Penn State

[Quake Softball]

Without a plea, guilty verdict, or even formal charges before now, there would've been no cause for Paterno to bar Sandusky from the campus unless he had direct knowledge or a good faith belief that Sandusky was, in fact, a predator.

Are you serious?

 

[SoftSocDad]

Taking irony to a whole new level of sick, here's a link to Jerry Sandusky's autobiography:

http://www.amazon.com/Touched-Jerry-Sandusky-Story/dp/1582613575

The title..."Touched". Explanation defied. He's a very prideful schemer.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Most of the Amazon reviews in that link are as expected quite negative and from 11/4/11 or later but the one old one from 2005 is depressing to read in light of recent events.

 

[SoftSocDad]

Are you serious?

When I was in junior high, I had a brilliant math teacher. He was a very personable man who was somewhat quirky. It was no big deal among the students, but because of some of his mannerisms, his style of dress, and the fact that he had neither a wife or girlfriend, it was generally assumed he was gay. Like I said, though, it didn't matter.

Years later, he was charged with taking indecent liberties with a minor. In a small town, the news spread quickly. After several months, however, he was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing and as it turned out, it all stemmed from a student and parent who, for reasons of their own, had made these false accusations. Some suspect money was the motive, others said it was because the student had not been selected for the math team. Regardless, the accusers eventually had to pay some small fine, but the teacher lost his job and had to move away after having been labeled as a predator.

No one wants children to be at the mercy of these beasts, but by the same token, we have an obligation to tread carefully when it comes to protecting the rest of us from being victimized by false accusations.

So to answer your question, if Sandusky was previously cleared of any criminal activity and if Coach Paterno had no reason to believe that the guy was a predator, then I accept Coach Paterno's decision not to bar him from the campus.

NOTE: I am NOT in any way defending Sandusky, even though he, too, deserves due process. I am merely standing up for the position of Coach Paterno in this affair and more importantly for the right of every American to receive a fair hearing before disposition is determined.

 

[InsidePitch]

Except a guy he thought enough of to hire as an assistant coach told him he witnessed Sandusky in the shower with a boy, doing sexual things. Please read the GJ report before defending anyone from PSU.

 

[Sweet Lou]

NOTE: I am NOT in any way defending Sandusky, even though he, too, deserves due process. I am merely standing up for the position of Coach Paterno in this affair and more importantly for the right of every American to receive a fair hearing before disposition is determined.

It is nice to stand up for due process but Paterno isn't being railroaded to jail here. I think you are misguided in your seeming support of JoePa on this one.

Here are some links from arond the web curtesy of ESPN Penn State links from around the Web - Big Ten Blog - ESPN

and two that seem particularly on point -

•Colleague Mark Schlabach: "Finally, adults with backbones and courage made a prudent decision at Penn State. Paterno was fired because he failed miserably while making the biggest decision of his life."

•Yahoo! Sports' Pat Forde: "It’s the way some employers would treat a middle manager, not a legend. But in the end, maybe that’s heartlessly fitting – after all, Paterno abdicated his powerful role and played the part of a mid-level employee in passing the buck up the ladder when informed in 2002 that an alleged pedophile had raped a boy in the showers of his football complex. The crucial lack of leadership in a moment of dire crisis led to the end of his leadership at Penn State."

 

[PA SB Dad]

Don't think for one minute that the decision to fire Joe Paterno is rooted in ethics, morality, or casting blame on any one individual. It was strictly a business decision by the PSU Board of Trustees. To have Joe Paterno continue to lead the football program with all that is going on is too great a distraction, and the continued controversy surrounding these events will continue to damage PSU's reputation. The decision to replace Paterno enables the football program to concentrate on the business of playing football once again. This is not about whether Paterno is guilty or made to be a scapegoat. PSU cannot move past this dark sordid part of it's history while Paterno leads that program. That is the cold hard truth of the matter.

 

[nanotech14]

Don't think for one minute that the decision to fire Joe Paterno is rooted in ethics, morality, or casting blame on any one individual. It was strictly a business decision by the PSU Board of Trustees. To have Joe Paterno continue to lead the football program with all that is going on is too great a distraction, and the continued controversy surrounding these events will continue to damage PSU's reputation. The decision to replace Paterno enables the football program to concentrate on the business of playing football once again. This is not about whether Paterno is guilty or made to be a scapegoat. PSU cannot move past this dark sordid part of it's history while Paterno leads that program. That is the cold hard truth of the matter.

I live in Pa. to and I'am a Penn State fan,this is about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ that the school could lose.This whole thing to me,is about 5 or 6 people or how many ever failed to do what was right as a human being and that was to protect the small and weak,from a monster!!!!!Joe had a chance to protect the innocent children and failed them,as well as the others that knew that Sandusky "one of the lowest most vile creatures on earth" was doing this to kids,I hope he gets prison justice,prisoners even have honor when it comes to these vile creatures.sorry have to vent,this whole thing makes me sick!!!!

 

[mrslug01]

What really gets me now, is how Paterno, after admitting he could have done more then, forced the Board of Trustee's hands to fire him. He indirectly caused the riots last night because that HAD to fire him. If he resigned, this would probably have played out differently. This just goes to show again how much power this guy had and how closed minded he was (or just completely insane and incapable of rational decisions at 84). I would be willing to bet he was advised many times this week that he should resign. I have not heard one Ex PSU player stand up for Paterno all week. NONE. The riots last night were stunning. My duaghter is 18 and in college and I hope she's not that stupid. I'll be asking her soon.

 

[livingontheroad]

You can bank on the fact that for many years Joe Paterno held a degree of power in Penn State unmatched but for a couple of other high ranking officials.

I personally have no doubt that cover up of the incident was intentional to avoid bad publicity for the university and Paterno. When a child is victimized by one of your coaches, and is on campus for an event you sponsored, you are negligent. There were obviously NO child protection efforts made to prevent such things from happening, with a coach that had been rumored to be prone to such things.
A court would have awarded millions and severly hurt Penn State reputation. As will now happen too.

Bank on this. People will always do what is in their own best interest. Paterno did not pursue it because it wasnt in his best interest to do so. Neither did the university or officials, for the same reason.

A lot of people need to end up in jail over this, from university officials, to university police personnel, to possibly even Paterno when all the facts become known.

One news story today rumored that Sandusky was providing young boys to wealthy boosters too. If there is a shred of truth to that, Penn State will no longer have a football program. Hmmm that might have been worth covering up?