Penn State AD and Sandusky Charged

[BigMike]

The real question is will O'Brien keep the enablers on staff?

If Larry Johnson and Bradley are not fired, then in my opinion, Penn State has done nothing to clean up the cesspool they have. It is impossible to think that Bradley and Johnson didn't know what happened with Sandusky and yet continued to hang around with him

I suspect most if not all of the Penn St Defensive staff will be maintained, and if that happens, I have no sympathy for them, and will root for biblically bad things to happen to O'Brien, Bradley, Johnson and everyone associated

 

[Kremlin Watcher]

The real question is will O'Brien keep the enablers on staff?

If Larry Johnson and Bradley are not fired, then in my opinion, Penn State has done nothing to clean up the cesspool they have. It is impossible to think that Bradley and Johnson didn't know what happened with Sandusky and yet continued to hang around with him

I suspect most if not all of the Penn St Defensive staff will be maintained, and if that happens, I have no sympathy for them, and will root for biblically bad things to happen to O'Brien, Bradley, Johnson and everyone associated

I think that might be a function of the results of the Freeh investigation. If its findings indicate that the staff had, or should have had, knowledge of Sandusky's activities, then clearly they cannot remain on staff. But if the investigation is silent on the topic, then I could see how that culture would allow them to stay. And then, yes, biblically bad things would be the appropriate order of business.

 

[jsinger121]

The real question is will O'Brien keep the enablers on staff?

If Larry Johnson and Bradley are not fired, then in my opinion, Penn State has done nothing to clean up the cesspool they have. It is impossible to think that Bradley and Johnson didn't know what happened with Sandusky and yet continued to hang around with him

I suspect most if not all of the Penn St Defensive staff will be maintained, and if that happens, I have no sympathy for them, and will root for biblically bad things to happen to O'Brien, Bradley, Johnson and everyone associated

I have to believe they all will be gone. Why would O'Brien want to keep any of these guys? He has no association with them at all and its not like the university would force him to keep them on staff.

 

[dcmissle]

The more vocal Penn State crowd continues to be in complete denial about this entire situation. If the investigation led by Freeh isn't absolutely thorough and doesn't lay bare all the sordid facts about this vile affair, Penn State and its deniers will spend the next decade yelling to the world about waiting for all the facts to come in and for due process to be served. Freeh is seemingly in a no-win situation here: let everything come to light and have Penn State, Paterno, and the culture they created be officially cast into shame and dishonor, or gloss over the facts that are already present in the grand jury presentment and prove that the Paterno cult is more important than raping children. Hard to see how this ends well for anyone.

The tag line for the Black Shoe Diaries web site is "Every Day Should Be Someday Before November 7". November 7 is the day that all this was made public. Think about that - a Penn State fan site dedicated to the idea that the world would be a better place if we all ignored a decade or more of rape. Awesome.

You and Weebs nailed it. It's Happy Valley, which means it might as well be Cambodia.

Reflects a disconnect from the vital question on the table -- can Penn St. survive as a nationally competitive first rate program?

 

[JBill]

Simmering discord among an influential group of former Penn State football players has bubbled over with confirmation that Bill O'Brien will be named to replace Joe Paterno as head coach.
...
Former Nittany Lions star linebacker Brandon Short told USA TODAY on Thursday night that three Letterman's Club members have a meeting scheduled Friday with Joyner in State College, Pa.

"There is a tangible standard at Penn State that this poor (O'Brien) guy knows nothing about,'' Short said. "I feel badly for him (because) he is clueless and will not have the support of the majority of the Lettermen. This is a hornet's nest (for him).''
...
"By not hiring (defensive coordinator Tom) Bradley or a Penn Stater what they have effectively done is turn their backs on 100 years of tradition,'' Short said. "Penn State never has been about winning football games. They didn't recruit the best players — they recruited the best people. If you go to Penn State, you have a better chance of graduating.''

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/01/former-penn-state-players-upset-with-football-coaching-hire/1

How can they keep babbling on about tradition and "Penn State standards" after what happened? Delusional. I guess I should blame the AD though, apparently he should have sat down with former players and prominent alumni and explained to them, very slowly, why they needed a break from the past, and that their coaching options were limited since no one wants to go to that toxic situation. Clearly they are not able to come to that obvious conclusion on their own. Yeesh.

 

[BigMike]

He has a huge job ahead. There were plenty of empty seats for the Nebraska game after the scandal hit. Many season ticketholders are debating right now whether they should keep sinking their money into tickets and donations. The program could go from making a $20M profit to losing money in 2012. This could get ugly real fast for O'Brien, who could be just a sacrificial lamb with no chance to succeed.

I guess there is some concern around Happy Valley about tickets etc moving forward.

I went there for a wedding 6 years ago, so I get email from the hotel I stayed at from time to time (one block from campus), of course always looking for people to visit when there weren't games.

Today I just got an email from them where they were advertising a special sale of discounted rooms for Penn State football weekends next fall. So my guess is this means this place is normally booked for every football weekend by now, and is suddenly sitting there this year with a bunch of empty rooms and panicking already.

 

[Average Reds]

The real question is will O'Brien keep the enablers on staff?

If Larry Johnson and Bradley are not fired, then in my opinion, Penn State has done nothing to clean up the cesspool they have. It is impossible to think that Bradley and Johnson didn't know what happened with Sandusky and yet continued to hang around with him

I suspect most if not all of the Penn St Defensive staff will be maintained, and if that happens, I have no sympathy for them, and will root for biblically bad things to happen to O'Brien, Bradley, Johnson and everyone associated

I will be absolutely shocked if the entire staff is not dismissed. I mean, if you're not going to clean house, why even bother to go outside to find a new head coach?

I also disagree with KW about Freeh being in a no-win situation. I think he has an absolute obligation to deliver a report that lays everything out. More to the point I can't fathom any reason for him not to do this, because it will crush his personal reputation if the report smells like a cover up. The only area that is likely to be delicate for Freeh is if he comes up with information that has a bearing on any of the upcoming trials. That information will obviously be handed over to prosecutors and may need to be kept under seal until the criminal investigations/prosecutions have concluded.

As for idiots like Arrington - we should thank them for self-identifying as morons so we know never to take anything they say seriously again.

 

[terrynever]

I guess there is some concern around Happy Valley about tickets etc moving forward.

I went there for a wedding 6 years ago, so I get email from the hotel I stayed at from time to time (one block from campus), of course always looking for people to visit when there weren't games.

Today I just got an email from them where they were advertising a special sale of discounted rooms for Penn State football weekends next fall. So my guess is this means this place is normally booked for every football weekend by now, and is suddenly sitting there this year with a bunch of empty rooms and panicking already.

I just talked to a friend of mine who lives in State College and is well-connected in the community. He said the same thing. He thinks the program may lose money this year because of everything that has happened. What's not mentioned much on this board is that the pedophile scandal turned a lot of Penn State fans off to the program. Many do not plan to renew their season ticket plans. Fewer people in town for the games, more vacant hotel rooms, and it trickles down through the community. Everyone is going to pay a price for this scandal.

The current PSU President, Rodney Erickson, has scheduled an alumni meeting in NYC next week. My friend says there are already 700 responses, indicating a hot time for the new president when he tries to speak in front of this group, which will include numerous Wall Street people. Many influential alumni are bitter over the way Penn State handled the scandal, ignoring it or under-estimating its impact. Erickson will be asked, for instance, why the university and the BOT did not get rid of Paterno and his staff last year when the Grand Jury proceedings became public knowledge.

There is also talk that the lawyers for Curley and Schulze see Paterno as their way out. Everyone assumes Joe was in on the coverup from the beginning. Curley and Schulze can have their lawyers call Paterno as a hostile witness and have him testify for more than the seven minutes he did before the Grand Jury last spring.

 

[Kremlin Watcher]

I also disagree with KW about Freeh being in a no-win situation. I think he has an absolute obligation to deliver a report that lays everything out.

Yeah I should have said that Penn State is in the no-win situation. Any outcome is going to be bad for the institution. "All the facts coming out" will officially disgrace a lot of people. Any whiff of a cover-up will be even worse. And let's face it: if Penn State wants to control the outcome of the investigation (and I'm just speculating wildly), all they have to do is withhold certain information from Freeh.

Edit - spelling.

 

[natpastime162]

N...no. That's not even close to being correct.

The "problem" for Penn State is that many of its alumni and fans are more outraged about an outside hire than they were about children getting raped in the football showers. Or, if you want to make it slightly less damning for Penn State, the "problem" is that to pretty much everyone who isn't associated with Penn State, it certainly seems like they're more outraged over an outside hire than they ever were about their program being associated and perhaps enabling a serial child rapist.

Edited because I can't type with clear diction when I'm enraged by a fanbase that somehow thinks that the sanctity of their football program is more of a pressing issue than children getting assaulted by a sexual predator.

Burt, I think it is a little more disturbing than simply outside hire > pedophilia cover-up. Which is to say they wouldn't be so vocal if Urban Meyer got the job.

 

[PBDWake]

It really is ridiculous. I'm pulling this from a post I found via the front page of Black Shoe Diaries.

Penn State is different than most institutions of higher learning in this country. I realize that a lot of people say that about their schools, but here its true. At Penn State, winning is important, yes. But, winning the right way is even more important.

You are inheriting a trust. Penn State football has never really been about football. Led by a great man, Penn State football was, and is, an example of succeeding in your wildest dreams while still maintaining your honor and dignity. Penn State football is about tradition. From the plain uniforms to the black shoes, Penn State has never needed the bells and whistles to attract interest. Penn State football is about family. Fathers could point to Joe Paterno and the Penn State football program to show his son that not all successful athletes were arrogant jerks. I trust that you have been made aware of the awesome responsibility you are now taking on.

Good Luck, God Bless and here's hoping that you are just as successful and just as honorable as the last two men (Paterno AND Bradley) that have led our Nittany Lions.

 

[soxfan121]

First, O'Brien can't "win" in this job - the first year he doesn't win 10 games will light the torch and a 7-4 season probably gets him fired. Even if he wins 100 games in the next 10 seasons, if he goes 7-4 once, he'll be GONE. He's the cleanser, the rebound, the breath of fresh air. When your most attractive qualities as a candidate are "available", "interested" and "not connected to sexual assault" - well, the honeymoon won't last long.

That said, O'Brien should absolutely take this job and it's still one of the 30 best jobs in football coaching, nationally. There are pro teams with worse situations that PSU, which even if they have a temporary dip in revenue will still be a top-earning program in a premier conference with a solid roster. PSU is a great job and O'Brien can't be blamed for jumping on it, even if it is tarnished right now.

He should address the Sandusky/Paterno/alumni elephant at the very beginning of his press conference and then say he's never gonna talk about it again. He should just coach football and let the off-field issues proceed without him being involved. Unlike Tom Bradley, he could do that - which is why PSU was smart to hire him. Get the problem away from campus and the football team and let it play out in the courts/newspapers/etc.

 

[Kremlin Watcher]

It really is ridiculous. I'm pulling this from a post I found via the front page of Black Shoe Diaries.

Cognitive dissonance. Denial. Clear indications that very few people out there in Pennsyltucky want the truth told. That's why I think the investigation may well not reveal the whole truth.

 

[bowiac]

I think the hiring of O'Brien shows this is not a top 10 college football job, and clearly not a top 30 job overall. Do you really think O'Brien would have taken Penn State over the Jaguars for one thing? He might end up being a great coach, but he wasn't exactly a super in demand name just yet. They went with him because their top targets seem to have turned them down.

 

[natpastime162]

I think the hiring of O'Brien shows this is not a top 10 college football job, and clearly not a top 30 job overall. Do you really think O'Brien would have taken Penn State over the Jaguars for one thing? He might end up being a great coach, but he wasn't exactly a super in demand name just yet. They went with him because their top targets seem to have turned them down.

They found themselves a Zook.

 

[jsinger121]

I think the hiring of O'Brien shows this is not a top 10 college football job, and clearly not a top 30 job overall. Do you really think O'Brien would have taken Penn State over the Jaguars for one thing? He might end up being a great coach, but he wasn't exactly a super in demand name just yet. They went with him because their top targets seem to have turned them down.

I think the Jags job fucking sucks and think going to Penn State is a much better situation than going to a poorly run franchise with little fan support.

 

[SoxScout]

Short said some members of the group were considering a range of options to express their displeasure, including asking current players to transfer and recruits to de-commit.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7430206/bill-obrien-agrees-penn-state-nittany-lions-coach-sources-say

I fucking hate everything about Penn State, I'm not a big BOB guy, wish him well, but man, I hope he tells these "Lettermen's Club" assholes to either support the program or fuck off forever tomorrow.

 

[BigMike]

I think the hiring of O'Brien shows this is not a top 10 college football job, and clearly not a top 30 job overall. Do you really think O'Brien would have taken Penn State over the Jaguars for one thing? He might end up being a great coach, but he wasn't exactly a super in demand name just yet. They went with him because their top targets seem to have turned them down.

it is certainly not a top 10 college football coaching job. Now a year ago at this time, I think you may have been right. two years from now you may be right, but right now it is a very questionable job which is why they had to make a questionale hire.

No way O'Brien would have been a serious candidate for the job if it was open last year, their target would have been much bigger

 

[twibnotes]

Some of the PSU alums would be wise to focus on a couple takeaways from the last 4 years in Ann Arbor:

1) a coach without the full support of the alumni/fan base is doomed from the beginning (RichRod)

2) on the other hand, sometimes the best pick is in fact a guy without a big name (Hoke)

The comments of Arrington et al are not only offensive (by showing a lack of perspective about the tragedy and what it says about the traditions they still hold on a pedestal), but they are also just plain stupid. Even if O'Brien IS a bad hire, saying he is a bad hire publicly makes the situation 10x worse and makes his job markedly more difficult.

 

[PBDWake]

Ran into this gem this morning trying to see how the PSUers felt about alumni encouraging athletes to transfer out so BOB is fired, under "suggested reading" on Black Shoe Diaries"
http://www.blackshoe...-a-media-frenzy

If you care or dare - below the jump is a sample of the hysterical preaching that has attempted to rob Penn State students and alumni of their justified pride in their university and it's honorable football program run by a good and decent man who spent 61 years building a fine reputation only to see it in ruins as the result of that bold lie in the presentment.

As much as we might wish this over and done with, this harm done to Penn State and the public perception by our National Media and it's thirst for victims should not be forgotten or forgiven. As an outsider I am repelled by this mass of misinformation and it pains me to know there were far too few outside of Penn State people who even attempt to see past this flood of crap.

In reaction to this quote:

Paterno will have to live with his inaction in the Jerry Sandusky case. He'll have to live with the graphic details of young boys allegedly being raped, of young lives being destroyed. He'll have to live with the fact that some victims might've been spared if the great grandfather of college athletics -- a beloved do-gooder in a sport often lacking in redeeming social value -- hadn't spent less time and energy on trying to stop an alleged predator than he spends on his average Big Ten game plan

We got this:

GOOD GRIEF!!! Can you be more hyperbolic?

The gist of the article seems to be a claim that McQueary did not definitively see Sandusky actually penetrating the child, only that he saw the motions, heard the noises, and inferred what was happening. This is... beyond words. And the sheer idiocy of the comments that follow is baffling. There is zero self awareness here.

 

[terrynever]

Some of the PSU alums would be wise to focus on a couple takeaways from the last 4 years in Ann Arbor:

1) a coach without the full support of the alumni/fan base is doomed from the beginning (RichRod)

2) on the other hand, sometimes the best pick is in fact a guy without a big name (Hoke)

The comments of Arrington et al are not only offensive (by showing a lack of perspective about the tragedy and what it says about the traditions they still hold on a pedestal), but they are also just plain stupid. Even if O'Brien IS a bad hire, saying he is a bad hire publicly makes the situation 10x worse and makes his job markedly more difficult.

It won't take long for Penn State fans to understand that O'Brien, or just about anyone, is an improvement over the current coaching situation. Turns out the fist fight between the QB, McGloin, and WR Curtis Drake came about because Tom Bradley jumped on McGloin for throwing two interceptions at the end of a December practice. McGloin blamed Drake for the interceptions, said he ran bad routes. When they got to the locker room, Drake asked McGloin what happened and McGloin, who is hot-tempered, threw the first punch. Drake slammed him to the floor, head-first, for a quick kayo that knocked McGloin out of the bowl game. McGloin quickly admitted he was in the wrong but Drake (who had been in trouble twice before) was thrown off the team. That fight was a signal that Bradley had no control over his team.
The only current assistant coach who might be retained is defensive line coach Larry Johnson, who came to the program after Sandusky had been retired. Johnson is the father of former star running back Larry Johnson (head case) and a terrific recruiter.
O'Brien will be an even better choice if the Patriots win the Super Bowl. He'll get a lot of face time on TV as the next Penn State head coach as the Patriots go for it all. So I am now a Patriots fan.

 

[DukeSox]

If these assorted groups have any brains,

Based on the actions of everyone associate with PSU up to this point...i don't think this can in any way be true.

 

[Sea Bass Neely]

He's keeping Larry Johnson Sr, which I think is fine and probably beneficial to him.

But let's be honest. He is a stopgap who will be gone in 3-4 years.

 

[pedros hairstylist]

Oh gee, NOW Joe Paterno wants to tell his "story," but he's being prevented from doing so by this totally unfair witch hunt. Boo fucking hoo. The gonads on these people are Saturnine.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7438572/penn-state-nittany-lions-jay-paterno-says-joe-paterno-fighting-wants-tell-side-story

 

[mauf]

Oh gee, NOW Joe Paterno wants to tell his "story," but he's being prevented from doing so by this totally unfair witch hunt. Boo fucking hoo. The gonads on these people are Saturnine.

http://espn.go.com/c...tell-side-story

Better men than Joe Paterno have been defined by the worst thing they ever did. Any sympathy felt for Paterno would be better directed elsewhere -- toward the victims, for instance.

You see that, and I see that, but I think expecting Paterno's son to see that is asking too much.

 

[BigMike]

He's keeping Larry Johnson Sr, which I think is fine and probably beneficial to him.

But let's be honest. He is a stopgap who will be gone in 3-4 years.

J

ust shows that it is clear that Penn State is more worried about winning football games mobing forward than cleaning house.

I expected them to keep Johnson, because he is a big time recruiter,etc, but it still sucks. Really hoping the O'Brien Era goes downs in flames for them

 

[RingoOSU]

I hope their next 50 years resemble Kansas State's before Bill Snyder years.

 

[mauf]

J

ust shows that it is clear that Penn State is more worried about winning football games mobing forward than cleaning house.

I expected them to keep Johnson, because he is a big time recruiter,etc, but it still sucks. Really hoping the O'Brien Era goes downs in flames for them

Is there any reason to believe that Johnson knew anything?

I think keeping LJsr is a mistake, because questions are bound to arise re: what coaches on Paterno's staff knew and when they knew it, but I'm not morally offended that O'Brien chose to retain one assistant who never coached with Sandusky.

 

[BigMike]

Is there any reason to believe that Johnson knew anything?

I think keeping LJsr is a mistake, because questions are bound to arise re: what coaches on Paterno's staff knew and when they knew it, but I'm not morally offended that O'Brien chose to retain one assistant who never coached with Sandusky.

He did coach with Sandusky. He worked directly under Sandusky for 4 seasons from 1996-1999 when he was the Defensive Ends and Special teams coach. I find it hard to believe that everyone on the staff during those Sandusky years didn't know what happened and why Sandusky was forced into retirement in 1999. I work in a smallish business unit, maybe 60-80 people, and yes I can tell you that when someone left over odd circumstances (or for any reason), everyone in the office ultimately knew what happened. So I can't imagine when your direct supervisor, someone who is part of a 5-6 person defensive staff who you spend 50 hours with every week is suddenly forced into retirement, you'd know.

 

[mauf]

He did coach with Sandusky. He worked directly under Sandusky for 4 seasons from 1996-1999 when he was the Defensive Ends and Special teams coach. I find it hard to believe that everyone on the staff during those Sandusky years didn't know what happened and why Sandusky was forced into retirement in 1999. I work in a smallish business unit, maybe 60-80 people, and yes I can tell you that when someone left over odd circumstances (or for any reason), everyone in the office ultimately knew what happened. So I can't imagine when your direct supervisor, someone who is part of a 5-6 person defensive staff who you spend 50 hours with every week is suddenly forced into retirement, you'd know.

I do feel differently, knowing he overlapped with Sandusky.

We can probably presume that the coaching staff knew about the 1998 investigation, and that it played a role in Sandusky's departure soon after. Even so, it's a huge leap to conclude that LJ had any inkling of the 2002 allegation, let alone the enormity of the entire scandal. I think it's bad judgment on O'Brien's part to retain a coach who was on the staff in those days, but I'm not ready to throw all the assistants from that era in the same moral category with Paterno, Curley, Spanier and Schultz.

 

[kneemoe]

Interesting article...
http://www.yardbird.com/busted_narcotics_agent_nabs_sandusky.htm

 

[pedros hairstylist]

So far the only person who has shown any integrity and courage in this whole thing are the victims who came forward. Christ.

 

[HomeBrew1901]

http://abcnews.go.co...2012/01/187311/ Some of the gems:

One of the two most emotional moments came when one woman who said she brought both of her babies home from the hospital wrapped in Penn State blankets, told Erickson, “A lot of that is because of our pride in PSU and the integrity of Joe Paterno. What you did to Joe Paterno is unconscionable.” Applause erupted from the crowd.

“We turned our back on Joe Paterno,” one man said. “I would like to encourage that the board issue a private apology to Paterno and let the record show his retirement at the end of the season. He should be allowed to retire in honor.”

And my personal favorite:

Many of the alumni were outraged at the media attention, blaming the press for tarnishing Penn State’s image.

“I was disgusted by the lack of response by the administration while our good name was trashed by the media,” one alum complained. “The media put us in a position to do what we did to Paterno. I think we should ask for our money back from the crisis communications company we hired

 

[RingoOSU]

I think next up they replace the Board of Trustees with Haley Barbour.

 

[pedros hairstylist]

How does the Paterno family's attorney not tell Scott Paterno to STFU?

http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2012/01/scott_paterno_fathers_firing_w.html

 

[canderson]

The Washington Post interviewed Joe Paterno at his home and will publish the interview Saturday afternoon.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/sally-jenkinss-interview-with-joe-paterno-about-penn-state-jerry-sandusky-and-his-legacy/2012/01/13/gIQArjWQwP_story.html?hpid=z1

 

[RedOctober3829]

The Washington Post interviewed Joe Paterno at his home and will publish the interview Saturday afternoon.

http://www.washingto...ry.html?hpid=z1

Oh good, that won't be scripted to exactly what Paterno wants. Get on live national television and be hit with the tough questions.

 

[terrynever]

The Washington Post interviewed Joe Paterno at his home and will publish the interview Saturday afternoon.

http://www.washingto...ry.html?hpid=z1

First picture I've seen of Joe since he went underground. He has lost weight. Was admitted to the hospital today for more treatment.
Meanwhile, there's a civil war going on in Pennsylvania among alumni and the Board of Trustees. This ugly scandal is going to trigger some major changes in the way the university conducts its business. PSU used to just take the money from Harrisburg and work behind closed doors. No more.

 

[canderson]

Yeah, the problem will be getting Corbett on board the transparency train. That won't happen for a multitude of reasons.

 

[soxfan121]

Oh good, that won't be scripted to exactly what Paterno wants. Get on live national television and be hit with the tough questions.

Sally Jenkins is not likely to lob softballs. I'd be shocked if the "tough questions" were not asked.

 

[terrynever]

Sally Jenkins is not likely to lob softballs. I'd be shocked if the "tough questions" were not asked.

You're going to get contrite Joe in this interview. The formerly fiesty and often defiant Joe is gone. Kind of reminds me of when Michael Moore went to interview an elderly Charlton Heston. There was nothing there to fight about.

 

[mauf]

You're going to get contrite Joe in this interview. The formerly fiesty and often defiant Joe is gone. Kind of reminds me of when Michael Moore went to interview an elderly Charlton Heston. There was nothing there to fight about.

That interview made Moore look awful. A TV interview of Paterno now would be similar.

 

[wibi]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7462065/penn-state-nittany-lions-joe-paterno-says-know-how-handle-jerry-sandusky-abuse-report

Joe Paterno, in the midst of treatments for lung cancer, made his first public statements since being fired after 46 seasons at Penn State, telling The Washington Post he did not know how to deal with the situation when he received a report that his former defensive coordinator was accused of abusing a boy in the shower at the Penn State football facility.

"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 told The Post in an extensive interview at his home in State College, Pa. "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."

 

[sfip]

I know I'll get shit on for this but I'll say it anyway. The more I think about all this the more I feel Paterno has been villified a lot more than he deserves. This interview didn't change my view in either direction about that.

I don't feel that Paterno had as much power to stop what happened as people may think, despite his iconic status. I think what people forget is that before the news broke about the scandal, the general consensus was that over the years Paterno had less and less power as he was getting older and more senile, and that was on the field let alone off the field. Even after time had passed and nothing was being done, how would he able to do what ideally should have been done to stop this given that the people above him, including the board of trustees IMO, were doing all they could to cover up this story? For anyone who says he should have gone to the police, I'm not sure what that could have accomplished given that he didn't witness Sandusky's actions. Mind you it's certainly not my field of expertise, but it's not likely Paterno's either.

I don't believe I'll convince anyone here of anything with this post. And before the 1st person posts any line to the effect of, "But what about the victims?", of course I feel awful about what happened to them and I'm not insinuating in any way, shape or form that the effect this scandal has had on Paterno is even close to comparable. But I'm feeling more and more that he has been getting more criticism than he deserves.

 

[Hyde Park Factor]

"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."

Pure gold.

 

[LeftyTG]

I don't feel that Paterno had as much power to stop what happened as people may think, despite his iconic status. I think what people forget is that before the news broke about the scandal, the general consensus was that over the years Paterno had less and less power as he was getting older and more senile, and that was on the field let alone off the field.

You realize that in 2004, the board tried to force him into retirement and Paterno just said no? Despite what you may think, that is power, very real power, that few if any other coaches ever have. His influence as an X's and O's strategist during the week may have waned some, but as a voice in the university I just can't see how anyone could conclude he had little power to stop the abuse.

I mean, the shower incident happened in 2002. One would have to believe that an old and senile Paterno lacked the power to deal with his "superiors" and was only able to pass information along. Then, two years later when the board tries to force him out, he magically comes up with the power to resist their efforts. It doesn't make sense, unless I suppose you believe he was willing to cash in his chips to save his job, but not willing to do so to prevent abuse.

 

[terrynever]

"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."

Pure gold.

The lawyers for Curley and Shulze, who face jail time if convicted of perjury in front of the grand jury, could decide to call Paterno as a hostile witness, hoping to get to the bottom of the coverup, but it looks like Joe may either be too ill or feeble, or worse, to testify. That's the ultimate irony. Those two underlings go to jail while Joe visits the big referee in the sky,

 

[sfip]

You realize that in 2004, the board tried to force him into retirement and Paterno just said no? Despite what you may think, that is power, very real power, that few if any other coaches ever have. His influence as an X's and O's strategist during the week may have waned some, but as a voice in the university I just can't see how anyone could conclude he had little power to stop the abuse.

I mean, the shower incident happened in 2002. One would have to believe that an old and senile Paterno lacked the power to deal with his "superiors" and was only able to pass information along. Then, two years later when the board tries to force him out, he magically comes up with the power to resist their efforts. It doesn't make sense, unless I suppose you believe he was willing to cash in his chips to save his job, but not willing to do so to prevent abuse.

If they really wanted him out that badly, not that I'm saying none of them did but I wouldn't say there was a consensus, why didn't they simply refuse to re-sign him when they did?

Also, there's a big difference between having power to keep your job and having power to overrule everyone above you including the board of trustees to stop something this major that everyone above you is trying their damnedest to cover up. I'm not saying it was impossible or that he handled it ideally, but it's a lot easier said than done.

 

[wibi]

Given the uproar over his ousting I would be he walked into the board of trustees and said "You can me and you will lose the school." The board of trustees did one review of the situation and realized he was right.

I mean it took a massive sexual abuse scandal to get him out and even then that was a painful process; Can you imagine what the uproar would have been like had they ousted him because he was deemed incapable of coaching?

 

[sfip]

Regarding my last post I can see that as an answer to my first question. Now what about my last paragraph?