Penn State Scandal: Tom Bradley May Be a Good Guy, but Lions Need to Clean House

There are no winners when a situation like this arises.  Everyone loses but no one feels it as much as the victims. A team has lost their historic coach and the nation has lost their image of Joe Pa.

While there are those who mourn the departure of Joe Paterno, he will be just fine. He is financially set for life and was able to enjoy 46 seasons as the head coach of the Nittany Lions.

However, his coaching staff will not enjoy the same luxury. Former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky has been gone for over a decade, but his hideous alleged crimes will likely derail the lives of the remaining members of the coaching staff.

Were the scandal not to occur, when Joe Paterno finally retired from Penn State, Tom Bradley should have gotten the first call for an interview. Over the past six seasons, Bradley has led the Nittany Lions to be one of the elite defensive units in the nation. During that period, Penn State accomplished the following:

• No. 3 in the nation in scoring defense (16.4 ppg)
• Fifth in rushing (107.1 ypg)
• Fifth in total defense (298.7 ypg)

However, Paterno did not retire and Bradley should not get an interview—and it is not his fault. The Nittany Lions are going to need to clean house to attempt a fresh start.

Bradley has spent 33 years on the coaching staff at Penn State and 12 as the defensive coordinator.  He has been loyal, hardworking and efficient at his job—but he must go.

This Saturday, Bradley will fulfill his dream of walking the sidelines as the head coach of Penn State. It was the position he had always dreamed of fulfilling. However, no matter how well he does, he will not be retained because of a PR nightmare that someone else caused.

Penn State is 8-1 going into their game this weekend, with their only loss coming at the hands of the No. 3-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. It should be noted that it has been Bradley’s defense that is the reason for the Nittany Lions' success.

Bradley’s defense is currently third in the nation in scoring defense.  In normal circumstances, Bradley would be up for a raise, but a pink slip is in his future.

Sometimes a home can get so infested with mold that it is better to knock down the whole house and start over than to try to fix something that is beyond repair.

Unfortunately for the current coaching staff, Sandusky brought in the mold and the Penn State administration allowed it to grow and fester and now this house has been condemned.

The Nittany Lions are going to finish this season with the staff in place. At this point in the season, there are no other options. However, once the season is complete, the PSU administration must find a person with the character and integrity to help them fight their way through this period of time.

It is not fair that the remaining coaching staff will have to uproot their families and find new jobs. However, it is necessary for the college to move on.

Bradley's dream job has turned into a nightmare for everyone involved.