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| courtesy of guyism.com |
What the hell is that?
The reality is that Paterno has been scapegoated by many who thought he should have retired, never thought much of Penn State,or are scared to death that it will lose some of its endowments. The reality is that Paterno received incredible allegations that were watered down from what was actually seen. The reality is that this football coach did what he was supposed to do, and forwarded the allegations for review by the appropriate authorities. No criminal charges were ever even contemplated for this supposed "willful inaction," but the Big Ten wasted no time in scratching his name off its bullshit trophy.
Now he's dead, killed as much by a vicious media as by the cancer eating away at his lungs.
I suspect he'll be getting a kinder reception wherever he is now than he did in his sad final months at Penn State.
Joe Owens has a terrific little homage to a great man.
Updated 10:24 AM: LV Congressman Charlie Dent has released this statement: "Today, the nation learned of the passing of legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. While many Americans will remember Coach Paterno for his unparalleled success on the field, Penn State students, alumni and fans will never forget his love for the University and contributions to its development. With a heavy heart, I offer my deepest sympathy to the entire Paterno family, especially Joe's loving wife Sue. As a proud Nittany Lion and Pennsylvanian, I will miss Coach Paterno's extraordinary humility, unique spirit and contagious smile."
23 comments:
actually, I think the cancer probably had the greater impact.
i hope the trustees are happy with themselves
Experts tell us that cancer attacks people when they are experiencing life changing stress, it reduces the body's immune system and leaves it open to ttack.
The trustees, and the negative media circus had a great deal to do with JoPa's death.
This wonderful man and great role model was villified and thrown out with the trash after decades of selfless service to PSU and the students.
The actual pedophile is getting moe respect than Joe Paterno received .
Rest in Peace Joe Paterno, you are loved and will be greatly missed by the Alumni and residents of "Happy Valley"
I still can't get past him walking by Sandusky on/in campus facilities for 15 years after knowing the freak was messing with young boys. He questioned it at least twice, but didn't do enough. He's less to blame than the hierarchy at that incestuous little place. But he still bore responsibility. What a tragic story all around. RIP.
8:41 AM
I agree. Joe wanted the issue to just go away. Its a shame his legacy is so tarnished, but it is deserved.
BOH. Right on man.
Cancer took advantage of his broken heart.
We will miss him.
After all those years @ Penn State & what he has committed himself with the school. What a shame to be thrown out the way he was. He deserved better than the way they handled the situation with him. Some of those trustees knew about that & they should be fired also. Not even to tell him in person. Shame on them!!!
He died of a broken heart, I'm sure.
well put, Bernie. and so sad.
You get the Express Times wildly emotional editorial award of the day O'Hare. Good Job!!!
everyone who took the time to read the "Grand Jury Report" and everyone who read the "Washington Post" interview should come up with the following facts.
1. Paterno is not a "criminal investigator". He reported the incident to his superiors and campus security which is what he was supposed to do, and he wasn't aware of any of the other incidents (the 1998 incident) only the one reported to him by McQueary. He is a football coach not the D.A. or police who are responsible for criminal investigations.
2.Governor Corbett was aware for two years that Sandusky was a pedofile and didn't do anything about it. He could have arrested him at any time. He was hypocritical enough to sit (governors are automatically on the Board of Trustess at PennState)
and have imput into College issues but never informed the Board of what he knew. What a scum bag and this is our Governor.
3. Joe Paterno, the man, leaves a legacy that many of us culd only dream of ever having. Proven dedication to the young men who knew him and payed football for Pennstate. A caring individual that donated millions back to the School and Community asking nothing in return. Devoted to his family and friends. A disciplinarian that all students respected for his committment to making sure that his players got an education and were prepared for life in the real world.
The list goes on and on and on.
Joe Paterno is one of the greatest men in our life time. To all his critics I say, pay attention to the accolades that will be bestowed on him in the coming weeks and years.
May God Bless JoePa and his family at this most difficult time.
The "greatest men" don't continue to walk around known child molesters for 15 years, thus enabling more kids to be anally raped.
Even Joe, in his final interview, acknowledged he should have done more. Stop deifying the guy. He'd be the first to tell you to get a grip. May he rest in peace. But stop the nonsense.
But the point is that Sandusky wasn't a known pedophile to Paterno, who comes from a different time. Remember that when someone finally spoke to Joe, he toned it down, too. Of course, Joe thinks he should have done more. That's bc he was a decent man. But from the beginning, I have thought the way this was handled was so wrong on so many levels. With Paterno it was a witch hunt, led by the media. When I tried defending him myself a few months ago, I found myself being called a pedophile, too. Anonymously, of course.
In another time child rape was called rough housing. Sorry the jock excuse is no excuse. No one villified Paterno, they feel he didn't do enough and maybe they were right.
Let's see. He was fired over the phone. His name was scratched off the Big Ten trophy, or whatever it is. Even his wife was denied swimming privileges. I'd say he was vilified.
And he did not do enough? He did about as much as most of us would do. He referred the mater so it could be investigated. That was not his job. It also was not his job to try and convict people without a jury.
"Not my Job", he was tenured so you muyst be right.
This is JOE PATERNO we are talking about.
As evidenced by all the "who cares about the kids, what about our football coach?" attitudes of his former players and that rioting pile of garbage known as the student body, he was bigger than God in happy valley. He could have easily confronted the molester when he first learned of that which he "should have done more" to prevent and said, "Go away, never show your face anywhere near this university, or I'll turn this whole place loose on you. Instead, he played Pilate.
That still wouldn't have been enough, but it would have been something. Perhaps he could have prevented one of those kids from experiencing the true horror at the hands of the monster. But, that might have tarnished the legacy. Might have prevented him from getting the record he wanted so badly he could not stop coaching, now matter how old or feeble he became.
Great men are not borne of football success, or through donating money when it is easy to do so. Great men do noble and heroic acts when it is not easy, when personal loss is not even a consideration.
-Clem
But Clem, why would you send someone away who has not been found guilty of anything? What gives him the right to be judge, jury and executioner? I believe he did what he was supposed to do.
Bernie,
He knew. Sandusky knew that Joe knew. That's why the early retirement was acceptable to Sandusky.
Again, Paterno had the power and the moral authority to do what the corrupt political and law enforcement establishment would not or could not.
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing", or something like that.
-Clem
well said, clem. donations and football victories aren't enough to offset the horror of kids being raped.
Worth a look -
http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Joe-Paterno-Penn-State-scandal-legacy-just-shows-he-is-human-012312
Joe once wisely said "you're never as good as you think when you win and you're never quite as bad as you seem when you lose". He was referring to football and to coaching but you could apply this to what just happened to him.
We have a curious habit (it's gotten much worse in the last 35 years) of elevating sports figures to levels where they don't belong. They are not deities, they are just as imperfect as you and me. The truth about Joe Paterno is that he was neither a great man nor a despicable person. He was all too human and in the end, we are best served by remembering him that way.
Voice of Reason
Curious to see how you feel and if you are going to write about the possible vote of no confidence.
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