I think Daniel Tosh (of all people) summed it up best:

"@danieltosh: if you feel bad for joe paterno it's because you are an awful person."

 

I'd have to whole-heartedly agree.

 

Me too. For the few who are pointing out that Paterno did what he was supposed to do by alerting his superior, do we really think Paterno truly had a superior at that time? Maybe on an org chart, but he ran the show at Penn St.

 

Why does trying to be objective and look at the whole picture mean you're an awful person? Why does acknowledging the fact that Paterno DID do something make you an awful person? It's easy to sit here with the benefit of the information we have now to judge what should or shouldn't have been done.

I've read and re-read several articles about this situation and a few things strike me:

 

1) Paterno is bearing the brunt here, and at this point, I feel unfairly so.

2) Apparently not only did the GA not do anything at the time, but reported to his father, who did nothing more than tell the GA to report it to "someone".

3) I still feel, from all the accounts I've been able to find, that Paterno did NOT try to cover up anything and that he did what he thought was correct in the situation.

4) This situation FAR exceeds Joe Paterno. It happens frequently, it seems, but how does this go on for decades and nothing is done? The number of times it was RIGHT THERE to be dealth with?

 

"Lack of institutional control"

^RM, What you're overlooking is what mal alluded to. At Penn State, Joe Pa has no superior. Yeah, sure maybe in title, but EVERYONE knows who runs that ship. The only people Joe Pa could have reported it to were the police. They were the next logical step in the "chain".

 

Another piece you're seemingly overlooking is that had he simply reported it to his "superior" and then followed up on it to see what was being done, people would be much more forgiving. The fact is, he told them in an email, then forgot about it, and went on his way as if nothing had happened. This all after an investigation into similar matters 4 years earlier, and to top it off, he allowed and clearly had no problem with Sandusky being on campus with other children after the fact.

 

None of that screams cover up to you? Really?

^What you're overlooking is what mal alluded to. At Penn State, Joe Pa has no superior. Yeah, sure maybe in title, but EVERYONE knows who runs that ship. The only people Joe Pa could have reported it to were the police. They were the next logical step in the "chain".

 

Another piece you're seemingly overlooking is that had he simply reported it to his "superior" and then followed up on it to see what was being done, people would be much more forgiving. The fact is, he told them in an email, then forgot about it, and went on his way as if nothing had happened. This all after an investigation into similar matters 4 years earlier, and to top it off, he allowed and clearly had no problem with Sandusky being on campus with other children after the fact.

 

None of that screams cover up to you? Really?

 

Really? EVERYONE knows? Seriously? That's ridiculous. That's like saying Caliperi runs the ship at UK.

 

I'm not overlooking it. How do you know he didn't follow up? All that's being said is that he did report it. You ASSUME he forgot about it. You ASSUME he didn't follow up further.

The GA who saw it should have went in the shower and whipped the crap out of whoever was molesting the 10 yr old, then told his superiors, like the chain of command you are supposed to follow.

 

But he gets nothing done to him??? Go figure. He is more guilty than Paterno. As a matter of fact Paterno isnt guilty at all.

 

You act like McQuery isn't going to get a punishment from this as well? It just hasn't come down the pipes yet because they needed to handle JoePa first, which I agree with. The sooner they removed him from his position the better.

 

I didn't think the Board of Trustees at Penn State would do it. I thought they would cave and let JoePa retire on his own terms. I have mixed feelings about it all, but in the very end, they made a tough decision and the right decision. He needed to be removed and they did it the right way.

 

Of course I feel awful for the kids and families who had to face any trauma from others actions, but I also feel bad for the board member who had to field all those questions. Poor guy looked like a deer in head lights.

"Lack of institutional control"

 

Fairest and most objective argument yet...one that I can actually consider legitimate. No emotions, no exaggeration or assumption. :thumb:

Fairest and most objective argument yet...one that I can actually consider legitimate. No emotions, no exaggeration or assumption. :thumb:

 

There are many times that I don't agree with letting a coach go because of this. However, this isn't one of those times.

 

A rogue coach with a few NCAA violations is one thing. Multiple people possibly covering up alleged crimes is another.

Seems as though a lot of people are upset and feel it was disrespect not for JoePa to be told in person about his firing. Apparently the board of trustees did it over the phone.

 

Does that bother anyone?

Since Joe hasn't spoken, and the Board hasn't spoken, and all we know is that there was a 2002 investigation in which Joe DID make a report to the police, what FACTS are you all basing your allegation that he "failed to report" something, other than the media's rampant suggestion of same? Even the prosecutors have only made veiled suggestion of it. If they had something more, wouldn't he have been indcited as well? Where is your source, other than mere speculation?

 

 

Because ESPN and the media tell them he didn't.

 

 

No one is reading the FACTS, they are making assumptions based on media reports who do not report ALL the FACTS.

Someone said Paterno reported an incident to police in 2002. Where do you see that? I haven't read anything saying he ever spoke with the police.

 

Joe Pa didn't do anything illegal. But if I heard one of my former coaches was raping a 10 year old in the locker room, I'd be a little more concerned. I'm fine with him contacting the AD, but as a person he should have followed up and made sure that the AD contacted the police.

 

The GA should have contacted the police immediately considering he witnessed it first hand.

 

This is all a bizarre situation considering the one incident that did get reported, the police worked a case and the prosecutor declined any prosecution. That prosecutor later went missing, and has been declared dead? Very odd.

Seems as though a lot of people are upset and feel it was disrespect not for JoePa to be told in person about his firing. Apparently the board of trustees did it over the phone.

 

Does that bother anyone?

 

Weak on their part. It should've been face to face, no question.

 

I'm sure they had good reason to why they did it that way.

No. There were mobs of angry people outside...

Really? EVERYONE knows? Seriously? That's ridiculous. That's like saying Caliperi runs the ship at UK.

 

I'm not overlooking it. How do you know he didn't follow up? All that's being said is that he did report it. You ASSUME he forgot about it. You ASSUME he didn't follow up further.

 

Yes, EVERYONE knows who runs the show there. EVERYONE. It's not even close to saying Cal runs UK. Get back to me in 40 years when Cal is still the coach, and then we can talk. That's an awful comparison.

 

He said he reported it, and that was it.

 

What's absolutely ridiculous is people are actually defending him.

 

Of course, using your logic, if someone told you that they had seen your child being molested, you wouldn't go to the police, because it was hearsay. Anything short of not going to the police is dispicable.

Penn State has doomed themselves. There is NO evidence Joe knew anything that happened before 2002, he reported the only thing he's been proven to know, and a DA and Grad Assistant all had direct knowledge and failed to do anything. DA wouldn't prosecute when he had a legally taped confession and the GA didn't stop him or go to the police. Yet somehow Joe is the one responsible, when he has not been linked to any direct knowledge of what was going on. This is ridiculous. Most of the people on this message board and in the news just want someone to hang. It's lynch mob mentality at it's finest. Something awful happened so lets punish everyone we possibly can whether they did anything or not.

And you think Kentucky has homer media? Penn State takes the cake. Local media barking at the trustees. National media wanting answers to their questions

:thumb: There is very little that compares. It is on its own little island and football runs the show.