Joe Paterno talks for 1st time since his firing

CBS News ^ | January 14, 2012 | Sally Jenkins

[Zakeet]

Joe Paterno sat in a wheelchair at the family kitchen table where he has eaten, prayed and argued for more than a half-century. All around him family members were shouting at each other, yet he was whispering. His voice sounded like wind blowing across a field of winter stalks, rattling the husks. Lung cancer has robbed him of the breath to say all that he wants to about the scandal he still struggles to comprehend, and which ended his career as head football coach at Penn State University. The words come like gusts. "I wanted to build up, not break down," he said.

[Snip]

Paterno's hope is that time will be his ally when it comes to judging what he built, versus what broke down. "I'm not 31 years old trying to prove something to anybody," he said. "I know where I am." This is where he is: wracked by radiation and chemotherapy, in a wheelchair with a broken pelvis, and "shocked and saddened" as he struggles to explain a breakdown of devastating proportions. Jerry Sandusky, his former assistant coach at Penn State from 1969 to 1999, is charged with more than 50 counts of sexually abusing young boys over a 15-year period. If Sandusky is guilty, "I'm sick about it," Paterno said.

[palmer]

At that point, Paterno set up a meeting for McQueary and Curley, the athletic director, and Schultz, who oversaw university police. McQueary has testified that he gave both men a far more graphic description of what he witnessed, which he believed to be Sandusky sodomizing a boy of about 10, who had his hands against the shower wall.

To me that means Paterno didn't really know what happened. Unless McQueary is still lying to protect his coach, then Paterno is off the hook.

[SengirV]

Not the ones who just met in King of Prussia. They were demanding that Pedo state reinstate JoePa for next season.

Scumbags

[Pharmboy]

There is thus no disagreement at all between us, friend...the crime was beyond the pale and awful, then the people who looked the other way were chickens and incredibly irresponsible and hard for normal people to understand, and then the tepid response from the board of trustees, the administration and the alumni was inept and dreadfully disappointing.

I wish them luck, but someone has to take charge and say OUT LOUD that JoePa was beyond inadequate and criminal in his neglect on this. Without that, the PSU brand will NEVER recover.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

That’s good to know. Thanks.

[MasterGunner01]

It isn't the crimes that were done to the children by the “gay mafia” enablers at PSU — it's the cover-up that will destroy more lives and careers.

Personally, my solution is to close down ALL the sports at PSU for 10 years and fire the entire athletic staff.

Then go after anyone who was involved in this cancer and put them behind bars.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

I agree... but there is a vacuum of information and nature abhors a vacuums and they must be filled.
And I am still wanting every single trustee to resign. All who were there and in charge must go.

[Scotswife]

The creamery doesn’t sell sundaes.

There may have been a flavor named after Sandusky - as there were after other people too.

[SpringtoLiberty]

All he had to do was pick up the phone and call the police. That’s all he had to do and he didn’t/ Epic Failure.

[Scotswife]

where did you see this photo?

You can get milkshakes, scoops in a dish, or cones.

You don’t get sundaes at the Creamery.

[SpringtoLiberty]

Sorry no, there was an article posted here yesterday stating the uproar in the latest alumni meeting. It lead to the admin finally admitting that they never actually fired this dirty old man and he will retire with full benefits.

[Scotswife]

“I didn’t know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was,” he said. “So I backed away and turned it over to some other people, people I thought would have a little more expertise than I did. It didn’t work out that way.”

I’m sorry Joe - I would really like to believe that.
But the JoePa I read about over the years doesn’t sound like this at all.
Afraid to do something? JoePa?
I just don’t buy it.

[muir_redwoods]

If I saw boys being raped or got credible word that it was happening I wouldn’t tell my boss, I’d tell the cops. Of course, I’m not a blow-hard octogenarian deep into denial about what’s going on in my own shop. Joe Paterno and the entire clown-like board at Penn State should go to prison.

[MrEdd]

Joe Pa shouldn’t be blamed for this garbage. Its not like he didn’t report it to the Penn State Administrators. They didn’t do their duty in reporting it to the police. Could Joe Pa been more aggressive in the matter?

Damned strait he could have, and as a member of the board of the charity wher Sandusky was getting the children, he should have.

Sure but if you report a crime and nothing gets done who’s fault is that?

If you are on the board of the charity where a pedophile is obtaining a Harem, your next step damned well better be to convene the board. Actually you should do that anyway.

Your comment about hurrying Joe Pa to hell is disgusting. Make sure you don’t go there instead.

Dirtbag, the persons in this forum calling for Sandusky anmd all his allies to be brought to justice are not the ones who are disgusting.

[MrEdd]

It isn’t as simple as most here are making it out to be.

Actually, if you have not elevated fully grown men running around in colorful clothing and playing a children's game with a ball up to the level of idolatry it is that simple.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Joe has failings. He isn’t a “dirty old man” - that is Sandusky

[353FMG]

“....never actually fired this dirty old man and he will retire with full benefits.”

.
They’re treating him like our dirty old congresscritters who write laws for the “common folks” to abide by but that they themselves do not want to be subjected to.

[chooseascreennamepat]

“Beyond arrogant, stupid and a total flaming Liberal!! “

I was under the impression that he was a conservative. Not true?

Isn’t it the left that abides and promotes NAMBLA?

[sand lake bar]

Paterno is a solid Republican. I know this to be the case. He’s a great man who faltered in this instance.

[bobby.223]

‘Faltered’ huh?? Faltered is if scum paterno forgot to pay his power bill for the month NOT when he knowingly allowed the continued rape of youngn’s. He is as every bit the monster that sandusky is. He will burn for allowing those children’s lives to be forever changed from what they would have been. How about if it had of been your young son or daughter being raped by sandusky and having paterno look the other way? Okay then? You paterno toadie shills make me sick.

[RedMDer]