<p>Hmmn. Perhaps you misunderstood. I’m not offended by a sympathetic poster and was just suggesting that there’s no need for sympathy because I nor my PSU family and friends were personally harmed by the actions of the Penn State Administrators or Sandusky. The victims were the ones that were harmed and will forever be damaged. The pain and damage will never go away for their entire lives and they can only hope that as time passes it will just get a little better to handle.</p>
<p>As I stated in a prior post the effects of sexual predators are not entirely absent within my life within my circle of friends and families. My guess there are other posters who could say the same. It’s everywhere. I was raised Catholic, I’m part of a multi- generational Penn State family but I don’t accept personal responsibility nor do I request sympathy. As an American I don’t accept personal responsibility for the atrocities of the wars. </p>
<p>I and all of my Penn State family and friends are fine. My comments were relating to the characterizations of the Penn State community as the enemy. While others may enjoy it I just don’t. </p>
<p>Believe me that if the solution to stopping sexual predators were simply a matter of disbanding the Catholic Church and destroying Penn State I’d be completely on-board. I just don’t think that this would eliminate the problem. </p>
<p>I wasn’t addressing you specifically, AdvicePlease. I was identifying what, for me, still rings false about this. I don’t want Penn State football destroyed; I just want it put into its proper place. If it were in its proper place, there’s no way Jerry Sandusky could have had a 20-year pedophilic run at Penn State. The culture needs to change. If football can flourish in a different culture, I say “Play ball!”</p>
<p>LasMa…I know that you weren’t addressing me specifically. It’s just hard for me to relate to the consensus that football is the great evil at Penn State because it truly was not part of my Penn State experience…really it wasn’t. My daughter graduated a few years ago and she also didn’t go to the games. Anyway, agreed it is disgusting that Sandusky was able to continue his monstrous evil and that he got away with it as were the actions of the evil Priests. Yuk.</p>
<p>Also I just don’t agree with those that classify it as predominantly a Catholic or a big football school problem…I think it’s much more widespread and that most victims don’t report and that most predators don’t get caught. A very disturbing thought…but on that note…time to log off and go to sleep!</p>
<p>I see it differently, AdvicePlease. If it were my alma mater and/or a school I love for sports or because kids attend, I WOULD feel personally harmed and would accept sympathy. My harm woukd be nothing compared to that of the young victims, but having one’s school facing years of litigation and the downfall of previously highly regarded officials is sad and maddening. This takes your run of the mill sports recruiting or cheating scandals to a whole new level.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it does say someone about the culture at Penn State and it will for years to come.</p>
<p>LasMa, excellent posts. Sadly I doubt we will hear true contrition on the part of PSU because they are now being coached by attorneys to not acknowledge guilt, as part of their desire to mitigate damages. </p>
<p>Interestingly, there’s some research that says apologizing and communicating with the injured party mitigates risk of lawsuit. </p>
<p>“Overall, the London researchers found that the decision to take legal action was determined not only by the original injury, but also by insensitive handling and poor communication after the original incident.”</p>
<p>I was just driving home thinking about what PSU could do as a symbolic statement of cleaning house, and I had this image of a walls being torn down…and I thought they should tear down the locker room and showers. Just gut it and leave a portion of it closed down permanently. A visible and physical symbol of damage done. I may just write to Erickson…</p>
<p>^^ The Lasch family has actually been approached about what they want to do as far as having their name on the building. The building named after Gary Schultz (God help us, it is a child care center ) had its name removed the day of the indictment and will be renamed at some “later date”. The NCAA has yet to weigh in on any sanctions, and while technically it isn’t an on-the-field issue, I would hope they’d take the opportunity to make a statement that it’s completely unacceptable to harbor, or aid by inaction, a person like Sandusky. So unacceptable that they would sanction a program in some way. I think PSU could bear that burden. </p>
<p>LasMa, I agree that it would be so appropriate to hear a complete apology from TPTB or Trustees. I hope they are simply waiting for the report to come out, but I fear it is lawyerly policy to stay away from that language. fwiw, Ericson has stated on more than one occasion already that PSU needs to find a new and better balance (his words) between pride and humility, athletics and academics.</p>
<p>“They should move the statue of Paterno from Penn State to the State Pen to watch over Sandusky the same way that Joe did—without saying anything.”</p>
<p>Here’s a statement by one of the jurors and a Penn State alumnus, he did good.</p>
<p>But one juror described the satisfaction that came from convicting a predator who abused disadvantaged boys for years.</p>
<p>“It feels good to expose something that was covered up,” said Joshua Harper, 31, a Penn State alumnus, according to the Washington Post. “It’s a statement that there needs to be accountability and change. It’s the beginning of our time to heal.”</p>
<p>I won’t exactly be celebrating, but I do think it is obvious that Penn State lacks the will to embrace any serious reform of the culture and values of its football program to prevent repetition of the cover-up. So it will be appropriate if the NCAA chooses to help them along in that process. Or to paraphrase Shakespeare:</p>
<p>“Some are born humble, some achieve humbleness, and some have humbleness thrust upon them.”</p>
<p>It looks like Penn State and their fans aren’t by themselves going to achieve a meaningful level of sincere contrition and humbleness over this, so it’s going to be necessary for the NCAA to thrust it upon them.</p>
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<p>I think what’s so frustrating about the seemingly lack of any real contrition at PSU is that it seems like they’re in a hurry to sweep the whole thing under the rug so they can get on with their football encumbered once again. And that’s what caused this whole thing to begin with.</p>
<p>But maybe, at the end of it all, they will do to right the wrong. We shall see.</p>
<p>It would be an interesting experiment to watch the response if if were announced that they were removing the Paterno statue. I am not implying that I know which way it would go - I am honestly curious. Renaming a childcare center is nice, but it isn’t a large public statement that impacts culture.</p>
<p>No. You’ve guessed wrong. Really wrong. While I think generally speaking there is way too much emphasis on college football, and am very** concerned about long-term brain injuries from the normal playing of the game, I am also aware how much college athletics affords possibilities for education for many people who might not otherwise be able to get one at all. (But I’d pay the players). </p>
<p>Do I think they should be sanctioned? Yes. Would I popping champagne? Far from it. (But I might consider it if they do the right thing and take down the statue.)</p>
<p>Just read that they painted over Sandusky’s image on a large mural at the college and replaced it with that of a childrens rights advocate and a blue ribbon (the color of the “cause”, apparently.)</p>