Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno FIRED *SuperMerge*

[Stautner]

That is what everyone has been saying. For crying out loud. You people need to slow the frick down and read the posts.

You don't think the guy showing up in the facilities day in and day out never once showed JoPA the U didn't follow up on its responsibility?

So Jo gets a pass because he reported it and the Univ chose to ignore it thus Jo should ignore it.

The defense is laughable.

apparently YOU need to slow down and read the posts. I VERY clearly said Paterno should have been aware the University didn't follow up and he shouldn't have allowed that to happen. How in the world did you come away from what i wrote thinking I had said otherwise?

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I know this is a sensitive issue...it is one of the worst issues when children are involved.

However please stop the personal insults. I understand tempers can run hot but don't get carried away and wind up getting in trouble for it.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

That is what everyone has been saying. For crying out loud. You people need to slow the frick down and read the posts.

You don't think the guy showing up in the facilities day in and day out never once showed JoPA the U didn't follow up on its responsibility?

So Jo gets a pass because he reported it and the Univ chose to ignore it thus Jo should ignore it.

The defense is laughable.

Here's the thing. if paterno knew that this was going on and he did nothing after the 2002 incident then I would agree with you. The only thing he knew was what McQeary told him and it was a very vanilla account. Not what you are reading in the indictment. HE then told Sandusky that he wouldn't become the HC. Here's the problem with all of this.

The 1998 incident was dropped by the cops. The 2002 incident was reported by Paterno to the school officials. Paterno then told Sandusky he wouldn't be the HC and then Sandusky retired.

This is 2011. Nearly a decade has gone by and the cops are just now thinking there is something wrong? Where were the cops in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010?

Is there any reports of an incident past 2002? There may have been but I haven't seen it. If so and Paterno knew about them and he still maintained a relationship with Sandusky, then I will apologize to you and agree that he should be held to a much higher degree of culpability.

But as far as I know, He only knew about the 2002 incident.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

I know this is a sensitive issue...it is one of the worst issues when children are involved.

However please stop the personal insults. I understand tempers can run hot but don't get carried away and wind up getting in trouble for it.

You're right. My bad.

Sorry Dallas.

 

[Dallas]

I know this is a sensitive issue...it is one of the worst issues when children are involved.

However please stop the personal insults. I understand tempers can run hot but don't get carried away and wind up getting in trouble for it.

**edited to say nothing**

 

[Dallas]

You're right. My bad.

Sorry Dallas.

Its all good. My apologies if I upset you as well.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Here's the thing. if paterno knew that this was going on and he did nothing after the 2002 incident then I would agree with you. The only thing he knew was what McQeary told him and it was a very vanilla account. Not what you are reading in the indictment. HE then told Sandusky that he wouldn't become the HC. Here's the problem with all of this.

The 1998 incident was dropped by the cops. The 2002 incident was reported by Paterno to the school officials. Paterno then told Sandusky he wouldn't be the HC and then Sandusky retired.

This is 2011. Nearly a decade has gone by and the cops are just now thinking there is something wrong? Where were the cops in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010?

Is there any reports of an incident past 2002? There may have been but I haven't seen it. If so and Paterno knew about them and he still maintained a relationship with Sandusky, then I will apologize to you and agree that he should be held to a much higher degree of culpability.

But as far as I know, He only knew about the 2002 incident.

I'm looking at it the other way.

What did Joe know about the 1998 incident and did that trigger the discussion that Sandusky woundn't be his successor and thus his "retirement" in 1999?

And if Joe knew Sandusky had issues with little boys back in the late 90's, should his response have been different upon heaing of a naked Sandusky and a little boy in the Penn St. showers in 2002?

 

[CATCH17]

Again, you are talking out of your arse. As I said, he should have one to the cops himself. He didn't. But he did report it. He didn't cover anything up. But people like you like to find the one guy you know something about and make him the poster boy for the act and you talk like he did the act himself. And I was referring to the media and people who have a hate on for Penn State who want to destroy his reputation and legacy, not Joe.

Cajun I disagree. Reporting it wasn't enough if justice wasn't being taken.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

I'm looking at it the other way.

What did Joe know about the 1998 incident and did that trigger the discussion that Sandusky woundn't be his successor and thus his "retirement" in 1999?

And if Joe knew Sandusky had issues with little boys back in the late 90's, should his response have been different upon heaing of a naked Sandusky and a little boy in the Penn St. showers in 2002?

If there is some proof that Paterno knew, then that would change things entirely. However, there is no proof of that. Nor has anyone anywhere even speculated that.

 

[burmafrd]

That is how a lawyer thinks.

All that matters is what is LEGAL.

Not what is right or wrong or moral. Just what will keep you out of jail.

That was all Joe Pa did. And he should be forever roasted for just that.

 

[casmith07]

Legally, the state could come after him for conspiracy charges as well as everyone else close to Sadunsky who may have known something. It would be hard to prove though. "Looking the other way" isn't exactly the same as conspiracy to commit a crime.

Morally, I think Paterno did the right thing by notifying his superiors. It's also apparently said that he followed up on what what happening at least two times after the initial incident was reported with Victim #2 in the shower (horrific incident and most egregious, according to the brief). However, if he followed up on it and nothing was done, he should have went to the police himself.

That being said, the University needs to clean house. Paterno should step down immediately, not at the end of the season. The Graduate Assistant should be ashamed of himself for failing to go to police if he in fact witnessed what he claims to have witnessed, as well.

In all of this, I feel horribly for the janitors who felt they would lose their jobs if they reported what they saw/heard.

I also think that Sadunsky is likely going to face more than just abuse charges. If they're able to continue their investigation I bet they'd find a lot of stuff on his computer.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

Cajun I disagree. Reporting it wasn't enough if justice wasn't being taken.

Agreed, but if you believe that taking it to your supervisors is the right thing and you expect them to investigate, then what else can you do other than going to the cops yourself?

Here is where I have the problem with what Joe DIDN'T do.

You live in State College and Joe Paterno is a god there. If Joe had thought that the school didn't go through the investigative process and didn't contact the authorities then he could have walked right into the police station himself and he would have gotten something done. It would have probably ended right there. Joe's too revered for someone to not take his report seriously.

I imagine that at 75 years old (at the time) he probably thought everything that was supposed to be done was. Knowing Paterno, I can't imagine him NOT doing more if he thought it should have been done.

 

[Stautner]

Agreed, but if you believe that taking it to your supervisors is the right thing and you expect them to investigate, then what else can you do other than going to the cops yourself?

Here is where I have the problem with what Joe DIDN'T do.

You live in State College and Joe Paterno is a god there. If Joe had thought that the school didn't go through the investigative process and didn't contact the authorities then he could have walked right into the police station himself and he would have gotten something done. It would have probably ended right there. Joe's too revered for someone to not take his report seriously.

I imagine that at 75 years old (at the time) he probably thought everything that was supposed to be done was. Knowing Paterno, I can't imagine him NOT doing more if he thought it should have been done.

I can accept reporting to the school as the right initial step, but I have a hard time believing he didn't know that nothing was done, and a harder time accepting that he didn't take the time to find out given the nature of the accusation.

 

[trickblue]

Legally, the state could come after him for conspiracy charges as well as everyone else close to Sadunsky who may have known something. It would be hard to prove though. "Looking the other way" isn't exactly the same as conspiracy to commit a crime.

Yep... much harder to prosecute sins of omission as opposed to sins of commission...

I also think that Sadunsky is likely going to face more than just abuse charges. If they're able to continue their investigation I bet they'd find a lot of stuff on his computer.

That's what I've been saying... we'll likely never know the whole truth as they are looking for just enough to put him away for life. I would imagine this goes FAR deeper than any of us care to know...

 

[Cajuncowboy]

I can accept reporting to the school as the right initial step, but I have a hard time believing he didn't know that nothing was done, and a harder time accepting that he didn't take the time to find out given the nature of the accusation.

May be. I will say this, Paterno was 75 at the time. He may or may not have been privy to what the school was doing. And at 75 and being the HC at PSU, he may not have been too focused on anything else. Not excusing him for not going to the cops, just knowing the guy, it probably wasn't something he thought he should do in light of what the school was SUPPOSED to do.

 

[Idgit]

In all of this, I feel horribly for the janitors who felt they would lose their jobs if they reported what they saw/heard.

Really? Fear of losing a janitorial job does not come close to vindicating someone in this situation in my book. That's an awful excuse for keeping quiet.

 

[Concord]

When Paterno coaches at the Shoe his last time...the fans are going to be brutal.

 

[Concord]

Really? Fear of losing a janitorial job does not come close to vindicating someone in this situation in my book. That's an awful excuse for keeping quiet.

It's preposterous.

No way they were going to get fired and if they did...they would have had a big old lawsuit waiting for Penn St.

 

[joseephuss]

If there is some proof that Paterno knew, then that would change things entirely. However, there is no proof of that. Nor has anyone anywhere even speculated that.

There is circumstantial evidence that Paterno knew something in 1998. Why else tell Sandusky that he would never be the HC at PSU?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Not sure why the parallel thread... But like I said in another one, it's incredibly insulting that he'd "decide to retire". He should be fired immediately.