Paterno Fired

[Irish4Life09]

Irish4life09- i have said some stupid stuff on this board but you have taken the cake. It is sad you condone this type of behavior and feel that Paterno did everything he could. God forbid this happens to anyone you ever care about. Because only then will you truly understand that Paterno is a terrible person for doing nothing.

Are you f*cking kidding me? I NEVER ONCE SAID I CONDONE THIS! F*CK you for trying to say that I condone this.
I think it is terrible for anything like this to happen. I would never wish that upon anyone, let alone a kid.
There is a reason the grand jury and investigators have said they are not implicating Paterno on anything.Because he did what he could. It was not his responsibility to go to the authorities. He has to tell his university officials what happened,they investigate it, and then if they find that something has happened then they contact the authorities.That is how it happens.

 

[JoeyGetherall]

Man Irish4life09 you got to wake up. Joe Pa didn't do everything in his power plain and simple end of story.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Joe P has the right and ability to suspend/fire his coaches at any time for cause. This is cause for suspension, and he didn't. And then allowed this former coach to come around the team and facility that he has the power to close and not allow him too. But, it has been reported that this former coach was allowed access to the facility and areas where Joe Pa has control over as early as last week. Joe Pa still allowed him around and that to me is 100% on Joe Pa. Sorry, he is totally culpable in my opinion.

 

[rikkitikki08]

I am no guy fawning all over Paterno.Yes,he has been a great coach for a long time.
However, yes,Paterno DOES have superiors. Several actually. If you need me to run down the list,it's the same at EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL. NO coach is above his superiors.

As far as I can tell, he found out the information, and then went directly to his Athletic Director and President to tell them what he was TOLD. Paterno did not physically see anything happen as far as we know right now. As far as JoePa goes, you cant fire someone based off of a rumor that a player told you....that leads you down a long road of wrongful termination lawsuits.
He went to his superiors and told them what he heard, that way his superiors could do their job,investigate the matter, and take action. That's relatively cut and dry. You do that with ANY job when a matter like this happens.

I agree to a point, he did the right thing by reporting it but as a human being he should have taken the next step and called the police. But hey the media could be feeding us bullshit for all we know, parts of the story could have been left out

 

[Domina Nostra]

I have not been a big Paterno fan based on some of the stories I read about his players assaulting a student and basically getting a slap on the wrist for it. But I admit, that I don't actually have any clue whether or not he generally ran a tight ship.

I also don't know what he knew or what he did, but it is definitely not enough to merely inform one's superiors about a sexual assault, morally or legally. That defense did not even work in WWII, and this is certainly not a war time army where your commanding officer is basically the law.

If something that bad happened, you take it to your superiors with the expectation that they will handle it. If they do, you are probably done. But if they don't, you have to take actions yourself.

 

[kmoose]

Paterno did not do it the right way. He did just enough to talk responsibility off of him. Nothing stopped him from going to the police. If he knew this happend he should have went to the police.

What if this was your child? Would you want someone to tell their boss or the police?

What if it was your good friend who was accused? You're telling me that you wouldn't take any of your past with him into account, and would just run to the police(in effect ruining his reputation VERY publically)? I'm not saying that JoePa did the morally correct thing, but some of you sanctimonious a$$holes are acting like this was a cut and dried thing, with absolutely no doubt about what happened? If Paterno had witnessed the incident, then I would agree with you, but that's NOT what happened. It had to have been a terribly hard decision for Paterno. In the end, he chose wrong. But he had no way of knowing that, at the time.

 

[JoeyGetherall]

What if it was your good friend who was accused? You're telling me that you wouldn't take any of your past with him into account, and would just run to the police(in effect ruining his reputation VERY publically)? I'm not saying that JoePa did the morally correct thing, but some of you sanctimonious a$$holes are acting like this was a cut and dried thing, with absolutely no doubt about what happened? If Paterno had witnessed the incident, then I would agree with you, but that's NOT what happened. It had to have been a terribly hard decision for Paterno. In the end, he chose wrong. But he had no way of knowing that, at the time.

Disagree man. If a grad asst. comes to you and tells you that he saw Sandusky having anal sex with a 10 yr old boy in your locker room than the decision is pretty damn easy. And this was in 2002 after everyone knew Sandusky had been investigated in 1998. And yet he was seen on campus still recently. Sickening absolutely sickening.

 

[Anchorman]

What if it was your good friend who was accused? You're telling me that you wouldn't take any of your past with him into account, and would just run to the police(in effect ruining his reputation VERY publically)? I'm not saying that JoePa did the morally correct thing, but some of you sanctimonious a$$holes are acting like this was a cut and dried thing, with absolutely no doubt about what happened? If Paterno had witnessed the incident, then I would agree with you, but that's NOT what happened. It had to have been a terribly hard decision for Paterno. In the end, he chose wrong. But he had no way of knowing that, at the time.

This. For a program such as ours that has its share of scrutiny and tragedy in the past year, I would've thought we'd be a bit more clear-headed and wait to see what comes out of the investigation. There's a reason Paterno isn't under criminal charges. He did exactly what he was supposed to do.

 

[micks60]

What if it was your good friend who was accused? You're telling me that you wouldn't take any of your past with him into account, and would just run to the police(in effect ruining his reputation VERY publically)? I'm not saying that JoePa did the morally correct thing, but some of you sanctimonious a$$holes are acting like this was a cut and dried thing, with absolutely no doubt about what happened? If Paterno had witnessed the incident, then I would agree with you, but that's NOT what happened. It had to have been a terribly hard decision for Paterno. In the end, he chose wrong. But he had no way of knowing that, at the time.

If it was anything like this hell yeah I would rat out my friend to the police immediately. You me someone who would not and I will show one sick person.

 

[micks60]

This. For a program such as ours that has its share of scrutiny and tragedy in the past year, I would've thought we'd be a bit more clear-headed and wait to see what comes out of the investigation. There's a reason Paterno isn't under criminal charges. He did exactly what he was supposed to do.

No, he is not uder investigation because he did the minimal he had to do. He has more of a moral responsibility to report when he sees this guy around afterwards.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

The question I have is why didn't the grad assistant tell the authorities or do anything to confront him and why did he wait until the next day to tell his father? Coincidently he went on to become the head recruiter.... None of this adds up to me.

 

[yankeehater]

The University will have to clean house from the President on down to every coach on the staff. I know football is irrelevant when you are looking at crimes of this serious in nature, but this is a football board. As far as the Penn State football program, this may have the same effect as the death penalty had on SMU. The football program may never recover from this scandal.

 

[JoeyGetherall]

The question I have is why didn't the grad assistant tell the authorities or do anything to confront him and why did he wait until the next day to tell his father? Coincidently he went on to become the head recruiter.... None of this adds up to me.

Told his father right away. Told Joe Pa the next day. Why he didn't stop or confront him Idk. I suppose he didn't know what to do and maybe was scared to lose his job so he acted like a coward. Just as Joe Pa acted cowardly.

 

[military_irish]

I by NO MEANS would ever condone this but if someone came to me and told me a friend and colleague did something this heinous. I would take it to a superior and have them investigate first. If he ran to the police and all this got out and Penn St. and Sandusky got this horrible name. Then the truth comes out and nothing really happened. There is no turning back, the name is already drug into the dirt. I.e the Duke lacrosse team.

It was the higher up that seemed to cover it up, from what I have read.

I will say Paterno could have done something further later on but right off the bat, he should not have ran to the police without actually knowing the story and investigating first. In my opinion.

As has been stated also, the full story has not come out. When it comes to how much Paterno actually knew.

 

[WaveDomer]

The question I have is why didn't the grad assistant tell the authorities or do anything to confront him and why did he wait until the next day to tell his father? Coincidently he went on to become the head recruiter.... None of this adds up to me.

This.

Either McQueary is lying about what he saw, and if he is you don't let him coach at your school. Or he wasn't lying about it, and you go to the police to stop a child rapist. But no, McQueary ends up coaching at PSU and Sandusky is allowed to have facility use, camps for kids, etc. Yeah, if my good friend ended up being a pedophile, it would be hard, but that wouldn't excuse me for not going to the police about it or at least following up with it when the guy is still on campus. This isn't really a situation where it's something to keep in house. Sandusky is not breaking a law of PSU only. What if McQueary saw the running backs coach kill someone? Would Paterno be clear if he told the AD about it and then went about his business? Come on.

 

[Irish4Life09]

I by NO MEANS would ever condone this but if someone came to me and told me a friend and colleague did something this heinous. I would take it to a superior and have them investigate first. If he ran to the police and all this got out and Penn St. and Sandusky got this horrible name. Then the truth comes out and nothing really happened. There is no turning back, the name is already drug into the dirt. I.e the Duke lacrosse team.

It was the higher up that seemed to cover it up, from what I have read.

I will say Paterno could have done something further later on but right off the bat, he should not have ran to the police without actually knowing the story and investigating first. In my opinion.

+1,000,000

This is what I was saying earlier,and I fully agree with it. You might wanna watch it though, you start thinking rationally like your post and you'll be called into question for condoning pedophilism like I was condoned for earlier.

 

[Irish Houstonian]

I by NO MEANS would ever condone this but if someone came to me and told me a friend and colleague did something this heinous. I would take it to a superior and have them investigate first. If he ran to the police and all this got out and Penn St. and Sandusky got this horrible name. Then the truth comes out and nothing really happened. There is no turning back, the name is already drug into the dirt. I.e the Duke lacrosse team.

It was the higher up that seemed to cover it up, from what I have read.

I will say Paterno could have done something further later on but right off the bat, he should not have ran to the police without actually knowing the story and investigating first. In my opinion.

As has been stated also, the full story has not come out. When it comes to how much Paterno actually knew.

I get what you're saying, and hindsight is 20/20. But I think I still think JoPa fouled here.

For one, this guy is not just a friend but a former employee using his retirement benefits in the commission of felonies.

Second, they specifically forbade Sandusky from "bringing children on the facility"...So they clearly saw smoke, even if they deny there was any visible fire. "Had us all fooled" my eye. And yet, no law enforcement were contacted even after the second allegation.

Third, the entire program is really JoPa's. Remember in 02' when the President asked him to step down and he basically said "no"? He should have taken a stronger leadership role and didn't. If you're going to run a program like a despot you can't shy away when hard decisions are needed. Friend or no friend.

JoPa knew that even after the second allegation, nothing was being done to prevent his former defensive coordinator from preying on kids. And he still did literally nothing. You have to at least take away Sandusky's facility access until an investigation is completed, even if you don't call authorities.

 

[OchoShayneO]

+1,000,000

This is what I was saying earlier,and I fully agree with it. You might wanna watch it though, you start thinking rationally like your post and you'll be called into question for condoning pedophilism like I was condoned for earlier.

Ive been having this debate in my office the last day and a half. There's a reason protocol is in place and you are supposed to go up the chain of command. Many people disagree but I give them a break. Its not their fault they are illogical.

I think a big reason people think this way is because of ESPN projecting their opinion and shoving it down your throat 24 hours a day.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

I by NO MEANS would ever condone this but if someone came to me and told me a friend and colleague did something this heinous. I would take it to a superior and have them investigate first. If he ran to the police and all this got out and Penn St. and Sandusky got this horrible name. Then the truth comes out and nothing really happened. There is no turning back, the name is already drug into the dirt. I.e the Duke lacrosse team.

It was the higher up that seemed to cover it up, from what I have read.

I will say Paterno could have done something further later on but right off the bat, he should not have ran to the police without actually knowing the story and investigating first. In my opinion.

As has been stated also, the full story has not come out. When it comes to how much Paterno actually knew.

Military, you have kids? If someone was EYEWITNESS to an adult committing an act as agregious as what McQueary saw in a shower, in the locker room in the football complex on the campus and it was your kid and that individual didn't report it to the police, you'd be ok w that because he did what he was supposed to which was wait a day and tell his boss? Seriously? I couldn't disagree more and I don't think you're being honest with yourself if that is how you think you would feel. McQueary was an eyewitness, this isn't speculation or rumor. He witnessed a felony taking place and both the victim and attacker saw him and yet he left the scene. If that's me, I bludgeon Sandusky, get the kid to safety and go straight to the police.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Ive been having this debate in my office the last day and a half. There's a reason protocol is in place and you are supposed to go up the chain of command. Many people disagree but I give them a break. Its not their fault they are illogical.

I think a big reason people think this way is because of ESPN projecting their opinion and shoving it down your throat 24 hours a day.

You are wrong. ESPN has nothing to do with the Grad asst turning a blind eye to what he saw. He has a moral responsibility, if nothing else to go straight to the police. If you've been having this debate with people in your office, I hope you aren't at a supervisory level because you've just created an atmosphere of fear and retribution. If you do something wrong, where to they go to escalate the problem? You've told them to go to their superior. Yikes.

 

[JoeyGetherall]

Tressel got booted for tattoos. Paterno will go for this too. Its unfortunate it had to end this way for him. I feel worse for the alleged victims.

 

[irishff1014]

Matt Millen said it best of ESPN. If we as society can't protect our kids then we are pathetic. He also said morally Joe Pa is wrong for not doing more. This is coming from a former player. I have to say i agree

 

[kmoose]

If it was anything like this hell yeah I would rat out my friend to the police immediately. You me someone who would not and I will show one sick person.

1. I clearly said that it looks like Paterno made the wrong decision.

2. You're boiling it down to black and white, when the situation is clearly gray. It's people with that attitude who enable others with a vendetta to ruin people's lives. A mere accusation of child molestation follows a person around forever. If you were an assistant coach, and some GA had a grudge against you, you're saying that they could just go to the coach, make an accusation, and he is supposed to just call the police? He can ruin your life that easily? More power to you. I don't see it as that black and white.

 

[military_irish]

Military, you have kids? If someone was EYEWITNESS to an adult committing an act as agregious as what McQueary saw in a shower, in the locker room in the football complex on the campus and it was your kid and that individual didn't report it to the police, you'd be ok w that because he did what he was supposed to which was wait a day and tell his boss? Seriously? I couldn't disagree more and I don't think you're being honest with yourself if that is how you think you would feel. McQueary was an eyewitness, this isn't speculation or rumor. He witnessed a felony taking place and both the victim and attacker saw him and yet he left the scene. If that's me, I bludgeon Sandusky, get the kid to safety and go straight to the police.

I was talking about Paterno's actions. Paterno seen nothing, he heard from a Graduate Assistant. If I am Paterno I would be shocked and went to my superiors to report. From all accounts that is what Paterno did.

If anything it is McQueary who should get all of the blame not Paterno. But I did say once an investigation was underway and Paterno did nothing. Then he could share blame but not right off the get go without knowing anything except the word of McQueary.

People's lives are ruined everyday from false reports. Why not take the correct precautions? As it is coming out the ones who are guilty are being handled. It should have happened long ago I agree with that. But that has more to do with the superiors covering it up than anything Paterno has done. From the accounts out at the moment.

Of course opinions can change and if Paterno is found to be more involved then my stance will change.

 

[OchoShayneO]

You are wrong. ESPN has nothing to do with the Grad asst turning a blind eye to what he saw. He has a moral responsibility, if nothing else to go straight to the police. If you've been having this debate with people in your office, I hope you aren't at a supervisory level because you've just created an atmosphere of fear and retribution. If you do something wrong, where to they go to escalate the problem? You've told them to go to their superior. Yikes.

Well let me clear that up partner.

I think if your an eye witness to this yea you go to the authorities (or step in and stop the situation... What did the GA do just see it and go yikes! and then walk away.) If it comes to you as hearsay you have to go up the chain of command.

And don't worry about me hombre, I dominate every single day and do everything right. In fact I have accomplished so much today that I have found time to come chat it up with you guys.

 

[irishff1014]

I was talking about Paterno's actions. Paterno seen nothing, he heard from a Graduate Assistant. If I am Paterno I would be shocked and went to my superiors to report. From all accounts that is what Paterno did.

If anything it is McQueary who should get all of the blame not Paterno. But I did say once an investigation was underway and Paterno did nothing. Then he could share blame but not right off the get go without knowing anything except the word of McQueary.

People's lives are ruined everyday from false reports. Why not take the correct precautions? As it is coming out the ones who are guilty are being handled. It should have happened long ago I agree with that. But that has more to do with the superiors covering it up than anything Paterno has done. From the accounts out at the moment.

Of course opinions can change and if Paterno is found to be more involved then my stance will change.

But something this serious why didn't he check up on? And why did he keep allowing him to have acceess/

 

[Woneone]

I by NO MEANS would ever condone this but if someone came to me and told me a friend and colleague did something this heinous. I would take it to a superior and have them investigate first. If he ran to the police and all this got out and Penn St. and Sandusky got this horrible name. Then the truth comes out and nothing really happened. There is no turning back, the name is already drug into the dirt. I.e the Duke lacrosse team.

It was the higher up that seemed to cover it up, from what I have read.

I will say Paterno could have done something further later on but right off the bat, he should not have ran to the police without actually knowing the story and investigating first. In my opinion.

As has been stated also, the full story has not come out. When it comes to how much Paterno actually knew.

I agree with what you're saying, but I think most of the outrage comes from the bolded word in your post.

Unfortunatly, there was no chain of actions that occured. It seems that the FIRST thing they did was the LAST thing they did. That includes the GA and JoePa. I think most would overlook not going straight to the authorities if other actions were taken by either individual.

Sadly, there were not.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

I was talking about Paterno's actions. Paterno seen nothing, he heard from a Graduate Assistant. If I am Paterno I would be shocked and went to my superiors to report. From all accounts that is what Paterno did.

If anything it is McQueary who should get all of the blame not Paterno. But I did say once an investigation was underway and Paterno did nothing. Then he could share blame but not right off the get go without knowing anything except the word of McQueary.

People's lives are ruined everyday from false reports. Why not take the correct precautions? As it is coming out the ones who are guilty are being handled. It should have happened long ago I agree with that. But that has more to do with the superiors covering it up than anything Paterno has done. From the accounts out at the moment.

Of course opinions can change and if Paterno is found to be more involved then my stance will change.

It sounds to me from the Grand Jury testimony I've heard, that Paterno was told that there was inappropriate behavior going on between Sandusky and a child in a shower. Does that not create cause enough to get Sandusky in front of Paterno immediately. Does that not qualify as reason enough for Paterno to demand a detailed explanation from McQueary and based on that, a call to the State Police? I don't care who this is in relation to Paterno, those hard questions have to be asked and information has to be reported beyond the AD. McQueary is absolutely more guilty than Paterno, but this doesn't absolve Paterno of his moral responsibility to report it to authorities. They are both guilty to me. How does McQueary witness that action and walk away? How does he live with himself. I hope he hears the first hand testimony of kids that were victimized after his eyewitness account so he knows what he could have stopped. Disgusting, no it's more than that, it's criminal.

 

[military_irish]

It sounds to me from the Grand Jury testimony I've heard, that Paterno was told that there was inappropriate behavior going on between Sandusky and a child in a shower. Does that not create cause enough to get Sandusky in front of Paterno immediately. Does that not qualify as reason enough for Paterno to demand a detailed explanation from McQueary and based on that, a call to the State Police? I don't care who this is in relation to Paterno, those hard questions have to be asked and information has to be reported beyond the AD. McQueary is absolutely more guilty than Paterno, but this doesn't absolve Paterno of his moral responsibility to report it to authorities. They are both guilty to me. How does McQueary witness that action and walk away? How does he live with himself. I hope he hears the first hand testimony of kids that were victimized after his eyewitness account so he knows what he could have stopped. Disgusting, no it's more than that, it's criminal.

I agree on all of that, I was speaking about how Paterno should have acted immediately. Some people wanted Paterno to run and take care of Sandusky himself. I just think things should play out first. But once Paterno was notify, as in my original post, he should have done whatever possible. Just not that first instance of hearing it because he would not have known the whole story.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Well let me clear that up partner.

I think if your an eye witness to this yea you go to the authorities (or step in and stop the situation... What did the GA do just see it and go yikes! and then walk away.) If it comes to you as hearsay you have to go up the chain of command.

And don't worry about me hombre, I dominate every single day and do everything right. In fact I have accomplished so much today that I have found time to come chat it up with you guys.

You've cleared up nothing. Yes, the GA walked away from the scene. So he is guilty. If he is an eyewitness and tells JoePa this, Joe has a responsibility to go to the authorities, this is not and was not hearsay. If you think the actions of Joe Pa and McQueary were sufficient, well we'll disagree.