Jerry Sandusky

[Raven]

Flipping the tv truck...although a huge wreckless act in itself
launches this issue right into the political fray
even more than it was already
which in their mind
was a caculated
Move.

[Saltheart]

As I understand it , Paterno reported it to the school admins and the Chief of Campus security. From there , it seems to me the guy who witnessed it should have gone to the Police. Now maybe Paterno should have done more but the guy who saw it happen should have been at the police station in 10 minutes after he saw it.

[Piscator]

Originally Posted by Saltheart

As I understand it , Paterno reported it to the school admins and the Chief of Campus security. From there , it seems to me the guy who witnessed it should have gone to the Police. Now maybe Paterno should have done more but the guy who saw it happen should have been at the police station in 10 minutes after he saw it.

the outcome of the investigation was that Sandusky WASN’T banned from campus or the Penn State athletic facilities, he was only barred from bringing children onto campus.

If Paterno had a sack, he wounldn't went along with the above. He knew it, went along with it, helped cover it up and hoped it went away. He has more power there than School Admins and the Chief of Campus Security combined. I agree McQueary should have gone to Police too but that doesn't change anything about Paterno.

[Saltheart]

If they can prove he was part of actively covering things up then he's part of a criminal conspiracy. My guess is he reported it to the powrrs above him and then waited to see what happened. Everything he knew was hearsay. Its the guy who saw it first hand that should have been at the police station , not the AD office , not the coaches office , not the school admins. He should have gone to the police.

I honestly don't think a football coach , no matter how iconic , is resonsible for pushing the prosecution of a criminal based on hearsay. Once he bumps it up , its up to the school officials , particularly the president and the Security Chief to pursue it further. Outside the whole fact that it happened at PSU , the eye witness is the guy who didn't do what was right and his failure to act shouldn't fall on Paterno just cause he was the most famous guy.

I also think justice would have been served if Paterna had been given the word that he must retire "now". The same result happens but he gets to save a little respect vs the firing which implicates him in the crime IMO.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Saltheart

If they can prove he was part of actively covering things up then he's part of a criminal conspiracy. My guess is he reported it to the powrrs above him and then waited to see what happened. Everything he knew was hearsay. Its the guy who saw it first hand that should have been at the police station , not the AD office , not the coaches office , not the school admins. He should have gone to the police.

I honestly don't think a football coach , no matter how iconic , is resonsible for pushing the prosecution of a criminal based on hearsay. Once he bumps it up , its up to the school officials , particularly the president and the Security Chief to pursue it further. Outside the whole fact that it happened at PSU , the eye witness is the guy who didn't do what was right and his failure to act shouldn't fall on Paterno just cause he was the most famous guy.

I also think justice would have been served if Paterna had been given the word that he must retire "now". The same result happens but he gets to save a little respect vs the firing which implicates him in the crime IMO.

Mike--in a place like Penn State, there are no "powers above him". Joe Paterno was the Carlo Gambino of State College, PA. You're indulging him in "passing the buck". And missing what really went on out there, for years.

You have to follow the trail back to the beginning, and start by reading the Grand Jury report. Sandusky was under investigation for child molestation in 1998. Up until that point, he was considered one of the hottest head coaching prospects in all of college football, Paterno's sure-fire successor if Joe ever retired, and if not, a leading candidate for any head coaching job in the country. He was the LB coach and defensive co-ordinator at a program known as "Linebacker U". Yet, in 1999, Paterno tells him that he'll "never" be the head coach, and shortly thereafter, he "retires" at the age of 55, prime coaching years, AND IS OFFERED NO OTHER JOB AT ANY PROGRAM ANYWHERE IN THE US!! He goes from being everyone's hottest HC prospect to a pariah. And shortly after that, the DA out there claims that the charges against Sandusky are "unfounded" despite the fact that the investigating detective has an audio tape of him tearfully apologizing to the victim's mother and telling her what a scuzzbucket he is.

An 8 year old can play this connect the dots game. The fix was put in. Sandusky retires (keeping emeritus status on the faculty, a campus office, access to the university website and all campus facilities), and in return, the allegations get swept under the rug. And 3 years later, a grad assistant comes to Paterno upset, and reports seeing Sandusky bungholing a 10 year old kid in the shower? Leaving aside the fact that this POS himself should have laid Sandusky out on the floor of that shower and dragged the kid to safety, he tells Paterno this the next day, and you think that it's peachy swell that he "reported this to his (mythical) superiors"?

[The Dad Fisherman]

I'm not being naive...and I'm not sticking up for Joe. Like I said....legally he did everything he was supposed to do (not trying to argue law w/ you...I'd get my azz handed to me) he's gone because Morally he didn't do the right thing...he figured he was covered legally so nothing could happen to him...he didn't count on the Moral Issues.

And i think everbody that heard/knew anything about it should be hung out to dry too...including the DA and anyone in the police department

I know Joe and Co. run that town...absolutely.

[Stewie]

There are some crimes for which I believe the offenders should be hung by the neck until they stop kicking. These guys deserve this fate.

[fishbones]

How in the hell was McQueary allowed to stay on the staff with the new head coach? This whole story is completey effed up.

[Saltheart]

I don't think its "peachy swell" but I do think the bulk of the blame falls elsewhere and that Paterno should have been instructed to retire , not get the boot.

Now I admit I'm not aware of all the upstream stuff you mentioned before the shower incident was witnessed. Maybe there is a "bachground" or "coverup" that Paterno was a part of that I don't know the details of. If that can be proven then I would think he's in some way on the hotseat for criminal charges. That hasn't happened yet.

My first reaction was , as you mention, why didn't the witness stop what was happening immediately by dragging the kid away from Sandusky and then go directly to the police.

I used to travel through State College , PA on a regular basis. It is its own little world and yes Paterno is God there. I still think the Actual witness first , PSU Pres second and the Security Guy third are the ones who should have exposed Sandusky but as you say , maybe "god" didn't want that. ??

[fishbones]

This is getting interesting. Paterno supposedly now has retained a criminal defense attorney. He could be in trouble if he lied to the grand jury.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Piscator]

The Penn State Football program generates ~$70,000,000 in revenue each year for the school (yup, $70 Million every year). It was in everyones best interest (including Paterno) to cover this whole thing up and hope it went away.............

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Piscator

The Penn State Football program generates ~$70,000,000 in revenue each year for the school (yup, $70 Million every year). It was in everyones best interest (including Paterno) to cover this whole thing up and hope it went away.............

They are going to need that 70 million now once the law suits start piling up !
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[nightfighter]

Sandusky; villian, perp, pervert, suspect, target of Grand Jury investigation

The act; totally unacceptable in society

Cover up; TBD, who knew, process, someone dropped the ball

Trustees; in the dark, will act "quickly", try to distance themselves, fewer options by the day

Cost; Don't forget the kids.. first and foremost

Joe P; great philanthropist, has helped many non athletes pay for school, should have already retired, age affecting decisions, apparently fumbled this one

Penn State football; the golden goose...around which decisions were made regarding how to "handle" this without tarnishing its image