Former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky tries to explain away the sexual abuse charges against him in a lengthy New York Times interview, but he still looks and sounds guilty, critics say.

Screen shot, NYTimes.com

erry Sandusky is speaking out… again. The former Penn State assistant coach, facing criminal charges that he sexually abused children, gave a "damning" interview to NBC's Bob Costas just three weeks ago, and now, he's talking again, to The New York Times. (Watch a portion of the four-hour interview below.) In the "creepy" tape, a jittery Sandusky once again denies the allegations, and attempts to justify his physical relationships with children. He still claims the contact was never sexual, though he admits to showering and horsing around with young boys. His accusers' lawyers call Sandusky's latest account "unconvincing." How does he acquit himself?

Sandusky sounds and acts guilty: "It is hard to imagine anyone watching this video and coming away with the belief that Sandusky is not guilty," says Richard Langford at Bleacher Report. His answers are as baffling as they are damaging. He fidgets and "has fits of nervous laughter." When asked if he's sexually attracted to young boys, he responds, "If I say, 'no, I'm not attracted to young boys,' that's not the truth because I'm attracted to young people—boys, girls." As if his being equally attracted to young girls makes it "okay."
"Jerry Sandusky sex scandal: Ex-coach digs hole deeper with NY Times interview"

But this interview shows us the real Sandusky: Unlike the Costas interview, the New York Times piece gives America a better understanding of who Sandusky is, and "why the terms 'monster' and 'predator' paint a misleading picture" of him, says Henry Blodget at Business Insider. As Sandusky attempts to explain away the most damning comments from his NBC interview, we get a "more nuanced and sad sense of how he sees the world." We see a man who simply cannot understand why his behavior is wrong.
"In another amazing interview, Jerry Sandusky again stumbles over the question about whether he's sexually attracted to boys"

He just needs to shut up already: The Times interview is "nowhere near as bizarre or incriminating" as the one with Costas, says Andrew Cohen at The Atlantic. But Sandusky's slapdash justifications will spell trouble for him legally. Rather than convincing future jurors that his heart was in the right place, Sandusky comes off as oblivious to "how bad his conduct appears to the outside world." It's understandable that Sandusky would want a do-over from his disastrous Costas interview, but he's not helping himself. "When you are already in a hole, it's time to stop digging."
"Jerry Sandusky continues to dig his own hole"