What's new
By:
Filters

What do we think: Joe Paterno

I'm glad he was fired, I think they should fire everyone associated with it.

I find it especially disgusting that people seem to think him being the greatest football coach ever somehow mitigates his turning a blind eye to one of his staff sexually abusing children.

I find the whole thing repugnant. This should tarnish his memory.
 
focadima;1088054[B said:
]this boys are not in their 30's[/B]--didnt they say an incident--the one Paterno was told about --happened in 2002 the boy was 10 which makes him 19 now..

anyway--I was telling DH last night--what HEROES they would have been for following through when they found out about it--sandusky was not working there at the time--just doing his volunteer/charity work there--
Click to expand...


I didn't know how old the child or adult was when he came out. I only know how old people are in my lives who came out that it happened to them who were all in their 30's. This person was not the only one, hopefully he has rallied any other victims to "take back the night", if you will.
 
skincarekathy said:
I'm glad he was fired, I think they should fire everyone associated with it.

I find it especially disgusting that people seem to think him being the greatest football coach ever somehow mitigates his turning a blind eye to one of his staff sexually abusing children.

I find the whole thing repugnant. This should tarnish his memory.[/QUOTE]


i agree.

but, i dont believe that people think being the greatest football coach should have mitigated a blind eye

i think the real difficulty is not so much that people think it should have, but more that he did do that.

or, perhaps it wasnt about him so much as about the culture of the school as being beyond reproach, and how the football program embodied that untouchable reputation.

it is deep. and deeply disturbing.
Click to expand...
 
Maybe I'm weird, but if I seen that, I would never think about telling Paterno, the Dean or whoever. All I would think is to call 911 only.
 
Is anyone else wondering what a 10 yo boy was even doing there? :dunce:
 
Yeah, I don't think that any of us are able to sit back and say that we haven't done wrong things in our lives that we do not want to discolor our image or legacy. We all have and will suffer consequences. He too will suffer the proper consequences. Even if we do not see what they are (although we already are seeing it), his conscious has him not resting for sure. Again, he will have to suffer the consequences for sure whatever they may be! But do I wish him anything bad? No. I think the situation will dictate enough.
 
I'm sorry, I'm still trying to figure out what Paterno should have been expected to do.

It's all fine and dandy using hindsight to say what should have been done but in the real-life situation I think he did what most would do.

Put yourself in his position. Somebody tells you this horrific story, (you know this guy and don't believe that it is something he would do). Are you going to go to the police? You can't just outright ask the guy (awkward?).You report it to your bosses (the school). Once you've done that you would assume that if there was anything truthful to the story something would be done. Since nothing has been done about it I think it would be safe to assume that it didn't happen.
 
CharlieQ said:
I'm sorry, I'm still trying to figure out what Paterno should have been expected to do.

It's all fine and dandy using hindsight to say what should have been done but in the real-life situation I think he did what most would do.

Put yourself in his position. Somebody tells you this horrific story, (you know this guy and don't believe that it is something he would do). Are you going to go to the police? You can't just outright ask the guy (awkward?).You report it to your bosses (the school). Once you've done that you would assume that if there was anything truthful to the story something would be done. Since nothing has been done about it I think it would be safe to assume that it didn't happen.
Click to expand...

CharlieQ I thought the same exact things. Ya gotta remember this is an old man with old thinking. Right or wrong I don't think he meant to hide anything. :9:
 
Tazznum1 said:
Maybe I'm weird, but if I seen that, I would never think about telling Paterno, the Dean or whoever. All I would think is to call 911 only.
Click to expand...



tazz, i think you have hit it the nail on the head

because football was KING at penn state, it makes sense to those who embrace that culture to go to paterno

it is so out of touch with reality. but, the institution becomes its reputation. it is such a prevalent mindset. it is everywhere, really, imo.

the covers of magazines that tell women what they must look like, the notion that what you drive or where you live has anything to do with your true worth...

these accepted, societal dictates are pervasive. and when one comes under scrutiny, in the long run, it will make us better for it. status-quo acceptance that "it all looks good under the hood" gets humanity into a whole heap of trouble, imo
 
CharlieQ said:
I'm sorry, I'm still trying to figure out what Paterno should have been expected to do.

It's all fine and dandy using hindsight to say what should have been done but in the real-life situation I think he did what most would do.

Put yourself in his position. Somebody tells you this horrific story, (you know this guy and don't believe that it is something he would do). Are you going to go to the police? You can't just outright ask the guy (awkward?).You report it to your bosses (the school). Once you've done that you would assume that if there was anything truthful to the story something would be done. Since nothing has been done about it I think it would be safe to assume that it didn't happen.
Click to expand...


Interesting point, Charlie. MANY would have done the same thing. I would not have but I generally do not run away from conflict. If I see a situation where my word would make a difference, I would HAVE to say something. If I feel that there is a crowd already against me...I won't so much as click a "thanks". Anyway, He may have had the same ideology as you are suggesting.
 
equallyyoked said:
Yeah. There apparently was some sort of camp for "at-risk" boys held there. I think many single moms enrolled their boys in the program. Apparently this is how the guy accused "groomed", his victims.
Click to expand...

Well that's f'ing lovely!!! :hurt::hurt::hurt:
 
My DH coaches baseball. Has since baby was in t-ball (4? 5?)

If he ever heard even a whiff of such a story he would have called the police and let them sort it out. Anything less and I'm not sure he could have lived with himself.

As to what young boys were doing there, I'm sure anyone who has seen a few episodes of SVU knows that sexual predators are experts at luring children to places they shouldn't be. It is an integral part of the abuse process. I mean, what were young boys doing at Neverland? Or at church at questionable times or in questionable areas?
 
I just dont' understand how Paterno could keep working with Sandusky AND the accuser who saw the abuse. How did those two continue to work together as they apparently did (correct me if I'm wrong?)

That is mind-boggling.

How can you look someone in the eye and continue to respect them as a co-worker or employee with such heinous allegations. Who ever talked to the boy's parents, etc. or the boy to see how he was?!?!!??!

What would Paterno have wanted done if it were his 10-year-old son, grandson, great-grandson?!?!
 
Not 100% sure I would run to the POLICE if I heard a good friend who I respected was doing something like this--I mean someone could have told you this to be malicious..the police that could be a spiraling mess--think johnnysma..

I agree charlie hmmm what was he supposed to do--can you imagine if someone ran to call the police on YOU because something someone else told them

NOW its 100% a different animal all together if *I* personally saw it.
 
mrsmom said:
CharlieQ I thought the same exact things. Ya gotta remember this is an old man with old thinking. Right or wrong I don't think he meant to hide anything. :9:
Click to expand...


Except for the piece of the story in which Joe Pa says "he didnt want it to effect his job" He knew....deep down he knew it handnt been "taken care of" he had to have. Not another word about it after such a wild accusation? NO WAY no matter how old he was
 
I think it's interesting that he sets the all-time record for wins as a head coach and then all this stuff comes out shortly thereafter.
 
focadima said:
Not 100% sure I would run to the POLICE if I heard a good friend who I respected was doing something like this--I mean someone could have told you this to be malicious..the police that could be a spiraling mess--think johnnysma..

I agree charlie hmmm what was he supposed to do--can you imagine if someone ran to call the police on YOU because something someone else told them

NOW its 100% a different animal all together if *I* personally saw it.
Click to expand...

Sure, but isnt that why it is an accusation, the police will sort it out. And here is the other part of it, so this guy comes forward and says this is what I saw. You are telling me that at the very least over all those years nobody who knew about it ever took a closer look and maybe saw something suspicious, or innapropriate?
 
CharlieQ said:
I'm sorry, I'm still trying to figure out what Paterno should have been expected to do..
Click to expand...


but that continues to be the moral dilema. paterno was HUGELY into character and ran his program first-and-foremost as a venue for building better citizens.

what LEADER of any movement doesnt follow thru? especially at the possibility that the potential victim was a child

also, i had watched an interview yesterday with a previous assistant to paterno. his comment was enlightening. he said, while that may have been the only incident that came to light directly to paterno, once should have been more than enough.

there aren't do-overs when it comes to standing up for innocent, victimized children. you do the right thing...ALL THE WAY, the first time. and if you don't, you might as well have not done anything at all. there may not be a second time, or a second chance, for that child if you dont.
 
jlb1382 said:
Sure, but isnt that why it is an accusation, the police will sort it out. And here is the other part of it, so this guy comes forward and says this is what I saw. You are telling me that at the very least over all those years nobody who knew about it ever took a closer look and maybe saw something suspicious, or innapropriate?
Click to expand...

ok again--I do not know more then the little comcast blurb I read-- and I do not know jonhhysma's dh's whole story either--BUT it is hard sometimes to prove your innocence
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top