Penn St., Sandusky and Joe Paterno

[Steve H.]

I had not noticed before, but the investigation into Sandusky's pedophilia was bumped because of an investigation by the district attorney DRUG task force: http://www.yardbird.com/busted_narcotics_agent_nabs_sandusky.htm

 

[krebs303]

RIP Joe Paterno

 

[thirteen]

RIP JoePa RIP

 

[ChrisE]

One minute he's out running around the practice field playing ignorant about the pervert on his staff. The next minute he croaks, never to have to explain his role in this whole mess. Legacy intact. Go figure.

Disclaimer - I really have nothing to conclude from that except to point out the irony.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

One minute he's out running around the practice field playing ignorant about the pervert on his staff. The next minute he croaks, never to have to explain his role in this whole mess. Legacy intact. Go figure.

Disclaimer - I really have nothing to conclude from that except to point out the irony.

That's how I am going to choose to remember him. Legacy intact. RIP.

 

[ChrisE]

That's how I am going to choose to remember him. Legacy intact. RIP.

I choose to remember him as somebody that ignored a pedophile in the name of the institution and $.

 

[ElChingon]

I choose to remember him as somebody that ignored a pedophile in the name of the institution and $.

Exactly, just like I remember or will remember O. J. Simpson as a wife killer not a great running back.

 

[The Plediadian]

By not reporting the predator in his midst, Joe Paterno is the same as the predator.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Well, he's dead.

Great coach for many years, got too old and should have retired over a decade ago, then should have retired for moral reasons, then should have been fired and arguably charged for essentially protecting a serial pedophile. Of course those above him are equally culpable, some of them more so. But as has been noted here and elsewhere the school went to great lengths to protect their own, including JoePa.

I was taught to not say bad things about those who are no longer with us, so I'll stop there.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

His funeral was today. Am I the only one bothered by the way so many people were giving rousing applause, and some of the speeches that were celebrating the man like he walked on water. Phil Knight's speech was almost strident. I realize that there are plenty more people to blame, including trustees, as Knight asserted. And I realize JoePa was once a great coach, once helped many students. And I realize he was old, and probably confused, but I just can't ignore the last six months (which really happened over the last several years) and what Joe didn't do. It's as ugly as it is sad.

 

[Steve H.]

The current CEO of Nike is a PSU alumnus, but not Phil Knight.
Paterno and PSU were pioneers in establishing Nike as a major player in college football uniforms and marketing I believe. Paterno wore those trademark black Nike black sneakers for almost three decades.
I would not be giving a standing ovation to a man making billions of 14 year old Indonesian sweat shop workers, easy to understand his apparent lack of concern for the victims.
The heat is really being turned up on the board of trustees with this speech and the possible vote of no confidence coming from the faculty senate.
A similar event happened at the Hershey Trust several years ago and it was used a a power grab to replace them with even more greedy and corruptible people.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Good post Steve. Actually, I agree with all of your posts on the issue. Glad I'm not the only one who saw it that way. Knight's speech was like the teapot calling the kettle black in many ways. Just ugly the way people reacted as well. It's like many of these people don't want to face the truth. Watching these celebrations are almost like they're blaming the victims for taking down their beloved coach and program. Not quite, no. But these kids lives were forever ruined by Sandusky, and those protected him, in the worst way imaginable. And yet, the fans, and people like Knight, want to pick and choose who is to blame it seems.

I mentioned before on another thread that I'm acquainted with former NFL player and former NCAA head coach of Army, Stan Brock. I hate putting words in his mouth as he's a classy guy, but he was on the air locally stating his thoughts and he had no sympathy really for JoPa, or the Penn State program, staff, or trustees. None. What he said off the air I won't repeat, suffice to say it obviously was more critical, and without exception, and would fit right in with some of the comments on this page. I wish more former coaches and players would speak out like this.

 

[Steve H.]

An interesting look a the case from a political insider:
http://newslanc.com/six-decades-part-two.html

 

[Steve H.]

Here is a good story from ESPN: http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_...ower-struggle-spread-penn-state-state-capital.

 

[Steve H.]

The trial of Jerry Sandusky started yesterday. Two victim's and Mike McQueary have testified. Emails discussing what to do about Sandusky from Shultz, Spanier and other top PSU officials have been uncovered.

 

[Merckx index]

If it weren’t bad enough for Sandusky that he quite apparently is guilty of a series of heinous crimes, his situation is made even worse by his clown of a lawyer. He begins by conceding the prosecution has "overwhelming evidence". Anyone who has been near a courtroom knows that the cardinal principle of cross-examination is never ask a witness a question you don’t know the answer to. Joe Amendola asked plenty of them yesterday, and in the process practically handed a case to the prosecution that already was very strong. For example, in answering one of his questions, a witness said Sandusky accompanied him once to buy marijuana, and the witness smoked it in Sandusky’s presence. Whatever crumb of possibility that Sandusky could convince a jury that his relationship was purely paternalistic to these kids pretty much went out the window with that.

The witness also had a great line about Sandusky: “he treated me like a son in public, but like a girlfriend in private”. All this while describing in graphic detail dozens of sexual acts, and reading aloud from a “love letter” Sandusky sent him when he grew older and was strong enough to break away. It also turns out that Sandusky faked contracts from his charity that allowed him to spend more time with the witness.

Others are indirectly on trial here, too. As Steve noted, made public was an email passed among top PSU administrators, following the discovery of Sandusky molesting the boy in the shower, deciding it would be “humane” to Sandusky not to notify the police. And stories of other PSU staff seeing Sandusky showering with kids. One of these witnesses said that while Sandusky was not touching the kid, he looked suspicious, so he remained in the shower to make sure that nothing happened.

Now I hear that the defense is hoping to sell the idea that Sandusky has a personality disorder. It sounds like they are conceding defeat, and finally focussing on getting the most lenient sentence possible.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I don't care what kind of disorder they are going to say this guy has, he needs to be locked behind bars until his time on this planet has run it's course.

About a week ago on ESPN radio they were discussing this, and how the rift still exists in Penn about Paterno. Many just want to remember him as a great coach and human, who became an man who didn't seem to understand what was going on. Which I find to be absolutely reprehensible. As disturbing as the thought that Sandusky just had a personality disorder.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

It's kind of the ultimate of "don't ask, don't tell", isn't it? Everybody knew but "not officially". You know, "if we ignore it, it will go away." Or some such crap.

I really ought to stop reading the news reports of the trial, they making me ill.

Susan

 

[JA.Tri]

An interesting look a the case from a political insider:
http://newslanc.com/six-decades-part-two.html

Thank you for the links.

What a tragic state of affairs...patronage run riot and the effects roll on.

Begs the question: how "clean" are politicians anywhere on this planet? I hope that they, "the corrupt", are in the very small minority but they can be anywhere. It is a chilling situation.

 

[Steve H.]

Others are indirectly on trial here, too. As Steve noted, made public was an email passed among top PSU administrators, following the discovery of Sandusky molesting the boy in the shower, deciding it would be “humane” to Sandusky not to notify the police. And stories of other PSU staff seeing Sandusky showering with kids. One of these witnesses said that while Sandusky was not touching the kid, he looked suspicious, so he remained in the shower to make sure that nothing happened.

http://media.sportsbybrooks.com/2012/06/schultzsecretfileonsandusky.jpg
That witness was Tom Bradley, whom you may recall took over as interim head coach after Paterno.

 

[patricknd]

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2...y-convicted-of-45-counts-plans-to-appeal?lite

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Guilty on 45 counts, and likely to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

I only hope that the courts, or at least society in some way, can find a way to punish or hold accountable those who looked the other way, and essentially abetted him of his heinous crimes.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Guilty on 45 counts, and likely to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

I only hope that the courts, or at least society in some way, can find a way to punish or hold accountable those who looked the other way, and essentially abetted him of his heinous crimes.

Me too. I've said it before that most states have laws specifically about the responsibilities of those who look the other way. Individuals who could be considered as having looked the other way might be 1) the person who originally made the discovery or observation, or 2) a senior administrator/manager/boss who was informed of abusive activity. Those people have to understand that they are a critical part of the protective process, and especially that there will be consequences if they don't take appropriate actions when informed. If those informed people in the Sandusky case are let off the hook, that will set precedent for similar cases across the nation, which could come back to harm future victims.

 

[Steve H.]

Guilty on 45 counts, and likely to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

I only hope that the courts, or at least society in some way, can find a way to punish or hold accountable those who looked the other way, and essentially abetted him of his heinous crimes.

Watching some of the post verdict commentary, I was quite upset Linda Kelly, the state AG had to politicize it, with direction from Corbett I'm sure. It was interesting to note how those with the most to lose in terms of power/money where the first ones out with the speeches. It's like the old saying - the first one to say it is the one who sprayed it!
I'm happy for the men who had the courage to come forward. I hope this gives them a measure of comfort.
I don't know if I'll ever understand how the whole community seemingly turn a blind eye to this, just as his wife did. It was people from all different walks of life whom were aware of what he is, from the janitors to parents and "top college administration, yet, well we're all aware now.
There is still the matter of the federal investigation and further cases against Curly, Shultz, maybe others and the civil cases.

 

[Steve H.]

Individuals who could be considered as having looked the other way might be 1) the person who originally made the discovery or observation, or 2) a senior administrator/manager/boss who was informed of abusive activity. Those people have to understand that they are a critical part of the protective process, and especially that there will be consequences if they don't take appropriate actions when informed. If those informed people in the Sandusky case are let off the hook, that will set precedent for similar cases across the nation, which could come back to harm future victims.

It appears those in charge did know and were aware of the consequences.
http://www.centredaily.com/2012/06/29/3247105/graham-spanier-and-other-penn.html#storylink=cpy