How students can support Penn coach criminal actions

I was surprised to see the rallies in favour of Penn State Coach Joe Paterno after he was fired from the university for sex-abuse. I guess it shows how patriotism can trump even the law. People are willing to forgive even the most horrible crimes when they have more pressing strong deeply held beliefs. Like Nazis who loved Hitler even when he killed Jews. Like the Catholics who still trust preists who abused boys. Like the wives who visit their husbands in jail. For me, however, I like to think that if my country, church, university or partner allowed women to be sexually abused and turned a blind eye to it, I would not participate in a rally to support them.