Excerpts directly from the Freeh Report. Regarding timeline of events:
May 3, 1998 - Sandusky assaults victim 6 in Lasch Building shower
May 4, 1998 - Curley notifies Shulz and Spanier that he has touched base with Paterno about the incident
August 1999 - Curley emails Spanier and Schultz, discussing Sandusky's retirement options. "Joe did give him the option to coach as long as he was the coach." and suggests the possibility of coaching 3 more seasons
February 9, 2001 - McQueary witnesses the assault on victim 2 in the Lasch Building shower
February 10, 2001 - McQueary reports the assault to Paterno. Paterno tells McQueary, "you did what you had to do, it's my job to figure out what we want to do."
February 11. 2001 - Paterno reports the incident to Curley and Shultz, as Paterno did not want to interfere with their weekends
February 27, 2001 - Curley emails Shultz and Spanier and says he has changed his mind about the plan, "after giving it more thought and talking it over with Paterno yesterday." Curley now proposes to tell Sandusky "we feel there is a problem" and offer him professional help." "Additionally, I will let him know that his guests are not permitted to use our facilities."
August 2001 - Sandusky assaults victim 5 in Lasch Building shower
January 12, 2011 - Shultz, Paterno, and Curley testify before the grand jury
October 29, 2011 - Sandusky attends Penn State home football game and sits in Nittany Lion Club in Beaver Stadium
November 4, 2011 - Criminal charges filed against Sandusky
November 5, 2011 - Sandusky is arrested
November 9, 2011 - Board of Trustees removes Paterno as head football coach
Seriously there is no defending this stuff. This is just the Paterno related stuff. If you read the whole timeline you get a clear picture of an incredibly corrupt and out of control football-first culture that allowed these disgusting crimes to happen. The kids on that campus crying victim, guarding Paterno's statue, and chanting "We are" are complete morons.