Penn State

[Quake Softball]

Joe Paterno teaches football. He never has taught leadership or character. Based upon his conduct in this matter, his leadership and character is questionable.

You obviously know nothing of Paterno. Have you ever listened to people who have come in contact with him over his long career? If you had your statement would have never been made.

He was a long time leader and he made a HUGE mistake. But it doesn't wipe out all of the good he has done in the past. That being said I will never look at him in the same light again. He has to go. So does every other person involved.

 

[Sweet Lou]

If you read the grand jury transcripts, it was pretty clear that Sandusky was a pro at seducing children. You don't get that good without lots of practice. I bet it goes higher than 20.

I bet Paterno knew long before McQueary ever talked to him that something was going on.

Sadly I agree 100% with both of these statements.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

It remains to be seen how much Paterno actually knew or believed. Either way, he was duped by a pro and taken advantage of.

 

[mrslug01]

'Moral guide'?

Someone hears a rumor, reports what he's heard to his superior, and then at 75+ years of age, he is expected to somehow become a private investigator, police department/DA's office watchdog (to ensure they're doing their jobs), and social worker??

Some of you really crack me up with your lack of understanding about the real world.

You're kidding right? Age is irrelavant. If he was not capable of doig his job at 75 he should not have been doing his job. They all basically pushed this guy out the door knowing he would molest again. They just didn't want it on their campus anymore. Disgusting.

 

[FPMark]

The 2002 incident was not the first. There was 1998 "investigation" that now appears a total sham investigation where Sandusky was "cleared of any wrong doing". And if the time line is acurate there were at least 9 victims over a 15 year period from 1994 - 2009.

It really hard to defend anyone involved in this whole sad story with Sandusky clearly being the worst of the bunch.

But it seems like McQuery, the janitors who witnessed a similar incendent, Paterno, McQuery's father, the AD-Curly and the VP-Schultz all dropped the ball to some extent or other on this.

I would say more like accomplices than having dropped the ball. Mcquery and the janitors who eyewitnessed these activities could not possibly have any doubt as to what they saw. If they saw Sandusky back at the campus, I would consider it their duty and moral responsability to have him removed immediatly, whatever it takes. Not having done so is, IMO, ignoring the facts and enabling the activity to continue.

We know these eyewitnesses did not do enough, what we don't know is how believable the story they told to their superiors was, or how insistant they were when reporting it that something should be done. McQuery's father, Paterno, AD-Curly, and VP-Schultz were all going on second or third hand information of the incidents. Not saying they are guiltless, just saying we don't know how hard they were pushed by the actual witnesses to do something about the situation.

The witnesses had many options to have the problem solved, and apparently, the college chain of command was the worst. Police dept., FBI, newspapers, and TV would have cetainly been better options.

 

[Sweet Lou]

FPMark - no argument from me. There is a good piece here that really details the time line. Especially the 1998 "incident" and 1999 early retirement of Sandusky

Madden: Sandusky a State secret - Timesonline.com: Mark Madden:

that makes a very strong case that Paterno and Penn St. knew what was going on all the way back to at least 1998 and it looks like they did what the could to hush it to Penn State football ahead of the kids in the Second Mile program.

 

[SoftSocDad]

He may be old but he can remember plays, offenses and defenses of his team and those he is playing. I doubt his mind was feeble. That said, it was not a rumor that he was presented with. Someone witnessed this guy with a child in the shower. I didn't expect him to launch a personal investigation but how does one put that image away and forget about it. I expect if he hears about a player acting up he's on top of it and follows up. Something about this just doesn't pass the smell test.

Someone tells you they saw something which you yourself did NOT see and you think that's not a rumor? Ok, let's just call it hearsay, because that's exactly what it is.

There are thousands of moving parts to manage in the course of running his program. There simply aren't enough hours in the day for a person to do all these things that an uninformed public expects of them. Had he observed a crime taking place, he would have had a moral obligation to 1) try to intervene to stop the act and 2) a civic duty to report what he'd observed to the campus police as quickly as possible.

This would be true even if the observed act did not involve a minor.

It's ok to want to bring those involved in a cover-up to justice, but haven't they already been charged? It's ridiculous for you guys to be arguing that essentially everyone who had a job at Penn St. during those years should be dismissed because investigators and the DA weren't able or did not choose to file formal charges sooner.

The rush to judgment against Paterno is completely without merit.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Someone tells you they saw something which you yourself did NOT see and you think that's not a rumor? Ok, let's just call it hearsay, because that's exactly what it is.

There are thousands of moving parts to manage in the course of running his program. There simply aren't enough hours in the day for a person to do all these things that an uninformed public expects of them. Had he observed a crime taking place, he would have had a moral obligation to 1) try to intervene to stop the act and 2) a civic duty to report what he'd observed to the campus police as quickly as possible.

This would be true even if the observed act did not involve a minor.

It's ok to want to bring those involved in a cover-up to justice, but haven't they already been charged? It's ridiculous for you guys to be arguing that essentially everyone who had a job at Penn St. during those years should be dismissed because investigators and the DA weren't able or did not choose to file formal charges sooner.

The rush to judgment against Paterno is completely without merit.

What? The problem seems to be the 2002 incident wasn't reported to the police. The reason it is coming up now is becase another child filed a seperate complaint in 2009 and after an 18 month grand jury investigation the 2002 incident was one of the things uncovered and part of the charges against Sandusky.

And as I understand it the 1998 incident that was never proscecuted which allegedly involved in appropriate touching was something Sandusky did admit to to Paterno and is speculated what led to Sandusky's early retirement from Penn St. at age 55.

As more and more info is coming out on this Paterno is looking worse, not better.

You can say - Joe did all he was required to under the law. But come on. This is not looking good for anyone who was involved with this.

 

[InsidePitch]

Someone tells you they saw something which you yourself did NOT see and you think that's not a rumor? Ok, let's just call it hearsay, because that's exactly what it is.

No, you are mistaken. If I saw it and told you and you told someone else that would be hearsay. But since I witnessed it and told you that is eyewitness testimony on my part and not hearsay.

 

[SoftSocDad]

No, you are mistaken. If I saw it and told you and you told someone else that would be hearsay. But since I witnessed it and told you that is eyewitness testimony on my part and not hearsay.

Mmm, you might want to check the rules of logic on that claim of yours.

The moment Paterno reports what he heard, then we're already in the realm of hearsay.