Hide Yo Kids. Paterno/Sandusky Trial/Penn State Megathread

[dave]

I believe, like most, that Paterno fired him. And I believe Paterno fired him based on allegations that never resulted in an arrest. It's easy to look at 1998 in hindsight and say Paterno didn't do enough to stop a predator, but it is entirely possible that Paterno did not believe he was a predator at that time. Again, all you really had was allegations that led to nothing. But Paterno washed his hands of the guy anyway.
.

Give me a fucking break.

If Paterno had a heart, he would have called the police ... not just fired this fuck (which he didn't).

Paterno clearly was in the wrong here .... he never fired Sandusky.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Give me a fucking break.

If Paterno had a heart, he would have called the police ... not just fired this fuck (which he didn't).

Paterno clearly was in the wrong here .... he never fired Sandusky.

He fired him. Nobody believes at this point that Sandusky retired on his own at age 55 as one of the hottest assistants in CFB. Even one of the victims in the report says that he was there when Sandusky came out of the meeting with Paterno and was highly distraught about being told he was not taking over, and presumably, to go away.

I don't know why people keep saying that Paterno should have called police in 1998 when THE POLICE ALREADY KNEW AND INVESTIGATED SANDUSKY. Nothing came of it. Blame the fucking cops.

Was he supposed to call them again, and say "hey guys, just wanted to let you know that I heard about the allegations that you are already investigating"?

 

[NAHSTE]

He fired him. Nobody believes at this point that Sandusky retired on his own at age 55 as one of the hottest assistants in CFB. Even one of the victims in the report says that he was there when Sandusky came out of the meeting with Paterno and was highly distraught about being told he was not taking over, and presumably, to go away.

I don't know why people keep saying that Paterno should have called police in 1998 when THE POLICE ALREADY KNEW AND INVESTIGATED SANDUSKY. Nothing came of it. Blame the fucking cops.

Was he supposed to call them again, and say "hey guys, just wanted to let you know that I heard about the allegations that you are already investigating"?

I agree that the investigation being aborted in 1998 is ultimately on the police. The police heard a phone conversation in which he admitted it to the mother, and the mother also claims he admitted it to her face, and somehow they drop the case.

However, I can't forgive Paterno for letting him have an office in the building, continuing to bring kids around, etc. He had to have known, or at least dug deeper, given the 2002 incident. It should get curious at some point, and if it doesn't you are either blind or willfully ignorant. I don't see a single excuse he could give for this. In the grand jury testimony, he admits to knowing at least of "something of sexual nature" in the shower in 2002, and we all agree he probably fired him with cause in 1998 for something of a sexual nature in the shower with a boy. He allowed Sandusky to quietly step down and continue to live his life, never deciding to put a stop to this continuous behavior.

Being old is not an excuse for being a terrible person. Joe Pa was largely a great man and a tremendous and influential coach and mentor to hundreds if not thousands of people in his great lifetime, but none of that matters ever again.

It's not solely his fault, of course. This is a failure on multiple levels. The educational system, the police department, the government of this community let down the victims and their parents. But Joe Pa is part of that system, and a very powerful member of that system, and he's the one person who could have most easily stopped this multiple times over several years. I feel no sympathy for him, but I do agree that we should not focus on his involvement anymore than the other horrible people who contributed.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I agree that the investigation being aborted in 1998 is ultimately on the police. The police heard a phone conversation in which he admitted it to the mother, and the mother also claims he admitted it to her face, and somehow they drop the case.

However, I can't forgive Paterno for letting him have an office in the building, continuing to bring kids around, etc. He had to have known, or at least dug deeper, given the 2002 incident. It should get curious at some point, and if it doesn't you are either blind or willfully ignorant.

I think everyone agrees that from this point forward is where things get sketchy.

Until Paterno speaks, and we can turn on the bullshit detectors and rip him to shreds, or he drops a new bombshell that potentially exonerates him, this is kinda going in circles.

I WANT MORE OF THIS STORY I CANT GET ENOUGH

 

[NAHSTE]

I think everyone agrees that from this point forward is where things get sketchy.

Until Paterno speaks, and we can turn on the bullshit detectors and rip him to shreds, or he drops a new bombshell that potentially exonerates him, this is kinda going in circles.

I WANT MORE OF THIS STORY I CANT GET ENOUGH

I don't think we'll get much from Paterno "speaking" ... he's an incoherent fool at this point, sadly.

I agree though that this story is fascinating. I've been devouring it over the past few days, it's like a drug. Such a horrible and tragic and repulsive story, but there are so many layers and unbelievable developments that I can't stop.

 

[shag773]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/onward-state/sandusky-scandal-national_b_1085201.html

Quick. Don't think. Who is prime suspect number one in the scandal involving Penn State right now? If you were to read 95% of the stories put out by the national media since Sunday or gone on Twitter or (from stories I've heard) spoken with any of the national talking heads trudging through State College right now, they would tell you that the villain in this horrible, horrible incident is Joe Paterno.

Tell me, when was the last time you heard Jerry Sandusky's name? When was the last time you heard about the charges brought against athletic director Tim Curley and former VP of Business and Finance Gary Schultz? I'm fairly certain that these three men have been the ones charged with crimes in this on-going investigation.

Some of you may know me as the former sports editor at Onward State. I started writing my junior year and became fascinated with journalism. I found it exciting to go fact-finding. To be able to relate a story to the masses was an exhilarating feeling. But over the past five days, my love for the craft has dwindled. I realized a whole lot about the business of journalism after reading the stories of the New York Times, Washington Post and some of the most respected news blogs in the nation. And yes, I said BUSINESS of journalism. Because journalism has now gone past its roots. It is no longer about telling a story. It is making up the story that will sell the most papers, get the most pageviews, accrue the most Twitter followers and make the most money in the end. What will sell a story? Will a story about a no-name like Gary Schultz sell papers? Will a story about Tim Curley get an author noticed? Even a story on Graham Spanier, who has a bit more national prominence, won't bring in readership. Like I said, when was the last big story on the perpetrator, Jerry Sandusky, written?

You know what will sell, though? The downfall of an American icon. A man who has spent 60 years building the reputation of a football program, a university, a whole town doing the "legal minimum" but not his "moral duty" being pummeled both in writing and by cameras and microphones everywhere he goes. I can guarantee you, if Penn State was coached by some no-name, the stories churned out would be about the victims and the men who perpetrated these crimes.

I'm not here to defend what Joe Paterno did or did not do. That has been talked about in many other posts and in many other comment boards. But I hope to convey some of the things the media has lost sight of over the past week by dissecting different allegations they have brought up. Please follow along below.

1. "JOE PATERNO NEVER FOLLOWED UP ON THESE CHARGES" or "JOE PATERNO SENT THIS UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND WASHED HIS HANDS OF THE SITUATION"

This was the first of many "facts" that was made up by the national media. If you've read the Grand Jury testimony, I commend you. Now go read it again. Pick out the part where it says Joe never went back to Tim Curley or Gary Schultz to see what was happening in the process. It never says he did, but it sure as hell doesn't say he didn't either.

2. "JOE PATERNO KNEW ABOUT (OR HAD TO HAVE KNOWN ABOUT) THE '98 ALLEGATIONS AND STILL LET A CHILD RAPIST AROUND HIS TEAM"

Once again, go back to the testimony. Nowhere does it say that Joe knew about any allegations before 2002. In fact, one person I know sat in a class on Tuesday and listened to Patriot-News reporter Sara Garim, who has been the point person for all of the investigative stories dealing with this case, say that Joe testified he did not know about the 1998 allegations, going as far to say: "I think it's fair to say, as far as you could possibly say, that Joe Paterno didn't know about [the 1998 investigation]." If some real investigating had been done by the national media, they'd probably know that too.

3. "JOE PATERNO ENABLED A CHILD RAPIST"

Use your words better. I understand your need for emphasis to sell, but using the word enable makes it seem like Joe hand-picked the boys for Sandusky.

4. "JOE PATERNO IS TIM CURLEY'S/GRAHAM SPANIER'S BOSS" or "JOE PATERNO RUNS PENN STATE UNIVERSITY"

Many columnists have brought this point up in regards to Joe pushing Mike McQueary's information up the chain of command. Since Joe runs everything there, he is to blame. He is the head honcho. Find other columns these men and women have written. Look at their Twitter feeds over the past year. Look at them from the past week! They'll tell you that he doesn't even run his own football team anymore and hasn't for 15 years. For an 84-year old man to not be able to look over 85 players and a coaching staff, but yet control 44,000 students on the University Park campus, plus the administrators, plus the faculty, plus the staff and handle day-to-day operations of a university seems unimaginable to me. But you know, whatever argument works at the time, guys.

When Joe Paterno released his retirement statement Wednesday morning, he said that he would finish out the year coaching. A large majority of the people I follow on Twitter and TV commentators said it wasn't enough and were adamant about it. He needed to resign now or be fired by the Board of Trustees. A huge, HUGE backlash for a man who just wants to coach four or five more football games. Later on in the afternoon, Ben Jones of Black Shoes Diaries and StateCollege.com tweeted that he was told Jerry Sandusky was spotted working out in a gym with his wife this morning. The reaction? "Wow." "Geez." "Welp."

This story has become so twisted that negative emotion about a man coaching a football game exceeds that of an accused chlid molester walking the streets of the town where he committed his crimes by what it seems to be millions of percent. By focusing on the tear-down of the most notable figure involved in the case, people have become numb to the man who did the most damage and those who have been accused to covering up that damage.

Sensationalizing a story led to Joe Paterno being the first man to lose his job in this fiasco. And while I have no qualms about saying Joe had to step down after this mess blew up, when looking back at the facts, is he really the first man who should have gotten the axe?

Now, since the media has completed Objective One: Bring Down JoePa, I hope they do what I always believed journalists did: find the facts, dig through the sources and tell the people the real stories happening in State College.

 

[FirstTimer]

Terrible article.

 

[ralaw]

I think everyone agrees that from this point forward is where things get sketchy.

Until Paterno speaks, and we can turn on the bullshit detectors and rip him to shreds, or he drops a new bombshell that potentially exonerates him, this is kinda going in circles.

I WANT MORE OF THIS STORY I CANT GET ENOUGH

I heard Paterno is looking into getting a criminal defense lawyer, so he probably won't be speaking on anything now. It would probably be best for him to not say anything, because it seems his "I wish I did more" comment seems to have really opened him up to a host of issues.

 

[EmpireWF]

How the hell does Paterno not know about the 1998 investigation?

 

[x0xHumblex0x]

I am pondering this scenario;

who is more liable, who was more responsible, who is the bigger ass face and which one will be brought up on charges first........
McDickHead OR Paterno???

and
I still cannot believe McAssHole hasnt been fired yet. who cares about him not being at the field or being at the stadium. really?!?!! what kind of punishment is that??

entertaing, Paterno has contacted the Lawyer who represented Ex-Prez Clinton in the Infamous "Blow Job". sound like somebody knows he is going to have serious problems with the DA??

i simply do NOT understand how these 2 could have lived with themselves all this time.........like really?!?!?!

 

[x0xHumblex0x]

I heard Paterno is looking into getting a criminal defense lawyer, so he probably won't be speaking on anything now. It would probably be best for him to not say anything, because it seems his "I wish I did more" comment seems to have really opened him up to a host of issues.

see my post above.....

How the hell does Paterno not know about the 1998 investigation?

he knew........

 

[shag773]

How the hell does Paterno not know about the 1998 investigation?

That's the one part of the article I didn't really get. I'm not sure how you would think he didn't.


On another note, did anyone read Jeff Passan's article on Yahoo Sports about this Red Sox sex scandal? What the fuck? The owner covers for this scumbag for how many years and he has a street named after him around Fenway.

And they call Penn State fans delusional for throwing any kind of support to Paterno. Wow.

http://www.thepostgame.com/features...sex-abuse-scandal-still-inflicting-pain-today

 

[shag773]

I heard Paterno is looking into getting a criminal defense lawyer, so he probably won't be speaking on anything now. It would probably be best for him to not say anything, because it seems his "I wish I did more" comment seems to have really opened him up to a host of issues.

Yeah, he's fucked in that regard for sure.

 

[Blade]

Something I thought of last night. Somewhere I read that The McQueary's and Sandusky's are family friends when Mike was growing up. I am starting to wonder if that scumbag had molested even Mike McQueary at this point. I know people can freeze when encountered by a visual of something so horrific that happened to them before, but just made me think last night.

Also reading more and more about Sandusky, I am afraid how awful this guy was. Maybe he was messing with kids around State College? In his own neighborhood? This guy was brazen enough to do it in a major college program's locker room, who knows how far his depravity reaches.

 

[DJ Rhude]

I agree that the investigation being aborted in 1998 is ultimately on the police. The police heard a phone conversation in which he admitted it to the mother, and the mother also claims he admitted it to her face

As a parent I'm just wondering how this guy is still alive...or at least not maimed for life......apparently the parents told him, "just make sure this doesn't happen again" or something of that nature

Are you kidding me?

Most parents are willing to defend their children's honor even at the risk of their own lives.....I know myself, and I'm not one to talk shit behind a keyboard, but God forbid someone did something to one of my kids.....I just hope y'all like me enough to raise bail money

 

[Blade]

I just hope y'all like me enough to raise bail money

I would be sitting next to you in jail.

 

[x0xHumblex0x]

Something I thought of last night. Somewhere I read that The McQueary's and Sandusky's are family friends when Mike was growing up. I am starting to wonder if that scumbag had molested even Mike McQueary at this point. I know people can freeze when encountered by a visual of something so horrific that happened to them before, but just made me think last night.

Also reading more and more about Sandusky, I am afraid how awful this guy was. Maybe he was messing with kids around State College? In his own neighborhood? This guy was brazen enough to do it in a major college program's locker room, who knows how far his depravity reaches.

was watching the Mike Francesa show yesterday and a caller and Mike talked about that......
it certainly isnt out the question at this point.
i still dont feel any remorse toward McDickHed for not doing something about it, regardless.

 

[Blade]

If it turns out that way I will be very sad for the guy. Like I sad pages ago, something like this changes a person's personality to the other extreme and it's hard for them to go back. It can also create a perception of ingnorance, as in "that didn't happen to me" and then when confronted by it, can lead to extreme panic.

I am speculating, but the whole thing is sad, and it's going to get worse.

 

[Sportsbuck]

From another board:

NCAA Compliance officers have read the presentment and understand that in at least one instance Sandusky offered a minimum of walk-on status to Victim 4 in exchange for continued sex. Sandusky's involvement with Victim 4 started while Sandusky was on the coaching staff and continued while Sandusky held his special emeritus type position in the athletic program.

 

[NAHSTE]

From another board:

Victim 4 was one of the kids featured in that coaching video from which I pulled the screenshot. Now I feel bad for thinking it was funny. He was a long time victim of Sandusky according to the testimony. In addition to promises of walk-on status, he received a lot of free gear, trips to bowl games, etc. to bribe/coerce him into continued sexual contact with Sandusky. In other words, Sandusky exploited these kids' undying love of Penn State football to pacify them while being subjected to his terror. I definitely think the NCAA should punish Penn State, if nothing else for lack of institutional control.

A program should be held accountable for what happens at its headquarters, especially when it can be proven that at least twice Sandusky's superiors were aware. The NCAA should at the very least impose scholarship restrictions and a television ban, IMO.