Paterno’s statement’s not enough, Penn State dropped ball
Joe Paterno is retiring, but he will be allowed to coach the rest of the season. (AP photo)
Joe Paterno will coach at least three more football games.
This is not going to be pretty.
Paterno confirmed this morning that he will retire at the end of the season. This follows ugly sexual abuse claims against former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky and the belief by many that school officials, including Paterno, may have been complicit in covering up the matter and/or could have done more to push for an investigation.
Paterno released a statement in which he conceded, “With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.”
They were the proper words. But they should have been spoken, not released via email, before anybody at Penn State even considered allowing him back on the sideline.
I can’t imagine any university, company or entity handling a situation worse than how Penn State has handled the past few days.
Paterno’s complete statement:
“I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief.
“I have come to work every day for the last 61 years with one clear goal in mind: To serve the best interests of this university and the young men who have been entrusted to my care. I have the same goal today.
“That’s why I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season. At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.
“My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this University.”
I wrote the other day about how sickening this whole saga is, that potentially something so despicable could go on for so long. Paterno had met his legal obligations in the Sandusky matter but questions about whether he had met his moral obligations lingered.
I also wrote that before I jumped on the growing “Paterno Must Go” bandwagon, I wanted to hear what he had to say — live, in a room, behind a microphone, with people. Granted, Paterno was being crushed by public opinion and it seemed implausible that he could not have known — 0r done –more. But to me it all seemed a little too much too fast, given Paterno’s stature and reputation before this story broke.
I believed that Paterno needed to get behind a microphone, answer every question, show remorse and make us believe that there was no intent on his part to cover up such alleged heinous crimes for a long-time friend.
Because anybody who enabled Sandusky also belongs behind bars.
But Penn State already has made its decision. That’s a mistake. It’s as if the university is allowing Paterno one final power play in State College.
It’s going to be ugly in “Happy Valley” at Saturday’s final home game against Nebraska.
It’s going to be ugly and scary when Paterno and Penn State go on the road for the final two games to Ohio State and Wisconsin.
If Paterno coaches in a bowl game, the atmosphere certainly is not going to seem like a season celebration, which is what bowl games were intended to be.
Penn State dropped the ball. And when everybody looks at Paterno on the sideline Saturday, the first thought most will have won’t be, “There’s a great football coach.”
By Jeff Schultz
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590 comments Add your comment
I wish
November 9th, 2011
1:25 pm
TechMan would just quit talking…
TechMan
November 9th, 2011
1:27 pm
Actually, Techman the Tool, I’m with you on running and getting help. I’m not sure why that wasn’t his first response to the situation if he didn’t become physically involved. My guess is he was so traumatized by what he saw is maybe he completely flipped out and just couldn’t make a sensible decision. In this whole situation, the GA’s actions are what are the most questionable to me. However, I don’t have a problem with supposing that he felt he was in danger, even though you seem to think it’s silly. Truth is , none of us know what we would do unless we were presented the situation.
I have a feeling this will come out eventually. If by letting the grownups talk, you mean rushing to judgment, have at it. It’s not my style.
TechMan
November 9th, 2011
1:28 pm
Thanks for the love, I wish!
Nittany Liars
November 9th, 2011
1:29 pm
Joe Pa should have retired the day after Bowden did.
Techman the Tool
November 9th, 2011
1:30 pm
He could have at least shouted get your c out of his a.
Ted
November 9th, 2011
1:30 pm
The moral indignation against JoePa is amazing. People act as if he should have done more – yet placed in his shoes, they themselves would have done no more (and likely less).
Just think about this – this is one of your best friends for 30 years. You’ve known him well and how he and his wife adopted 6 kids. You’ve never heard anything untoward about him. One day, a co-worker tells you he saw your best friend doing something wrong with a 10 y.o. boy. If anyone states that they next thing they do is call the cops, they’re full of crap.
Most people are going to put their own judgement of their friend based on their own personal experience – not what someone they barely know tells them. Remember – JoePa didn’t see anything, he was simply told something by the GA. No one is going to put the word of a stranger above the word of a best friend.
That said, JoePa still alerted his supervisor which, when you’re emotionally invested, is the right thing to do. How many here would do that with a best friend?
Could he have done more? Of course – he could have called the cops immediately and runied a great friendship if the allegations turned out false.
Should he have done more? Hindsight say yes – but the legal system says no.
Would anyone here have done more? Not a chance. So stop the moral outrage against the man for a standard you yourself would not have met. The allegations are heinous enough and plenty of people should fry if they are proven true. But JoePa is not one of them.
TechMan
November 9th, 2011
1:31 pm
TtT – I’m not disagreeing with you. I’m a little confused with the GA’s actions.
krista
November 9th, 2011
1:31 pm
it makes me feel better to see a man and sports fan – take this perspective. it is amazing to me how many people are giving him excuses and i agree – to not stand up like a man now and give a public statement saids it all. he is inconvenienced by this and thats all!
if we go the sports and winningest coach route – didnt he fail as a coach and as a leader in handling his own coaches felony act. no matter how many wins, at the end of the day – that was the test of his leadership and he failed miserably. all of the chilren abused after the 2002 scandal have been effected as a result.
Whats Important
November 9th, 2011
1:31 pm
The person who I think we should give some benefit of the doubt is the GA.. We don’t know that when Sandusky realized the GA was there, he didn’t get dressed and leave with the kid. The rape would have been stopped. Then the GA called his Dad and they then went to see Paterno. Or the GA could have shouted at him, told Sandusky to stop and get out, we don’t know. That is testimony the grand jury would have heard but chose not to include in public report.
In the grand jury report, when Sandusky was witnessed abusing a child by a janitor, who did not even know who Sandusky was at the time, the testimony was that the man was so distraught his fellow janitors thought he was going to have a heard attack. Later that night the man went outside and saw Sandusky sitting in his car. He got his supervisor and showed him who the person was. The supervisor testified that Sandusky cruised the parking lot several times that night and early morning. Apparently Sandusky was waiting around to see if the authorities were being called in.
Techman the Tool
November 9th, 2011
1:31 pm
Techman I thought you were asked to leave and let the grownups talk.
Things need to change
November 9th, 2011
1:31 pm
I say they should all be held accountable!!! Why are college and professional sport teams allowed to conduct there on investigation first without contacting the proper authorities? What gives these institutions the right to use there on judgement on how things should be handled? If it were your child did anyone do what they should have?
Matt
November 9th, 2011
1:32 pm
Stop trying to compare this to another situation. This cannot be simplified into a simple petty crime or a street thug robbing someone.
This is unlike anything any of us have probably ever seen (hopefully) and some of you are correct in that Paterno did follow the change of command. However, again, this is not a situation where some kids got caught smoking pot. This was an act of pure evil on the part of Sandusky, a crime that he will certainly pay for dearly after this life. I would expect Paterno to not just simply report it but make it his number 1 priority. If it’s false, you fire McQueary and make a press statement so he can’t come back and accuse you later. If it’s true, you don’t sleep until it is resolved.
I am a school teacher. If I witnessed this I would not just report it to the campus officer and the principal and then go about my business. If they try to sweep it under the rug I call Fox 5 and the police. I call dfax and I call my attorney.
Whats Important
November 9th, 2011
1:33 pm
Ted – One problem there. JoePa knew about the 1998 incident.
Hammertime
November 9th, 2011
1:34 pm
People at Penn State have to be held accountable. Paterno included. “He dropped the ball”. Hell, this isn’t football. This is an employee at Penn State (a coach) raping a several under age boys on the campus premises and nothing was done about it after other Penn State officials KNEW about it. They all should be fined and jailed from the President down to the McQueary coach that witnessed it. You don’t turn a blind eye to such a heinous crime. Everything is not okay. All of these Penn State officials that didn’t report this to police might have as well held the boys down while Sandusky raped them…
Baba
November 9th, 2011
1:34 pm
Techman – Your position is well-thoughtout, but will not win in a forum such as this when self-righteous indignation is so easily magnified. It’s an emotional subject and objective reasoning doesn’t do much to stem the tide of knee-jerk reactions.
Way too much focus is being placed on Paterno and not nearly enough on Sandusky. You are absolutely correct.
TechMan
November 9th, 2011
1:36 pm
Sorry, TtT. Please commence to rushing to judgment. You’re good to go!
c u later
November 9th, 2011
1:36 pm
I have never seen any journalist that takes more pleasure in trying to discredit and dishonor people than Schultz (in fact using the word “journalist” with the name “Schultz” is an injustice). Joe Pa did what he was supposed to do. He reported the incident to the powers at Penn State and coached football. I detest what has happened at PSU but I don’t hold Joe Pa accountable for the crime or the follow up to the report. He has ran a program with the highest integrity for longer than Schultz has been alive (maybe) and yet Schultz wants to discredit him. Get out of town. Schultz is a cancer to the entire state of Georgia that should be run out sooner not later.
wardenerd
November 9th, 2011
1:36 pm
I knew anybody putting something that stupid in these comments would have Bulldog in his moniker. Grow up this is just the next and not the last in a long line of fallen coaches. Only the current AD at Nebraska has done such heinous acts to win. Stepping in when his players robbed people, sold drugs and beat their girlfriends. Johnny Rogers won the Heisman because The big N covered up his past and when he graduated he returned to his life of crime because he was too wild for the NFL.
BravesFanSince1966
November 9th, 2011
1:36 pm
The entire scenario is gut wrenching and shameful from every possible perspective. The image I have in my mind is that of boys being assaulted in the most grotesque manner possible and a few people knew about it and chose to let it continue. It’s hard to imagine how people in the Univ could have handled it any worse…not just in the last few days…over the last 12 or 13 years. That’s a lot of time and a lot of people who had to know.
Hammertime
November 9th, 2011
1:37 pm
If I were the parents of these boys I’d be at the lawyers office right now filing lawsuits against Penn State University,Pres. Spanier,J.Paterno,Hommoboy Sandusky,and McQueary.
gdawginkalamazoo
November 9th, 2011
1:37 pm
Paterno won’t take the field to coach another PSU game. He will be in the press box though.
Plus that pep rally last night was just surreal. A bad Made for TV movie.
Whats Important
November 9th, 2011
1:38 pm
Baba – Sandusky will get his. He will spend a great deal of time in jail The people who enabled him to go about his perversion undisturbed should get theirs. If not criminally, then civilly. This is not a knee-jerk reaction. You, Techman and the like act like no investigation had been done. You seem to think that someone just pulled this scenario ouf of their rear one day and printed it in the paper the next. There was a two year investigation before any of this came out.
TechMan
November 9th, 2011
1:40 pm
What’s Important has a great point – JoePa knew about 1998. Do you know who else knew about 1998? The DA – in 1998. The DA did not press charges. That much we know. What that tells me is the evidence was not there.
Matt
November 9th, 2011
1:40 pm
Ted- Actually, I investigate privately until I’m convinced one way or the other. If the accusation are proven to be anything but 100% true I fire McQueary. Not true, fired. Can’t prove it, fired (or forced to leave). THrough interviews with the kids, video surveilance, etc. you won’t convince me there wasn’t some sort of evidence that could’ve been collected. Something other than sittin on your hands while everyone involved remains employed could be done.
A person SMART enough to know......
November 9th, 2011
1:41 pm
Not comparing guys smoking pot to a child rapist.
Comparing a COACH’s job with knowledge of a crime and the response to the crime.
Apparently JOE PA did not do enough to stop this from happening again by having Sandusky arrested.
What has Richt done to make sure the drug use doesn’t happen again? Did Richt go to the police and force his players to turn in the Drug Dealers? Did Joe Pa take the GA to the Police and force him the tell his story? No, but the Police were notified as to the crime and the person who committed it. Did Richt tell the police of the crime his players and their drug dealer committed?
Many on here just a few weeks were making excuses for kids smoking dope. How missing a scrimmage game was harsh enough punishment. Now the same people want a COACH run out of town for not doing enough. One crime is much worse than the other, but I don’t see much difference in the 2 coaches reaction to the crimes. Both coaches did what was required and nothing more.
@Baba
November 9th, 2011
1:42 pm
Sandusucky will get his in a court of law.
Paterno failed in a different way. I’ll bet he does not grace the sidelines (or press box) in the next game. He should just leave. Soon.
Whats Important
November 9th, 2011
1:43 pm
TechMan – This is the DA who mysteriously disappeared after the 2002 incident and has never been seen or heard from again. The same one whose laptop was found near a river near his abandoned car. The laptop that had searches on it as to how to destroy a hard drive and the effect of water on a hard drive. The laptop tha would have contained the information on the first investigation. That DA
wardenerd
November 9th, 2011
1:43 pm
Joe Paterno did not do what he should have done and I do not believe he did what was legally required of him. Your 10 year old son is being raped . Your neighbor sees it and calls his dad. He goes to his dad’s for advice. The NEXT DAY he goes to his boss at McDonalds and tells him. The Boss at McDonald’s calls the district manager who says this has nothing to do with us and you feel it is ok to let that go and you feel that they have all net there legal requirements? There are laws requiring immediate notification of child abuse. In Georgia you would be charged with deprived indifference for not calling the police or stopping the crime. They then aided and abetted his further molestations by doing nothing. I do not believe they have met their legal requirements at all. Further if it had been my son in the shower and I found aout about it you would still be searching for at least two bodies..
TechMan
November 9th, 2011
1:45 pm
There was a 2 year investigation and unless you’re with the DA prosecuting this case, I’m pretty sure you don’t know all of the facts, neither do I. What I do know is JoePa is not currently going to be prosecuted.
What seems to be in question is did he fulfill his moral obligation. I think he did. It appears most do not according to an anonymous message board.
Rick
November 9th, 2011
1:45 pm
Dear Dawg Dag
Only a bulldog fan would even consider for one minute condoning what went on at Penn State. No doubt you also wear a Falcons jersey on Sunday with the no. 7. Climb back under your rock.
TechMan
November 9th, 2011
1:47 pm
Not that I think it has any bearing on a case in 1998 but do you have a link, What’s Important? That would be an interesting story to read (about the DA disappearing).
Matt
November 9th, 2011
1:48 pm
Baba- Paterno is the only one being argued not to be held responsible. That’s probably why the focus is on him. Oh, also because he’s the HC (has been for almost 50 years) is the all time winningest coach, etc.
To date, noone is trying to argue that Sandusky is free of blame.
If not enough evidence to convict then whey was McQueary still employed by Penn St.???
Whats Important
November 9th, 2011
1:50 pm
Techman – Google Ray Gicar.
War Dang Dawg
November 9th, 2011
1:50 pm
Sandusky was ushered out the door in ‘99 after some allegations came out in ‘98. I checked PSU’s defense in ‘98 and ‘99 and they were pretty stout, so I doubt he was shown the door for performance reasons.
It’s hard to believe that Paterno didn’t know something before the ‘02 incident. If he covered it up 4 years earlier, that might explain his reluctance to go to the authorities in ‘02. Regardless, it’s inexcusable.
My sympathies are 100% with the abused children and their families. I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about some deified football coach and his butt-kissing yes men.
Buckeye
November 9th, 2011
1:51 pm
Woody once said “show me a hero and I’ll show you a tradgedy”
WD
November 9th, 2011
1:52 pm
This stinks to high heaven.
I believe Jo Pa and numnerous others knew all along according to there actions.
They just didn’t want a big publicity circus and tried to control it within.
They were all in denial hoping it would just go away.
Meanwhile this scum of the earth was left to continue to prey upon these children while Penn State turns and looks the other way.
What a crying shame!
gdawginkalamazoo
November 9th, 2011
1:53 pm
TechMan, yes from 98′ reports state that Sandusky apologized to the mother of that child, then promised to never shower with another child again. Probaby.some $ changed hands to avoid that one.
Nice of you stand up for Sandusky though he probably doesn’t have many supporters right now.
Hammertime
November 9th, 2011
1:53 pm
Amazing how friendship with a colleague rapist like Sandusky can stop you from calling police to report this heinous crime. I couldn’t sleep at night if I knew I let a man rape a 10 year-old boy without reporting it. I want to punch all of these Penn State losers square in the mouth.
A person SMART enough to know = genius
November 9th, 2011
1:53 pm
Again comparing a child rapist to some college kids smoking pot. It is a certainty that you would not use your teams coach if it happened at your university. Way to try and put Mark Richt in the same equation with the garbage up in PA. You are an absolute douc#@.
Matt
November 9th, 2011
1:55 pm
“Both coaches did what was required and nothing more”
Exactly. Sometimes situations call for people to go above and beyond. Smoking pot v.s. rape of a child. One PROBABLY calls for a LITTLE more attention and effort than the other.
Scraped knee v.s. leg cut off- probably need to handle those situations a little bit differently.
Baba
November 9th, 2011
1:55 pm
I understand that a multi-year investigation has occurred. I just don’t think a witchhunt against Paterno or the scared-out-of-his-mind then-21-year old GA will solve anything at this point. (And, yes, I’m sure he wasn’t nearly as scared as the kid)
Personally, it must hinge on whether or not you believe that Paterno knew the full story or that he thought it was an isolated incident. Just willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he thought an investigation had taken place. He went to the police then. The police interviewed Sandusky in 98 and he admitted to it then. He asked forgiveness and said he wished he were dead, all this to the mother of the victim and police. Why wasn’t he charged immediately?
TechMan
November 9th, 2011
1:56 pm
story is interesting but he went missing in 2005. I doubt this has anything to do with not pressing charges 7 years prior.
The Truth Seeker
November 9th, 2011
1:56 pm
I really hate to interject this but sooner or later it will come out and it must addressed. THE RACE CARD. Does anyone knows the race of these kids (not that it matters as far as the crime but it may matter as far as the cover up.) most of them came for Harrisburg, PA that has a large minority population. Would this big powerful university be incline to cover up or would think it would not get out because these were low income and minority kids. You know perverts tend to pray on low income kids because they can attempt to buy their silence with giflts and money – things that they are not used to having. Would the athletic director or the VP say it was not serious if was a rich kid or a kid of another coach or college professor. Just something to think about.
Michael G.
November 9th, 2011
1:56 pm
You people defending Paterno scare the crap out of me. In ‘98, Sandusky was investigated for imporper behavior. In 2002, Sandusky sodomized a kid on campus. And people in position of authority that had a chance to stop Sandusky chose, for whatever reason, to put their heads in the sand and hope things went away. Sandusky was seen with kids on campus as late as 2007, and was on campus last week. How in the holy hell does anyone associated with the university allow the monster Sandusky anywhere near kids for 9 years!?! And then act surprised when a Grand Jury report comes out and Sandusky and 2 university officials are arrested.
The whole regime needs to tumble. Those defending Paterno need to shut up. You look like an idiot!
twooten@gmail.com
November 9th, 2011
1:57 pm
A real MAN, with integrity and character, would “retire” today
Once again, its more about him than anything else.
A person SMART enough to know = genius
November 9th, 2011
1:57 pm
Agree with Matt 100%
TechMan
November 9th, 2011
1:58 pm
If you think I’m a Sandusky apologist, you suck at reading comprehension.
Gordo
November 9th, 2011
1:58 pm
The hysterical witch-hunting lynch mob that has been after a good, decent, hard-working successul man for years must be very proud.
gdawginkalamazoo
November 9th, 2011
1:58 pm
Buckeye, how do you think the OSU fans will greet Paterno?
Jay Dubu
November 9th, 2011
1:59 pm
Jeff,
There is no way that Mr. Paterno did not know what was going on in and arounf “his” football program. Sandusky was in and around the facilities on a regular bases after retiring, with little boys in tow, and you expect me to believe that Mr. Paterno did not know that?
Why woule they tell Sandusky to not be on the grounds with kids if they did not have some knowledge that he had been in inappropaite situations with kids before?
They were only interested in him not doing it on Penn State’s campus, they care not at all that he did it.
He was not just an employee, he was there friend, and they turned a blind eye while he raped kids on that campus.
Absolutely sick.
Everyone that knew anything should go, and go now. None of this season ending retirement nonsence!
Get out now, you selfish prevs!!!!!!!