JoePa Shocking........

[Macroni]

I can't even begin to wrap my head around this situation.


Blame for Penn State's Jerry Sandusky scandal falls on Joe Paterno, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, Graham Spanier, Mike McQueary - College Football News | FOX Sports on MSN

[widgeon13]

Sad testimony as to where our society is headed.

[pwd72s]

A well written column...that said, I know little about the event....other than holding an opinion about what should happen to child molestors.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

A well written column...that said, I know little about the event....other than holding an opinion about what should happen to child molestors.

Amateur athletics aren't...Joe, if Whitlock is right (and he is very good) is way past his GTFO date.

Edit: A link from the previous post. http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/jerry-sandusky-penn-state-football-sexual-abuse-scandal-tim-curley-gary-schultz-how-could-administration-let-it-happen110511

[McLovin]

I agree 100%.

I heard this morning that the victim was 10 years old. Sick.

Paterno's excuse is utter BS. The actions of EVERYONE involved at Penn State in this case are sick and disgusting. Everyone.

They all had a chance (a RESPONSIBILITY) to step up and stop this.

Because of each of them, innocent children were brutally harmed.

I don't know how they can sleep at night.

[pwd72s]

And yet...every Saturday...the stadiums get filled.

[McLovin]

It's true. And I guess if the rapist of a 10 year old boy has to get a free pass to not endanger a college football program, well, so be it.

I used to watch college football, but don't much anymore. I just think it is all so corrupt, winning has little to do with sportsmanship, skill, practice, etc.

It has more to do with cheating, getting around rules, looking the other way at rules violations, illegally paying players to come to your school, etc.

Because really, it's all about recruiting. And that comes down to "Who can get the best players/thugs to come to your school." And that, it unfortunately appears, comes down to promising or giving these recruits money, other things, etc.

With the pressure on these $5 million/year coaches, there are way too many that will cut corners, skirt the rules, and downright cheat. It's unfortunate that what was once a great sport has become so corrupted.

[landrover88]

I am local to this story.

Not the first time for sex scandal at Penn State.

Low key child porn and abuse from staff few years back.

made the news and went away.

[DaveE]

What a horrible legacy for Paterno, that he let something as disgusting as this slide for so many years. Any records of his are meaningless in the face of this. How could he not see the value of integrity over football wins?

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by McLovin

It's true. And I guess if the rapist of a 10 year old boy has to get a free pass to not endanger a college football program, well, so be it.

I used to watch college football, but don't much anymore. I just think it is all so corrupt, winning has little to do with sportsmanship, skill, practice, etc.

It has more to do with cheating, getting around rules, looking the other way at rules violations, illegally paying players to come to your school, etc.

Because really, it's all about recruiting. And that comes down to "Who can get the best players/thugs to come to your school." And that, it unfortunately appears, comes down to promising or giving these recruits money, other things, etc.

With the pressure on these $5 million/year coaches, there are way too many that will cut corners, skirt the rules, and downright cheat. It's unfortunate that what was once a great sport has become so corrupted.

Bingo boingo. I've noticed that there aren't so many of the "our team is the best" posts here this year. Maybe folks are catching on?

I've become a pool hall junkie, thanks to live streams. I'm more often watching a pool tournament than a college football game these days.

[strupgolf]

And Ol' Joe will come out of this with his $3m. job intact. That was yesterday and this is today. Sad that this has come out to this, but if he knew it 10, yes 10 years ago, it's sad for all the Penn State fans, players and alumni. If you win, what else is there in college football.

[RWebb]

It a horrible legacy for Paterno - even tho he did everything required by law, he should have followed up, inquired, and kept after it.

[Superman]

I clicked on the link and read the article. The article is an opinion letter of some kind, not a factual news article. Obviously. It mentions, among other things, that at the time of the 2002 incident, Sandusky had been separated from the Penn State coaching staff for around three years. It also mentioned Paterno's testimony that the nature and details of the event witnessed by McQueary were not communicated to him by McQueary. Paterno nonetheless (though unaware of the details and in spite of the fact that Sandusky had not worked in that program since 1999) referred the matter to university administrators (apparently, the Athletic Director).

With all due respect (and it appears as if little may be 'due') to this sports-opinion-writer, Joe Paterno is more renowned for his moral and ethical code than his frickin' record-setting wins. Paterno has been much more than a coach. Parents sent their kids to his program more for character-building than football skills or wins. Paterno's LOOOOOONG record has been inspirational.

Unless somebody comes up with something more than some jackass' blustery finger-pointing (like for example....facts), I'm certainly not ready to throw Mr. Paterno under the bus. Not even close. Sure, of course this is a blemish on his program. One I suspect he wishes he had handled more proactively like, I guess, conducting his own investigation.

Again, I would like to see some facts about this case, or any other case in which Joe Paterno behaved inappropriately. If somebody can show that fact pattern, in this case or in any previous Paterno instance, I'm guessing a hundred very very opposite stories about that man can also be told. I can think of several right now. Paterno, for many decades now, has been a pillar of responsible behavior.

[McLovin]

from espn:

"And in 2002, Kelly said, a graduate assistant saw Sandusky sexually assault a naked boy, estimated to be about 10 years old, in a team locker room shower. The grad student and his father reported what he saw to Paterno, who immediately told Curley, prosecutors said.

The two school administrators fielded the complaint from the graduate assistant and from Paterno.

Two people familiar with the investigation confirmed the identity of the graduate assistant as Mike McQueary..."

Penn State Nittany Lions sex abuse case -- Officials arraigned; police seek alleged assault victim - ESPN

[David]

The one thing that would give a Joe a pass is that once something like this is passed on to your supervisor, not only is it not your responsibility to follow up on, it may not be legal to know what's happening due to confidentiality. So assuming Joe figured an investigation was performed, he would not be privy to the outcome.

If he had witnessed the abuse then it's a whole different story and something he should have followed.

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by David

The one thing that would give a Joe a pass is that once something like this is passed on to your supervisor, not only is it not your responsibility to follow up on, it may not be legal to know what's happening due to confidentiality. So assuming Joe figured an investigation was performed, he would not be privy to the outcome.

If he had witnessed the abuse then it's a whole different story and something he should have followed.

Maybe. Maybe that's technically legally true.

But as the police commissioner said as quoted in the ESPN article:

"State police commissioner Frank Noonan said, as far as state police can tell, Paterno fulfilled his legal requirement to report.

"But somebody has to question about what I would consider the moral requirements for a human being that knows of sexual things that are taking place with a child," Noonan said. "I think you have the moral responsibility, anyone. Not whether you're a football coach or a university president or the guy sweeping the building. I think you have a moral responsibility to call us."

Maybe you and others would be comfortable in Paterno's shoes, feeling you met some technical requirement.

While this was happening in your locker room.

And by being a little more proactive you might have been able to stop 10 year olds from being raped by a pervert.

Some of you could sleep well at night, I guess. Even consider yourself a "pillar of responsibility." I couldn't. Not even close.

[RWebb]

agreed

[widgeon13]

I'd say Paterno is guilty of very poor judgement, unfortunately that will taint his character. It will also hurt the institution for some time.

[Dan J]

I'm fairly certain that if any of you had heard of an incident like this ,and you were the guy in charge, You would have done a much more thorough job of following up
This is not a trivial issue

[McLovin]

Sickening.

The grand jury report said McQueary was in the locker room that night to put away some new sneakers when he heard "rhythmic, slapping sounds" and looked into the showers.

He reportedly saw a naked boy, about 10 years old, with his hands against the wall as Sandusky subjected him to anal sex. McQueary left immediately and first contacted his father before calling Paterno the next morning and then meeting at Paterno's home.

Exactly what was said during that meeting is unclear from the grand jury record, which states that Paterno called Curley the next day to tell him McQueary had seen Sandusky "in the Lasch Building showers fondling or doing something of a sexual nature to a young boy."