The scandal involving former Penn State football coordinator Jerry Sandusky and the improper physical contact with young boys shows no signs of slowing down. As more potential victims come forward, Sandusky went public for the first time since his arrest in an interview with NBC's Bob Costas on "Rock Center".
As police worked to verify the new allegations from up to ten additional suspected victims of Sandusky, he proclaimed his innocence of the charges against him - some 40 counts of sexually abusing young boys - and declared he was not a pedophile. Sandusky does admit, however, that he showered with the young boys.
"I shouldn’t have showered with those kids, " admitted Sandusky who went on to say he had "orsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their legs without intent of sexual contact."
"I enjoy being around children. I enjoy their enthusiasm. I just have a good time with them."
Sandusky started the Second Mile, a charity, with the goal of helping needy children in 1977. Many now claim that Sandusky used his charity to target vulnerable children.
When asked about Penn State, and everything that has happened to the University and Joe Paterno, Sandusky admitted he "had a part in all this" but did not feel guilty about it.
Perhaps the most distrubing part of the interview was a direct question from Costas to Sandusky.
"Are you sexually attracted young boys?" asked Costas. The answer, which would seem easy for most of us to answer, caused Sandusky to pause and actually repeat the question twice. He finally answers that, while he enjoys kids, he is not sexually attracted to them. His answer is not convincing to say the least.
Sanusky's attorney, Joe Amendola, claims his client was simply acting like "a jock" in an interview with CNN.
"Jerry Sandusky is a big overgrown kid," Amendola said. "He's a jock, and for anybody who's ever played sports, you get showers after you work out. ... What I'm being told happened is that Jerry was in the shower with this kid, the kid was messing around, having a good time, you had (former graduate assistant and now wide receivers coach Mike) McQueary come in and see that. He felt uncomfortable."
Costas does a great job of going accusation by accusation, asking Sandusky in specifics about each of the most glaring accusations. Each time, Sandusky says he is innocent and has no idea why people have 'lied' about him.
The entire interview is disgusting to listen to. In a society that believes in innocent until proven guilty, Sandusky is as close to it gets to someone that doesn't deserve that right.