Joe Paterno: Former Graduate Assistant's Tell-All Interview Blasts Penn State

Just when you think the scandal at Penn State can't get any worse, it does. 

Recent statements made by Matt Paknis are extremely damning, very unflattering and they downright condemn the Nittany Lions for being a bad program all along. 

Paknis, a former Penn State graduate assistant in the late 1980s, went on WFAN in New York to talk about his relationship with Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky, the alleged child molester that has ruined Penn State's image forever.

He is outraged at all the recent events. His personal affiliation with the Penn State program gives him credibility, and what he talks about in the interview is what people have been thinking all along; Paterno knew what was going on and didn't say a word.

The last week-and-a-half has slowly been destroying the Nittany Lions, and it sure doesn't help when people keep coming from the woodworks to share their opinion on the matter. 

The worst part of that is when a former player or coach opens up about what it was like being there with Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky in the glory days and beyond.

People with inside information from the past can easily make matters worse for Penn State, and that is exactly what happened.  

Now 49 years old, Paknis states that he is a "survivor of childhood sexual abuse over a three-year period," and he is clearly troubled by this scandal. 

But if everything he said is true, it could further damage the Paterno's legacy more than anyone could have imagined.  

Paknis first gives a background to who he is and tells the hosts and listeners what his day-to-day routine was with the coaches, and even though he points out that he was the low man on the totem poll, he was still very observant about Sandusky. 

When asked what his relationship was with Sandusky, Paknis replied: 

"

"He was always pleasant to me from a distance, and he would also what I felt with my own personal background, I always felt he was always a bit too touchy and grabby with the kids.

I just knew, but as a coach, you’re not supposed to touch kids. We had all those kids up there for camps in the summer. I just felt it was a boundary issue more than anything...There were always kids around."

"

The grand jury report on Sandusky talks about eight victims, but after his arrest, 10 more alleged came forward. 

It's sickening to think how far back Sandusky's issues go, but even though Paknis never states Sandusky was molesting these kids, with what we know now, it's hard not to think he was. 

Paknis has a strong opinion on what happened at Penn State, and he is very adamant that everybody knew what Sandusky was doing. 

"Joe knows everything — everything that goes on at that campus, everything that goes on clearly in the football program," Paknis said. 

The one thing about Paknis' statements is that he was only there for a short period of time. Paterno wasn't in his mid to late 70s, which is the age he was when Mike McQueary allegedly informed him about what he saw Sandusky doing in Penn State locker room showers. 

Still, though, we listen with open ears, as he continues to bash Paterno and Penn State for other wrong doings. 

When asked if he thought Paterno could have attempted to cover the scandal up, Paknis replied: 

"

"Absolutely. I mean, fights, behavior problems anything like that never reached the local paper. It was a controlled environment. There’s no question. You’ve been out there, right? 

Not only did he cover it up, but there’s no way that this wasn’t apparent."  

"

He states that he never saw Sandusky harm any kids, but the presence of kids on campus all the time bothered Paknis because of, "the way he was pinching them and all that stuff."

It's unsure what "stuff" means there, but if he's trying to get us to use our imagination then it worked, and that is disturbing.

Again, it all comes back to Paknis believing Paterno knew.

"

"To live there, to be there and be part of the process, it’s very hard for me to think that they didn’t know. I wrote in my blog that when he had the opportunity to really demonstrate true integrity and character, he turned and protected himself.

Instead of going out and helping an eight-year old kid or a ten-year old kid that was being sodomized by his key assistant, he just dropped the ball. And that’s inexcusable. Inexcusable."

"

State College, Pennsylvania is a small town of less than 50,000 people, and while that statement is Paknis' own opinion, one can easily see where he is coming from. 

Think about it for a second. Paterno was Penn State, and as the golden man on campus, it wouldn't be too hard for him to use his name for power to persuade people to keep quiet. 

Of course, nobody knows if that is true, but the man is a legend at Penn State, and people did what he told them to.

Paknis continues with the harsh words, but one thing that stuck out in particular that really has nothing to do with the scandal puts further criticism on Paterno. 

When discussing options for who would play quarterback, somebody brought up the idea of Darren Roberts, who had been an All-State quarterback in high school. 

Paterno's response according to Paknis is absolutely shocking. 

"And Coach just said we’re not ready for a black quarterback."

If that is in fact true, then the Nittany Lions have long been having problems before Sandusky's alleged crimes were known. 

Remember that these are words from an irate man who is fed up with the scandal, so what is true and what isn't is unclear.

However, now that these things are out in the open, and they have come from a person who worked for Paterno, it raises a lot of questions. 

Now one has to wonder if other figures from Paknis' time will step forward and voice their opinion. These are strong accusations Paknis is making, and I highly doubt someone that knew him from his graduate assistant days will stay quiet. 

The scandal continues to hit hard for Penn State, and everything Paknis had to say brings more pain to the university, which is something we didn't think was possible at this point.

Things could get even worse from here, so hold on tight because Paknis could be the first of many to open up about the past, and that spells bad news for the Nittany Lions.