College Football 2011! (2 Viewers)

[theBaron]

Among the many amazing things about this story is how quickly Paterno's support eroded. He went from untouchable to a near pariah in a matter of days. It reminds be a bit of Nixon and Watergate. I feel bad for the alums. It is a terrible situation.

I wouldn't say he was untouchable. Or rather, maybe to the administration and the student body he was, but there have been currents among the alumni and among fans of the football team, for a long time, that he should have retired long ago.

Prost!
Brad

 

[lancer]

Paterno to retire at the end of the season. I guess they can't bring themselves to fire him, but I wonder if that will stop the backlash. Interesting to see if that is enough or if he is done.

I believe his current contract was up at the end of this season, anyway. What are the chances he would continue to coach past this year, without the scandel pushing him? This seems no big deal or solution, to me. Either Penn State will exhibit some class, or it won't. Everyone in the know about this disgraceful episode shares the responsibility for the cover-up and should be torched. JMO. -- Al

 

[Currahee Chris]

What are the chances he would continue to coach past this year, without the scandel pushing him? l

PSU is currently ranked 12 and undefeated in Big Ten play with a shot at the Rose bowl. This issue aside and they go to the Rose Bowl why would they get rid of him?? ^&confuse^&confuse Because he's old? What more could you want from a coach except to win it all? Only one coach gets to claim that unique distinction each year.

I find it quite interesting the Paterno age debate as it seems all my friends and alums in the over 50 crowd tend to think he should step down yet the under 40's like myself want him to stay on board. I think this very issue is going to be a really interesting social issue for us to deal with in this country as a.) the baby boomer generation explodes and b.) medical science is extending the lives of people- including enhancing their quality of life. Heck, Dick Winters worked till he was 79- if anyone deserved to enjoy the Golden Years it was him. My 506 CSM could run the 2 mile PT test run in 11 minutes flat- AT 54 YEARS OLD!! Just because people are old, doesn't mean they should step down.

 

[jazzeum]

Paterno put out a statement that he's retiring at the end of the year but wants to continue coaching until then. He shouldn't be allowed to call the shots and should be gone today. The Athletic Director has resigned and the President will be ousted. Anyone associated with Sandusky should be fired. In his statement Paterno said something to the effect that he wish he had done more. Yes, he should have done more but that kind of self serving statement shouldn't cut it.

Kim Jones of the YES Network, who is a Penn State alum and used to cover Penn State as a reporter has talked to several ex-players and she said that to a man they're all angry.

 

[Currahee Chris]

In his statement Paterno said something to the effect that he wish he had done more. Yes, he should have done more but that kind of self serving statement shouldn't cut it.

Kim Jones of the YES Network, who is a Penn State alum and used to cover Penn State as a reporter has talked to several ex-players and she said that to a man they're all angry.

Yeah, I read that, has to be the most bizarre statement- sometimes it's better to just let the world think you are an idiot than to open mouth and remove all doubt.

They aren't the only ones mad. Matt Millen gave a very sentimental interview the other day on ESPN- the guy summarized the thoughts of most PSU Alums- myself included.

 

[jazzeum]

I'm sure that for PSU alums like yourself this is very difficult.

 

[Combat]

It would be very difficult not to let Paterno coach his last game at home this weekend. He's been there since Harry Truman was President. I think they would have a riot on their hands if that went down. What happens after that is anyone's guess.

 

[jazzeum]

You have to be kidding. What he did not do far outweighs any silly football game.

 

[jazzeum]

The Trustees have done the right thing and fired Paterno. So ends a storied career, in shame.

 

[lancer]

The Trustees have done the right thing and fired Paterno. So ends a storied career, in shame.

Brad, it beats m how Paterno could not see where the storm was headed. He had a small window of time to do the right thing himself, and didn't do it, so the Trustees had to do it. It is a tragedy that a 61 year career ends in disgrace, but it was inevitable once the incidents were reported and nothing was done about them, under his 'watch'. Someone always comes forward, opens the flood gates, and the cover-up is exposed. In the end, the buck always finds it's way home, at the worst time and place. Head in the sand has never worked. Too bad. -- Al

 

[Combat]

What a disaster from top to bottom. This is about as ugly as it gets in sports and has been mishandled at every level. Now they have riots on their hands. The game on Saturday should be interesting. I think firing him was the right decision, but for the wrong reasons. At this point it was done mostly to appease public pressure. Too little, too late to make any difference as to what went on before. And they even messed that up by not telling Paterno to his face. Instead they sent a messenger in the middle of the night. Hopefully things settle down. One lesson here is to never deify anyone - at least not while he is still alive. What are they going to do with this statue and that quote about leaving penn st. a better place?

 

[jazzeum]

Yes, a disaster that's for sure. I think he was fired for the right reason: he had been told by McQueary what he saw Sandusky doing and didn't notify the authorities. In a way, it reminds me of Watergate; when the "smoking gun" was produced, Nixon's support dried up quickly.

In addition, his statement yesterday probably didn't help his cause. You also have to wonder why McQueary didn't report it himself to the authorities. Also, Sandusky had been a coach there for a long time. You have to ask yourself how long has this been going on and if Paterno was aware of it.

 

[Combat]

Yes, a disaster that's for sure. I think he was fired for the right reason: he had been told by McQueary what he saw Sandusky doing and didn't notify the authorities. In a way, it reminds me of Watergate; when the "smoking gun" was produced, Nixon's support dried up quickly.

In addition, his statement yesterday probably didn't help his cause. You also have to wonder why McQueary didn't report it himself to the authorities. Also, Sandusky had been a coach there for a long time. You have to ask yourself how long has this been going on and if Paterno was aware of it.

Not to make excuses but Paterno is in his mid-80's. Most people I know that age are lucky to get out of bed much less deal with a large football program. Who knows exactly what he was told or what he understood happened. More like Reagan with Iran contra. Maybe he didn't fully understand or didn't want to understand. There are a lot of people at fault and Paterno is just one of them. Why did it take the legal system so long to resolve this matter? How was this guy allowed to be in contact with kids? Why weren't the parents screaming bloody murder? How does the local media not report this? It goes on and on.

 

[jazzeum]

I agree with you that there are a lot of questions but I believe the incident that was reported to Paterno took place in 1998 when he was approximately 71. At that point, most of us still have our faculties. One doesn't want to speculate but he may have realized at that time that disclosure would have significant repurcussions so the day of reckoning was delayed 13 years.

 

[theBaron]

He's in his mid-80s now, but he wasn't when the first incident was reported to him, and he should have gone to the police, when it was clear that neither Curley nor Schultz were going to do anything about it.

All along the way, people who should have said something to law enforcement, didn't.

I also wonder where the boys' parents are in all of this. I realize that this is a trial for them, but if they found out, they should have gone to law enforcement, too.

 

[lancer]

Plenty of blame to go around in this mess. Don't know that anyone is any more to blame than the next, except, of course, Sandusky. It just astonishes me that not one of the people in the know took the moral responsibility to report to the police. It is an astonishing example of CYA from bottom to top, all worried about their jobs, legacies, and no one worried about the victims or putting a stop to the problem. Just disgusting to me. Silence only allowed the number of victims to keep growing. This is just such a moral collapse on so many levels that it is hard to fathom -- Al

 

[theBaron]

I just read that the town of Sandusky, OH, is looking to change its name, too....

 

[Currahee Chris]

I just read that the town of Sandusky, OH, is looking to change its name, too....

MAN that is funny!!!! {sm4}{sm3}

You know you are a scumbag if a whole city wants to change their name because of you!!

Lots of good points posted by everyone. @Combat- one of the first things I was thinking of was those statues!! Should be interesting to say the least!!

MSN had a decent timeline of events up today. I was curious what happened in the vacuum of time between 2003- 2009. Regarding the parents- well, from what I know about sexual abuse survivors- especially children, it may take years for them to speak up and say anything. Compound it with the significance of the indvidiuals involved....the media circus right now is crazy- hard to be the parent protecting their child who steps forward about those types of allegations. What scares me is that this is the tip of the iceberg!! Not to mention that the kids may not have understood that it was wrong. Perhaps I sound strange here but depending on how young they were when this stuff started happening to them, it may have seemed quite normal for them and only as they got older, they began to understand what had happened.

The Board did it right. What's done is done. Again, I'm not mad this happened to the people who screwed up, I'm just embarrassed as all get out that this was my school.

 

[Fusilier]

As this situation continues, it is interesting to see the different reactions to it all. The fact that riot police were called in last night at Penn State is ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, if they were needed, then they should have been used. What I think is silly is that fact that some students are reacting violently to this 'firing'. Don't such students have other things to worry about than who the football coach is? How childish.

Secondly, I was suprised to hear on local sports talk here in Nebraska the number of people who wanted the University of Nebraska to boycott this weekend's game until Paterno was removed. I mean, it was a pervasive attitude the last couple days. Also, a sports broadcaster here basically told Husker fans to be careful if they travel to Penn State for the game. I thought that was a little excessive, but perhaps not, if Paterno fans are already 'rioting'!

Noah

 

[Combat]

As this situation continues, it is interesting to see the different reactions to it all. The fact that riot police were called in last night at Penn State is ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, if they were needed, then they should have been used. What I think is silly is that fact that some students are reacting violently to this 'firing'. Don't such students have other things to worry about than who the football coach is? How childish.

Secondly, I was suprised to hear on local sports talk here in Nebraska the number of people who wanted the University of Nebraska to boycott this weekend's game until Paterno was removed. I mean, it was a pervasive attitude the last couple days. Also, a sports broadcaster here basically told Husker fans to be careful if they travel to Penn State for the game. I thought that was a little excessive, but perhaps not, if Paterno fans are already 'rioting'!

Noah

My guess is the game goes off without incident. The PSU fans are mostly upset at their own. A few may feel they were bullied into firing Paterno by the media. But mostly people are sad and disappointed at what has happened. More akin to a grieving process on Saturday than any type of violent outburst. Once the game gets started all will be forgotten for a while. And that's the nature of sports. I do wonder though if they will prohibit Joe from ever attending another game.