Penn State’s Trustees Recall Painful Decision to Fire Paterno

New York Times ^ | January 19, 2012 | PETE THAMEL and MARK VIERA

[Second Amendment First]

It was growing late on the night of Nov. 9, 2011. John P. Surma, the chief executive of U.S. Steel and the vice chairman of Penn State University’s board of trustees, sat at a rectangular table at the Penn Stater Hotel. Gov. Tom Corbett of Pennsylvania was on the speaker phone. Other trustees were present, many emotionally spent.

The board, scrambling to address the child sexual abuse scandal involving the university and its football program, had already decided to remove Graham B. Spanier as president. Then, many of those present recalled this week, the tension in the room mounted. Joe Paterno’s future was next up. Surma announced that an agreement appeared to have been reached to fire Paterno, too — the trustees having determined that he had failed to take adequate action when he was told that one of his longtime assistants had been seen molesting a 10-year-old boy in Paterno’s football facility.

Surma, those present recalled, surveyed the other trustees — there are 32 — for their opinions and emotions before asking one last question: “Does anyone have any objections? If you have an objection, we’re open to it.”

No one in the room spoke. There was silence from the phone speakers. Paterno’s 46-year tenure as head coach of one of the country’s storied college football programs was over, and the gravity of the action began to sink in.

[dools007]

The fired Pres. Spanier had a problem in Nebraska over a homsexual issue. He left Nebraska and returned to Penn State. He began his university teaching career at Penn State. He taught psychology. Along the way his specialty became “swinging” couples. Certainly that qualified him to be a university president.

Upon his assumption of the PSU presidency he vowed to make it the most gay friendly university in the country.

I’ve only had an opportunity to see him in person once for a couple of hours at a luncheion where he spoke. The occasion was my 45th year graduation anniversity.

Based on what I admit was a relatively short and arms length observation of the man I think he is gay or a switch hitter. I’d stake my 68 year life experience on it.

I’m well aware of PA’s Pubbie governor and congressional makeup. But we’re talking about PA here. It’s like Romney, a Pubbie, getting elected governor in the Socialist Republic of MA. Pubbie does not equal conservative. Mostly Pubbie equals RINO. I firmly believe that’s why Santorum was not reelected there. He is a real deal conservative.

[WPaCon]

Based on what I admit was a relatively short and arms length observation of the man I think he is gay or a switch hitter. I’d stake my 68 year life experience on it.

I've never met him, but without having any knowledge of his past or background, the people I went to college with and I always thought there was something weird about him. We didn't know what specifically was his deal, but seemingly every time he was brought up in conversation, people would say they think he is either gay or a pedophile.

I firmly believe that’s why Santorum was not reelected there. He is a real deal conservative.

I don't quite agree with you. Pennsylvania is no Massachusetts when it comes to politics. I'd say it's slightly blue, while Massachusetts is heavily blue. Santorum's loss to Casey is mostly due to the Democrats doing so well in 2006 and Casey benefiting from his name, although Pennsylvania being a slightly blue state did not help. Anyway, this is mostly besides the point.