Friday Penn State Thread (See Moderator Sticky - Put all PSU information here)
I know people are peeved about this, and I'm sorry. For now, this thread should serve as the home for:
- All "Sandusky/Paterno/McQueary/Curley should be ashamed" opinion pieces
- All predictions
- All conspiracy theories
- All rumors
- All interviews or other public figure reactions
New, actual news (McQueary fired, PSU/Nebraska game cancelled or moved, etc.) can be posted as its own thread.
Also, a reminder that while pedophilia jokes are never really "acceptable," for the foreseeable future they are worth a one- to two-week trip to Deepest, Darkest Bolivian.
November 11th, 2011 at 7:58 AM ^
How about a Michigan/Illinois thread?
November 11th, 2011 at 8:13 AM ^
there will be several of those... and because they will be Michigan threads Fergodsakes, they don't have to be crammed into one omnithread.
November 11th, 2011 at 9:52 AM ^
This is a MICHIGAN blog, correct? I'm sure Penn state has their own...go post on that one.
November 11th, 2011 at 10:57 AM ^
and why he's doing it.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:37 PM ^
I encourage any and all that are interested in the Penn State situation to read this article. It is the best piece I've read on the topic, and sums up exactly why people shouldn't be questioning Paterno being let go (if they still are).
PS - I understand the site is probably not one many of you would normally visit, but the guy is a very good writer.
November 11th, 2011 at 8:44 PM ^
It's absolutely disgusting that Mike McQueary is getting death threats for relaying what he saw to JoePa and then doing nothing to follow up.
Jeez, MM only did the minimum necessary & he's getting death threats from the Pro-Child Molestation side?
November 11th, 2011 at 7:59 AM ^
A "Friday" thread is needed? Is this site turning into Nancy Grace?
November 11th, 2011 at 10:11 AM ^
This is the biggest sports story since...?
November 11th, 2011 at 5:55 PM ^
And within our conference.
The actions/inactions of the leadership of a marquee CFB program and a respected university CAUSE a series of molestations of young boys.
This isn't about a few thousand dollars changing hands when the gate receipts for a single Saturday are over $10 million.
This is not the common hyperlibidinal violence or irresponsibility of a few individuals.
This is the institution itself as represented by its leadership--all the way up to the president--engaging in deplorable behavior, sweeping under the rug crimes that will likely lead to life in prison for the perpitrator emeritus/acting 1990s coach.
Of course the MGoCommunity will come to their favorite hangout to discuss.
November 11th, 2011 at 10:27 AM ^
The story is fresh and kind of a big deal...unlike the many pointless, repetitive threads on Terelle Pryor, Tressel, Gholston, etc. have we had to suffer through in the past.
November 11th, 2011 at 11:31 AM ^
this site has become bloated and full of itself?
November 11th, 2011 at 8:07 AM ^
it is a good idea, to prevent the board column to consist of content such as "Is Jerry Sandusky actually the Devil" or "Report - Joe Paterno killed Kennedy."
The Nebraska/Penn State game cancellation possibility, though not really a possibility at this point, raises an interesting question. I am of the opinion that as of right now, that is going to be an ugly scene at State College. Just the type of emotion that is swirling around, they just completely drown out the typical emotions found at a football game, and those are intense to begin with. I have thought about and have to say it, if I was a Nebraska player there is no way I could make that trip and be focussed on football, and for the Penn State players, I cannot imagine that there is not a just an all around, non-specific anger flowing through every one of the them
It is just not setting up well for that game. This entire thing has been filled with events that I could not imagine transpiring. I truthfully have a bad feeling about that game and what may transpire.
November 11th, 2011 at 11:34 AM ^
Has anyone considered playing that game in a neutral site, like in Ford Field or Indy?
Wait, then Detroit and Indy would have to deal with PSU "fans"...
November 11th, 2011 at 1:17 PM ^
but it won't happen on such short notice.
November 11th, 2011 at 8:08 AM ^
WE AREN'T
November 11th, 2011 at 8:20 AM ^
and +1'd every one of your posts. Thanks for making UTL even more unforgettable and welcome to the board.
November 11th, 2011 at 8:49 AM ^
Wow, I'm humbled by your presence!
November 11th, 2011 at 9:05 AM ^
Question- Do you care if we still edit your face into photos on this board?? Since your on it and all and people might see you looking at pictures of urself.
November 11th, 2011 at 9:59 AM ^
If its really you, sir, I'll bump you up to 100 MGoPoints so you can vote and start new threads. Celebrity status will get you celebrity treatment . . .
November 11th, 2011 at 11:09 AM ^
It would be all like Harvey Dent saying "I am the Batman".
November 11th, 2011 at 11:24 AM ^
WHEN ARE YOU AND LLOYD BRADY GOING TO FIGHT TO THE DEATH?!
November 11th, 2011 at 11:37 AM ^
you'd have more MGopoints than most by noon. Unfortunately, all I can offier is an imaginary +1 to you. Welcome
November 11th, 2011 at 8:13 AM ^
why the hell would they cancel the game? I heard several reporters saying is the rest of the season cancelled? give me a break
November 11th, 2011 at 8:16 AM ^
sure you are fully understanding what a polarizing situation this is. Trust me, there has been talk of moving this game to alternate location, I can promise you that.
November 11th, 2011 at 10:46 AM ^
Link or it's just baloney
November 11th, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^
do know that something does not have to be on the internet to be true, correct?
November 11th, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^
If it were even remotely true, you'd be able to find discussion somewhere on the internet. Someone, somewhere, would have been typing furiously away so they could be the first to break the news.
See MGoBlog for example.........
November 11th, 2011 at 1:25 PM ^
It looks to me like there was talk of it but it was quickly dismissed on the grounds that no available stadium could hold all the people.
Tom Osborne:
"If you move it to Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, you're looking at 60,000 or 70,000 seats, so that would have been pretty awkward with short notice."
http://huskerextra.com/sports/football/article_c88eb41c-a1ae-51a1-969b-…
November 12th, 2011 at 2:22 PM ^
But "I can promise you that" is true?
November 11th, 2011 at 8:18 AM ^
Let me preface this by saying there is no other team for me but MICH.
How rad would it be if these poor kids playing at PSU were able to come through this horrible mess and win a B1G championship? I mean that would kinda be cool right? I think I can dedicate a small portion of my allegience to PSU for the rest of this season, er at least until they play MICH in the 'ship game.
November 11th, 2011 at 8:38 AM ^
I was thinking about this last night, and I'm torn. Part of me wants the kids currently on the roster to kill Nebraska, for their own "reputation" or whatever it is they can defend on the field. The other part of me wants Nebraska to hang sixty on their vaunted defense.
On the PSU side, you have:
- Paterno wasn't doing anything anyway, watch from home and don't go to the coaches with something you witness
- The guys on scholarship right now don't deserve this shitstorm
On the Nebraska side you have:
- Pain for McQuery
- More doubt that anyone on the coaching staff who knew about this stuff will be able to keep a job
November 11th, 2011 at 8:46 AM ^
I couldn't even imagine what the kids from Penn St. have gone through. These dudes have to deal with this HUGE mess, a mess in which they have nothing to do with, and continue to be student-athletes. That sucks. I want to see this team crush Nebraska.
November 11th, 2011 at 8:54 AM ^
Unfourtunatly for them though, their supporting cast is largly the same (I'm looking at you, McQuery). I hate to try and equate this to anything a team has been through before, but most of the time 98% of the players don't deserve the scorn their school gets. You wouldn't be rooting against the players as much as against the program.
I'd be much more sympathetic to the PSU football program if McQuery was gone, and if Paterno doesn't show up in some luxury box.
November 11th, 2011 at 8:58 AM ^
I agree with you (Re: McQuery), actually I sort of wish he would fall into a pit filled with ravenous pit bulls. Jerry Sandusky can join him.
November 11th, 2011 at 11:37 AM ^
...or a Turkish prison.
Wait, wasn't there an earthquake in Turkey?
November 11th, 2011 at 8:21 AM ^
I think McQuery not being on the sidelines will help that's for sure. I cannot even imagine the amount vitriol he would face from BOTH fan bases if he were present.
November 11th, 2011 at 8:27 AM ^
Mcquery may be protected by the whisle blower law, and Penn St. is afraid of being sued if they fire him. He did turn infomation over to a superior.
November 11th, 2011 at 8:53 AM ^
My wife and I have been having this discussion. Isn't that what Paterno did too? He went to his superiors with the info and they still fired him. Please don't misundertand me, I believe he had a greater moral obligation. But why would PSU be afraid of firing McQueary under the whistleblower law, but not Paterno?
Can any legal minds out there chime in on this?
November 11th, 2011 at 9:01 AM ^
lawyered up, the criminal kind. May not mean anything except he is making sure he is covering his ass, may mean that the real story has not even surfaced yet. As a legal mind, though admittedly not of "law review" caliber, it is my estimation that all we have seen thus far is the smoke, and the fire is yet to come.
The answer is, with the information currently available, there is no legal justification for firing Paterno but not McQueary. Once again, that is with the information currently available.
November 11th, 2011 at 9:06 AM ^
MS-NBC reported that Paterno had contacted a prominent lawyer but he hasn't been retained at least according to Paterno's kid. You have to figure that JoePa may need an attorney at some point, (and in no way am I calling Paterno a criminal, but things are going to get extremely messy).
November 11th, 2011 at 10:06 AM ^
He shouldn't be saying anything in public right now. No more impromptu statements on his porch. Even if Paterno is never charged with any crimes, there are undoubtably civil lawsuits coming where he could be named as a defendant. I'm no lawyer, but I can sure tell when someone needs one.
November 11th, 2011 at 9:10 AM ^
I was wondering about the lawyer move as well, thanks.
November 11th, 2011 at 10:02 AM ^
Rest assured that lawyers have been involved in this process from Day 1. From the in-house lawyers at PSU, to outside lawyers that advise the Board of Trustees (they were most definitely present and active in the discussions to fire Paterno and the president), to the personal lawyers that Paterno & Co have retained.
The interesting piece of that all for me is who will eventually pay for the personal counsel. I know talk was that the school would pay, but now that Paterno and the president have been fired it seems to be up in the air. Its a big deal because I see legal fees being in the 6 figures for a lot of these people.
November 11th, 2011 at 10:05 AM ^
The Trustee doing the talking at the press conference offered a big "no comment" when he was asked about Curley and Schultz' legal fees.
November 11th, 2011 at 10:12 AM ^
I know a little bit about lawsuits in sex abuse cases. I would wager $5 that PSU ends up paying out tens of millions of dollars to the victims (at least those who were assaulted on PSU property).
November 11th, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^
I was going to call BS on the "tens of millions." However, if there are really 20 victims out there 500K each gets you to ten million. That estimate may be reasonable. I wonder if any of the 20 have come forward already and been paid off at low amounts. I also wonder if the state will set up a victims fund. This could get real costly for this school real quick.
November 11th, 2011 at 1:48 PM ^
Don't be surprised to see multi-million dollar settlements to individual people, though. If someone was assaulted on PSU property after 1998 (like the kind McQueary saw), I'm going to say: You let a suspected pedophile - someone you apparently forced out because he was a suspected pedophile - bring children to your facilities and be alone in those facilities with them. I'm not a PA lawyer, but that seems like 3/4 of a pretty damning negligence claim...Again, this is not any sort of analysis that anyone should rely on.
November 11th, 2011 at 9:11 AM ^
But the first possible explanation that comes to mind is that maybe McQueary has been cooperating with the current, post-2008, investigation, and it's that, not his initial report of the 2002 crime, that puts him squarely within the whistleblower statute.