As a Penn State alum, I can't put into words how heart-breaking this entire Jerry Sandusky scandal is - on so many levels.
Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions football team are the reason why I went to Penn State. My Dad took me to a football game when I was in high school and I fell in love with the place. One look at the student section and all those drunken kids having a blast was all I needed to see - Penn State was the place for me.
Later, after becoming a student, JoePa was my first "celebrity sighting" when I spotted him walking on campus one day. It was magical seeing the legendary coach in person - and just as big a thrill as spotting any of the many celebs I've come across here in NYC.
Joe Paterno has been the head coach of the Penn State football team since before I was born. And when I became a student, we were taught during freshman orientation to worship the man. And we did. It is difficult for many of us to think of him as anything other than god-like - and almost impossible to think of him as NOT being the coach of the football team.
But I guess even legends make mistakes - and sometimes they make legendary mistakes.
