Posted on 11/26/2012 11:09:48 PM PST by FlJoePa
Much has been written, and will be written, about the tremendous job Coach Bill O'Brien did in guiding Penn State's football team, the university and all of Nittany Nation this season and it will all be well deserved. Similarly, Michael Mauti, Michael Zordich, Matt McGloin and others will be lauded as the embodiment of leadership and excellence and, like the accolades given to O'Brien, it will be well deserved. However, there is another person to whom we owe a bit of gratitude for the great season that was 2012 and that is the late Joe Paterno.
When recruiting young men to come to Penn State to play football, Paterno always focused as much on the character and academic capabilities of a young man as much as 40-yard dash times and bench presses. He would then mold those young men into the leaders that became the embodiment of the "Grand Experiment." In so doing, he would create a team that would often out-heart, as well as out-talent, other teams.
Over the course of the last thirteen months, the "Grand Experiment" has been transformed from a badge of honor to a punchline by many in the national punditry. They have mocked Joe's legacy of teaching young men how to be leaders in their communities. Yet, since Mark Emmert handed down his "crippling sanctions," the young men who comprised this year's senior class have led this team, this school and this community in a manner that befits their distinction of having been Penn State football players and have restored honor to that distinction. In short, the young men who led this team, this year became the outstanding men Paterno promised their parents they would be. It is not only a testament to the outstanding character of these Seniors, but also to the vision employed by Paterno since the 1960s.
In the years ahead, as the sanctions wane and Coach O'Brien is able to recruit a full compliment of players and compete for bowl games, B1G titles and National Championships, the 2012 Senior Class' accomplishments on the field will blend into the tapestry of Penn State football history. But their vital role as links in the chain between the Paterno and O'Brien eras will ensure that the Grand Experiment continues to be bigger than any one player, coach or team. It will be about a university, nestled in the mountains of Pennsylvania that continues to thrive by a code of conduct that places wins and losses in their proper perspective. That is Joe Paterno's legacy and it lives on today. For their role in healing a community, the 2012 Senior Class may be Paterno's finest recruiting class and, as such, is the greatest gift he ever gave to the university he loved so much.
You have to wonder if the lynch mob that went after Paterno with such glee will ever feel any shame or embarrassment.
They won’t.
Even the biographer (Posanski) who almost lived with him for the last 1.5 years of his life says out LOUD that if Joe knew any harm was being done to any kid, at any time, he would have walked to the police station immediately.
Anyone that knows anything about the man doesn’t believe the things that have been written about him. It’s a sad state when dishonest people like louis freeh dishonor honorable people like Joe Paterno.
It’s an ever sadder state when people gobble it up as truth with absolutely no evidence to back it up.
Good thing you started this thread now rather than during the day when the Paterno haters would be out in full force.
I still feel very bad that JoPa was not sent away in prison jammies with his buddy, Sandusky.
Never had any use for JoPa before the scandal much less during the scandal when he pretended to not have any knowledge of what was happening to those little kids.
But then his court time before God was probably swifter than Sandusky's. Nothing but my deepest sympathy for those families of the kids who were subjected to JoPa and company all those years.
I’ll be here tomorrow. Just up late. I don’t sweat the onslaught. If you saw my freep mail and the hateful stuff I’ve received simply due to my nickname, you’d be shocked.
Haters hate. Those that speak the loudest hated Joe even before the second mile (not the Penn State) scandal.
This was just their (like the media) chance to tear him down.
The truth will come out. The trials will be delayed again and the b.o.t. will continue to misuse their power. But the truth will come out.
61 years wasn’t an act.
Why don’t you click on a couple of the links I provided and see what people that know a HELL A LOT MORE THAN YOU about it have to say?
Aside from that woman in the late '90s NOT ONE VICTIM, or relative of any victim, of Sandusky ever came forward. Who can point a finger at a man and proclaim him a homosexual child molester unless, at the very least, a couple of victims come forward or they see something with their own two eyeballs? Sandusky was, like most predators, very sneaky. He fooled everybody.
Not only did no victims ever come forward to accuse Sandusky, but neither did anybody else close to Sandusky during the 14 years since he left the football program - - not his friends, not his family, not his business associates, not his Second Mile associates... Nobody. There had to be 20, 30, 50(?) people who were relatives or regular associates of Sandusky during the past 14 years who never said jack about any suspicions they may have harbored. Nope, nobody saw nothin'.
But it's all Paterno's fault. Let's tear down the statue and erase hime from memory. I lived at Penn State for 5 years and graduated in the mid '70s. Guess what? This is the last time I will ever admit that. I want no association with an institution that has not a shred of loyalty or common decency. The actions of Penn State as they relate to Joe Paterno have been aa absolute disgrace. The very thought of that place makes me sick to my stomach.
By the way, did you happen to watch the Spike Lee tribute to Michael Jackson on ABC last Thursday night?
FRegards,
LH
Some universities exist only as life support for a foorball of basketball program. Just look at where the cash is spent. We fund lavishly what we value most.
Some universities exist only as life support for a foorball or basketball program. Just look at where the cash is spent. We fund lavishly what we value most.
Freeh’s report is a prosecutor’s closing statement - - totally one-sided and self-serving. What Freeh claims as “reasonable to conclude” is strictly his opinion, with zero input from anybody who could speak for (the then deceased) Joe Paterno. The report is short on balance and long on “reasonable to conclude”s.
“Even the biographer (Posanski) who almost lived with him for the last 1.5 years of his life says out LOUD that if Joe knew any harm was being done to any kid, at any time, he would have walked to the police station immediately.”
Horsepuckey! He knew and he didn’t; his legacy, pay and rep were more important to him than those abused kids that he ignored and abandoned!!
JC
Never! May the pedophile enable sizzle in hell forever!
AMEN
Go Penn State! The entire episode should be an embarrassment to EVERYONE! I never saw such nonsense in my life. Thankfully Penn State will survive this and go on to play great football and turn out some damn good students and tax payers for our future of the United States! Penn States students just might help the United States to get out of the mess we are in financially (with the help of many others).
Paterno passed before he had an opportunity to defend himself. We will never know the context of his actions or inactions. I trust that he received a fairer hearing before his Maker than the witch hunt trial he received on earth.
Never.
People have it in their heads Paterno knew what was going on and protected Sandusky and nothing will ever convince them otherwise.
I hate Penn State admin and board for what they did to Paterno before and after his death. By their actions they are scapegoating a dead man who never had his day in court. And would not have even if he lived because there is no evidence against him.
They even took away the family's ability to clear Joe's name through legal means with their rediculous agreement with the NCAA.
Bunk!
Didn't Joe Paterno say to a large group of students that had assembled outside his home, "I wish I had done more"?
If that wasn't a flat-out admission of his participation in a cover-up, I don't know what is.
If a person has knowledge of a crime they are supposed to report it to the police. Not their superiors at work.
The NCAA exceeded their authority by penalizing these players, the student body who support them and the players who went before them. They had absolutely nothing to do with this scandal.........
The old geezer should have retired a couple decades ago.
“They have mocked Joe’s legacy of teaching young men how to be leaders in their communities.”
Well c’mon! Joe kinda dropped the ball when he had the chance to protect a kid from one of his buddies. Not a crapload of leadership there.
Ridiculous...in any given college sports related scandal, 99-100% of the players had nothing to do with it...and when you factor in that you could ALWAYS make a case that 100% of the freshmen coming in had nothing to do with "last year's scandal," you'd never be able to level ANYTHING vs. a single school using your lame-brain logic.
And so what did JoePa do in the long run to properly ensure that the one eyewitness he knew of followed thru on his silence? Why first he made the shower scene witness into a wide receivers coach. Then he gave him yet a 2nd promotion as head of recruiting.
Nice job buying that witness' silence.
What? Did you just bury McQueery's account and testimony about what he saw -- and his meeting with Paterno the next day reporting to Paterno what he saw?
I hate Penn State admin and board for what they did to Paterno before and after his death. By their actions they are scapegoating a dead man who never had his day in court. And would not have even if he lived because there is no evidence against him.
When JoePa was still alive, Scott Ostler wrote a great column addressing this argument: Penn State's Joe Paterno gets what he deserves
From the Ostler column: With responsibility comes responsibility."
From the column: "With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more," Paterno said in a statement. That's pathetic. You need hindsight to tell you that you must do whatever you can to stop a dangerous criminal?
From the column: Several e-mailers demand, "Have you ever heard of due process?" The due process I've heard of involves a justice system and a legal trial. Paterno faces no legal action or charge. Legally, his rear end is covered. But there was no trial when Paterno was sainted, no jury declared him one of the noblest and finest college coaches of all time. The public decided. It's the same deal on the flip side...
(I see that Penn State won the Ped Bowl this year, beating pedophile Kinsey defending Indiana University)
(I see that Penn State won the Ped Bowl this year, beating pedophile Kinsey defending Indiana University)
Who cares. You know we had a guy in the Navy who was a pediphile....we kicked him out of the Navy and the authorities took care of him. Penn State did the same thing or do you think that every organization that has a pediphile should be looked down on. God Bless Joe Paterno!!!! He and his team are incredible people and thank God for the Penn State Fans who don’t let little weasles get them down!!!! Keep your head held high!!! You are 100 percent a perfect team and University!!!
When it comes to child abuse there are specific laws to be followed. In the case McQueery saw, police can only respond to eyewitness(McCueery) or proper reporting authority(Penn State police or admin). What Paterno had was 2nd hand info and not complete. By law he had to go through proper channels which he did. Even if Paterno went to the police there's no guaranty anything would have been done since Paterno wasn't the proper reporting authority. Plus you have the '98 incident which the DA dropped which doesn't say much for local officials.
As they say, hindsight is 20/20. I'm sure Paterno wished he did more, that's a completely natural feeling. But that doesn't mean he knew what was going on.
All the NCAA sanctions are based on stuff that happened after Sandusky left Penn State and before the legal process could play out. Why the big hurry?
Also, IIRC Sandusky was aquited of the McQueery incident. Not that he should have been but but the only incident remotely involving Paterno resulted in aquital which makes the sanctions BS in my book.
I found this letter to the editor of the State College newspaper (written by Carol Roman) interesting...Here's an excerpt:
Bill Pennington, of the New York Times, wrote an article (“Once Ubiquitous on Campus, ‘Paterno’ is No Longer Uttered”) this weekend about how Joe Paterno’s name is hardly mentioned at all in State College anymore. Isn’t that what the press wanted? Countless articles and broadcasts were made about how Paterno should not be honored in any way. Penn State administration complied. Paterno’s statue was taken down and is now in hiding somewhere in State College never to be seen again. His name was taken off trophies and buildings.
Source: Your letters: Blame the Media
As Carol Roman points out -- and among FR posters, Lancey Howard, who also points out, you can't just "blame the media." Lancey Howard focused on Penn State itself.
Carol Roman said "Penn State administration complied."
If people are upset, they should be upset with Penn State administration...which, btw, was what got Penn State into hot water to begin with (coupled with the actual Sandusky crimes themselves)
(So that's why...as I cited a State College letter writer in my last post...said that "Paterno’s statue was taken down and is now in hiding somewhere in State College never to be seen again. His name was taken off trophies and buildings. ... 'Twas cause of his "character focus" that Penn State people themselves are relatively silent about Paterno.)
Source: Your letters: Blame the Media
And so...let's put this on your ethical shoulders. Let's say you're a powerful boss somewhere.
An employee underling reports to you that he saw a former employee sexually assault a boy in the corporate showers.
What would you do?
Would you, as Paterno did over the long run, ensure that the still-silent witness got key promotions (to first one position, and then to a key coveted second spot)???
Companies and universities try to set up 'required' reporting channels as a CYA mechanism and to handle the PR battle. Those private attempts to protect the company or university have nothing whatsoever to do with actual reporting rights and obligations.
Nothing in Pennsylvania law requires a party to go through a chain of reporting. Nothing in Pennsylvania law prohibits a party from reporting any knowledge they have of child abuse. Police will listen to anyone who has credible information about child abuse.
By law he had to go through proper channels . . .
Absolute, complete, 100%, total, unadulterated hogwash.
Yeah...and now you're going to lecture all of us about all those college players who are temporarily removed from games or teams for dui s or other crim actions, eh?
BYU had two players involved in a restaurant fracus this year. Not only were they off the team in two days, but off the campus as well!!!
Where's your sanctimonious defense of those players...being booted off the team & even off-campus "before the legal process played out"???
The problem is that JoePa apologists like yourself NEVER go to bat for any of these college dui criminals (& assaulters)
Yes, ironically he was acquitted of that charge.
Perhaps someday one of the Paterno-hating mice around here will be seen hugging their grandson and get reported to the cops and accused of being a homosexual pedophile. Then, after the mouse gets cleared the accuser can just shrug and say, "Oops. Sorry about that, heh heh." Those scumbags think it's so easy to point a finger at another man and accuse him of being a homosexual child predator? Okay.
OBVIOUSLY, with 20/20 hindsight and with knowledge of the grand jury testimony against Sandusky, Paterno "wishes he had done more." Freaking duh...
Anyway, I'm done with this thread. Some posters are thoughtful and some are just simple, puffed up, wanna-be avengers with 20/20 hindsight who would think nothing of accusing another man of a heinous crime without themselves witnessing the abuse, and without even a single victim stepping forward during the course of the decade from 1998 until 2008.
FRegards, and good luck arguing with the simple mice!
LH
(Better listen to Scoutmaster, NEPA...he should know...with his own law industry background)
By law he had to go through proper channels . . . (NEPA)
Absolute, complete, 100%, total, unadulterated hogwash. (Scoutmaster)
Amen! Hogwash indeed.
The length JoePA apologists go to try to defend the indefensible.
I recall when the Okla State pulled a player from the Ok State - K State game...the player had been going 92 in a 60 zone and was arrested for DUI...
The way JoePa apologists play their game is to basically launch a crusade vs. any coach from pulling a player from a game "until the legal process has played out"...IF they were in ANY way consistent, that is...which they're not...'cause we don't see them goin to bat for all these players removed from rosters (either temp removal, or like BYU, more permanent)...
MORE Hogwash!!!
BYU even had a basketball player suspended from the roster after his girlfriend got pregnant.
There wasn't even a "legal process" to play out there...
Did NEPA go on various Web sites protesting such a roster removal?
What a ridiculous statement!
Penn State gave sandusky (post-employment) ongoing access to its locker room, including the infamous showers...
This much could not have gone on for so long without willing participants
The biggest question here is WHERE WILL THIS GROUP OF PERVERTS MOVE TO NEXT?
Every university that willingly harbors a pedophile for years...Sandusky had shower access til about 2008...should have a frown bigger than what the NCAA dealt out to Penn State...otherwise, you wouldn't have three Penn State admins going on trial, would you???
Seems to me if it was up to the State College people & Penn State alum, they'd cover up not only the Sandusky crimes, but the crimes their admins committed...all in the name of not tarnishing their precious reputation!
There really isn't a nicer way to frame how most of them have reacted...
"Yes, ironically he was acquitted of that charge."
* * * * * *
Nonsense. There were five counts (Counts 7-11) related to Victim 2, the McQueary/shower incident victim. Sandusky was found guilty on four of those five counts.
Nonsense. There were five counts (Counts 7-11) related to Victim 2, the McQueary/shower incident victim. Sandusky was found guilty on four of those five counts. [Scoutmaster]
ALL: Note how Penn State alumni -- like Lancey here -- will toss their credibility...all in the name of partially deflecting the acts of a Penn State pedophile!
Anyway, I'm done with this thread. Some posters are thoughtful and some are just simple, puffed up, wanna-be avengers...
While others...namely Penn State alumni who dont appreciate the depreciation of their B.A. degree...wind up posting apologetics on behalf of Penn State's PR dept!
Thank you for posting this article....daughter and hubby both have degrees from Penn State...a very good school...I feel badly for all involved...especially, the victims...what a tragedy....
Ya know, ya really can't fault Penn State sophomores & upper-classmen...and 2nd-year grad students...for their tuition $ paying the continued salaries of two pedophile harborers...Penn State admin-leave Tim Curley...and ex-Pres Graham Spanier...who, tho no longer a Penn State prez, is still a tenured prof there...
Those Penn State students didn't really know what they were getting themselves into reputation-wise.
But Penn State freshmen and first-year grad students have no such excuse.
They knew the depreciated value of a Penn State degree...and Penn State's continued linkages with ped harborers...they moved into their collegiate programs with eyes wide-open.
So future employers. Keep that in mind when it comes to the classes of 2016 and 2017 re: Penn State grads. Zero discernment there!
A former very good school...
...That's been downgraded by corruption from within...
...The result of sports power & "protect-the-rep" at any cost...
The scandalous Penn State athletic director is still on the Penn State payroll, as is tenured prof Graham Spanier, showing what open cowards the Penn State admins are to get rid of these two.
And the fact that there's been ZERO pressure by Penn State people, State College residents, and Penn State alum to dump Curley & Spanier shows that they are all part of the problem...NOT the solution.
Ridiculous...... using your lame-brain logic.
If you are leveling that statement towards me and what you are quoting, then I would suggest you sober up and re-read what I posted and what you posted........
Going off on tangents get you nowhere dude. Why don't you get back on track here and focus, focus like a laserbeam OK?
This is a criminal offense involving Paterno and his superiors, not a violation of NCAA football or general athletic rules, there is a big difference there Mr. Einstein.
And as a side note, your equally ridiculous statement "The problem is that JoePa apologists like yourself NEVER go to bat for any of these college dui criminals (& assaulters)
Why should we, they're thugs! Unfortunately you fail to recognize the fact that their individual actions as athletes do not result in sanctions being imposed on their respective universities.
To impose sanctions on Penn State as a university for the possible civil actions of Paterno and his superiors is equivalent to preventing the sales of Chrysler autos due to the arrest of Sergio Marchionne.......
As I said previously, this is a criminal action against university management which has nothing to do with NCAA athletic rules violations and the NCAA has exceeded it's authority...
I would have done exactly what Paterno did. Based on the "alleged" info given to me by a subordinate, I would have immediately gone to my superiors with the information.......Kudos to Joe Pa for doing the right thing.
YOU: Why don't you get back on track here and focus, focus like a laserbeam OK? This is a criminal offense involving Paterno and his superiors, not a violation of NCAA football or general athletic rules, there is a big difference there Mr. Einstein.
Hey, I bold-faced & underlined it 4U...so that you could actually get on track and BEGIN to focus...
What is a DUI if not a "criminal" offense?
What is assault -- like the two BYU players accused of -- and charged in Provo UTAH -- if not a "criminal" offense?
Otherwise, are you serious? Are you awake? Did you forget your a.m. energy drink and coffee?
DUIs and criminal assault inside of a restaurant is not mere a "violation of NCAA football or general athletic rules..."...wow...you've gotta be the dumbest poster on FR...
Allow me to repeat myself--but reword it--to make it as clear as possible 4U:
If you are a college player...and you are arrested for a DUI offense...the effect goes beyond what happens in a criminal court...For example, like the Oklahoma State player arrested for a DUI, the effect of that meant football game discipline of missing one game.
For the two BYU football players charged with assault, the effect of that was (a) dismissal from the football squad; and (b) dismissal from the campus.
Genius...those are ALL things that go beyond the courtroom!
In these cases above, the penalties were imposed by (a) the coach in the Okla State case; and (b) first the BYU athletic dept in conjunction with the BYU coach in being dismissed from the team; and (c) the BYU admin in being dismissed from the campus.
If the coach, athletic dept, and even the university admin can weigh in in imposing penalties beyond the courtroom, ya better believe the NCAA has the power to sanction as well.
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