The famous Penn State coach Joe Paterno’s alleged role in the sex-abuse cover-up is perhaps one of its most shocking elements. Known through the State College community simply as “JoePa," Paterno has led the Nittany Lions to 409 victories in nearly 62 years on the coaching staff, 45 of which he spent as head coach—the only college football coach to ever top 400 wins. But Paterno’s legacy was not enough to save him in the mushrooming scandal. According to a grand-jury report, he was notified in 2002 by graduate assistant coach Mike McQueary that McQueary had seen a former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, molest a young boy in the shower. On Wednesday, the Board of Trustees decided not to allow Paterno to finish the season, and then announced that the legendary coach had been fired, effective immediately. The news was not well received on campus: Penn State students rioted Wednesday night in support of Paterno, flipping over cars and yelling, “F--k the trustees. We want Joe.”
