Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal (Indictment Post #144, "Pimping" Allegations Post #442)

[Bill Wooten]

For those that hold Paterno in such high regard, you should have expected more from him in this case.

 

[Dmoore Esq]

I guarantee you that's the case. Of course he should've beaten the hell out of that monster immediately, don't get me wrong. But it probably flashed through his head -- besides being in total shock at what he saw -- that if he did that his career would be over not just at Penn State, but at almost any other school because he'd likely be blackballed forever by someone as powerful in the industry as Joe Paterno.

Now they're saying Paterno will be fired after the year. That isn't soon enough. He along with several others should've already coached their last game.

No one is getting black balled for stopping child rape. He would have had a chance to work his way up the coaching ranks some place else. That's gone now. Would you hire him?

 

[Hoofbite]

Why would he retire?

His conscience should be clear. After all, he did ALL that he could or was obligated to.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Phil Sheridan's blog from just minutes ago...


"So Joe Paterno is going out on his own terms – assuming his terms are as a tone-deaf, misguided enabler of the most abhorrent behavior ever attached to a sports entity of any kind.

The news that Paterno has “decided to retire” at the end of this football season would have been a headline grabber in any of the previous 10 years. It is an absurd afterthought in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky grand jury report. Retire? At the end of the season?"

More...

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/philabuster/133531816.html

 

[Chocolate Lab]

No one is getting black balled for stopping child rape. He would have had a chance to work his way up the coaching ranks some place else. That's gone now. Would you hire him?

Of course I would.

I'm just talking about what might have been going through this young GA's head. And speaking to the king-like, or even god-like, personas these legendary coaches have on campus, in their towns, and even in their states. They wield a TON of influence.

And they don't rule through benevolence, either. It's usually more fear and intimidation.

It's just too fishy to me that this guy has had a job there all these years. I can't believe many more people didn't know, including Paterno.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I'm pissed off that they'd even phrase the statement that way, that "he has decided" to retire. He should've been fired immediately.

Is he still so all-powerful that they have to cater to him even after the most heinous scandal in sports history?

 

[trickblue]

Why would he retire?

His conscience should be clear. After all, he did ALL that he could or was obligated to.

His contract was up at the end of the year, anyway... they weren't going to renew it, most likely...

 

[BlueStar3398]

I would be utterly shocked if Paterno coached on Saturday. And all the PSU students demonstrating their support for Joe Pa are completely disgusting. It's a vile thing that happened. The worst sports scandal of all-time. I understand you may love the guy and the team, and might want to wait until the process plays itself out and everything alleged is either proven or dismissed, but how could you offer your support to anyone who is alleged to have allowed something like this to happen under his watch? If Joe Pa is coaching, don't show up to the game. I'm a fan of Big 10 football, and a big fan of Michigan State. If something like this happened at the program I loved, you'd never see me at another game again or showing my support for anyone involved.

+1 Supporting a guy that knew about a vile, despicable crime against a child and didn't call the cops is disgusting.

If I witnessed that crime, I would have called 911 right then and there. I bet that child was thinking SOMEONE HELP ME! And no one did.

 

[Hoofbite]

His contract was up at the end of the year, anyway... they weren't going to renew it, most likely...

That's fine. But why not wait until the end of the season and let it play itself out.

I can't imagine why he would come out and say this. HE DID ALL HE COULD DO!!!

 

[Joe Realist]

It is a preemptibe strike by Paterno so now the ball is in the court of the Board of Trustees. My gut says he coaches Satuday at their final home game/senior day and PSU gets to say goodbye to him. Then he does not coach the rest of the season.

 

[Dmoore Esq]

Of course I would.

I'm just talking about what might have been going through this young GA's head. And speaking to the king-like, or even god-like, personas these legendary coaches have on campus, in their towns, and even in their states. They wield a TON of influence.

And they don't rule through benevolence, either. It's usually more fear and intimidation.

It's just too fishy to me that this guy has had a job there all these years. I can't believe many more people didn't know, including Paterno.

So you would hire someone who witnessed a child being sexually assaulted, first hand, and not only didn't physically stop it, he just reported it to his superiors and did nothing else? You want that person to be a leader of young men?

I know I've never been in a situation like that, but I know without a shadow of a doubt if it would have been me it would have been different. There's absolutely no excuse.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Paterno's statement.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Nov. 9, 2011 — I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief.

I have come to work every day for the last 61 years with one clear goal in mind: To serve the best interests of this university and the young men who have been entrusted to my care. I have the same goal today.

That's why I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season. At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.

My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this University

Wow.

Just wow.









YR

 

[punchnjudy]

This whole thing is disgusting. Obviously, there are certain levels of crime that should immediately be reported to police. What they do after that is their business. If I witness someone skimping off the books, I go to a supervisor. Rape or murder--that goes to the police. And if the evidence is brought to me, same reaction. Police. Any man worth anything would do the same thing.

Regarding the cover up, I hope they uncover all levels of it. Even though investigators say Paterno isn't a target, that doesn't mean he won't be. They're not going to acknowledge it until they have some evidence, but they know as well as I do that people don't attempt a cover up unless they think all parties are going to participate. Those administrators had to not only suspect but know that Paterno wouldn't later go to the police or they would not only lose their jobs but would be locked up as well. Nobody takes that risk on a hunch.

 

[Stautner]

That is a bunch of bull. No one here is saying Paterno is the most to blame. No one. You are making all of that drama up on your own. You are making him out to be some martyr. He's not. He had a part in all this, could have done more in most people's eyes and will end up losing his job over it. You don't lose your job when you do everything absolutely 100% the right way. And his punishment is nowhere near as bad as what others in this fiasco deserve and will probably get.

The more you defend Paterno the more the whole situation just ticks me off. Screw him.

Of course a coach can get fired if he handled it the correct way. It all depends on how the school feels about the coach, and while Paterno is loved, he is also considered too old and past his prime. There was a big push to get him fired a few years ago and he bounced back and had a pretty good season, but this incident feeds those who want him gone anyway.

That said, even though Paterno technically handled the situation properly, I have mixed emotions about it. My gut thought is that anytime there is an allegation of something improper involving a child a person should go directly to the police, however this involved a second hand report about a coach who had not been associated with the team for a few years, so it's understandable that Paterno would have passed it to his employer to handle. The one thing that is bothersome to me is that it seems Paterno never followed up with his employer to make sure it got handled properly.

Wrong...This is the worst thing that can ever happen to little children. get your priorities strait.

I hate to disagree with a couple of posters I really like, but I must. Sandusky adopted four little kids and had numerous foster children. He was a predator and Joe Pa did next to nothing when presented with the evidence.

First, I don't think the poster was suggesting it wasn't a horrible thing for kids.

Second, Paterno wasn't presented with evidence, he was presented with a 2nd hand account. You still may believe Paterno should have gone to the police rather than put it in the hands of the university, but it's false to suggest Paterno had evidence of anything.

I wonder why nobody is crucifying the asst. coach who saw the incident in the showers. He left in the hands of Paterno, just as Paterno left it in the hands of the school. Seems to me both he and Paterno should have followed up.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

So you would hire someone who witnessed a child being sexually assaulted, first hand, and not only didn't physically stop it, he just reported it to his superiors and did nothing else? You want that person to be a leader of young men?

I know I've never been in a situation like that, but I know without a shadow of a doubt if it would have been me it would have been different. There's absolutely no excuse.

Wait a minute, why are you attacking me? Go back about 20 pages ago -- I've already said the guy was wrong, that he should've grabbed a helmet out of a locker and pummeled the old POS immediately.

I thought you were asking me if I'd hire the guy if he *had* stopped the crime right then and there and Paterno had somehow tried to blackball the guy among his coaching peers. Yes, I'd hire him in that case.

Would I hire someone who saw the worst crime possible and did nothing about it? Hell no. But I didn't do that, Joe Paterno did.

 

[Stautner]

Of course I would.

I'm just talking about what might have been going through this young GA's head. And speaking to the king-like, or even god-like, personas these legendary coaches have on campus, in their towns, and even in their states. They wield a TON of influence.

And they don't rule through benevolence, either. It's usually more fear and intimidation.

It's just too fishy to me that this guy has had a job there all these years. I can't believe many more people didn't know, including Paterno.

Really? So you believe the entirety of society is so screwed up and morally depraved or indifferent that many people would have known the guy was a child molester and not a single one would have reported it?

I can by cynical about some things, but I just don't buy this.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Really? So you believe the entirety of society is so screwed up and morally depraved or indifferent that many people would have known the guy was a child molester and not a single one would have reported it?

You're talking about Sandusky, right?

If so, I don't guess you've read all the details, because apparently lots of people did know.

Maybe at some points the authorities didn't think they had enough evidence to prosecute, but people knew this was a bad, bad guy.

 

[Stautner]

Wait a minute, why are you attacking me? Go back about 20 pages ago -- I've already said the guy was wrong, that he should've grabbed a helmet out of a locker and pummeled the old POS immediately.

I thought you were asking me if I'd hire the guy if he *had* stopped the crime right then and there and Paterno had somehow tried to blackball the guy among his coaching peers. Yes, I'd hire him in that case.

Would I hire someone who saw the worst crime possible and did nothing about it? Hell no. But I didn't do that, Joe Paterno did.

First, I thought the guy was hired before Paterno knew anything about this, second I didn't think Paterno saw the crime, and third I thought the guy was already gone from Penn State before Paterno knew. I haven't read everything on this, but that's what the story I read online indicated this morning.

 

[Stautner]

Are you talking about Sandusky?

If so, I don't guess you've read all the details, because apparently lots of people did know.

I guess I haven't read all the details, but regardless I don't think it's fair to just assume everyone that knew Sandusky knew about his activities.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

First, I thought the guy was hired before Paterno knew anything about this, second I didn't think Paterno saw the crime, and third I thought the guy was already gone from Penn State before Paterno knew. I haven't read everything on this, but that's what the story I read online indicated this morning.

You need to read up on the case. At the time, McQueary was a graduate assistant. He's now an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.