RIP Joe Vincent Paterno

[Rigon]

Around 830 am EST, the Nittiany faithful lost our beloved leader and friend after an, all to short, fight against cancer. He will be remembered for more than just his contributions to the football program at PSU. He donated millions of dallors back to the university, where he spent more than 50 years as an employee, none of which when to the football program. Because of his efforts, Penn State has become a leading university in many fields, not only in the US, but all over the world. He will be sorely missed.

Thank you JoePa for your vision of Success with Honor.

R-

[AGNKim]

I'm a fan of college football, and lived in State College, PA for a spell and respect JoePa for his positive influence on the game. But, these last few months have tarnished his image forever and turn black so many good things he did. I've heard people go as far as saying he enabled child rape and he deserves to burn in hell for his (in)actions. Regardless, RIP JoePa.

[DeadReborn]

With Paterno passing away and my Noles forcing Bobby Bowden out, college football just won't be the same.
RIP Mr. Paterno.

[Tadhg]

He's another criminal rotting in HELL right now. I piss on him, Sandusky (who will go to HELL very soon) and anyone else who were involved in those heinous crimes!

[DeadReborn]

I'm not really aware of his envolvement in what went down, I'm not a Penn fan. I agree Rhu, Sandusky is a POS, but how involved was Paterno?

[Arduin]

I'm not really aware of his envolvement in what went down, I'm not a Penn fan. I agree Rhu, Sandusky is a POS, but how involved was Paterno?

Paterno got a report from a 1st hand witness to the molestation of a child and he did NOT report to the police. Coward.

[DeadReborn]

I had no idea.

[AGNKim]

Well, let's set the record straight.

JoePa got a report from someone who witnessed it. The witness saw what was happening and ran from the facilities. He was a 23 year old assistant coach and did nothing to stop the rape. After that, he called his dad, then waited until the next day to report it, and when he did he reported it to Paterno. Paterno told the head of camps security and Sandusky was removed from the team. But no one told the city or state police and Sandusky was never charged or even confronted. For the next nine years, Sandusky, while not part of the team, hovered around the Penn State campus and continued to run his "charity", The Second Mile, ostensibly set up for underprivileged young boys. The entire time, he continued to (allegedly) molest young boys and no one did anything, including Paterno. Sandusky was no longer part of the team, so Paterno had no legal responsibility to do anything since he only heard about it second hand and did report it, but many people say his position at Penn State was so large that he should have done more.

[Arduin]

Well, let's set the record straight.

JoePa got a report from someone who witnessed it. The witness saw what was happening and ran from the facilities. He was a 23 year old assistant coach and did nothing to stop the rape. After that, he called his dad, then waited until the next day to report it, and when he did he reported it to Paterno. Paterno told the head of camps security and Sandusky was removed from the team. But no one told the city or state police and Sandusky was never charged or even confronted. For the next nine years, Sandusky, while not part of the team, hovered around the Penn State campus and continued to run his "charity", The Second Mile, ostensibly set up for underprivileged young boys. The entire time, he continued to (allegedly) molest young boys and no one did anything, including Paterno. Sandusky was no longer part of the team, so Paterno had no legal responsibility to do anything since he only heard about it second hand and did report it, but many people say his position at Penn State was so large that he should have done more.

No "legal responsibility". TOTAL cop out. It is called cowardice. It your child had been raped what would YOU say to a person who told you he had no legal responsibility to report it to the police and thus, they guy continued?

[AGNKim]

No "legal responsibility". TOTAL cop out. It is called cowardice. It your child had been raped what would YOU say to a person who told you he had no legal responsibility to report it to the police and thus, they guy continued?

Don't think I was defending the guy, he messed up and people suffered because of it. I was just giving the story since some people were unaware (this being an RPG forum... like I would explain C&C on a football forum). JoePa shoulders much of the blame, but so do many others, including the guy that actually raped those kids, Jerry Sandusky, which many people seem to forget.

[redwullf]

Don't think I was defending the guy, he messed up and people suffered because of it. I was just giving the story since some people were unaware (this being an RPG forum... like I would explain C&C on a football forum). JoePa shoulders much of the blame, but so do many others, including the guy that actually raped those kids, Jerry Sandusky, which many people seem to forget.

Meh, the guy is dead now. Nothing can be said or done to "fix" the results of his actions (or inaction). Sandusky, however, still has a lot to answer for.

[Rigon]

I was going to write a long response to clearify somethings and to put some of the facts out there, but I figured if you are to lazy or ignorant to check the facts before you come on here comdeming a man who dedicate his entire life to shaping yound men and building a great university, then it's not worth my time to educate you.

You are intitled to your opinion, but as a great philosopher once said, "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone," you all should take a long hard look at yourselves first.

R-

[Arduin]

but as a great philosopher once said, "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone," you all should take a long hard look at yourselves first.

R-

No, I will continue to criticize cowards who let children be harmed. Sorry but, tired platitudes don't cut it.

[Tadhg]

[No offense to my very good friend Rigon . . my thoughts are general and in some respects are driven by many things that I've read online]

The fact that Paterno did not call the police and report the crime speaks volumes to his lack of character, cowardice and immorality!

He was in a position of authority and power who could have effectively used said abilities to correct a terribly wrong situation and thus would have prevented more children from abuse and instead he chose NOT to do anything!

It’s astounding really and just pathetic.

Not one thing that Paterno did for football or Penn State can possibly mean anything when weighed against what he didn’t do for that horrible situation.

Oh and that philosopher that Rigon mentions . . . twas Jesus Christ and you can be sure that HE does not care about colleges or football, only the innocent victims in this situation.

[AGNKim]

. . . twas Jesus Christ and you can be sure that HE does not care about colleges or football...

[Rigon]

This kept me up most of the night.

Kim & Deadreborn: Thanks for your respectfulness in your posts. It was appriciated.

Rhu: I was offended and hurt. I would have expected better from you.

Arduin: About what I would have expected from you.

R-

[ArgoForg]

My take, like it or leave it:

A quick caveat: I'm not about to condone what Paterno did, nor am I privy to the details of the entire situation, except through the lens-- good or ill-- of the media. I don't live in PA, I don't follow Penn State athletics.

I think that what's often being missed in the overall lambasting of him is that he'd been coaching since 1950, and been head coach since '66... so in other words, he'd been helping to shape young men's minds-- and moreover making them successes in fields beyond just football-- for more than 50 years before any of this ever came down. And a lot of people's opinions of his overall legacy are unduly colored by the last six months of media frenzy and outrage.

Do I think he's a hall of fame coach? Hell, yes. Do I think he made a monumental mistake by not acting further? Yes. Do I still think, overall, he was still a good person? Yes. If one misstep or failure to act in a situation-- no matter what the situation was-- completely labels us and undoes every bit of good we've done in the rest of our lifetimes, then we are all in some serious deep sh*t.

For everything he's done previous to that, and everything he's accomplished on the field, he deserves my respect. RIP, Joe Pa.

[Tadhg]

If one misstep or failure to act in a situation-- no matter what the situation was-- completely labels us and undoes every bit of good we've done in the rest of our lifetimes, then we are all in some serious deep sh*t.

I think not. This situation is not a misstep. We're talking about a failure to report a major and heinous crime. And so, we are all NOT in the same situation.

Sandusky wasn't stealing football equipment, he was forcibly sodomizing young boys!!

So far there are 52 criminal counts over 15 years.

I'm pretty certain that if Paterno backed up his assistant and called the police, he would have stopped much of what occurred after the incident that he was personally told about.

I would also speculate that Paterno and others knew that Sandusky was continuing to inflict these terrible crimes.

[Arduin]

Arduin: About what I would have expected from you.

R-

And, about what I'd expect from you...

[Breakdaddy]

This is getting personal, locking it now. Guys, please refrain from revisiting the ire displayed here elsewhere on this forum!