Penn State Scandal Thread

[CBolin69]

So Joe's attempt to bully the board, saying that he'd step down at the end of the year, and the board didn't have to spend any more time thinking about his status, didn't work.

This gives 2 full days plus game day for things to settle down. I'm glad they didn't wait til Friday. Maybe it won't be too emotional at the game.

It really did seem like a man either desperate to hold on or completely detached from reality.

I was thinking the exact same thing, more important things then coaching now. Can't beleive he does not understand this.

 

[th3r0m]

Ridiculous... this was a modern day witch hunt fueled by careless media making a lot of assumptions and suppositions with no real basis on factual evidence - that the BoT fired Paterno is not surprising given the rumors they've been trying to oust him for years, but fervor for which "we" were clamoring for his firing to "punish" him is repugnant.

The whole "he should have morally done more" argument is the result of hindsight and a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking. It's always much easier to see how a someone screwed up after the fact and what they should've/could've done to change things - it's much, much harder to perform at that kind of level of self-realization during a situation. As for the "I would've done this or kicked this person's ***&^^*, " well, we're all real tough on the internet, but the majority of us would have done no more than he did - reported it to his superiors - and of those who actually may have done more (which is very few) even fewer could actually back it up. Honestly, disgusted at what was done to those boys, disgusted it was covered up and disgusted with the pitchfork and torches mob mentality that we've allowed ourselves to be stirred up into by the media.

Thank goodness our legal system gives zero weight to judgement of the court of public opinion, else we'd all hang. I only hope that the rioting is quelled before anyone gets seriously hurt as there's no need to had further injury, hurt and pain to this mess of a situation.

Sorry but no. He got fired because he was part of the chain of command that this went through and got shoved under the rug by. That much is documented and admitted. It is not a witch hunt. I don't understand how people can divorce themselves from reality enough to think that this was just a convenient opportunity to get rid of the guy. He tied their hands the day he found out about what went on in 2002 and didn't go directly to the authorities and continued to have Sandusky around the program... and that's assuming he was ignorant of the situation that went on before Sandusky was removed as DC in the 90s. Which isn't very plausible.

Funny, but I have yet to read of or see any evidence where this was "shoved under the rug" by Paterno. That's media supposition at it's finest, as is the posting by the media and general public on boards and blogs all over the internet about how he must have been thinking about his reputation/wins/legacy versus the safety of those kids. Sandusky had never been arrested for, nor charged with nor found guilty of any sort of crime (and still hasn't), so how exactly do you justify cutting off all ties with the person based on second hand accounts and hearsay? It's not as if Paterno actually witnessed anything that would have made what you are purporting he do - completely block access to all campus facilitys/programs etc,- actionable without putting the university and himself at risk (and even had he done so, there is zero evidence that it would have prevented Sandusky from continuing to molest children).

 

[scarletNcream]

it's much, much harder to perform at that kind of level of self-realization during a situation.

Well that's just too damn bad, tell it to the 40 kids or their families and see if they agree with you. "In the heat of the moment" doesn't absolve people of crimes of omission, just like it doesn't absolve them of crimes of commission.

And what exactly was Paterno's crime? Because apparently no one can find any legal issue with how he handled it. Oh, never mind, I forgot, it's a "moral" crime... and thus need not actually require any kind of factual basis or evidence to back up.

I don't have a horse in this race but, I believe its 9 with 40 charges, not kids, and even 1 is too many.

 

[ZRod]

Sorry to him go out like this. I find it puzzling how ESPN can go from "Fire Joe" this morning to "he didn't do anything wrong" making him out to be a victim. Classic ESPN

Their about face is idiotic to say the least, way to play the field.

But reading the report and putting all emotion aside you can not say with any certainty what Joe was told by the GA and if he new the gravity of what he was told. It's not an excuse but it sounds like he heard enough to know that someone higher needed to be informed of it, and he maybe justed wanted to wash his hands of it and keep his nose clean. There just isn't enough detail in the report from the GA or Paterno to draw a definitive conclusion about what was said. Either way it's just really disgusting and disturbing to read.

The BoT either knew more than they are telling, or they are just trying to save face and everyone that acted questionably is going.

He stated that he was told something of a sexual nature occurred between a 58 year old and a 10 year old. *shrug*

Which he reported. The way it's worded in the report makes it sound like he was confused or shocked about what he was told. But again it's pretty vague. Can you really blame him for wanting to wash his hands of something like that? I think it's pretty safe to say that if most people didn't witness the event themselves they would want to do what they were obligated to do and get as far away from it as possible.

 

[redblooded]

Ridiculous... this was a modern day witch hunt fueled by careless media making a lot of assumptions and suppositions with no real basis on factual evidence - that the BoT fired Paterno is not surprising given the rumors they've been trying to oust him for years, but fervor for which "we" were clamoring for his firing to "punish" him is repugnant.

The whole "he should have morally done more" argument is the result of hindsight and a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking. It's always much easier to see how a someone screwed up after the fact and what they should've/could've done to change things - it's much, much harder to perform at that kind of level of self-realization during a situation. As for the "I would've done this or kicked this person's ***&^^*, " well, we're all real tough on the internet, but the majority of us would have done no more than he did - reported it to his superiors - and of those who actually may have done more (which is very few) even fewer could actually back it up. Honestly, disgusted at what was done to those boys, disgusted it was covered up and disgusted with the pitchfork and torches mob mentality that we've allowed ourselves to be stirred up into by the media.

Thank goodness our legal system gives zero weight to judgement of the court of public opinion, else we'd all hang. I only hope that the rioting is quelled before anyone gets seriously hurt as there's no need to had further injury, hurt and pain to this mess of a situation.

Sorry but no. He got fired because he was part of the chain of command that this went through and got shoved under the rug by. That much is documented and admitted. It is not a witch hunt. I don't understand how people can divorce themselves from reality enough to think that this was just a convenient opportunity to get rid of the guy. He tied their hands the day he found out about what went on in 2002 and didn't go directly to the authorities and continued to have Sandusky around the program... and that's assuming he was ignorant of the situation that went on before Sandusky was removed as DC in the 90s. Which isn't very plausible.

Funny, but I have yet to read of or see any evidence where this was "shoved under the rug" by Paterno. That's media supposition at it's finest, as is the posting by the media and general public on boards and blogs all over the internet about how he must have been thinking about his reputation/wins/legacy versus the safety of those kids. Sandusky had never been arrested for, nor charged with nor found guilty of any sort of crime (and still hasn't), so how exactly do you justify cutting off all ties with the person based on second hand accounts and hearsay? It's not as if Paterno actually witnessed anything that would have made what you are purporting he do - completely block access to all campus facilitys/programs etc,- actionable without putting the university and himself at risk (and even had he done so, there is zero evidence that it would have prevented Sandusky from continuing to molest children).

Did JoePa know about what happened in the shower involving his former staff member? yes, he himself admitted that to a grand jury. Did he report it directly to the police? No.

There you go.

He's not being charged with a crime because he did not lie about that. That doesn't mean the workplace where this was swept under the rug, by the people that this was known by, needs him to be charged with a crime to see that it was a huge problem. By not being immediately turned over to police it was a problem and that was compounded by having the man accused still around the program. His inaction and those of his direct superiors (which is laughable at penn state) enabled a child rapist. Get that through your head. Everyone involved needs to be and will be canned whether they are facing indictments or not. They taint the entire institution if you allow them to remain.

 

[bbeerma2]

If he reported it to the administration (the people who should have handled it appropriately and understand their legal obligations more than Paterno), and then was unaware of their handling of the situation, I figure Joe Pa comes out the other side of this. Without more information regarding Joe Pa I won't pass judgement. Thank god those more deeply involved in this ARE getting removed.

 

[Husker John]

In 2004, the BoT asked Paterno to resign as the football coach....... Paterno simply told them "No". This morning, Paterno advised the BoT of his intentions, via a press statement, to stay on as HC until the end of the season..... this evening the BoT simply told him "No".

Joe Paterno was the most powerful individual at Penn State and is a master politician. Sandusky was his buddy, and Paterno was going to go to bat for his friend, and simply cover it up. Penn State is looking at millions of dollars in law suits, further investigations, and possible lost revenues from donors and benefactors, if they had kept JoPa on board. They decided to drop him like a bad habit.

 

[Omaha-Husker]

Sorry to him go out like this. I find it puzzling how ESPN can go from "Fire Joe" this morning to "he didn't do anything wrong" making him out to be a victim. Classic ESPN

Their about face is idiotic to say the least, way to play the field.

But reading the report and putting all emotion aside you can not say with any certainty what Joe was told by the GA and if he new the gravity of what he was told. It's not an excuse but it sounds like he heard enough to know that someone higher needed to be informed of it, and he maybe justed wanted to wash his hands of it and keep his nose clean. There just isn't enough detail in the report from the GA or Paterno to draw a definitive conclusion about what was said. Either way it's just really disgusting and disturbing to read.

The BoT either knew more than they are telling, or they are just trying to save face and everyone that acted questionably is going.

He stated that he was told something of a sexual nature occurred between a 58 year old and a 10 year old. *shrug*

Which he reported. The way it's worded in the report makes it sound like he was confused or shocked about what he was told. But again it's pretty vague. Can you really blame him for wanting to wash his hands of something like that? I think it's pretty safe to say that if most people didn't witness the event themselves they would want to do what they were obligated to do and get as far away from it as possible.

If he truly wanted to wash his hands of the situation Sandusky wouldn't have been constantly allowed to use football resources. If Paterno really wanted nothing more to do with the situation why was Sandusky allowed in closed practices accompanied by a young boy later in the decade? Why was Sandusky allowed to run an over night football camp on PSU practice fields in 2009?

 

[HuskerCarter]

it's much, much harder to perform at that kind of level of self-realization during a situation.

Well that's just too damn bad, tell it to the 40 kids or their families and see if they agree with you. "In the heat of the moment" doesn't absolve people of crimes of omission, just like it doesn't absolve them of crimes of commission.

And what exactly was Paterno's crime? Because apparently no one can find any legal issue with how he handled it. Oh, never mind, I forgot, it's a "moral" crime... and thus need not actually require any kind of factual basis or evidence to back up.

I don't have a horse in this race but, I believe its 9 with 40 charges, not kids, and even 1 is too many.

The report says 8 victims. they don't know the identity of the 8 victim. But Sandusky was around and had contact with several young buys due to his position with the charity.

 

[ZRod]

If he truly wanted to wash his hands of the situation Sandusky wouldn't have been constantly allowed to use football resources. If Paterno really wanted nothing more to do with the situation why was Sandusky allowed in closed practices accompanied by a young boy later in the decade? Why was Sandusky allowed to run an over night football camp on PSU practice fields in 2009?

I'm not trying to defend him I'm just trying to look at it from all perspectives. Obviously the higher ups lied about what they knew, but you can easily assume that Paterno could have thought the GA was overreacting and that the situation had been taken care of. Clearly if this is all true Sandusky is two faced and fooled a lot of people, so it's not too much of a stretch to imagine that if he had contact with Paterno after he left coaching he could have played the incident off. Like I said I'm just trying to see all sides.

And don't forget that nothing is set in stone yet because this wasn't a criminal trial only a grand jury hearing. All the facts will come out in the next few years once the actual trial begins.

 

[Scarlet"N"Cream]

Those Penn State fans at the riot make me SICK!! I have a sister that was sexually abused from a family member and when I see the way Joe Pa has spoken and how some of the Penn State fans have reacted just make me want to puke. Very sad.

 

[Hercules]

Those Penn State fans at the riot make me SICK!! I have a sister that was sexually abused from a family member and when I see the way Joe Pa has spoken and how some of the Penn State fans have reacted just make me want to puke. Very sad.

They know not what they do...

The fans are in denial, they have no perspective, and they feel the world has cornered them. For some of them, it might be a couple days, or a couple weeks, or a couple months, but they'll get over their emotional attachment to the football program and to JoePa and actually gain some perspective on just how disturbing this story is, and they'll probably regret their actions from tonight.

The way JoePa has spoken is also quite disturbing, but he's in denial just as much as the fans are. He may still be in denial about the whole thing, going all the way back to 2002. He and the fans have without a doubt lost perspective, but I think for the majority of those fans, it's a temporary lapse, and not something I would judge them too harshly on.

Does go to show why there's a pretty good case to be made for PSU forfeiting this Saturday... They currently just don't have any clue what this really is...

 

[Hercules]

BTW, anybody trying to excuse Paterno in this is not fully grasping the situation. JoePa was told that his employee had inappropriate relations with a 10 year old boy, and while he fulfilled his legal obligation in reporting it to his direct superior, he and everyone else involved failed to notify the police, and thus they failed to stop Sandusky from committing the same crime with multiple victims over the next NINE years.

JoePa's actions (or lack thereof) were not criminal in the legal sense, but his lack of action did enable crimes against humanity. He displayed an appalling lack of judgement and courage, and while I'd like to think that his actions were the result of denial (which while still indefensible, at least I could sort of understand it) and not indifference (which would basically make him soulless), it doesn't really matter. He failed to live up to the lowest of acceptable standards, and he deserved to be fired, and he deserves all of the heat coming his way in the media, and he deserves to have his otherwise sterling reputation tarnished.

 

[Hercules]

If he reported it to the administration (the people who should have handled it appropriately and understand their legal obligations more than Paterno), and then was unaware of their handling of the situation, I figure Joe Pa comes out the other side of this. Without more information regarding Joe Pa I won't pass judgement. Thank god those more deeply involved in this ARE getting removed.

it's been 9 years. Sure, JoePa could have reported it to his superiors expecting them to take it to the authorities. But when JoePa noticed Sandusky working out in PSU facilities last week, maybe he should have put in a call to the authorities and said, "Hey, I reported this wacko ages ago, and he's still out here!!!???"

 

[Scarlet"N"Cream]

Those Penn State fans at the riot make me SICK!! I have a sister that was sexually abused from a family member and when I see the way Joe Pa has spoken and how some of the Penn State fans have reacted just make me want to puke. Very sad.

They know not what they do...

The fans are in denial, they have no perspective, and they feel the world has cornered them. For some of them, it might be a couple days, or a couple weeks, or a couple months, but they'll get over their emotional attachment to the football program and to JoePa and actually gain some perspective on just how disturbing this story is, and they'll probably regret their actions from tonight.

The way JoePa has spoken is also quite disturbing, but he's in denial just as much as the fans are. He may still be in denial about the whole thing, going all the way back to 2002. He and the fans have without a doubt lost perspective, but I think for the majority of those fans, it's a temporary lapse, and not something I would judge them too harshly on.

Does go to show why there's a pretty good case to be made for PSU forfeiting this Saturday... They currently just don't have any clue what this really is...

No doubt there are fans in denial. Just hope they come to the realization someday they made a mistake protesting like this. We will always have "those fans", that will protest. It would have happened here also if the same events happend just the way our culture is. I'm sure and hope the majority of Penn State fans are thinking more clearly. Hopefully this is just a small bunch of fans.