Posted on 11/10/2011 4:17:57 AM PST by Scoutmaster
The Jerry Sandusky situation seems a matter of failure to connect certain dots, or perhaps unwillingness in that regard. Lots of people besides the former Penn State defensive coordinator have some explaining to do.
Allegations of improper conduct with an underage male first surfaced in 1998, while Sandusky was still employed by Penn State. That incident allegedly occurred in a shower at Penn State's on-campus football facility. No charges were filed.
Sandusky retired the next year, in 1999. He was 55, prime age for a coach. Odd, to say the least - especially with Joe Paterno thought even then to be ready to quit and Sandusky a likely, openly-discussed successor.
It seems logical to ask: What did Paterno know, and when did he know it? What did Penn State's administration know, and when did they know it?
Best-case scenario: Charges are never brought, and Sandusky walks away with his reputation permanently scarred. The rumors, the jokes, the sideways glances - they won't ever stop. Paterno and Penn State do the great escape . Worst-case scenario: Sandusky is charged. Then it seems reasonable to wonder: Did Penn State not make an issue of Sandusky's alleged behavior in 1998 in exchange for him walking away from the program at an age premature for most coaches? Did Penn State's considerable influence help get Sandusky off the hook? Don't kid yourself. That could happen. Don't underestimate the power of Paterno and Penn State in central Pennsylvania when it comes to politicians, the police and the media.
In 1999, Penn State was rid of Sandusky. His rep was unblemished, which allowed him to continue running a charitable foundation that gave him access to underage males. To be a volunteer assistant with a high school football team, thus gaining access to underage males.
If Paterno and Penn State knew, but didn't act, instead facilitating Sandusky's untroubled retirement - are Paterno and Penn State responsible for untoward acts since committed by Sandusky? This is far from an outrageous hypothesis, especially given the convenient timeline.
Initially accused in 1998. Retires in 1999. Never coaches college football again. Sandusky was very successful at what he did. The architect of Linebacker U. Helped win national championships in 1982 and 1986. Recognized as college football's top assistant in 1986 and 1999.
Never any stories about Sandusky being pursued for a high-profile job. Never any rumors about him coming out of retirement. But there's no shortage of stories and rumors about Penn State football sweeping problems under the rug, is there?
Why did college football let an accomplished coach like Sandusky walk away at 55? Why did he disappear into relative anonymity? A grand jury, spurred by a complaint made by a 15-year-old boy in 2009, has been investigating Sandusky for 18 months. Witnesses include Paterno and Penn State athletic director Tim Curley. Interviewing Paterno about a subject like this had to have been one of the single most uncomfortable acts in the history of jurisprudence.
Plenty of questions remain yet unanswered. Potentially among them: What's more important, Penn State football or the welfare of a few kids?
You might not want to hear the answer.
It’s hilarious to read the difference between the “comments” back in April compared to the ones made in November, 2011 at your link. LOL
How do they appoint as interim coach a guy who has been there for 33 years? He knew nothing about any of this..never heard a rumor?..oh pleeze
Sandusky was just recruiting future Penn State athletes.
He was training them to be compliant to the university norms./S
Great summary of how all fans/alumni of PSU, if they are able to see past their blind spots, should feel.
Big institutions and big money buy their own version of integrity. They can turn wrong into right. The problem was never viewed as Sandusky (or the church) harming kids, but what would happen to the brand of these institutions, money flow and litigation if the actions were exposed.
Every effort was directed to keep the waters smooth and Sandusky’s actions covered up, and in the end I believe it will be found that many others including local law enforcement and state politicians at the highest levels are involved. The effort to cover-up will continue. Those in charge never learn that it is the cover-up that becomes the problem.
This corruption and favoritism in the name of protecting institutions and politics and money is at the crux of what is wrong with the USA.
These universities should be putting the emphasis on educating Americans most efficiently at best cost, and yet that is a low priority, after football, sports, staff compensation, great benefits such as staff being able to send their kids to college tuition free, etc.
ping
good find on the article.
Was it just a week ago that Happy Valley was happy and JoePa was a role model beloved everywhere? sigh.
As you have shown very well....every day we are going to learn more that we don’t want to learn.
I want to cover my ears and yell “LA LA LA LA LA”!!!!!
PSU = Pervert State University
The problem here, one that we as conservatives ought to recognize right off, is the Cult of Personality. (Can someone insert one of those little trademark thingies here?)
In this case, the cult of JoePa who happens to be a senile relic of a football coach, being propped up in the press box a la Weekend at Ernie's while younger men in their 70's profit from the rape of young boys.
If it were an endemic problem to college sports, wouldn't we be seeing the same scandal at (fillinthenameofsomeoneelsesschoolormaybeyourschooltoo)?
Frankly it gives cashing in with some signed memorabilia or getting cut a little slack in calculus a bit different perspective, don't you think?
WARNING GRAPHIC!
Evidence can be.
Joe Pa was shown the door promptly when the cover-up was revealed - his legendary name was of no help to him. And that’s my point - big-time college atheletics is full of cover-ups already regarding financial payments, gifts and support to atheletes, so covering this up came naturally to them.
I read the grand jury report. It made my insides crawl. My opinion is there will be MANY more children to come forward now. That vile monster was doing this for 15-20 years, plying children into his home with gifts then doing disgusting things to them.
What he did with them in the showers is unspeakable, but just the tip of the iceberg.
The cynical side of me believes there is plenty more of this under-rug-sweeping going on in other universities. But I believe there’s going to be many many more instances of Sandusky’s behavior that will come forward in the near weeks.
Yep. I fear the good people of PA who have nothing to do with this are about to lose their university. Right now, high school kids are moving PSU from the top to the bottom of their list. Especially, high school student athletes being recruited by PSU are saying "I ain't going in that shower room, what was that coach from (school x)'s phone number again? Faculty are mulling over staying or going. Donors are reconsidering. And at last count that I heard, 20 victims are in lawyer's offices today talking about how much they're going to sue the fewk out of PSU for. (And 20 is just the tip of the iceberg, according to the smart money. This guy was having camps at PSU campi all over the State for years after...)
I concur.
I've been saying that when Joe Paterno dies I will mourn him as I mourned my father. Now I feel as if a family member was accused of a heinous crime...constantly feeling that knot in my stomach.
The things that I dwell on are
1) Joe did not perform the sexual abuse himself. That's where we are in society. The POS that abused those boys sits at home and waits for his punishment which he fully knows he deserves...meanwhile all the focus is on the "why didn't you DO something?" bystanders. Makes sense until you consider that Casey Anthony - who behaved like a high school party girl for 30 days while Caylee was "missing" - beat the endangering-the-welfare-of-a-child rap because "everyone grieves differently".
2) Maybe the sacrifice of Joe's dignity and the collapse of the Penn State value system will finally demonstrate to everyone who pays attention that promotion of open sex and sexually deviant behavior on college campuses is sending a sending a very, very bad signal.
3) Women are being raped on the OWS sites and the media overlooks it because the protesters are managing the situation themselves. Who will be charged with "why didn't you DO something?" in that situation?
Like we've never seen such in business, politics, entertainment, your local Symphony orchestra making a decision on who gets an endowed chair, or, say, oh... certain churches that condone the same thing.
No personal offense, but your position is myopic and probably self-serving in some way.
He was (or appeared to be) everything good and upstanding; tall, good-looking, clean, personable, out-going, easy to talk w/, a great athlete and an even better coach. He was Linebacker U....
...all of which just makes this more bizarre the more you think about it...I was a Second Mile fundraiser, a great dinner and Dick Vermiel speaking, and I forked over a tidy sum to this organization...partly based on Sandusky’s manner and his daughter’s compelling speech...I never, under any circumstances, would have believed this about him...and I’m the anti PSU curmudgeon in my family, the one who doesn’t genuflect when stepping upon PSU soil, the one who believes the blasphemy that Paterno should have retired years ago...even I am shocked...
...that said, Paterno is better off now...he is free of the stain, he has received his due (hopefully, he is not besiged with legal depositions for the rest of what will be his short life), and we can all go on about the business of restoring his image, without having this hanging above us...
No! There is a word for what you are suggesting and it's blackmail. I doubt that anyone at Penn state stipulated anything, as it would make them not only complicit, but guilty of blackmail as well. Such a stipulation would be highly illegal. Courts may stipulate things like can't coach, can't be around children, but universities cannot.
...I was a Second Mile fundraiser...
...should read, ‘I was at a Second Mile fundraiser...’
It's a very good point. From an institutional standpoint, the big mistake made by the PSU Board of Trustees was in allowing one man to remain in position for 40+ years. While it is seemingly a good story, in reality that sort of longevity allows someone to consolidate power and put "his" people in place, which is exactly what happened here.
Sandusky was there for 30+ years. McQueary was a State College resident who played at Penn State, became a grad assistant and then an assistant coach. Tim Curley grew up in State College and attended Penn State. Gary Schultz is a "local" as well.
All of these people were put there by Paterno, and it's debatable whether they'd be in place if there had been some turnover at the football head coaching position. And this ended up being the group of people who aided and abetted Sandusky in order to protect the institution and Paterno - to which their own future was heavily tied.
Terrible governance...and if/when the bleeding stops, that's what the Board of Trustees has set about fixing.
Mark Madden has a history of throwing mud. Rarely does it stick.
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