Joe Paterno, you bastard

[pinstripers]

http://news.yahoo.com/joe-paterno-reportedly-played-major-role-penn-state-154641972.html;_ylt=AuJhaM9QL1Y9YHvKEj80tjw5nYcB

[_kai_]

The Sandusky story is one that just gets worse and worse as information comes out. Who would have thought, after the trial, knowing details of the 41 counts he was found guilty on, and still after the trial, deeper problems keep arising.

It's just sick.

[Kung Wu]

Can't this be read two ways? One way says Joe thinks the next step is to go to the authorities and Curly is having second thoughts about it. The other way says Joe and Curly second-guess going to the police.

"After giving it more thought and talking it over with Joe [Paterno] yesterday, I am uncomfortable with what we agreed were the next steps. I am having trouble with going to everyone, but the person involved. I would be more comfortable meeting with the person.. tell him the information we received... and tell him we are aware of the first situation."*

What say you?

[ShockTalk]

I've always felt that JoePa is/was Penn St. Certainly not Schultz, not Curley, not Spanier. If Paterno wanted something to happen (or not happen), that's the way it went.

If Paterno wanted to get the situation out in the open and investigated, that's what would have happened. If he didn't, it wouldn't. If he didn't care, left it to the others to decide, they covered it up, then Paterno was guilty of neglect as he fully knew the big stick he wielded.

I believe if Schultz and Spanier wanted to get it out in the open, Curly checked with Paterno, he agreed, Curley would have gone along with it. If Curley wasn't sure he agreed with Schultz and Spanier, talked with Paterno and JoePa the Godfather of Penn St wanted to handle it in house, then all would have gone along with that.

[Kung Wu]

I just don't know. I think you are making more out of a football coach than is there. He's just not an administrator. Never was. He's a football coach. I think he left it up to the Three Stooges to figure out and that was that. Remember, one of the three that he went to was the head of the police department!

The simple solution sure looks like the right one here so far. The facts so far just don't implicate JoePa -- he went to the head of the police and let his bosses handle the problem. He clearly didn't like Sandusky. The facts also definitely have implicated the Three Stooges, and obviously the real bastard of the story is gonna get his in prison. I would have thought that some facts would have come forward by now that clearly implicate JoePa as being negligent, but so far I haven't seen anything. The quote above could change that but it can be read two ways -- it could either vindicate JoePa or implicate him.

[pinstripers]

OK, I don't see how to read it differently.

[ShockTalk]

I just don't know. I think you are making more out of a football coach than is there.

Believe me, JoePa was not just any football coach. Maybe he wanted to be "just a football coach", but any such label disappeared long, long ago. With his god-like stature at University Park comes other responsibilities. This was not Spanier's program, not Curley's, not even Penn State's, but Joe Paterno's. It was his program and his legacy whether he wanted it or not.

For a little more insight into JoePa, read: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...ine/51346682/1

[RoyalShock]

I see what you're saying, Kung Wu, but the emails indicate it was the 2nd "situation". He should have been fired, if not after the 1st situation, definitely after the 2nd.

[Kung Wu]

Believe me, JoePa was not just any football coach. Maybe he wanted to be "just a football coach", but any such label disappeared long, long ago. With his god-like stature at University Park comes other responsibilities. This was not Spanier's program, not Curley's, not even Penn State's, but Joe Paterno's. It was his program and his legacy whether he wanted it or not.

For a little more insight into JoePa, read: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...ine/51346682/1

So in 60 years nobody in her position had any similar problems as her, and she was fired in 2007. Sounds like she may have possibly been a bit incompetent and has an axe to grind for being fired? Politics in a university are remarkably vicious.

Saying he had god-like stature sorta proves my point about being naive about the politics in a university. Powerful? Definitely. But he didn't run the university -- the administration did.

[Kung Wu]

I see what you're saying, Kung Wu, but the emails indicate it was the 2nd "situation". He should have been fired, if not after the 1st situation, definitely after the 2nd.

Ah interesting point that I glossed over. But it's also Curly saying that to Spanier.

Still it doesn't look good on Joe. But it sure makes you want to throw stones at the Three Stooges in charge.

What a mess. It's easy to just say "hang 'em all" in this situation, but I'm not (quite) convinced that JoePa is nearly as culpable as the Three Stooges, or as @pinstripers: believes (yet).

[ShockTalk]

So in 60 years nobody in her position had any similar problems as her, and she was fired in 2007. Sounds like she may have possibly been a bit incompetent and has an axe to grind for being fired? Politics in a university are remarkably vicious.

Saying he had god-like stature sorta proves my point about being naive about the politics in a university. Powerful? Definitely. But he didn't run the university -- the administration did.

No reason for Paterno to run the University, just the football program. The Sandusky situation over-flowed with connections to the football program and nothing else regarding Penn St. Whether he liked it or not, the situation was connected to him. He may not have been in the "boss" position, but he certainly should have taken the lead in seeing that this did not look bad upon his football program and, I would have thought, his legacy. After 60+ years coaching big time college football, I seriously doubt he was naive regarding politics of the university. He also understood the media and knew what they would do if they ever got wind of the situation.

I feel it was more likely that he just didn't want to deal with it. In his mind, he had more important things to do like coach football. I suppose that is fine as long as you make sure the "Three Stooges" fully understood what you felt should be done. If he didn't, he was wrong not doing so and wrong in not thinking it would bite him in the ass if it got out. Sticking your head in the sand does not relieve you of guilt. If he did tell them and they didn't do what he wanted, he should have burned them by coming out with it. IMO, he did tell them and they followed what he wanted done. No, JoePa held the stick here. I also heard his response to students at a rally for him after this all hit the fan. I think of Nero fiddling as Rome burned.

[Kung Wu]

Yeah, you're probably right. He certainly could have done more by following up and forcing the hand on the situation.

[SubGod22]

If Paterno wanted something done, either way, that's what would have happened. Even if he didn't get the final say on how the administrators handled it, he sat on the info and is just as big of a douche as the rest of them.

[pinstripers]

I think Sub is being too easy on him.

[SubGod22]

I think Sub is being too easy on him.

I know I am. It's early and a Monday and I'm too tired to be more harsh right now. The A-hole doesn't get a pass though. JoePa is a scumbag.....was....