Penn State AD Tim Curley has been put on “administrative leave so he can devote the time needed to defend himself against recent allegations by the Pennsylvania attorney general” stemming from the sex scandal revolving around former PSU assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, according to a front-page piece by Ganim & Murphy of the Harrisburg PATRIOT-NEWS. The state attorney general’s office Friday charged Sandusky "with sexually abusing eight boys over 15 years.” Curley and interim Senior VP/Finance & Business Gary Schultz on Saturday “were both charged with failing to report to authorities that a graduate assistant told them he saw Sandusky sexually abusing a naked boy in the showers of a team practice facility in 2002.” Schultz and Curley were both “also charged with perjury.” PSU President Graham Spanier Saturday said, “I have known and worked daily with Tim and Gary for more than 16 years. I have complete confidence in how they handled the allegations about a former university employee.” PSU officials said that the school is "paying legal costs for Curley and Schultz.” PSU Dir of Public Information Lisa Powers said that the allegations against the men “concern how they fulfilled their responsibilities as employees, so Penn State is paying for their counsel.” Spanier said that Senior Associate AD Mark Sherburne “will serve as interim athletic director until Curley’s legal situation is resolved.” Meanwhile, PSU VP/Univ. Relations Bill Mahon said that “at no time did the board consider asking Spanier or football coach Joe Paterno to resign” (Harrisburg PATRIOT-NEWS, 11/7). In Pennsylvania, Mike Dawson reported a grand jury “found evidence that Curley and Schultz lied during grand jury testimony in Dauphin County in January about information they received about a report of sexual abuse by Sandusky.” Curley and Schultz are charged with perjury and "failing to report abuse, a summary, and are expected to surrender to authorities" this afternoon. The grand jury “took testimony from university officials” including Curley, Schultz, Spanier and Paterno (CENTRE DAILY TIMES, 11/6). The charges against Curley and Schultz “are punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine” (CENTRE DAILY TIMES, 11/6).
TIME TO CLEAN HOUSE? In Pittsburgh, Gene Collier wrote if “1/100th of the grand jury report holds true, or even 1/100th of the state attorney general’s reports, few Penn State officials related to the football program, the university police or the president’s office will be left standing when the acrid smoke clears from the legal system” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 11/5). Also in Pittsburgh, Joe Starkey asked, “How does anybody employed within the football program -- most notably iconic head coach Joe Paterno -- survive this mess, regardless of how the cases turn out?” (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 11/6). In N.Y. Dick Weiss wrote if these allegations prove to be true, Curley and Schultz “have to go," but they are "not the only ones.” Paterno “apparently took no other steps such as telling authorities, so he should be gone, too” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/6). In DC, Mike Wise wrote if the grand jury report is true, “they all need to step down -- even the great Joe Pa” (WASHINGTON POST, 11/6).
DARK DAYS: USA TODAY's Wieberg & Carey in a sports section cover story write this scandal "might represent the most damaging hit to college sports since Baylor basketball player Carlton Dotson killed teammate Patrick Dennehy in 2003," with then-coach Dave Bliss attempting a "cover-up, urging players and assistants to depict the victim as a drug dealer" (USA TODAY, 11/7). Golf Channel’s Gary Williams said, “This is going to be one of the ugliest stories that we’ve seen in college sports ever. Ever” (“Morning Drive,” Golf Channel, 11/7). In Pennsylvania, Bob Flounders wrote the last two days “are the worst in the history of what was once a proud Penn State football program” (Harrisburg PATRIOT-NEWS, 11/6).
