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View Full Version : The Injustice Done to Joe Paterno



Mister D
01-31-2012, 01:15 PM
Snip

First news of the Sandusky scandal, in which longtime defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was accused of sexually molesting underage boys, broke in March 2011, and it came before the board of trustees that June. They said it was not a Penn State problem, because Sandusky had left the university in 1999, though he continued to use an office there for several more years. It was a problem for the institution Sandusky had founded, the Second Mile organization for youngsters.
Then, quite suddenly in November 2011, with a huge national scandal erupting, the board suddenly acted as if the burden were on them. They did not weigh their own responsibility, their own inaction, their own failure to get to the bottom of the scandal of five months earlier. In a fit of what to many alumni seems to have been fear for themselves, the board’s members ducked their own responsibility, and in the most ignoble and impersonal way, made JoePa, the moral giant of Penn State, a moral outcast.
What did they do? Despite the fact that JoePa had said he was going to resign after the 2011 season was over, they gave Joe (after nearly 60 years of leadership unparalleled in the annals of any university) over to the national press and the national mob as a scapegoat, to bear the whole heartbreaking scandal on his shoulders, to be burned as a live offering, in expiation of their sins.

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/289587/injustice-done-joe-paterno-michael-novak

jgreer
01-31-2012, 01:21 PM
What about the injustice to all those kids that got molested. Justice for them

It could have been prevented if this coach did what any good person would have done but stupid football was to important for that

Mister D
01-31-2012, 01:25 PM
Did you read the article, greer?

Conley
01-31-2012, 02:16 PM
What else could the Board have done? As I understand it only a few people knew about what happened and that didn't include the Board, plus there are no doubt different members now than when the molestation took place, back in '03 was it? Even Joe Paterno said he should have done more. JoePa lost a lot of points with me when he said that he didn't understand what was being described to him because there was nothing like that in his era (men raping boys).

The cynic in me says the author has a close relationship with Penn State and has already started the campaign for his brother to join the board. That's just how I roll...trust no one. :laugh:

Conley
01-31-2012, 02:18 PM
The fact that JoePa was ill and died soon after all this makes him more sympathetic but it really doesn't change the facts of the case.

Mister D
01-31-2012, 02:36 PM
What else could the Board have done? As I understand it only a few people knew about what happened and that didn't include the Board, plus there are no doubt different members now than when the molestation took place, back in '03 was it? Even Joe Paterno said he should have done more. JoePa lost a lot of points with me when he said that he didn't understand what was being described to him because there was nothing like that in his era (men raping boys).

The cynic in me says the author has a close relationship with Penn State and has already started the campaign for his brother to join the board. That's just how I roll...trust no one. :laugh:


I just posted this to engage some people. :grin: I don't follow sports aside from football season on Poltiirant. If it's not here chances are I don't know about it. :laugh:

Conley
01-31-2012, 02:45 PM
:laugh: I follow American politics. I know nothing about Penn State politics. :grin:

Peter1469
01-31-2012, 03:39 PM
My problem with the entire affair is that the high level people in the state knew about Sandusky and his tastes. They all covered up for him. Did Paterno get too much of the blame? Was he thrown under the bus. Perhaps. But by that I mean that many many more people need to be pushed under the same bus.

Mister D
01-31-2012, 03:46 PM
The author obviously has a high opinion of Paterno but he makes the same point you make: Paterno was scapegoated.

Conley
01-31-2012, 03:49 PM
My problem with the entire affair is that the high level people in the state knew about Sandusky and his tastes. They all covered up for him. Did Paterno get too much of the blame? Was he thrown under the bus. Perhaps. But by that I mean that many many more people need to be pushed under the same bus.

I couldn't agree more. There was a culture there that turned a blind eye to this and did so repeatedly.

Captain Obvious
01-31-2012, 05:10 PM
Joe - as a leader in an institution who's main focus is the preparing young people for their life's journey had a moral obligation to get to the bottom of this issue. The fact that he took a minimal obligation position with the matter shows that he put the institution (the implication is that he wanted the matter swept under the rug to maintain the public perception of institutional integrity) higher than the welfare of those children.

That was Joe's "crime" and it is highly amplified considering the position of absolute trust he was in for young people in general.

Conley
02-10-2012, 11:45 AM
The judge overseeing Jerry Sandusky's child sex abuse trial is hearing from an investigator who fielded complaints from neighbors and school personnel about the former Penn State assistant coach allegedly watching children from his rear deck while on home confinement as he awaits trial.

An investigator for the attorney general's office said a school employee complained Sandusky's presence disrupted activities inside classrooms from which his home is visible.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7561921/penn-state-nittany-lions-neighbors-allege-jerry-sandusky-watching-kids-back-porch

This guy lives in a home from which he can see inside classrooms? WTF.

Mister D
02-10-2012, 11:50 AM
Wow that's creepy. There has to be something more to that.

roadmaster
02-10-2012, 01:23 PM
I don’t know this man Joe but I do know how most university’s work. He may have been a head coach but he is also just a citizen like you and I. As a citizen he did report the incident ( and lets get real here most won’t in fear of not having a job, They will act like they don‘t know a thing and don‘t want to get involved) to the campus police and a few more. Joe could not arrest this man on his own. What could he have done more? Went to the state police, they would have told him to do exactly what he did, go to the campus police and report it to the school. If they find something the state police would have got involved. Who dropped the ball? The coach, no at least he had the guts to say something and try. Who were the cops investigating the incident and what did they find? Did they talk to any kids and how many? How about the board, why didn’t they demand it be investigated more? Not only did they not find out the facts they let him the pervert come back onto the campus after 1999. Joe had nothing to do with that.
Like I said I don’t follow college football, only pro. Don’t know this mans heart and am not swayed either way because of not really knowing him or heard of him. My dad was a coach and I know he would have reported anything like this. If they come back to you and say there is no evidence to pursue and was investigated and found nothing what do you do? We as citizens trust that the police talked to kids, looked for problems ect. If Joe knew more than what he said and didn’t report all then he is guilty just as much as the others but if he didn’t, I can’t put this on him.

Conley
02-10-2012, 06:38 PM
Wow that's creepy. There has to be something more to that.

Yup, he lives right next to an elementary school. Unbelievable.

State College Area School District Superintendent Robert J. O'Donnell said in an email response to a query about the location that police are aware of the proximity of Sandusky's home to Lemont Elementary School. Also, he said, the principal "has taken additional administrative action to ensure our children are safe. These measures have been in place throughout the week and will remain in place moving forward."

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/11/jerry_sandusky_lives_near_scho.html