Last week I experienced true euphoria while watching Penn State miraculously beat Illinois for Joe Paterno’s 409^th win. I even moved down to the student section at the end to watch the final Penn State drive and the subsequent missed field goal by Illinois to seal the game. In fact I even mentioned on twitter that I was teary-eyed as I waited for the “special presentation” at the beginning of Paterno’s post-game press conference.

I was half way through a nice write-up on that game, but how quickly things change.

Less than a week later I was at the Central Michigan at Kent State game on Friday night, ironically watching as the visiting team missed a field goal at the end of regulation to lose, when news of the Jerry Sandusky, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz indictments broke.

I read a few things on it when I arrived in Ann Arbor but it was after 2:30 in the morning and I had to be up at 8 so I could get to Rynearson Stadium on time. Although I overslept a little, I managed to make it to Michigan Stadium for a few photos and still got to Rynearson by 10:30. Once I got settled in to my seat at the press box, I checked my twitter timeline and was amazed at what I was beginning to see as the national media started to pick up the story.

As I’m sure you are aware, the story continued to pick up steam as people read through the indictment that outlined the specific allegations. Then Graham Spanier issued a statement giving his “unconditional” support to Curley and Schultz and things took off from there.

By the time I made it, slightly late, to Mercyhurst to cover their hockey game against UConn on Saturday night the story was dominating my time line, even as the “game of the century” LSU versus Alabama was about to kick off. By this time, most of the stories and comments had begun to focus on Paterno and that is where it has stayed now for days.

Around working 12 hours on Sunday and 9 hours on Monday I managed to join the media stakeout at Old Main on Sunday evening, and while it was arguably one of the most boring things I have experienced in life. After a bunch of “no comments” from the Board of Trustees members, persistence finally paid off when Spanier issued a second statement announcing that Curley was taking a paid leave of absence and that Schultz was returning to retirement.

Since then, everyone on the Penn State campus has clammed up and disappeared, save for the Paterno press conference scheduled for today where it has already been made clear to the media that all questions not pertaining to the game against Nebraska are off limits.

But despite the lack of comments coming from the school it hasn’t stopped some of the best sports writers in the nation, such as John Walters and Bill Reiter, from ascending on State College and writing stories.

So where does that leave the people who live in State College and/or attend Penn State?

It leaves us in a position we don’t want to be in, but will be for a long time.

We have to deal with constant questions that we don’t have the answers to. It leaves us with a negative national image that we can’t do anything to change. It leaves us second guessing our personal and monetary commitments to the athletic department.

As someone who has a business closely tied to Penn State and the athletic department, it leaves me and my wife in an uncomfortable position. We know that there are so many great, amazing people who work in and for the athletic department that are being overshadowed and lumped into the public outrage that is currently taking place. There are a bunch of student athletes who are going to be affected as people withhold donations and boycott events to show their displeasure over the actions of a few.

I spent a good portion of yesterday fielding questions about how the allegations were going to affect the sandwiches named after Mike McQueary, Paterno, Curley and Spanier, something that I don’t have an answer for right now. In fact it took up enough of my time that I missed getting to cover the NCAA selection party for the Women’s soccer team, something I really wanted to do so I could pass along a congrats to a team who has ordered from us all season long.

When I go to Virginia Tech next Thursday for the game against North Carolina I know it is going to be the topic of conversation from @InTheBleachers, @BeerControl and anyone else who finds out I am from the State College area. Much like the “when is Joe Paterno going to retire” question that used to dominate those conversations, I suspect it will be the first question everyone asks for years to come. Ultimately this situation will affect the overall standing of Penn State in every way and the effects will be felt academically, monetarily and athletically for years.

Which gets me to the main part of my story, what should happen to everyone involved?

Well, I’d love to have all of the answers but since none of the Penn State administration is talking all I can do is go off of the grand jury information.

Sandusky: I am going to leave this one to the courts and the jury and trust they will do the proper thing.

Schultz: Schultz retired at the emergency Board of Trustees meeting the other evening. I am most interested to see if the new child care center on campus will be renamed since it currently bears the Schultz name.

Curley: After reading through the indictment information, and see the public reaction, I don’t see how Curley can return. Even if found innocent, the trust with the donors is gone and since college athletics is a business, you have to make changes when public trust is broken.

Spanier: As the president of the university, who has given “unconditional” support to the two indicted employees, I again don’t see how Spanier can stay as the face of the Penn State brand. I like Dr. Spanier but when controversy strikes corporations, executives step down and that is likely the best outcome here as well. As I stated above, regaining public trust is the best course of action and the sooner it happens the better.

McQueary: I’m not sure where to go here. On one hand, he witnessed a terrible thing and he asked people for advice. He took that advice and now his fate and legacy rests on exactly what he told the very people who are facing trial for perjury. The real question is why McQueary, or anyone who gave him advice, never called the cops or tried to find the identity of the victim. Ultimately the decision to not call the cops will hang over McQueary for the rest of his life.

Paterno: Paterno is the one who everyone wants to talk about since he is the face of Penn State football. There is a lot of debate as to what Paterno knew and when he knew it. I’ve seen and heard lots of people questioning if Paterno helped cover up the information and gave McQueary a full time job to help cover up the story. I don’t think that will ever be answered and I don’t think it matters.

What really matters is Paterno gave advice that did not result in McQueary calling the cops. Paterno may have legally met his obligations, but as someone who has always coached the ideals that you have to do what is right in life, he didn’t do what was morally right. Again, as with the other administrators above, when things go wrong, the top officials take the fall and Paterno is the top person in the football department.

Besides, his contract is up in February and who in the administration is going to offer him an extension at this point?

So today I sit teary-eyed for a completely different reason. I feel for the victims. I realize that the University that I love is botching it’s every move. I realize the coach who seemed to be the ultimate role model in modern sports, and beyond, may have made a grave mistake. I wonder what will happen to the good employees, coaches, student athletes, students and alumni that are wholly affected by the decisions of those who run Penn State.

This entire situation involved none of us, but affects all of us and is something that will have a profound effect on us the rest of our lives.