Penn State Mess..Joe Paterno SHOULD BE FIRED

[T-Rip]

I'm amazed that poeple are defending Joe Paterno for not reporting the alleged sexual misconduct to the police. He had 1st hand knowledge that one of his coaches was molesting 10 year old children in the showers of penn state.CHILDREN!!!!
I understand he reported it to the AD but unless further explaination is heard he needs to be fired. Pathtic. IMO

There are 9 kids now..9 that this POS met through his charity to "help kids"

Legally he did what he was supposed too, I get that but he has a moral obligation to report these horrible actions to the police. Not some athletic director who helped cover it up for 10+ years. You cant just sweep it under the rug.
These kids will be forever damaged. If he would have reported it perhaps there wouldnt have been other victims since the alleged actions took place over many years.

Joe is one of the most powerful men in college sports. Unless he finds a way out of this (I cant see how) he will now be know as nothing more then a coach who protected his fellow coaches, not innocent children.

[dddrees]

I doubt if he is fired, I would bet they will let him resign.

[conrail]

I don't think there is any evidence that he had first hand knowledge of what was going on. All we know right now is that he had second hand knowledge from a graduate assistant who told him about an incident in the shower room. It is not even clear that the graduate assistant had first hand knowledge. So now we're talking third hand knowledge.

In such a case I think he did what was legally and morally required: he told his AD that he had been informed something may have happened. I wouldn't have gone running off to the police with such third hand knowledge. Did the graduate assistant even tell the police? From what I've read I don't think so...makes you wonder how much faith they had in the story at the time.

Granted, he will probably resign within a week is my bet.

[wantonebad]

Couldn't agree more, he's had a long and storied career and I tend to side with him being ignorant rather then actually aiding and abiding by what was going on but either way his days are over in Happy Valley.

[ducatidoc]

As a Pitt grad, I don't have any warmth for Penn State football. However, I still think very highly of Paterno personally, and am in no way gratified to see this happening to him, especially when he did what he was supposed to. Armchair moralizing is easy. It's a little harder when it involves one of your close associates and you're acting on 2nd or 3rd person information.

[GothamG8or]

Anytime the words "children", "rape", & "shower" are used in the same sentence, it's probably a good sign the police need to be involved. That being said, I have a hard time believing anyone (besides the victims & their families) is more sick about this than Paterno. I do not know the man, but I've always admired the way he has run his program & how much he & his wife have donated back to Penn State. I'm sure if he had it to do over again he would do it much differently. He didn't, and I'm sure it will cost him his job & tarnish his legacy a bit.

The velocity of this news story almost makes it seem like what Paterno did is somehow worse than what Sandusky did. I'm not trying to absolve Paterno... but hearing this stuff makes me sick and if true, Sandusky needs to rot in hell.

[walds11]

I am a Penn State graduate and a football season ticket holder. I am saddened by this whole thing, mentally shocked and have no comments as this time.

[conrail]

Originally Posted by walds11

I am a Penn State graduate and a football season ticket holder. I am saddened by this whole thing, mentally shocked and have no comments as this time.

You sound like a politician It's OK, you can share freely on here - unless you're running for elected office or something.

[Art 1]

Very sad situation for sure.

[T-Rip]

Originally Posted by GothamG8or

Anytime the words "children", "rape", & "shower" are used in the same sentence, it's probably a good sign the police need to be involved. That being said, I have a hard time believing anyone (besides the victims & their families) is more sick about this than Paterno. I do not know the man, but I've always admired the way he has run his program & how much he & his wife have donated back to Penn State. I'm sure if he had it to do over again he would do it much differently. He didn't, and I'm sure it will cost him his job & tarnish his legacy a bit.

The velocity of this news story almost makes it seem like what Paterno did is somehow worse than what Sandusky did. I'm not trying to absolve Paterno... but hearing this stuff makes me sick and if true, Sandusky needs to rot in hell.

X1..well said..but He's just a football coach he's not a saint..he needs to be held accountable for what he did not do in this case...Sandusky ran a program for "at risk children"..like some disgusting camp for him to pick his next victim...9+ so far..there were 3 different times that something was witnessed, twice they were reported..he had to have known more then what he is letting on..IMO

Here is a link to the grand jury report..

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...-document.html

[T-Rip]

The worst part of course is the poor kids..they will NEVER be ok after this..

[Kringkily]

people like that guy make me so sick...seriously at risk youth being subjected to this....

[HL65]

It is a very sad situation and nothing good can come of it! It is a shame that Sandusky abused his position and harmed those kids--in the name of a charity at that! All involved should be properly punished. I can't speak to Joe Paterno but can only imagine he isn't taking this well. My thoughts go out to the kids and their families....

[Art 1]

Raping of a child is one of the worst offenses there is, it's just so terrible. How can someone be so sick.

[HL65]

Originally Posted by Art 1

Raping of a child is one of the worst offenses there is, it's just so terrible. How can someone be so sick.

No doubt...

[T-Rip]

Originally Posted by steelerfan65

it is a very sad situation and nothing good can come of it! It is a shame that sandusky abused his position and harmed those kids--in the name of a charity at that! All involved should be properly punished. I can't speak to joe paterno but can only imagine he isn't taking this well. My thoughts go out to the kids and their families....

x100

[Pix]

Paterno knew as far back as 2002 when he reported it to university officials, Just glad he was not involved in dog fighting...Sarcasm

[btinl]

I'm a Penn State grad as well. This whole situation sickens me. I don't think JoePa should be the one to be punished. From what little I know, it seems like he did the right thing to notify the higher ups.

[T-Rip]

Originally Posted by btinl

I'm a Penn State grad as well. This whole situation sickens me. I don't think JoePa should be the one to be punished. From what little I know, it seems like he did the right thing to notify the higher ups.

He did the "legal" thing but not the moral thing..Thats the issue. There is reason to belive that he knew of the multiple "events" but failed to notify the proper authorities.
I think its wrong that Penn State maybe using his as a scapegoat but he should have done more...

3-5 incidents over a 10+ year period.. Even after the 1st time it happend if Joe saw that POS with a kid he should have done more IMO

[Ebruner]

Joe must go. He had a responsibly.

-Eddie

[HL65]

Originally Posted by Ebruner

Joe must go. He had a responsibly.

-Eddie

Have to agree. Leadership has responsibility regardless of what he did or didn't do!

[Stratsteve]

If you read the grand jury presentation, then ask yourself what your first question would be to someone who came to you and stated the facts which they observed. Joe Paterno should have notified his higher ups and told them to meet with him while he called the police. There are reports (unverified by me) that he waited ten days to make notification. He should have been fired today by sundown. The person/adult who witnessed the act then went home to call his dad for advice should have been charged with some criminal statue as well.

Failure to act to save a child/human being in such a situation is unforgivable.

[STEELINOX]

Joe is going, and will be gone

[azguy]

From the reports it appears that many people new this had happened, its quite unbelievable

[T-Rip]

To save the "honor" of Penn State 9+ children have suffered for the rest of their lives.

[Wineman]

Originally Posted by conrail

In such a case I think he did what was legally and morally required: he told his AD that he had been informed something may have happened. I wouldn't have gone running off to the police with such third hand knowledge. Did the graduate assistant even tell the police? From what I've read I don't think so...makes you wonder how much faith they had in the story at the time.

Granted, he will probably resign within a week is my bet.

I couldnt agree LESS! It was up to him as the leader to verify or dispell reports of such heinous actions on his own watch in his own faclities by his own assistant. He absolutely in no way did what was morally responsible or required. He failed in a major fashion and I am sure will be held responsible for lack of action. It is displicable that not only Joe but the rest of them failed to act and put other children in harms way. I cannot see how anyone could view this any differently, to be honest.

[axxeman01]

Look, if "The Vest" gets told to hit the bricks over a few tattoos, I think we can rest assured Joe Pa is history. If I were a betting man, I'd say he won't be coaching against Nebraska this Saturday.

[conrail]

Originally Posted by Wineman

I couldnt agree LESS! It was up to him as the leader to verify or dispell reports of such heinous actions on his own watch in his own faclities by his own assistant. He absolutely in no way did what was morally responsible or required. He failed in a major fashion and I am sure will be held responsible for lack of action. It is displicable that not only Joe but the rest of them failed to act and put other children in harms way. I cannot see how anyone could view this any differently, to be honest.

It is so easy to play moral police in hindsight from the comfort of your keyboard when you don't have all the facts and weren't there having to make these decisions based upon the information available to you. I'm not defending him, but I don't think any of us know enough to pass such harsh judgement yet. Of course, if he knew his assistant coach was diddling kids in the shower, certainly no one can view this differently than despicable. But you're assuming that. Until we know for sure, you certainly can see how level-headed people can view this differently from the moral crusade you all are on. It is as though you think anyone who isn't chastising him right now thinks its OK for someone who knows kids are being molested to not call the cops IMMEDIATELY. Who knows what he did to inquire into this. He reported it to the AD and maybe asked his assistant what was up - and maybe he believed the answer he got.

[(DMB)]

I'll wait for the facts before I jump to conclusions. There is a humongous difference in the accuracy of first hand knowledge vs second or third hand knowledge. I see it every day. Remember .... There are two sides to every story, and then there is the truth.

[mikea]

This isn't paying recruits, gambling, PED,s.....this is child molestation! Any knowledge, first hand/second hand, demands more of anyone!