Vindicated??
Seriously, he was informed someone on his staff was sexually abusing children, and essentially did NOTHING. Oh yeah, he reported it to his boss. And then watched as nobody did anything. And went on about his business as if nothing was wrong, knowing what was going on. Knowing Sandusky continued to have free reign of the athletic facilities and continuing to bring small boys around.
He should have gone to the police from Day One, screw the "report it to the boss and forget it" mentality. I hope he slept well from that night forward, knowing that nobody was doing anything for those children, and any further potential victims for each day forward until Sandusky was finally arrested.
Paterno was not the abuser, but he was effectively a child-rape enabler. I disagree with Ray above, he was an enabler.
Amen.