Unfortunately for Joe, he is the figure head of Penn State, similar to many college coaches. Unfortunately, college sports have become the cash cow for universities and colleges. To keep him on, the University would potentially lose a considerable amount of money from broadcasters and alumni.

"unfortunately for Joe"?????? I'm sorry, but he deserves to be held accountable for his lack of courage to stop this animal. He knew what was going on. He chose NOT to do anything. He had a responsibility to every student who ever walked on campus, every fan who bought a ticket or a piece of PSU gear. Having spent time at PSU, he was praised. His word was gospel. He didn't even have the courage to resign, which would have sent a message to the victims. Those poor kids (adults now) should be the focus, not a guy who lived in a fantasy world for the last 60 years.

I believe the University officials dropped the ball. According to several accounts, Paterno did report the allegations. As he did not witness any criminal behavior first hand, he was not legally required to report the allegation to law enforcement. Folks who do not work in university settings often do not understand the intricacies of it all. Often times, faculty/staff are required to work through the university bureaucracy. Joe did all of should have. It was the administrators' duty to forward the allegations to law enforcement.

I've worked in a University setting for 15+ years. There IS NO excuse-- and to say that because of some "university bureaucracy" NOT doing more is ok- is shameful.

As a so-called "leader of men," he showed none!!

I will only add that I agree with most of Dan's statement above!

Everyone associated with this outrage should have been jettisoned years ago. The priorities at that place were all wrong. Paterno had a reputation for running a 'squeaky clean' shop, but this it seems, only applied to the NCAA rules, which in the real scale of importance here, are pretty low. He had a moral and human obligation to see to it that the pedophile was immediately isolated and immediately brought to justice. It has been reported that the guy still had an office on campus until a few weeks ago. It is inconceivable that the coach who had the reputation for hearing about his players getting into a scuffle in town within a few minutes of the event would not have know about this monster. The implications of this will expand exponentially over the next few weeks and I am sure we will see crimminal charges (failing -under federal law -to report as required) against a number of people there in addition to all the civil cases that will come up. To say this is shamefull would a gross understatement - it really can't be quantified by mere words.
- RPM

Penn State lives and dies by Paterno. He had YEARS to come forward and could have prevented this monster from doing more damage. Yes, Joe should have been fired, again, YEARS ago, along with anyone who knew about the incidents but didn't come forward. However, the focus right now should not be on Paterno - it should be on the victims and their families who have lived with this, and will continue to do so, for years. School officials have to prosecute to the fullest and ALL school personnel (at Penn State and elsewhere) need to take steps to ensure that our children are protected - at all times and no matter who they're with. THAT's what the media should be focusing on - how we, as a society, can better protect our kids from monsters like Sandusky.

You people speak of the situation as if you were there. A court of law needs to determine who is right and who is wrong. He did say that "I wish I had done more" However, that could have been a humble man trying to save the dignity of the University he loves or he truly did something wrong. Too early to tell this terrible situation is still in its infancy and much, much more will come to light. Hold your horses before you want Old Joe hung from the field goal posts

A young boy was raped....over 10 years ago.
No one was charged.
No one was punished.
And there was a witness.
And there was a cover up.
they should all be fired....!
Who is thinking of the loss of innocence....what happened to that innocent 10 year old boy...and now we are hearing of other boys who were raped....

It's not as though they were covering up a relationship between the Athletic Director and the star quarterback and thought it best to stay hush, hush. They covered up the rape of a child, which allowed for the continuing raping of children. All in the name of football. Everyone involved is disgusting and should be ashamed of themselves. No punishment great enough for any of them.

There is much more to this story that will come out. There are stories of a coverup early on that allowed Sandusky to leave coaching and avoid then-prosecution. The prosecutor who didn't prosecute Sandusky way back when has disappeared and his body was never found. Sandusky may have been pimping kids out to the Trustees of the University. This story is only just beginning.

Read the Prosecuter's Filing....then be the judge...

http://www.freep.com/assets/freep/pdf/C4181508116.PDF

Shocking!

It happened on his watch. He did what was legally correct, but he should have done what was morally correct and went to the police as well.

Matt, that filing was shocking,sick,and very detailed. Looked like a fair number witnesses to call on to confirm the accusations. If its true, Sandowsky should be sent away for life. I am not a lawyer but if Paterno knew about it and didnt go to the police - he should have some kind of punishment.

Penn State had no choice but to fire Paterno. If they kept him on their staff for the rest of the season, they would have been sued by the victims and families involved in Sandowsky's disgusting acts. Paterno is already in trouble for not calling the police when he should have and the former president of Penn State got what he deserved for letting that sick man on campus, despite knowing what had happened in the past. The university is merely covering themselves because these accusations are destroying their business. They needed to rid themselves of everyone involved in the scandal and that's exactly what they did.

Joe Paterno did nothing wrong! The police at the University were informed!! As far as what was told to Paterno, exactly, a day after the incident no one really knows. I would be thinking to myself that if McCreary really saw what he said he saw he would of stopped it right than and there not wait til the next day to tell Joe if he really did tell Joe everything of what he said he saw 10 years later! Who really knows what he said! It is a fact that The Campus police were informed of the incident and if anyone should of contacted the outside authorities it should have been them after talking to Sandowsky. If they didn't it was not up to Paterno to call the cops he probably did not even believe that Sandowsky was capable of such and act. I'm sure if he saw it with his own eyes he would have stopped it and called the cops but he didn't see anything at all! The Campus Police should have called the police if they felt it necessary they talked to Sandowsky about the incident. Paterno devoted 61 years of his life to Penn State and donated more money to that campus than any one else would ever donate. He doesn't even make a lot of money. He lives very modestly and did everything out of his love for the School and the students and the love of the game. He is an honest man and a good man! He doesn't deserve the false accusations stating that he knew what was going on all along and was covering things up!

"He doesn't even make a lot of money."

Right. He's barely scraping by at half a million.

After 61 years working for Penn State that's not considered a lot of money! He's donated Millions to the School. 11 million just for the school library alone and it doesn't end there. Do your research before making stupid statements.

If he's just scraping by where did he get 11 million to donate to school library and more?

This is what Joe Paterno will be remembered for...I'm sure he regrets not doing more now.

If your neighbor saw that your house was on fire, and made a call to the fire department, but for some reason the fire truck didn't arrive, wouldn't you expect your neighbor to follow up and call again instead of watching Judge Judy on the Tee Vee Machine?

Joe Paterno is a selfish relic of a by-gone era whose glory only existed in the imaginations of people who deified him. He's worth about as much as those beanie babies people were stockpiling a decade ago with hopes of getting rich.

Stay Positive Joe---"God is your Judge and only He knows the Truth!!"
The "Lion`s" Roar is silent for now--But Pride will bring it Back!! Penn State Proud..and Always will be!!

Joe we are praying for you and your family. Stay positive. Anyone who really knows you knows the truth. You did nothing wrong! Ignore all the haters who no nothing but how to hate. You are truly loved by all who really know you.

Had he followed up on the report we would not be so astonished about his lack of protecting the young children,

I highly doubt Joe Paterno reads the patch...Get a grip.
Joe better start donating to sexually abused children instead of Penn State buildings.Time will tell how in the wrong Joe was...I hope he knew very, very little..... Penn State will eventually get over this but it will take many years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructive_trust
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restitution

The assets of the perpetrators should be put into a constructive trust created to distribute them equitably among the victims of this conspiracy.

End of story.

He reported it as he should. It was up to the administrators and others to investigate. An allegation does not mean a person is guilty; there have been many false allegations in this area.

This story isn't over. When all is said and done Paterno will be found to have known far more then he claims. Just today there is a report that Sandusky was recruiting for Penn State just this past year. Do you really think that was without Paterno's knowledge? Sandusky was obviously forced to retire in 1999 as part of a coverup. Do you really think that was without Paterno's knowledge?

@MG....wot if it had been your son, wud you till be supporting Joe

Parent of 3 Absolutely! Joe Paterno did no wrong! If you want to go after any one or question anyone question the Campus Police and the State officials who were supposedly investigating Sandusky all along.

It all comes down to how much he knew. If he knew, he was obligated to stop it. Not just morally obligated, legally obligated. Thats how fiduciary duty works. It would be different if he was a fellow student, or another abused child. But he worked for the university, didn't he, as a coach? If the university was involved, they are legally responsible too. These kinds of things often do result in large financial losses, and thats part of the mechanism for stopping it. Figure in 9 out of 10 cases people dont get caught, or the abusee cannot get a lawyer because the abuser doesn't have significant assets. So, in the cases where prosecutions can go forward, the goal needs to be not just to make up for that case, but also to make the financial penalty if caught significant in the decisions abusers make to abuse or not abuse. So, in a sense, they want it to be huge. Otherwise, they will decide, "so what if I get caught, they need me more than I need them" or whatever. Just like after OJ lost in the civil case, his earnings were attached until he pays off the award. He wrote a book, etc. and those sums of money were given to his wife's parents. The idea was that the guilty should not be able to profit from a crime.

M.G, do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound? You stated that he doesn't make a lot of money and if you think that $500,000 is not a lot of money, then you are out of touch with reality. You did not qualify that he doesn't make a lot compared to some other coaches but please, do your research before making stupid statements.

What is so difficult for you and other PSU alum to fathom is that the rest of the nation does not care about your Penn State pride. You all sound like a bunch of self-absorbed cult worshiping whackos. We do care about the heinous crimes, the victims and making sure the right people are held responsible and that includes your beloved coach who turned a blind eye to children being raped. Honestly, would you just get a grip?

I'm sorry that your hero has been brought down like this but take a deep breath and realize that it's just a football game, Happy Valley wasn't so happy for some people and Paterno is a man who made a big mistake.

I am not a Penn State alum nor a fan. In fact, I went to Rutgers and there is somewhat of a rivalry between the schools, especially in football. I agree with the minority. Paterno did not see anything for himself. Why is he being blamed for other people's lack of follow-through? If Paterno went to his superiors and McQueary went to campus police, what more was he to do? It was their responsibility to investigate the claim and take the appropriate action. Paterno may or may not have known the details, but he would have been reporting hearsay regardless. If anything, he should have encouraged McQueary to report what he saw to the local police when it became clear that the administration and campus police were dropping the ball. Paterno is the University's scapegoat because of his high profile. As an unbiased outsider, I think he's getting a raw deal. First and foremost, it's Sandusky who should be held accountable in this debacle, followed by the Penn State administration, campus police, & McQueary. Paterno had the misfortune of being "the face of Penn State football," and is being villified because of his "exalted position" & notoreity. It's a shame that his long and successful career will be all but forgotten in light of this scandal, when it appears Sandusky himself seems to be getting "special treatment" from the authorities. JMHO.

So, as long as officials play a fast and deceptive enough shell game, there is no accountability, anywhere?

Educators have a responsibility to report this kind of suspicion to the authorities....legally and morally.

The fact that the entire chain of command prioritized the football program ahead of stopping vile and criminal acts makes them unfit for their jobs...and possibly even in legal jeopardy.

Read the 23 page indictment--then come back here and comment.

You are wrong on this one--and thankfully, most people see that.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/joe-paterno-brooklyn-child-rape-scandal-hits-close-home-article-1.978813

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/NEWS/Sandusky.pdf

the indictment--read with discretion.

Kristen your comments are reasonable...but for paterno, he is being judged in the court of public opinion, fair or not...that's how our society rolls ... we will see where the actually legal process leads...from all the reports and commentary it did appear paterno wielded more power than the ad, school president, or board of trustee member at the university...he might have been the most powerful, influential person in central pa...all involved were aware of the 1998 incident reported by the janitors, after which, sandusky was forced to retire...and pls give me a break about the rule of 80 explanation...so paterno seemed to have known about both 1998 and 2002 witness accounts and basically let a "superior" deal with the situation...this was the most powerful person at the university and therefore that region of pa...a man that was able to stay on his job well into his 80s with little push back...a man who could fire or hire at will whoever he wanted in his football program...a man who was basically the CEO of an organization (the psu football program) that generated 73m in annual revenue and 53m in net income...this appeared to be a save the institution decision making at its core with a typical cover up that followed...in most corporate cases the senior mgmt need to go...add the fact that this was heinous crimes perpetrated on children then indeed the leader of this institution needs to go and fast...the protect the institution (therefore my job) is tough to overcome...

Of course he should have been fired over this. Anyone who knew anything about it, irrespective of what they did or did not do, has to go. It is clear that their action or inaction did not stop this activity. This is too serious and offensive an outcome to say "I did alI should have".

Re: is Paterno "too big to fail"?

If Paterno had immediately closed down this abusive situation pending an investigation, and called in the police, THEN, no he should not have been fired. But as I understand it, thats NOT what he DID do. He did what bureaucrats everywhere do, tried to pretend they "know nothing". He said "I'm too big to fail" so he played dumb.

There even used to be a party, the "know nothing party" ..

Here is the historical reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_Nothing

As far as "court of public opinion" I think enough evidence is out there that the FACTS are really not in doubt. What it comes down to is should the cover-uppers, the thieves of these people's lives, gotten slack because they were "too big to fail" and above moral law.

I think doing that would set entirely the wrong example.

If Penn State could clear their heads of protecting their football program and JoePa, and someone over there saw this horrible set of events for what it really is, they would temporarily cease all football, forfeit the rest of the season, fire Paterno, the AD, and everyone who knew anything about Sandusky and his sickness. And bring in a whole new Athletic Director, coach, coaching staff of high morality and squeeky clean records. Then you would know they were taking it as aerious as the rest of America . But they have done anything but. I hate to see the senior players punished for this monster, but it's too serious to try and brush under a rug.

Don -- >>I think that he still would have had an obligation to report it, but I agree with you, especially if he is a subordinate, he was in a no win situation. It all depends on his rank in the organization. Would he be sacrificed to save the higher ups?<<

Typically in colleges and universities, the coaches reports to the Athletic Director...and ultimately to the University President. There was also a Finance Dept. guy who was let go along with the University President, so I guess Paterno reported to him, too. Would he have been sacrificed to save their jobs? In a HEARTBEAT! Look what happened now? The Trustees are sacrificing him to help assuage the black eye Penn State's football program has developed in the court of public opinion. And the Trustees weren't even involved -- directly or indirectly -- in the scandal!

Why didn't he resign? Turn in his resignation?

I have a few questions for those of you who do not believe Mr. Paterno, or anyone other than Sandusky, is in the wrong.....

Would your answer be different if McQueary would have witnessed Jerry Sandusky doing the following:

1. Beating a young boy with a baseball bat?
2. Showering with a young girl?
3. Forcibly raping someone who was in obvious distress--crying, screaming, etc?

He was sodomizing an innocent young prepubescent boy. Maybe the child was not screaming but he was being raped nonetheless. This was a VIOLENT crime.

How exactly would he have "gotten in trouble" by going to the police if Sandusky would have, as an example, been BEATING a child with a baseball bat? Really--he would have been wrong for calling the police? I don't think so--you know why? Because it could not have been swept under the rug--the scars would have been visible and impossible to ignore.

I believe that anyone who does not see with moral clarity that this chain of essentially bystanders had an obligation to call the police are underestimating the crime itself. Ask yourself if your job would be a primary concern if you saw someone being violently beaten, or murdered....

....and as educators, aren't they held to higher legal and moral standard anyway?

They were cowards and therefore, complicit.

...and by the way, the trustees are not sacrificing them. The trustees are REPRIMANDING THEM via stripping them of their job.

Jerry Sandusky is a predator--he deserves jail.

The rest are being reprimanded/punished for OTHER offenses, namely:

1. Enabling a string violent crime by failing to report it.
2. Failing in their duty as educators to report child abuse.
3. Opening up the university for legal and public jeapordy.
4. Being cowardly men, unfit to lead.

THAT is why they were fired....and rightly so.

Paterno should be behind bars.

Yeah, well...the man has lung cancer -- that's worse than jail. Some people will probably think he somehow brought it on himself or deserves it, but I know from seeing it first-hand that no one deserves that. :(

kristen, your position is valid...but this all proves the problem with the "save the institution" and "save my job" reflexive mentality which seems to be at the heart of all this...again, I hope I would make the "right" (moral) decision if i was in a similar position...i don't know, but i hope and trust my upbringing, life experiences, etc would lead me there...as for paterno, again his " superiors" were in name only...he was at the top of the universities' chain of command...in 1998 and 2002 (as well as before and after) no other official had more power or clout than paterno...I guess we will all find out more info as the investigation moves forward and as the media does its own digging...whatever comes out, it's a disgrace that all those involved put the institution, money and their jobs ahead of the brutalization of helpless children...in the end they lost their jobs, a lot of money will be lost, and a great institution will forever be damaged...

...but those children will never get their childhood ...or their lives back....
back to project mayhem

I will say one thing, had it not been for Occupy Wall Street, this PSU story would have never been picked up the way it has. Its being used to push the #ows out of the news..
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8929

Also, in NJ, the voting machine stories are being ignored..

https://freedom-to-tinker.com/tags/voting
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810161902.htm
etc.
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8902#more-8902

Don, Give up on the voting machines. No one cares.

Yes, please. Please stop posting it to every story trying to make it seems like it is related. Just drop it. No one cares.

What does this have to do with Bloomfield? Not that any of this matters, but very few of these posters even live here. It seems like this tragedy is being used mainly to sell ad space.

OMG..
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/396/1-party-school

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/451/back-to-penn-state

Too much stuff to try to summarize.. listen..

I've been very much inclined to think Joe Paterno deserved better than he got in this whole affair: his access to Penn State football facilities notwithstanding, Sandusky hadn't been his employee/subordinate in a number of years.

On its face, Paterno didn't ignore the situation (he didn't witness it either) but, brought it (and the graduate assistant who did witness it) to the attention of those people (athletic director and head of campus security) who had a clear responsibility to do something.. As police/prosecutors rarely comment about ongoing investigations or those they've closed without further action, Paterno's not hearing anything further really wasn't unusual.

Throwing into the mix that Paterno told the New England Patriots that he didn't think this player would make it in the NFL (and payback/sour grapes) possibly being part of the equation), Brad Benson (who played for Penn State and the '86 Giants) on Paterno’s culpability in the Sandusky affair:

“Joe telling his boss what was going on with Jerry Sandusky was ludicrous to me, because (athletic director) Tim Curley wasn’t very high in the pecking order compared to Joe. Personally, I know if I missed a trigonometry class, Joe knew about it. So it makes it hard for me to believe that something that big, he didn’t know about.”

If it had been Joe Paterno's grandson in the locker room with Sandusky, would Paterno merely have told his superiors, and then ignored the situation for years? Get real!

@ Nina: This link might provide you (and everyone else) with some additional insight into the matter:

http://www.montclair.edu/universitypolice/aboutus/

Gary--

You and I differ on the definition of "appropriate authority." If you want to say that the department charged with ensuring safety at Penn State, yes you are right. However, if you have ever worked at a large organization, you should know that there are people within that organization that can supercede (easily) the "appropriate authorities." Those people are the ones who bring in the income, like Joe Paterno did to Penn State.

Joe was someone who could supercede those people, and they were likely to (and obviously did) tread very carefully around this matter. How do I know? Because nothing was done to limit Sandusky's access to the locker room at Penn State. So how appropriate could those authorities be?

Further as to whether they were "appropriate authorities," I'll repeat my question to you: are they the ones he would have handed off the matter to (and then failed to follow up on) if it had been his grandson who was being raped in the showers? Just answer that question.

Gary:

Just answer the question I asked. Then you can continue to lecture me on the technicalities, while ignoring the reality of the situation. Which is what Joe Paterno did!

Upon Paterno having made his report (as would be the case with anyone making such a report to law enforcement authorities) due process then comes into play.

One hopes (indeed assumes) that a professional investigation would then ensue and anyone remotely familiar with a law enforcement investigation should know that the authorities rarely if ever comment about.

In fact a great many investigations are begun, the allegations found to be groundless, and the inquiry closed with no further action.

Whatever Paterno's status at Penn State, to expect that he alone would be kept apprised of each and every step in a professional criminal investigation is just disengenuous.

Do keep in mind that Paterno didn't make his report (or refer the graduate assistant who witnessed the incident) to a junior police officer; he brought it to the attention of the Department Director...and I'd call that "appropriate authority."

To have expected Mr. Paterno to have taken some action (like restricting Sanudsky's access to facilities, which wasn't within his purview to begin with) is to say he should have taken action against an individual who (like all of us) is innocent until proven guilty.

If any action should have been taken to bar Sandusky from Penn's facilities, it should have come back through channels to Paterno (from Schultz through Curley), upon a determination that formal charges were being brought and that an indictment and arrest expected.

(to be continued...)

Boy, your background as a functionary (with your experience almost entirely limited to government organizations) is showing! Due Process? THE CONSTITUION DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU DUE PROCESS BEFORE YOU CAN BE BANNED FROM A LOCKEROOM. And just for the record, Joe Paterno was well known for banning reporters from the locker room if they failed to wear a hat (and show the proper "respect"!

Let's call a spade a spade. Joe Paterno kicked it up the chain knowing full well that no one at Penn State would gore the ox! Enormous sums of money were at stake. Not to mention "JoPa's" reputation. From Joe Paterno's point of view, they were absolutely the "appropriate" authorities.

If you made such an accusation, I would think any gym manager in charge of the locker room where the alleged incident took place would be unprofessional (to say the least), and in fact negligent, if they did not show me the door.

Your throwing around the phrases "due process" and "innocent until proven guilty" are meaningless in this context. Due process is something owed to you by the United States Government. It is not owed to you by any other institution, or person.

Whatever vast experience you have had, you are clearly not a lawyer.

Thanks for the lecture.

1. It is attitudes like yours that not only permitted Sandusky to continue committing crimes against children, but that cow victims of child abuse every day not to come forward when they are abused.

2. There is no "scientific method" of proving child abuse, in most cases. It is the layman's reliance on such "theories" that permit many of the guilty to go free.

3. When someone on his staff, with nothing to gain, and everything to lose, informs Joe Paterno that Sandusky is taking a shower with a 10 year old boy in an empty gym, cancelling Sandusky's "right" to be in the locker rooms, or to be on the premises with young boys, seems like very weak "punishment." Again, access to the Penn State locker rooms are not a right guaranteed under the Constitution.

4. Sandusky has been indicted, but not convicted. Under your theory of the law, I suppose he is still "innocent until proven guilty." Therefore, why shouldn't he be allowed into empty locker rooms at Penn State with young boys? Why did a judge in Pennsylvania bar him from contact with his granchildren?

But please, let's here more "legal" platitudes to exonerate Joe Paterno's turning a blind eye to this whole sordid mess, in order to protect his vaunted football program.

Gary--

I think I've made my point. Your ignorance of the law, and of child abuse, is rampant.

Please do not respond to me. This is NOT a subject I want to engage in with someone who espouses such ignorant attitudes.

so Gary let get this straight, he reported Sandusky to his superiors but then let the guy still have an office at the facility, continue to bring kids to the facility and then never checked with his superiors on how the matter was disposed of. If this is "unfairly tainted" in your opinion iI lose a lot of respect for you. Paterno put his football program and the school before the welfare of those children. end of story.

@ barry_geltzeiler: So many opinions about this are made based on misinformation and according Joe Paterno what is surely some overstated, ominpetent, God-like status; obviated by the fact that he was fired by the University's Board of Trustees. Clearly, there were people higher up the happy Valley food chain than Joe Pa.

Again, Sandusky was no longer Paterno's subordinate, and no longer had regular contact with him, when this incident occurred in 2002. Has retired as a coach in 1999, was conveyed professor emertitus status and certain other privileges by Penn State (not Joe Paterno) as part of his retirement package. This report is particularly telling:

"A person familiar with Sandusky's relationship with Penn State told The Associated Press that the former coach long maintained an office in the East Area Locker building which is across the street from the Penn State football team's building."

Sandusky's retirement office wasn't even in the same building as Paterno's (and the football operation) and their contact (after Sandusky's retirement) was minimal at best.

Barry, report witnessing one of your subordinates committing a crime to the appropriate authorities and see what kind of progress reports you, as a complaining witness, will receive. I can pretty much assure you that unless you're to be called to appear before a grand jury (if it's an indictable offense) you won't have any idea what's up; you'll get a "no comment" to any inquiry you make.

@ Gary & Barry Get a room already!!!!!

@Gary to quote youi "Clearly, there were people higher up the happy Valley food chain than Joe Pa".
I disagree since his football program brought 50 million dollars to the school annually, that made him the most powerful person ar PSU.
Gary if I was told of a heinous crime of molestation of a child I would not just report it to the chain of authority and wash my hands of this. This was a crime against a child, and I am sure that if it was any relation to you you would feel different. Paterno's lack of action is documented by his quote "i wish i did more" concerning the alleged molestation. Paterno's allegiance was to PSU and PSU only.

i did not defend the PTA mom, i looked to protect her kid who is old enough to read this. I only asked for the situation to run its course through the courts and not inflame a situation that has to be very tough for her son. As for Sanchez she will get her day in court.
As for Paterno once again I am looking at it from the protecting the children. The one who was already abused when Paterno heard the information and the ones who were abused after Paterno did the bare minimum.
The fact is the trustees detested the power Paterno wielded and their lack of power and control of Paterno and his program. Don't be naive Gary college footbal is all about the money.
Whatever amount of info McQueary gave him is not important, it was about molestation of a little boy and Paterno did in my opinion as little as possible.
"Sincere Regret" would involve an I'm sorry or an I apolgize. not "i should have done more".That shows some regret, but this was child molestation that he chose to do very little about it. I don't buy it.
I never said he had no moral compass, i said his love for PSU was his down fall, he put PSU before the welfare of that child and allowed Sandusky to still have access to his program. People say he died of a broken heart, i think he died of shame...

@ barry_geltzeiler: You said:

(1) i looked to protect her kid who is old enough to read this. I only asked for the situation to run its course through the courts and not inflame a situation that has to be very tough for her son. (2) he put PSU before the welfare of that child and allowed Sandusky to still have access to his programPaterno did the bare minimum.

Having been awarded medals for some the worst things I've had to do in my life, I have a more acute sense of hypocrisy than most people walking the planet. What is going on here is, purely and simply, people maligning by what all previous reports was a decent, principled human being (Joe Paterno), based on misinformation and half-truths.

1. If we are to be considering the impact these accusations and condemnations have on someone's children, let's not lose sight of the fact that Joe Paterno has five of his own (albeit adults) and 17 grandchildren, most of whom are not.

2. Again, Jerry Sandusky was retired (in 2002) when Mike McQueary made the report of "inappropriate contact with a minor" to Joe Paterno, 24 hours after witnessing the incident and doing nothing to stop it. The alleged assault occurred (and where Sandusky's office was located) in the East Area Locker building, which was neither part of the football complex nor under Paterno's purview. It was and IS under the control of the Athletic Director!!!

(to be continued...)

The idea that Paterno didn't know anything or do anything wrong defies credibility. Upon being told that Sandusky raped a 10 year-old boy in the Penn State football facilities, Paterno told the Athletic Director and then washed his hands of the situation. Could he not call the police himself? District Attorney?

And what did Paterno know in 1999 when Sandusky retires at age 55 at the pinnacle of his career? Did Paterno not think it odd that Sandusky "retired" at 55? Was Paterno not curious as to why no other Div. 1 program, or the NFL, came calling for college football's top defensive coach? Could it be that Paterno knew about the 1998 allegation that Sandusky then too raped a boy in the Penn State football facilities or the 1999 investigation that ensued?

There is so much more to this story then just how many phone calls Paterno made in 2002. Unfortunately, we may never know the true facts as Paterno is dead and his sycophant defenders will cover for him.

If it did involve Paterno's children or grandchildren he would have have a very different response i am sure.
Sandusky action no matter where it happened should have been reported by Paterno to the police. And would have been if not for Paterno's prior relationship with Sandusky and the damage it would have done to the school and football program.
Lastly McQueary is no better if not worse in my eyes for his handling of this molestation.

Like I said in my opinion had it been someone Paterno cared about more than his beloved school and program he would have acted with more conviction.
He had prior knowledge of Sandusky's molestations in the late 90's and Sandusky was still allowed to hang around at PSU with children. With all of the good things Joe was, he rightfully so will leave a tarnished legacy.
Also he chose to make less money than his peers, you are being quite naive as to the power paterno wielded in happy valley.

@Gary how would you feel if it was your grandchild? a whole hell of a lot different; i am certain of that.
Make it personal and it totally changes...
And as he said: he wishes he did more,.. meaning he could have but CHOSE not to.
Not so dignified, huh?

@ barry_geltzeiler: Let's cut to the chase here: an employee and subordinate of yours come to you and reports he witnessed a crime (of whatever type) occuring in another of your company's facilities, managed by someone else.

What specifically would YOU do?

What Joe Paterno DID was to advise the manager of that facility, the head of the police department with jurisdiction over it and provided both with the name of the individual who actually wintessed the event.

That IS all any of us could do in such a situation regardless of who the victim of the alleged crime might be.

Would I want to kill the rapist if that victim were my grandchild?

Of course I WOULD but, it certainly doesn't mean I should or had the actual ability to do anything more.

You're talking in circles here: tell us specifically what you would have done (that's legal) if you were in Joe Paterno's shoes.

if it was a firm violation I report to the firm. if it was criminal i report to the police. If it was as henious as a child molestation i do both and continue to monitor the situation and do all i could to protect the child and any other children that could be hurt in the future. even if it meant to risk my job. i would campaign against the accused to be removed from the facility and do my best to keep them away from kids.
i would not just report an alleged child molestation and wash my hands of it. I would not let the allgred have acces to anywhere i was and would do all in my power to make sure that person was fully investigated.
I would do all it takes to protect the children.
But once again Paterno said "he wished he DID more"; he did not say "i did all i could". That statement by itself says he was able to do more but chose not to.
Gary I know you would have gone to the full extent to protect a child even if it meant your job and bad press for the workplace you loved. Paterno is no Gary Englert or Barry Geltzeiler.
He admitted that he should have done more... Thats his legacy; he had knowledge of a child molestation and he should have done more.
A sad ending to a story book career...

@ barry_geltzeiler: OK...then Joe Paterno DID precisely what you suggest you would do under similar circumstances: reprot the matter to the responsible party within the organization and to the police authority with jurisdiction.

The follow-up action you then suggest is a legal and practical impossibility, in general and, most specifically, within a state institution.

I know this, first hand, from having run a division of state government and having been involved in disciplining, sanctioning and firing state employees.

You simply CAN NOT take any action against an employee based on an allegation; there must be due process, hearings held and findings of fact made.

In one instance, It took me three years to dismiss a state employee for just cause, wherein I would have been able to do so immediately (at the time of the event) in the private sector.

Like it or not, nobody is kept apprised of an ongoing police or prosecutor's office investigations, lest it be compromised and/or innocent people tainted.

The bottom line is that you're suggesting the man should have done things he didn't have the authority to do and that law enforcement officials wouldn't entertain.

That said, I don't think any of us should "campaign against the accused" as the number of people accused of crimes the didn't commit, or are found innocent of them, are legion.

I'm also not a big fan of tar and feathering or lynch mobs but, that's just me.

#1 hes was no longer an employee hes was retired. Like a police officer he can be suspended form the facility until the investigation is complete.
He had full authority to go to the trustees and ask for his suspension due to the henious allegation,
#2 no tar and feather just suspension until the investigation was complete.
#3 paterno said he should have done more, I know you would have.

#1 I would guarantee that if someone walks into a school and tells the principal that a teacher sexually molested their child, that teacher will not be in school the next day, pending due process.

#2 I would further guarantee that at minimum, Paterno had the authority, perhaps subject to the AD's subsequent approval, to ban anyone he wanted from the Penn State football facilities. Sandusky should have been banned in 1999 when the first investigation of an on-campus molestation occurred (not the first event, just the first investigation). Certainly, his "retirement" package should not have included unlimited access to the Penn State football facilities.

#3 Since we keep talking about "facts in evidence," the Report of the Grand Jury makes no finding of fact that Paterno told anyone in 2002 other than the AD, and even then, he waited 24 hours before telling him. The Report of the Grand Jury makes further findings of fact that no law enforcement agency (University, State, etc.) was told of the allegation at all.

So Paterno clearly could have done more. When the assistant came to him with the 2002 allegation he could have, and should have, called the police (not the civilian who oversees the police - who he didn't call in any event, according to the Grand Jury) with the assistant still there and then call the AD and have him come over immediately, not the next day, and all meet with the police right then and there. (cont'd).

@ Hedley:

# 1 As the person essentially filing a police report, you DON'T have the authority to "guarantee" anything.

#2 You are suggesting that actions be taken and sanctions made against and individual based on an allegation not yet substantiated. Refer to the 1999 investigation all you'd like but, it ended with no action being taken, with the presumption allegations then made were groundless and there's nothing to suggest who did (other than Schultz) and didn't know it ever took place.

#3 Read the bottom of page 8 into 9 of the indictment wherein Schultz (essentially Penn State's Police Director) acknowledges being summoned to a meeting with Curley (the AD) and Paterno and advised of the "graduate assistant's" (who remains unnamed throughout, by the way) observations and report.

The fault here lies with McQueary (who didn't stop the assault he observed and immediately call police), Schultz (for not having directed the sworn officers under his purview to investigate the matter) and Curley (for not overseeing/managing Sandusky and insuring the safety of children within the facilities under his purview.)

A 76 year old Joe Paterno? Not so much.

(to be continued...)

Barry and Hedley:

Don't bother arguing with Gary. He's a troll.

When you are reduced to arguing that a) Paterno, who is in charge of Penn State's Athletic Department didn't have the authority to bar a former employee from access, and b) Paterno couldn't discern the difference between delegating the job of handing out towels, and stopping a child molester in their midst, you really are lost.

Gary doesn't realize what his arguments reveal about him, as a person.

Nina (who is clearly the heiress to the Massengill fortune), obviously wouldn't know fact from fiction once her misplaced passions got in the way.

Leave it to someone hiding behind a screen name to think nothing of maligning the good name and reputation of an 85 year old man, she doesn't know and never met, who lead a rather exemplary life and stands guilty of absolutely nothing.

A duly appointed Pennsylvania grand jury saw no reason to indict him but, an anonymous Internet nitwit knows better?

I don't think so.

By the way, Joe Paterno was NOT "in charge of Penn State's Athletic Department" and, NO, he also wasn't in charge of facilities management: he was a football coach.

Gary, Paterno was PSU and ran the school the way a mob boss runs his family. He let it operate until he wanted something a certain way, like allowing his buddy Sandusky to stay on. Anyone who brings in 50 million a year to a school has all of the power. Cash is king, end of story. And he paid the price in the end. Oh well, stand up for the guy who admittedly "should have done more" but never said the words "I AM SORRY" as opposed standing up for the ones who were molested and suffer for a lifetime. I blame Sandusky, Paterno, McQueary the AD, the Chief of Police, any investigator involved and the School President. They all were guilty on different levels in different ways. They all failed the victums in their own way.

Oh Gary how naive you are, paterno's motivatio was not of money but power. Power he evolved to by staying on and egenerating all that cash for the school. You are thinking in the wrong direction, that money equals self motivation when power was Paterno's motivation.
why must I walk in Paterno's shoes when he already said and i repeat "I should have done more" He knows he did wrong, but never apologized. He lost his hero status, just a bad ending to his career. he made his own bed,

Revisionist history and the fantasies of some aside, the Report of the Grand Jury contains the only findings of fact to date. Picking up a telephone and calling the police was always "possible under [the] circumstances," regardless of one's irrelevant "life experience." The Grand Jury found that no one, including that old coot Joe Pa, did so much as call the police and report the sexual molestation of a child. There is plenty of fault to pass around and Joe Pa gets his well deserved share.

Hedley: My understanding (and quite clearly Paterno's and Curley's) is that the Police and Campus Security came under Schultz's purview and, interim or not, a VP is higher on the food chain than an Assistant VP.

To me, it is all a matter of intent and what Paterno intended to accomplish and believed her had: brought the matter to the attention of the responsible parties.

That a police investigation was never begun is a conclusion reached by the Grand Jury but, the blame for such is placed clearly upon Curley and Schultz; not Joe Paterno. (See page 12 of the Report of the Grand Jury)

That's very much worth repeating because it IS so!

There is no "quite clearly" there are only finding of facts by the Grand Jury. One's "intent" is mere speculation based on conjecture.

Not only was a police investigation never begun, the Grand Jury found that the police were never notified. While Curley and Schultz may have had a legal duty, and Paterno may not have, there is still no reason why Paterno could not have picked up the phone and called the police. Simply put, he could have done more. It is unfortunate that he didn't - both for him personally and the subsequent victims of Sandusky.

@ Hedley: Assuming that Paterno notifed those whom he thought appropriate, why would he possibly think he needed to pick up the phone and call the police?

Why was Schultz even called in the first place if not because he oversaw the Penn State Police?

Again, and this is from direct personal experience and knowledge of procedure, police do not comment on investigations in progress and/or those closed with no bill.

It is far from unreasonable to assume that Paterno felt he had done the right thing, reported the matter to the appropriate parties and the resulting investigation would either exonerate the accused or result in charges.

Why would he call the police? Because it is unreasonable to think that when told of a crime having been committed against a minor on campus in the football facilities that calling the athletic director is enough. Remember, the Grand Jury only found that Paterno called the Athletic Director. The report does not state when Schultz met with Paterno or who told Schultz to be at the meeting with Paterno and Curley, the AD. We can both assume and infer all we want, but the facts are the facts.

it all smells of a cover up!!!!!
Gary I truly hope your life does not parallel Paterno's, because if so, you are headed to a tragic end. And i do believe you are a good one. My best to you, enjoyed the banter.

@ barry_geltzeiler: ROFFLMFAO...yeah...and there WAS a second gunman on the grassy knoll!

While it is difficult to walk through this life and not experience tragedies equal to one's triumphs, I have no fear of mine leading to some ignoble end.

Unlike McQueary, I've acted when I I've seen a crime in progress and, when crimes I haven't seen have been reported to me, I've seen that they were reported to what were undoubtedly appropriate authorities which, in that particular case, only makes me a bit more worldly and a lot more street smart than Joe Paterno...and I can't find it in my heart to rake him over the coals for it.

Gary lastly I think you are allowing Paterno a pass while assuming he was not worldly and street smart. I will agree to disagree, you do not get to where he was and achieved what he achieved without those traits. You assumed he did not have those, i assumed his moves were calculated. Difference of assumptions...

Gary--

http://www.theonion.com/articles/jerry-sandusky-ill-never-forget-all-the-things-joe,27169/

Enjoy!

gary---sorry they saw fit to Delete my Comment for you...Sad world we live in when the wording hurts those that Condem!! Glad you read it at least!! "Penn State Proud!!"