to 150 students watched, some chanting, "We are Penn State." The university announced earlier Sunday that it was taking down the monument in the wake of an investigative report that found the late coach and three other top Penn State administrators concealed sex abuse claims against Jerry Sandusky. Sandusky was convicted last month of 45 counts of sexual abuse of 10 boys.

Meanwhile, the NCAA said that that it would levy "corrective and punitive measures" against Penn State over the Sandusky scandal. The organization announced Sunday that it would spell out the sanctions on Monday but disclosed no details. [Complete Penn State coverage at pennlive.com.] NCAA President Mark Emmert hasn't ruled out the possibility of shutting down the Penn State football program in the wake of the scandal, adding that he had "never seen anything as egregious." The Paterno family issued a statement only hours later saying the statue's removal "does not serve the victims of Jerry Sandusky's horrible crimes or help heal the Penn State community." "We believe the only way to help the victims is to uncover the full truth," said the family, which vowed its own investigation following the release of the report by former FBI director Louis Freeh. The family called the report "the equivalent of an indictment -- a charging document written by a prosecutor -- and an incomplete and unofficial one at that." Paterno's widow, Sue, and two of the Paternos' children visited the statue Friday as students and fans lined up to get their pictures taken with the landmark.

The statue, weighing more than 900 pounds, was built in 2001 in honor of Paterno's record-setting 324th Division I coaching victory and his "contributions to the university." Penn State President Rod Erickson said he decided to have the statue removed and put into storage because it "has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing." "I believe that, were it to remain, the statue will be a recurring wound to the multitude of individuals across the nation and beyond who have been the victims of child abuse," Erickson said in a statement. Construction vehicles and police arrived shortly after dawn Sunday, barricading the street and sidewalks near the statue, erecting a chain-link fence then concealing the statue with a blue tarp. Workers then used jackhammers to free the statue and a forklift to lower it onto a flat-bed truck that rolled into stadium garage bay about 100 feet away. Many of those watching the removal stared in disbelief and at least one woman wept, while others expressed anger at the decision. "I think it was an act of cowardice on the part of the university," Mary Trometter of Williamsport, who wore a shirt bearing Joe Paterno's image.

She said she felt betrayed by university officials, saying they promised openness but said nothing about the decision until just before the removal work began. Dozens later gathered to watch and listen to the sound of sawing, scraping and shoveling as white-helmeted workers behind tarpaulins removed Paterno's name and various plaques from the walls behind where the statue had stood. Shortly before midday, all that appeared to remain was the bare concrete and stone. Much of the work was hidden by blue tarps strung across temporary chain link fences while barricades kept observers on the other side of the street. Few watching said they understood the decision and feared what kind of punishment the NCAA would pile on. Derek Leonard, 31, a university construction project coordinator who grew up in the area, said the construction workers on the project told him it was like watching a funeral when the statue was lowered onto the truck and then rolled away. He didn't completely agree with the decision but worried more that the NCAA would shut down the football program. "It's going to kill our town," he said.

Richard Hill, 67, West Chester, a Penn State alumnus, said, "If you punish the football program or Joe Paterno -- they're tied together -- this town is going to suffer. The revenue does an awful lot to keep this town viable and lively." Colby Walk, 40, who grew up in the Penn State area, wondered why an NCAA punishment was necessary, given the criminal charges, officials fired or forced out, Paterno's death and now the statue's removal. "It's kind like we already have the death penalty," he said, referring to the worry that the NCAA would shut down the Penn State football program. Diane Byerly, who traveled from Harrisburg in the morning when she heard the statue was coming down, wondered if the university was trying to make a symbolic gesture in hopes of lessening the NCAA's penalty. "Maybe it was an olive branch," said Byerly, 63, a onetime season ticket holder whose father and son went to Penn State.

"Maybe they'll go softer on us." The university president said Paterno's name will remain on the campus library because it "symbolizes the substantial and lasting contributions to the academic life and educational excellence that the Paterno family has made to Penn State University." The statue's sculptor, Angelo Di Maria, said he was upset to hear that the statue had been taken down. "It's like a whole part of me is coming down. It's just an incredibly emotional process," he said. "When things quiet down, if they do quiet down, I hope they don't remove it permanently or destroy it," Di Maria said. "His legacy should not be completely obliterated and thrown out. ... He was a good man. It wasn't that he was an evil person. He made a mistake." The bronze sculpture had been a rallying point for students and alumni outraged over Paterno's firing four days after Sandusky's Nov. 5 arrest -- and grief-stricken over the Hall of Fame coach's Jan. 22 death at age 85. But it turned into a target for critics after Freeh's report alleged a cover-up by Paterno, ousted President Graham Spanier and two Penn State officials, Athletic Director Tim Curley and Vice President Gary Schultz.

Their failure to report Sandusky to child-welfare authorities in 2001 allowed him to continue molesting boys, the report found. Paterno's family, along with attorneys for Spanier, Curley and Schultz, vehemently deny any suggestion they protected a pedophile. Curley and Schultz await trial on charges of failing to report child abuse and lying to a grand jury but maintain their innocence. Spanier hasn't been charged. Regional Scoreboard © 2013 STATS LLC. All rights reserved. Active Discussions Penn State players pushing to restore Joe Paterno statue valuing wins over victims Penn State players pushing to restore Joe Paterno statue valuing wins over victims Posted by Eli Hershkovich on Jul 8, 2016 15:30 In 1971, a 15-year-old boy stood at a urinal in a Penn State bathroom when Jerry Sandusky, the then-Nittany Lions’ assistant linebacker coach, appeared behind him. “I felt his presence behind me,” he told CNN’s Sara Ganim (whose coverage on this scandal for the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Patriot-News earned a Pulitzer Prize).

“I felt his left knee on the back of my knee, and his arms went around me, grabbing my …” he stated. “He said, ‘Let me help you with this.'” After wrenching his head backwards and hitting Sandusky in the jaw, the coach began bleeding. The two males then dropped to the ground and tussled. Once the teenager failed to escape, he was raped. The next day, his foster mother inhaled the horrifying news and immediately called the university, placing the boy in an unbearable situation. Two men, named Joe and Jim, answered the phone. Succeeding his plea for help, they responded in way that would even cause a clown to frown. “‘Stop this right now! We’ll call the authorities,'” the victim recalled them saying. The men couldn’t believe the boy uttered such terrible remarks towards such a prestigious individual. BELLEFONTE, PA – OCTOBER 09: Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky (L) walks into the Centre County Courthouse before being sentenced in his child sex abuse case on October 9, 2012 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.

Sandusky faces more than 350 years in prison for his conviction in June on 45 counts of child sexual abuse, including while he was the defensive coordinator for the Penn State college football team. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) Two months ago, the victim liberated his buried past to the public, sharing Joe’s identity. He was the late Joe Paterno, head coach of the football program, residing in State College, Pennsylvania, for 46 seasons. Fast-forward to this past Tuesday, as 200-plus former Penn State football players delivered a petition to the university, with aspirations of seeing the statue dedicated to Paterno, which was taken down in light of the Sandusky scandal, resurrected on campus outside of Beaver Stadium. Additionally, the signees desire a formal apology to Sue Paterno, Joe’s wife, and the rest of the family. Thankfully, players like Robbie Gould, the current Chicago Bears’ placekicker, neglected the discourteous request. Good on both @spiceadams and @RobbieGould09 for not signing the #PSU Paterno-statue-restoration players' petition.

More soon on this… — Dan Bernstein (@dan_bernstein) July 6, 2016 Yet in the letter, Brian Masella, an ex-tight end and punter for the Nittany Lions, displayed his unwarranted indignation . “We have been told during the last four-plus years that the board and administration are waiting for the appropriate time to repair the damage they created,” he stated in the release. “Now is the appropriate time. Enough is enough!” In July 2012, the Freeh Report investigating the Penn State scandal revealed the first bits of evidence against Paterno and fellow figures, who allowed Sandusky’s reign of terror to go by the wayside. Subsequently, 10 days later, the statue of the head coach was removed from its location. Unfortunately, Masella ignored the real “damage,” which Sandusky’s prey can’t expunge from their haunted memories. In June 2012, five months after Paterno’s death via lung cancer, the child-rapist was found guilty of 45 counts of child sex abuse , leading to a sentence of 30 to 60 years in jail.

Previously, Paterno overlooked his coworker’s wretched crimes in favor of winning. How could anyone disregard his atrocious ethics? Well, 409 victories, 112 of them returned , and the highest win total in major college football history by any coach should provide an unjustified answer. Here is Penn State's full statement regarding the lettermen requesting the return of JoePa's statue: pic.twitter.com/w7oHjryBbP — Josh Moyer (@ESPNJoshMoyer) July 5, 2016 Both fans and past student athletes bask in the glory of those who deliver unfathomable accomplishments. However, Paterno’s success gives one an opportunity to feel immune to the physical and emotional torment he caused Sandusky’s victims. Sure, a 24-12-1 record in bowl games and two national championships displays an uncanny ability to coach on the big stage but put those numbers aside for a second. Throughout the 1970s and beyond, up to six assistant coaches supposedly observed improper conduct between Sandusky and boys, exhibiting a group of men, who wouldn’t sacrifice their lust for a 24-karat gold, bronze and stainless steel trophy.

“You won’t believe what I just saw,” one of the coaches uttered in a meeting with the Penn State coaching staff, according to a NBC News report . Also, in April 2012, Sue Paterno reeled in $5.5 million from the university to cover the remainder of her husband’s contract with the team, implying her lips should be sealed. Somehow, though, the widow continues to battle one of the victims, who reportedly told Coach Paterno in 1976 that Sandusky sexually molested him , and his right to privacy. This claim toppled over the original allegations of the abuse solely occurring from 1994 to 2008 at Second Mile, Sandusky’s youth charity. STATE COLLEGE, PA – JULY 22: The site in which the statue of former Penn State University football coach Joe Paterno stood sits empty after it was removed by workers outside Beaver Stadium on July 22, 2012 in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State’s president Rodney Erickson made the decision Sunday to remove the statue in the wake of the child sex scandal of former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.

It’s believed that Paterno had detailed knowledge of Jerry Sandusky sexually abusing children before and after Sandusky retired from coaching at Penn State. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) “I do not fear facts and I know everyone will be better served if the complete story is made public,” Sue Paterno said in a letter to the Penn State board of trustees . She clearly omits the deepening wounds of the individuals, were the information to be released. According to After Silence — a non-profit organization which supports survivors of rape, sexual assault and sexual abuse — rape trauma syndrome (RTS), a type of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a potential result of the wrongdoings, with effects consisting of “insomnia, nausea, startled responses, and nightmares, as well as dissociative or numbing symptoms,” similar to what military veterans experience. Imagine experiencing these traumatic issues, due to a formidable individual’s resistance to unleash the truth. Sadly, the aforementioned children did. Hence, Penn State would be foolish to once again exhibit praise upon a statue, representing a culture of ignorance. Instead, the school should strive to uplift the survivors, as well as others, who have withstood denial.

** Eli Hershkovich is a graduate of DePaul University. Along with writing, he also works at WBBM Newsradio in Chicago. You can read his other posts here . About Eli Hershkovich Eli Hershkovich is a graduate of DePaul University. Along with writing, he also works at WBBM Newsradio in Chicago. Paterno loyalists call NCAA sanctions excessive - CNN.com Paterno loyalists call NCAA sanctions excessive By Tom Cohen, CNN Updated 11:48 AM ET, Tue July 24, 2012 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. JUST WATCHED NCAA president: PSU fine goes to victims 02:38 Story highlights Joe Paterno's family says the NCAA penalties "defame" the coach's legacy Paterno fans say the penalties are overkill and hurt the wrong people Overall, public opinion appears to support the tough sanctions The NCAA fines Penn State, strips Paterno of the victory record, and cuts scholarships Within 24 hours, Joe Paterno's statue at Penn State University came down and his record as the winningest coach at the top level of college football disappeared.

The steps by Penn State President Rodney Erickson and the National Collegiate Athletic Association drew sharply differing reactions Monday. They are the latest impact from a child sex-abuse scandal now linked forever to the university's storied football program. Paterno's family and diehard Penn State loyalists condemned the penalties as an overzealous response that unfairly targeted the former coach, who died of lung cancer in January after being fired the previous November to end his 46-year career at the university. 'Stark wake-up call' with $60 million fine for Penn State "The sanctions announced by the NCAA today defame the legacy and contributions of a great coach and educator without any input from our family or those who knew him best," said a statement by the Paterno family. The NCAA sanctions included a $60 million fine against Penn State, a four-year ban from bowl games and the loss of 20 football scholarships. Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Photos: Final tributes, Paterno statue removed Final tributes, Paterno statue removed – Workers on Tuesday, July 24, remove the concrete landing area and wall where the Joe Paterno statue once stood in State College, Pennsylvania.

Hide Caption MUST WATCH Bowden: I'm not rejoicing 04:21 Perhaps most painful to the Paterno family and his fans was the removal of 14 seasons of football victories, covering 1998-2011, which cost Paterno the record as winningest coach in Division 1 history. Why is NCAA taking sex abuse more seriously than the Catholic Church? "In our minds and hearts, those victories are still there and they still count, which is what makes him a great coach," said Penn State graduate Ujas Patel, who heads the university's alumni association chapter in London. The sanctions came a day after the university removed the 900-pound bronze statue of Paterno from outside Beaver Stadium on the State College campus, saying it had become a symbol of division. The punishments follow an independent investigation, led by former FBI Director Louis Freeh, of the child sex abuse scandal involving former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, who was convicted in late June of 45 of the 48 counts he faced involving 10 young victims. Freeh's report held four top Penn State officials, including Paterno, responsible for failing to stop the abuse.

That failure began in 1998, according to the report. Paterno's family called the penalties premature and challenged the veracity of Freeh's investigation. "How Sandusky was able to get away with his crimes for so long has yet to be fully understood, despite the claims and assertions of the Freeh report," said the Paterno family's statement. It also called the acceptance of the NCAA penalties by university officials and the board of trustees without a hearing "an abdication of their responsibilities and a breach of their fiduciary duties to the university and the 500,000 alumni." Former Penn State president: I was abused as a kid, wouldn't ignore Sandusky allegations "Punishing past, present and future students of the university because of Sandusky's crimes does not serve justice," the Paterno family's statement said. "This is not a fair or thoughtful action; it is a panicked response to the public's understandable revulsion at what Sandusky did." Others with strong ties to the Penn State community also condemned the NCAA sanctions. "We expected large sanctions but this is overkill," said Daniel Byrd, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter of the PSU Alumni Association, in a e-mail to CNN.

Byrd praised some of the penalties, such as $60 million the university will give to groups helping victims of child sex abuse, but he argued that the cut in football scholarships and four-year ban from bowl games "benefit nobody." "It hurts our student athletes that need grants," Byrd's e-mail said. Across the Atlantic, Patel said the penalties unfairly target the future of the football program that he described as vital to the university. "I don't see the program recovering in the next 10 to 15 years," he told CNN by telephone, adding that "by essentially taking away the main pillar of the university, you are almost pulling the university down." On social media, some players wrote they would return next season as a team with a mission. "PSU vs The World - Day 1 - ," tweeted tight end Garry Gilliam. Former players, meanwhile, rejected the 111 canceled victories by the NCAA that dropped Paterno's total from a record 409 to 298.

"They can take away whatever games they want to, I know I was apart of win 400, 409 and all the other games WE won while at PSU," posted former wide receiver Derek Moye on Twitter. Supporters of the tough sanctions sounded equally vehement, at least according to online comments to CNN. "I don(')t think the defenders of Joe Paterno and Penn State here fully comprehend the barely imaginable severity of the CRIMES that were committed," wrote a reader with the online handle FlyingfFish. "Not just crimes by Sandusky, but by nearly all of Penn State's football and academic leadership. This was (literally) institutional sanctioning of child rape for the continued benefit of the football team. I cannot think of anything lower or more despicable. Penn State is getting what they deserve." Opinion: Was NCAA too quick to punish Penn State? Erickson and other top Penn State officials said they accept the NCAA penalties.

"With today's announcement and the action it requires of us, the university takes a significant step forward," Erickson said in a written statement, while Acting Athletic Director David Joyner added that the path ahead "will not be easy, but it is necessary, just, and will bring a better future." Byrd, who leads the oldest of the university's scores of alumni associations around the world, disagreed. "Rodney Erickson and any one else who signed off on these sanctions should resign today," said Byrd's e-mail to CNN. While the university removed Paterno's statue from public view, the university library that bears his name will remain unchanged. To Patel, the university is trying to get rid of Paterno's football legacy while conserving his academic legacy. He complained of media coverage that focused solely on the Sandusky scandal and Paterno's failure to intervene while ignoring how Paterno required his players to succeed in the classroom as well as on the football field. "Anybody who's gone to Penn State, that's something that really is going to bother" them, he said.

Patel, who completed six years at Penn State in 2008 with a graduate degree in aerospace engineering, said he has kept in touch with college friends by phone and e-mail ever since. The main topic is always the same -- Penn State football. "Once you graduate," he explained, "it ties back to the football program."

Question: Whose statue was removed from public view in State College, Pennsylvania?
Answer: Joe Paterno