Joe Paterno, you bastard

[Kung Wu]

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.

I appreciate your opinion, though I disagree with it quite a bit. You are using perfect information that has come out after the incident instead of using the information that was available to him at the time. We know NOW that Sandusky was a repeat scum-of-the-earth scumbag. However back when this happened, these were the facts before JoePa:

1) His GA comes to him and says he caught Sandusky "horsing around".

2) The GA is on record for saying he did NOT GO INTO GRAPHIC DETAIL with what he thought was going on (he was trying to be respectful to JoePa so apparently he was sugar-coating it).

3) JoePa tells his boss and sets up a meeting with the head of the police department, about a fuzzy incident where Sandusky was "horsing around".

4) The Three Stooges, by themselves, decide not to go to the authorities.

Given these facts, it's completely reasonable that JoePa assumed an investigation was under way. For you to assume he knew better is just that, making assumptions without any facts. He could (indeed should) have pushed the Stooges harder, but so far the facts vindicate JoePa more than they convict him (not that he is entirely inculpable, but nowhere near the level of his bosses).

[SubGod22]

He's still a douche of an a-hole

[Kung Wu]

He's still a douche of an a-hole

Haha, but less of a deuche a-hole than the Stooges. :)

[pinstripers]

He knew it was his second offense.

[RoyalShock]

Paterno (and all those who facilitated the cover-up) put the reputation of a football program and assistant coach ahead of the welfare and rights of multiple minors. It's despicable no matter how one tries to look at it. Maybe he did think there was an investigation forthcoming. But he knew enough to put an end to Sandusky's employment and association with Penn St.

[Kung Wu]

He knew it was his second offense.

Not according to Paterno's son and lawyers: "Paterno’s son, Scott, has said that lawyers for Penn State assured him his father was never told about the 1998 report — investigated by university police." Reference

In fact this article says: "It’s unclear from the presentment if Spanier knew. However, Schultz, who was in charge of the police force, acknowledged knowing about it."

So at least one of them knew about it, but it's possible Spanier didn't even know (highly unlikely). But it's not unreasonable that Paterno didn't know because a) this was handled by the city's police force, not campus police, and b) the police never pressed charges:

"But after a six-week investigation that included the mother confronting Sandusky in her home as police listened in the other room, Sandusky was cleared.

Then-Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar decided there wasn’t enough evidence."

[Kung Wu]

But he knew enough to put an end to Sandusky's employment and association with Penn St.

Agree 100%.

[pinstripers]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/penn-states-sandusky-report-draw-063655630--ncaaf.html

[ShockTalk]

The Freeh Report is out:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8159195/report-says-penn-state-senior-officials-disregarded-children-welfare

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--freeh-report-penn-state-key-findings-joe-paterno-jerry-sandusky-.html

"In order to avoid the consequences of bad publicity, the most powerful leaders at the university -- Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley -- repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky's child abuse," the report said.

[_kai_]

Despicable.

[ShockerGorilla]

Death Penalty for the university.

[mattdalt]

Any award given to Paterno, escpecially from 1998 on, should be retroactively taken back, and with a large public dispaly. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Pat...rds_and_honors I would also remove him from any and all hall of fames!

What a scumbag!

[1979Shocker]

Death Penalty for the university.

PENN STATE SHOULD GET THE DEATH PENALTY

[_kai_]

PENN STATE SHOULD GET THE DEATH PENALTY

Best paragraph in that epic article is this:

When this scandal broke, it appeared to fit squarely in the domain of law enforcement and the criminal justice system. It didn’t feel as if the NCAA had any business in it. The NCAA has enough on its plate trying to nail assistant coaches for buying a hamburger for an athlete.