There are some things that become funnier over time. Jerry Sandusky jokes? Not one of those things.
But according to a new report from New Jersey's Star-Ledger, that didn't stop Rutgers athletic director Julie Hermann from making a Sandusky joke last fall during a meeting. While discussing donors with a handful of people within the Rutgers athletic department, Hermann—who was forced to issue an apology recently after Rutgers fans held up tasteless Sandusky banners during a game about Penn State—reportedly said, "[We] have to reach out to our donors, fans, everyone, and we need to touch them. Not in a Jerry Sandusky-type way."
Apparently, the "joke" didn't go over very well, though, and six people who were in the room that day confirmed that she referenced Sandusky when questioned by the Star-Ledger. Hermann herself refused to speak with the Star-Ledger, but Rutgers senior VP for external affairs Pete McDonough did provide an explanation.
"Julie's comment was an off-the-cuff response to a give-and-take interaction urging the fundraising team to reach out and touch the donors," he said in a statement. "There probably isn't a person alive today who hasn't made an impromptu remark in a private meeting that probably shouldn't have been said. Even taken out of context, this single comment was not directed at Penn State, its students, staff, or faculty."
Outside of that statement, Rutgers hasn't said anything else about the joke that Hermann reportedly made. But it'll be interesting to see if anything else comes out of this in the coming days and weeks. Because the absolute last thing Rutgers needs is yet another scandal on its hands.
[via Eye on College Football]
