Penn State Sandusky scandal

[samiamy]

<p>Well loss of federal aid will be the biggest hit it takes. With that as a potential, that will devastate the school.</p>

<p>Bet they never thought of this, and the words exchanged between them re:“pandora’s box” will haunt them forever. Imagine imploding a University as they have.</p>

<p>Well they should have opened pandora’s little box way back when. </p>

<p>This is like a Shakespeare tragedy.</p>

[MD_Mom_1]

<p>Goingmyway…I don’t think hero would be the word, but I would say that he was a respected football coach, and this was more than 30 years ago… Woody Hayes (anybody remember his demise?) was also well thought of until his end. I did live in a home with football players.</p>

[coureur]

<p>I live in CA and am a mild follower of college football, and I had certainly heard of Joe Paterno prior to this - at least since the 1970s. Being a traditionalist on some matters, I liked the blue and white, unadorned simplicity of the Penn State uniforms and helmets. I had a vaguely favorable impression of Paterno, although I thought he had stayed on the job too long; his teams had been slipping for some time - kinda like one of those old senators who are still getting re-elected into their 80s and 90s. Should have retired decades ago. </p>

<p>But I was also aware that football was a rabid religion at Penn State and that Joe was its patron saint. And I regarded this as a mistake, as a case of having warped, misplaced priorities. Turned out I was right.</p>

[MD_Mom_1]

<p>A Penn State bumper sticker: If God did not love Penn State, he would not have made the sky blue and white.</p>

[goingmyway]

<p>mdmom, thanks for the insight. Always helpful to see others’ point of view.</p>

[Naturally]

<p>

A Penn State bumper sticker: If God did not love Penn State, he would not have made the sky blue and white.

</p>

<p>Well, to be fair I think most colleges sell some variation of those dumb bumper stickers. I’m relatively sure I’ve seen one something like “If God didn’t love [name of team I’ve forgotten], people wouldn’t bleed red (apparently a school color).” Yuck.</p>

<p>But while we’re on the topic, I find it completely creepy and inappropriate how many sports teams–seems to be especially prevalent in football–seriously pray to God that they’ll win, holding little prayer meetings in the locker room, etc. If there’s a God up there, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t care two jingle-jangles who wins a football match. Also must make a very uncomfortable atmosphere for non-Christian players and staff.</p>

<p>It’s also a reflection of the mindset we’re seeing here–“If you win, you MUST be a good person, because only good people win!” Thus “OMG, don’t forget Paterno’s LEGACY, he won a lot of recreational ball games!” Sort of that whole “favored by God” trope.</p>

[Bill73]

<p>“I find it completely creepy and inappropriate how many sports teams–seems to be especially prevalent in football–seriously pray to God that they’ll win,”</p>

<p>I played fb at a pretty large high school in the midwest, and before games, our coach always used to pray for the health and welfare of our team and our opposititon. Never did he pray for “Ws”. I would imagine that most of the prayer gatherings you see on t.v. are similar in nature, which is why you often see both teams praying together.</p>

[mini]

<p>I lived in Pennsylvania, but that was 30 years ago. Now, all I know about Penn State really is two things: 1) football/Paterno, etc. and 2) (from my professional work), virtually the highest binge/heavy drinking rate of any public university in the country. Now of course I know there’s lots more to it than that - good students, good faculty, some good research going on, etc., etc. </p>

<p>But there’s likely about a decade of work for the Board of Trustees to do to make Penn State seem like a reasonable, truly respectable place again. It would be great if they’d get out in front of it.</p>

[ttparent]

<p>Paterno halo removed:</p>

<p>[Artist</a> removes Joe Paterno’s halo from Penn State mural - U.S. News](<a href=“http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/14/12743438-artist-removes-joe-paternos-halo-from-penn-state-mural]Artist”>http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/14/12743438-artist-removes-joe-paternos-halo-from-penn-state-mural)</p>

[janesmith]

<p>Turns out Penn State did tweak its regulations on minors on campus beginning in 1992. It this was meant to stop Sandusky, clearly it didn’t work.</p>

<p>

The [Freeh] Report does establish that Penn State changed its policies regarding children on campus several times. In 1992, Penn State adopted a new policy regarding “minors involved in University-sponsored programs or youth programs held at the University or housed in University facilities,” which is telling. Furthermore, that new policy was revised several times, and was conspicuously revised yet again in April 2012, to include the phrase “at all geographic locations.”

</p>

<p>So what happened before 1998, or in 1992? Too bad Freeh didn’t go back before 1998–was it not part of his charge from Penn State?</p>

[swimcatsmom]

<p>

Paterno halo removed

</p>

<p>A halo?? Really? Even if none of this ever happened - a halo?</p>

<p>Good Lord.</p>

[Naturally]

<p>

“Sue Paterno had been quoted as saying Joe was not a saint. That made this difficult decision easier for me to execute,” Pilato [the artist] told NBC News.

</p>

<p>Thank goodness one of the Paterno family was there to tell him that. What would we do without them!</p>

<p>

After removing the halo, Pilato painted a blue ribbon over the chest of the late coach’s image.
“The last time I saw Joe in his home before he died, he said to me, ‘I wish there were classes taught on sexual abuse,’” Pilato said. “The blue ribbon signifies awareness of the sexual abuse and knowing where Joe’s thoughts were on this, I felt it was appropriate to give him the blue ribbon.”

</p>

<p>You have now entered the Twilight Zone.</p>

<p>

Pilato has not decided what he will do with the image of Spanier, the former Penn State president, on the mural. “In the last two days, people have been throwing eggs on the Spanier section of the mural,” adds Pilato. “Maybe they are doing my work for me.”

</p>

<p>Are Curley or Moe–I mean, Schultz–also on this mural? The obvious answer is to paint one of them covering his eyes, one covering his ears, and one covering his mouth.</p>

[nysmile]

<p>[Board:</a> No plans to change Paterno’s contract - CNN.com](<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/14/us/pennsylvania-penn-state-paterno/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn]Board:”>http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/14/us/pennsylvania-penn-state-paterno/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn)</p>

<p>From the link above:</p>

<p>Renegotiations over Paterno’s contract began with university officials in January 2011, according to a source, the same month that Paterno testified before a grand jury about what he knew of child sex abuse accusations against Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant coach on the football team.</p>

<p>According to the university website, Paterno’s amended contract was finalized in August 2011 and totaled $5.5 million in payouts and benefits, which included a $3 million bonus and title as head football coach emeritus if he retired at the end of the 2011 season.
The package, which was published online in April, also included a $425,000 head coach bonus, $900,000 in television and radio revenue, $250,000 in debt forgiveness, use of the university’s luxury box, use of the school’s hydrotherapy equipment and $1,000 monthly payment to Paterno’s wife for the rest of her life, among other benefits.</p>

[janesmith]

<p>NYT report indicates that 1) the Board was divided, and 2) they were afraid Paterno would sue. </p>

<p>Amazing they actually managed to fire him at all.</p>

[soccerguy315]

<p>

OMG people…punish Sandusky & those who covered up! How about helping the victims and ther families heal through this horrific experience. The new coaching staff/football program has nothing to do with the crime committed by others. Everyone should be worrying about the true victims and working on how to ensure it doesnt happen again.

</p>

<p>Actually, football has everything to do with this. Imagine Sandusky was just a normal English professor… do you think the huge coverup would’ve ensued? I don’t think so, because the English professors aren’t important. The football program was put on a pedestal and everything possible was done to protect it, even at the expense of letting kids get raped.</p>

<p>If the football program is not canceled, every single leader at PSU that actively turned the other way and let Sandusky rape young boys will have succeeded in accomplishing their goal: sacrificing individuals for the good of the program.</p>

[soccerguy315]

<p>[Good</a> riddance, Joe Paterno | Fox News](<a href=“http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/07/13/good-riddance-joe-paterno/]Good”>Good riddance, Joe Paterno | Fox News)</p>

<p>

Before his death, Mr. Paterno stated that he was devastated by these events and wished he had done more to prevent them. Yet, he also dictated the draft of an opinion letter stating that nothing about the events should tarnish the reputation of Penn State football. </p>

<p>And, you know what? </p>

<p>That’s all Joe Paterno ever cared about. </p>

<p>In the end, he was no more and no less than a self-centered narcissist who put his own career success above the protection of children. He let child rape continue so he could continue to put points on a scoreboard and be carried on the shoulders of his players.</p>

<p>…</p>

<p>Mr. Paterno may have known what it took to win on a football field. He may have known something about courage when facing big men running full tilt toward you, intent on stopping you, but he apparently knew exactly nothing about moral courage, nor how to protect those among us who really need protection. It’s time that we made that distinction plain.</p>

<p>Mr. Paterno taught some young men how to play a game. And he taught millions how not to be a man.

</p>

[limabeans]

<p>

Mr. Paterno taught some young men how to play a game. And he taught millions how not to be a man.

Great quote soccerguy.</p>

<p>I can’t believe the trustees are still afraid of Paterno (and his family)! Why else are they agreeing to pay his outrageous contract when the full facts of what he left behind were not accurate? Isn’t it true that a contract can be voided if the information that was agreed upon was falsified? Get a spine for once, trustees!!!</p>

[MD_Mom_1]

<p>Just on the Baltimore news…the statue stays, for now.</p>

[EPTR]

<p>^^^^
Un freakin believable. The more I hear about the way they are responding down there, the angrier I get.
I read an article earlier in which a fan is quoted as saying that Joe P symbolized honor and that’s why, she believes, the statue should stay. For real?</p>

[MD_Mom_1]

<p>The news report did emphasize, for now. It said the board does not want to rush to do something or do something under media pressure. I do not have any problem waiting because I think it will happen. It does make sense to make calm, well thought out decisions.</p>

<p>And maybe someone with some legal background can address this, but does it make a difference if Paterno’s estate has not yet settled? Could there be judgments against the estate before it is settled?</p>