Joe Paterno fired as football coach at Penn State

Joe Paterno fired as football coach at Penn State

www.washingtonpost.com

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Joe Paterno’s head coaching career at Penn State began on Sept. 17, 1966 with a win over Maryland, and it ended Wednesday night, at the end of an extraordinary day, in the middle of an emotionally wrenching week, with a telephone call from the heads of the school’s Board of Trustees.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Its about time someone at Penn State came to their senses.

What I would really like to know is how many trustees and administrators knew about this, and particiapted the cover up. The case was investigated for over two years, there is no excuse why this wasn't handled better.

These people were morally obligated to come out and at least report rumors.

But the damage may already be done to Penn State. This whole thing is horrible.



www.washingtonpost.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I find it difficult to blame Joe Paterno...I think the blame is more fairly laying on the shoulders of the upper administration...Joe reported it to them and they took no action.

In my opinion...Joe Paterno is just a scape goat and it is unfair.

Either way it is a tragedy for the children and nothing is going to rectify that!

For many years, Joe Paterno ran a very tight ship at Penn State's football program. He was a model citizen that lived a modest life, donating the largest part of his salary to the school.

All that has changed. Joe did the right thing legally, but in a moral sense, he failed miserably.

Firing him was the right move by the board of trustees, which includes the governor of the state of PA. Joe should have resigned yesterday and saved the fans the disgrace of seeing him fired, which no one would have ever predicted a year ago.

College football is too big.

Universities are supposed to be about higher learning, not about operating a sports business that generates $50 million a year. JMHO.

The conspiracy thread related to the story is here: Ray Gricar Thread

When big money is involved, people disappear, to protect that big money.

Joe Pa did nothing illegal and reported it to his superiors. They failed to have it investigated.
I find it very hard to believe someone witnessed Sandusky in the act and was not stopped. It is not Paterno's job to take any action on his own based on one account of a student and sent it to the proper people. They failed to look into it.

This was just the excuse the board needed to replace Joe without the alumni getting into an uproar.

reply to post by butcherguy


You bring up a very valid point that he should of resigned. It would of avoided a lot of heartache for the students. But if he doesn't think he is guilty, he may have felt a resignation would of been admitted guilt.

While Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly says that her office won't file charges against Joe Paterno for not reporting the alleged child sexual abuse by former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, the 84-year-old coach could eventually face criminal charges for perjury, obstruction of justice and violating the state's Child Protective Services Law. Paterno could also become a defendant in civil lawsuits filed by Sandusky's alleged victims. Those lawsuits could allege that Paterno negligently failed to prevent a third party with whom he had a supervisory relationship (Sandusky) from committing abuse

Read more: sportsillustrated.cnn.com...

Joe Pa and others made some bad moral decisions and when you are at the top of the heap you will typically be the first to go symbolically. Trestle was ousted from Ohio State for far less than Paterno and others passive stance on this issue.

They have not even begun to scratch the surface in this whole mess. When its all said and done it is going to be brutal for all of those involved. Not unlike the scandals that ripped through some Catholic Parishes in recent years.

As was mentioned earlier, there is a boat load of money involved at this level of NCAA athletics and its not all "clean" money either.

Now, its up to the courts ...

Joe Paterno was wrongfully let go. He is not guilty of any crime. He even alerted his higher ups when he witnessed something. People are so ridiculous with their need to get revenge on everybody else besides who is to blame - Jerry Sandusky.
Has anyone considered that person in Paternos situation at a later date may now turn the other cheek instead of reporting anything at all to avoid being let go from their positions? Who wants to go to the trouble of helping by alerting your higher ups when you could be branded as an accomplice when the actual crime is discovered.
Firing Paterno does not unrape the victims.
Lets punish who is at fault here and let the innocent people get on with their lives.
Its clear that the media wishes the main criminal was Paterno because he makes a much higher profile story. That why you her every sportscaster demonizing Joe Paterno - to keep his name in the news and their ratings high. Filthy bastads

Jerry Sandusky doing something wrong is not nearly as entertaining as famed Joe Paterno doing something wrong. Couple that with the fact that it involves a sexual predator and we got a story to sell to the sickos of the USA for weeks!

Joe Paterno has absolutely nothing to do with this case. He is a non story that the media just could not resist spinning to sell gossip.

Paterno failed the moral and ethical test. When it came time to stand up and actually lead, he failed miserably.

McQueary witnesses an adult (Sandusky) anally raping a ten year old boy and what does he do? Runs off like a scared little girl and reports it. McQueary was a former quarterback, I'm pretty certain that he could have monkeystomped Sandusky, but I guess he didn't have the nads to do the job. So, a little boy got to endure the nightmare of rape for a little while longer.

McQueary, turn in your man-card for a length of rope and find a tree. Do everyone a favor.

Sandusky, please don't kill yourself. I want you to face lockup in prison for a nice, long time. After the inmates get thru with you, the doctors will be able to drive their cars into your anus. That is, if you don't get shivved in the shower and allowed to bleed out.

reply to post by Salamandy


He should have gone straight to the police instead of to the warm laps of the Athletic Directors office. Did he follow up on the issue?

reply to post by jibeho


He made the initial right move by going to his higher ups. Thats more than he even had to do - but he did because he noticed something fishy nd figured to be safe he would alert someone.
When you see an act like Joe Paterno saw, I would imagine one would immeditely leave the area out of shock and perhaps say to themselves "hmmm, no way, that just didnt happen - but to be sure Ill tell my higher ups".
After you tell your higher ups something, usually one assume they have handled it being that they are in fact you higher ups and taht is why the system is in place to begin with.
Then after reporting him on a very delicate, embarrassing (to the victims) case, why would you go back to your higher ups and rehash the details?
Joe Paterno makes the bigger story, nothing more or less.

reply to post by mugger


This is why I am trying to figure out if the school forced them to cover up.


I hadn't realized this had become such a devisive issue between those who think Paterno is guilty or if he did the right thing.

I am sure laws are going to be passed soon about reporting of abuse.

If he was aware of child abuse and rape, even if he reported it, how did he not get Sandusky outed and prevented him from being around children. By being inactive, he put other kids in danger.

reply to post by signal2noise


Moral and ethics are subjective.

Even doubly so when we do not know all the facts yet.

Originally posted by jibeho
reply to post by Salamandy

 

He should have gone straight to the police instead of to the warm laps of the Athletic Directors office. Did he follow up on the issue?

He contacted Schultz, the head of University Police, who have full authority under the law to perform state arrests. The police didn't do anything either.

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by mugger

 

This is why I am trying to figure out if the school forced them to cover up.


I hadn't realized this had become such a devisive issue between those who think Paterno is guilty or if he did the right thing.

I am sure laws are going to be passed soon about reporting of abuse.

If he was aware of child abuse and rape, even if he reported it, how did he not get Sandusky outed and prevented him from being around children. By being inactive, he put other kids in danger.

edit on 10-11-2011 by nixie_nox because: (no reason given)

Thats the incredible thing about all this. We have a man who has committed a heinous crime, yet the attention is on a completely innocent man because he is the more famous one.
Something about child sex stories involving older high profile men seem to really sell well in news. Morbid curiosity I guess. The news is pissed that they were so close to such a high profile man as Paterno and got littler known Sandusky. So they create their own boggey men.

Where have we seen this before on a grander scale (hint: WMD's)?

reply to post by yeahright


I get the seriousness of the crime but Joe Paterno is innocent. No charges have been filed. As far as you or I know, he did what he had to do by reporting this situation to his higher ups. If anything he should be commended for saying something about a supposed friend.

Joe P never turned a blind eye. He made a good call about a weird, disturbing situation and told who he had to.

reply to post by yeahright


Paterno contacted the Athletic Director as well as the University Police (who have full power as Pennsylvania Police Officers). Neither of the people he contacted did anything.