Posted on 11/07/2011 9:23:41 PM PST by Colofornian
For every moment Joe Paterno keeps his job as Penn State's head coach, the institution as a whole and the athletic department in particular loses a significant amount of credibility.
Paterno must be fired immediately for not appropriately reporting his knowledge of the despicable, horrific, mortifying, inhumane sexual crimes Jerry Sandusky is accused of committing against young boys -- some of which happened at Penn State's athletic facilities, according to a Pennsylvania attorney general report. The problem, though, is some of the people in charge of making such a decision to fire Paterno have been equally culpable of failing to properly investigate and report Sandusky's alleged actions.
For that, the parties who turned away from the allegations are just as deplorable of human beings. Their ability to hold positions of power at an educational institution is disgustingly pathetic and disturbing. Everyone involved with Penn State has to feel ashamed that the school's greatest icon can hear claims of rape on campus and fail to notify the police.
Part of the irony is Paterno almost certainly swept it under the rug in 2002 to preserve his reputation as one of the greatest coaches in sports history. He protected Sandusky -- Paterno's assistant for more than three decades and a heralded defensive coordinator who was considered to be Paterno's successor before retiring in 1999 -- to keep his program's sterling record intact.
Now, with the truth laid out in court records, Paterno's abhorrent irresponsibility should be his undoing. It shouldn't just be a stain on his Hall of Fame résumé. It should be the single most dominant aspect of a shattered reputation.
Whether Sandusky is found guilty is not the issue here. Paterno was told of at least one alleged incident when Sandusky was raping a boy in the showers of a Penn State football locker room, the report states. Paterno passed the information along to athletic director Tim Curley a day later, according to the report, attended a meeting about the incident and then never let it publicly surface.
This should never have been about football or a chain of command at a university. From the moment Paterno knew of these allegations, he should have made sure they were handled appropriately. He is responsible for that much -- if not for being the figurehead of the university, then for acting like an actual human being.
Sandusky may have destroyed countless lives with sick, twisted selfishness. (If you've got the stomach for it, you can read the grand jury testimony here or the attorney general's press release here.) The mental anguish of the victims will haunt them for an eternity, and the helpless feeling of their families will extend to no end.
And this is what Penn State stands for? Is that worth the sanctity of two national championships or the race to boast the winningest coach in college football history?
If so, Sandusky's alleged path of destruction deterred the judgment of everyone around him at Penn State. By not acting, Paterno, Curley and the university's senior vice president, Gary Schultz, used their moral compass to deem appalling behavior of which Sandusky is accused as actually acceptable enough to protect some victories on the football field.
The totality of this merits one of the most disgusting scandals in sports history.
For this, Paterno's legacy as a brilliant football mind means nothing -- absolutely nothing. His lack of judgment, as a human being in charge of representing so much for Penn State and the college football world, is pathetic.
Paterno no longer deserves to go out on his own accord. He lost that freedom nearly a decade ago, even if it's only being brought to light now.
Sandusky has been painted as a dirtbag whose revolting actions were concealed by Paterno. Penn State must fire the legendary coach immediately if it wants to save the smallest iota of decency.
From the column: The totality of this merits one of the most disgusting scandals in sports history. For this, Paterno's legacy as a brilliant football mind means nothing -- absolutely nothing. His lack of judgment, as a human being in charge of representing so much for Penn State and the college football world, is pathetic. Paterno no longer deserves to go out on his own accord. He lost that freedom nearly a decade ago, even if it's only being brought to light now.
From the column: Paterno must be fired immediately for not appropriately reporting his knowledge of the despicable, horrific, mortifying, inhumane sexual crimes Jerry Sandusky is accused of committing against young boys -- some of which happened at Penn State's athletic facilities, according to a Pennsylvania attorney general report...Sandusky may have destroyed countless lives with sick, twisted selfishness. (If you've got the stomach for it, you can read the grand jury testimony here or the attorney general's press release here.) The mental anguish of the victims will haunt them for an eternity, and the helpless feeling of their families will extend to no end.
I am totally indifferent toward Joe Paterno as I was not a Penn State fan. However, this is more than a little early to jump on a “ride Paterno out on a rail.” Let’s wait and see what develops from all of this.
Sounds like the Catholic Church scandals.
Doesn`t this mean that they have to sell Beaver Stadium and all the buildings `n properties and give the money to the victims if Penn State loses the lawsuit?
Even columnists from the liberal left coast are provoked:
* Paterno should be fired by Penn State [San Francisco Chronicle]
* Joe Paterno should resign in wake of Penn State scandal: Commentary [LA Times]
Wait til the rest of the columns come out tomorrow.
Let’s wait and see what develops from all of this
(What do you suggest? Another 9+ plus years so that JoPa can keep his dynasty going into his mid-90s @ all moral costs?)
>>despicable, horrific, mortifying, inhumane sexual crimes
“The Franklin Cover-up: Child Abuse, Satanism, and Murder in Nebraska”
http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Cover-up-Satanism-Murder-Nebraska/dp/0963215809
We’ll see if justice is any better served in this case... or if there’s a similar breakout of aksarbenicide in PA, instead.
If for nothing else than recruits are going to avoid PSU like the plague as long as Paterno is there, he needs to go.
Agh!! This institution deserves to collapse!
Paterno is a pig who turned a blind eye to the pervert Sandusky. He should resign immediately and start doing pennance. The Grand Jury report is indeed sickening.
Read the indictment. You will see there is no reason to wait. And the investigation must go higher than Paterno - all the way to the top.
Wrong, the rest is all cover-up, lying, deceipt, and lack of moral courage to do the right thing. You’re right - doing the crime is horrible. But knowing it’s being done and doing nothing so that it continues to victimize more kids - how is that not just as bad?
Whatever goes down there will be way too lenient for that decadent institution.
Yes, perverts and their protectors/excuse makers(madams) are in all organizations. The elite think they can get away with demonstrating no character because we have allowed them to do that.
First, the REAL reason they are going after Joe Paterno is because old Joe is a Republican. That’s why all the Liberals are calling for his firing.
Second, Joe actually reported what he heard in 2002. That is exactly what he should have done and it’s why he is not in trouble. He did not know all the facts and allegations
Third, here is another prime example of the Leftist double standards. One for Republicans and another for Democrats.
I can’t do the right thing ... I have a reputation to preserve!
YOU'RE FIRED!
This just got him off of the legal hook (not the moral)
A true moral Roman Catholic would have gone beyond this to ensure that this pedophile rapist was taken off the street -- not to offend again.
JoPa just looked the other way after he reported it.
...here is another prime example of the Leftist double standards. One for Republicans and another for Democrats.
Perhaps. But in this case, you'd have to know their internal motivations to make such a conclusion. (Not sure how you'd be able to judge such things...actually, not very moral either to go 'round judging internal motivations minus more clues)
Otherwise, "nice" job aligning with the perp cover-upper -- with nary a mention 'bout the victims involved.
Oh, & speaking of those victims...That one kid who that grad asst could have rescued in the shower stall in '02...plus any other victims after that date...they could sue Penn State for the deepest of dollars. Dozens of $millions of dollars.
I suppose Penn State's "insurance" will cover that with those eventual lawsuits come...but what will be "interesting" are the facts to be uncovered in those cases...
I can see these cases now during the earlier "Discovery" stage when JoPa is deposed and interrogated by victim after victim after victim.
Those depositions will incriminate him again and again and again.
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