(06-30) 20:45 PDT -- The Penn State horror story has taken a twist for the sicker.

And Joe Paterno's legacy is now more clearly defined.

E-mails have been uncovered by NBC. Three scared sheep - Penn State's president, vice president and athletic director - were going to alert the real authorities to the possible misdeeds of Jerry Sandusky, until the athletic director spoke with Paterno and persuaded the other two Sheep not to be so rash.

Subsequently, at least four more young boys were molested by Sandusky.

Paterno apparently persuaded the group to go easy on old Jerry. The athletic director, Tim Curley, e-mailed the other Sheep, "If Sandusky is cooperative, we would work with him."

Astounding. The Three Sheep, part of a huge flock of JoPa worshipers, decided that confronting Sandusky rather than turning him in "is a more humane and up-front way to handle this."

More humane, unless you're a 10-year-old kid and Jerry Sandusky is in your driveway a week later, the old Tickle Monster, honking his horn, bearing gifts.

By the way, the "upfront" confrontation with Sandusky apparently consisted of asking the former assistant coach not to bring his little boys on campus anymore. Friendly advice that Sandusky ignored.

Only Paterno knows why he wanted his Three Sheep to call off the dogs. Was it out of compassion for Sandusky, or out of concern that Paterno's program and his legacy might take a hit?

To at least four young victims of abuse, that distinction probably isn't important.

Please, can we never again mention how many wins Joe Paterno racked up or how many libraries he built? The meaningful numbers in his legacy will probably never be known.

Deep thoughts, cheap shots & bon mots ...

-- Pants down, man down.

-- What's the world coming to when you can't trust a stripper?

-- Steve Nash would be the perfect player for the Warriors to pluck from the free-agent market. But my man Rusty Simmons explains that Nash would never sign for the mid-level exception, so instead the Warriors will kick the tires of Jason Kidd, Kirk Hinrich, etc.

-- Sure, I understand the anti-DH-ers, clinging to their traditions. They would miss watching pitchers hit. When I watch basketball, I still miss the center-court jump ball after every basket. And the two-hand set shot.

-- If Barry Zito and Tim Lincecum both need Hector Sanchez as their personal catcher, where does that leave what's-his-name, Buster Posey? Got to be at first base, so Bruce Bochy had better find about two starts a week in left field for Brandon Belt.

-- Posey has to be saying to himself, "I thought I was doing pretty good back there."

-- Not to stir things up, but seriously, why can't we have a women's decathlon in the Olympics? Hey, IOC, we'll trade you straight up for rhythmic gymnastics. Make the hoops-and-ribbons part of the Opening Ceremonies.

-- You hate to lose guys to injuries, but with Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh out of the Olympics, the tournament is a lot more interesting. It's called a challenge. LeBron, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

-- Adding to the pressure on the U.S. crew, this might be the last Olympics in which NBA players are eligible.

-- File under Stuff I Can't Explain: Reader Rich Friedman wants to know why baseball is the only sport where the postgame handshake festivities don't include the losing team.

-- Which Andy has been a bigger disappointment to his home country - Roddick or Murray?

-- Snippet from rant-master Neil Davis, on Wimbledon grass, which goes from lush to bare dirt in about three days: "They're holding onto an old fantasy playing surface that suited the royals, 'Masterpiece Theatre,' and young beauties in long skirts having a go on the lawn tennis court in front of the castle. ... Grass won't hold up to the new 125 mph, 6-9 wear and tear. Serena herself is built as a one-person lawn-wrecker. ... Strawberry Fields forever. Not so much with grass."

Knucklehead of the week: The Giants

The Giants will hold a Frank Sinatra Tribute Night on Aug. 13, with a Sinatra bobblehead.

What's wrong with Sinatra? Nothing, other than "High Hopes."

And the fact that he was close pals with Tommy Lasorda. When Lasorda managed the Dodgers, he had an entire wall of his office covered with Sinatra photos. Those two were thick as marinara.

That's a hard image to shake, Sinatra's connection to the Dodgers, even if the Giants insist Sinatra attended many games at Candlestick and was friends with Willie Mays.

I love Sinatra's music, so I'll try to put the Lasorda connection out of my mind when the Giants honor Old Dodger-Blue Eyes.