Joe Paterno Passes Away

Submitted by mgokev on
Title says it all. Prayers with the family.

cozy200

January 22nd, 2012 at 12:49 PM ^

We place to much importance as fans on this game at times which leads to alot of unforeseen events. To much emphasis on being the g.o.a.t. Im not blaming anyone but if you honestly think fans dont have an impact on the choices joepa made or didnt make.. Take a look in the mirror. We all share blame, the media, boosters, etc etc. Not sure how i would follow up, say placing it in the hands of authority and letting the system prevail. Just my opinion but the man did alot of great things and its a shame how it ended. Can anyone of us honestly say we would so willingly let go of something our entire life had been focused on?
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<br> So he stayed too long. In the scope of lifes great tragedies, this is not one of them. While the man didnt solve world hunger he did have a positive impact on this country, and anyone who tells the president directly to get bent is ok by me. It is what it is but lets not crucify the man. Im not psu fan but i dont buy into the mentality of "fuck him hes just as bad as jerry"
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<br>Soapbox done!

JeanClaudeVanD…

January 22nd, 2012 at 10:28 AM ^

The end of his career was in no way glamorous, it's still a hard day for me. Half my family attended PSU and my great grandfather played football there. I always thought and will think of him as one of the classiest coaches on the field

LSAClassOf2000

January 22nd, 2012 at 10:57 AM ^

There is little doubt that, in light of recent events, the nature of his ultimate legacy at PSU will be debated by people (and those events should  not be forgotten, of course - nobody here is minimizing the Sandusky scandal and the magnitude of what happened by any means, I think), but it is undeniable that Joe Paterno did much for Penn State and State College, and he will be remembered for his impact on the football  program, the school  and the community. 

Thoughts go out to the Paterno family and the PSU family. 

gbdub

January 22nd, 2012 at 6:38 PM ^

So as long as you win lots of football games and talk the good talk it doesn't matter how many boys get raped? THIS attitude is what's wrong with this whole situation. Putting football before the wellbeing of crime victims. If JoePa was just some guy, he'd get fired, maybe indicted for obstructing justice or perjury at worst, and everyone would call it righteous justice. But he won 409 football games, so we bend over backwards to dub him a great man, celebrating his victories and sweeping his failures under the rug.

JoePa did many very good things in his lifetime. He did at least one very, very bad thing. All of those things will, and should be, part of his legacy. We are who we are when we're faced with a crisis, and JoePa made his choice. I think it's important we never forget the cost of putting reputation and appearances above justice.

May Joe now rest peacefully, and may those who suffered  the unspeakable in part because of his failure find justice and peace of their own.

cm2010

January 22nd, 2012 at 8:17 PM ^

is that people assume they know exactly what happened while investigations are still in progress both within the university and the police. We don't know how much JoePa could have and/or should have done, despite the fact the nation has already made up their mind. That, to me, is one of the biggest tragedies, but unfortunately that is engraved as part of US culture.

Supposedly JoePa reported the incidence to the campus authority (an actual police force), they investigated, and did nothing. Then, he disassociated with Sandusky. Now, maybe that's not the right story, but you nor anyone else in the public knows because JoePa was never allowed to speak publicly about the investigation because it would interfere with the investigation. 

All I'm saying is this story isn't finished, so I don't think it's right to vilify JoePa yet. We don't know what actually happened. We don't.

mblood7

January 23rd, 2012 at 1:28 AM ^

Exactly! Nobady on this board knows jack shit about what Paterno did or did not do, but we mindlessly listen to the media as if it was absolute. Sadly people the media bend the truth everytime a story is told. Now I do not know if Joe Paterno did the right thing by going to the police and disassociating himself from Sandusky(There are reports that he did and reports that he didn't), but I am going to judge the man's life about what I know is absolutely true, he was a philanthropist, an insperational coach, a great man ( I met him once when I was in high school) and most of all a loving father husband and friend to many. Let's not forget the many many many many many many many many great things he did throughout his life. 

Oh yeah meeting Peterno once for no more than 2 minutes is one of the greatest moments of my life. Only surpassed by the birth of my son, day I got Married, and the day I graduated college.

mblood7

January 23rd, 2012 at 1:35 AM ^

Are you the lead detective on the Sandusky Investigation? because if your not don't write on a blog like you know everything that happened. I thought America was based on Innocent until proven guilty. Oh wait Peterno isn't being accused of anything except for the fact that he may or may not have said anything about the Scandal when he found out about what was going on. This is something I am comfortable guaranteeing you do not absolutely know, because if you did you would be the same person you are persecuting Paterno for.

WolverineLake

January 22nd, 2012 at 10:40 AM ^

  I think he'll be remember for what he did for the university both on an off the football field.  Within 10 years, I'd be surprised if many folks remember the Sandusky thing at all.  It may have an asterisk or a side note, but I'd be surprised if the history books didn't focus on his wins, the length of his career and the rest of the good things.

coastal blue

January 22nd, 2012 at 11:10 AM ^

A real leader of men would have made sure Sandusky never set foot anywhere near a child again. 

Oh wait, Paterno didn't know what rape with a man was. He definitely didn't just let what he knew fade away so as not to cause turmoil in the all important football program. Totally different opinion now that I know that.  Never mind, he's all good. 

I feel bad for his family and friends and people who knew him. He's done a lot of great things. But when he had a big opportunity to help those who were powerless, he was very small. That's his real legacy. 

In reply to by coastal blue

Butterfield

January 22nd, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^

If you report something to your superior following chain of command wouldn't you expect that the system would determine Sandusky's guilt? Was it Paterno's responsibility to become Sandusky's judge, jury, and executioner? Is it possible that he thought everything had been investigated and found to be without merit?

RoxyMtnHiM

January 22nd, 2012 at 12:16 PM ^

Paterno was the icon in that situation. The living legend, the man running the Grand Experiment, or whatever he called it. While admirably not the venal money-grubber so many coaches are, he was also saddled with great responsibilities if he wanted credit for all that other grandiose talk and what-not. There is just no way that his involvement can be excused by saying, Well, he reported it up the chain of command, what more can you expect him to do?

If he thought is was possible that everything was investigated and handled, and he just never heard anything more about it, then he wanted the whole thing to just go away.

gbdub

January 22nd, 2012 at 12:20 PM ^

So if you knew a coworker committed an egregious crime, you'd just tell your boss and go on your merry way, assuming everything would work out? A little follow up by JoePa, the most powerful man in Pennsylvania, could have made all the difference.
<br>Not to get overly religious but by way of literary example, I liken JoePa's actions to Pontius Pilate - he did what he was supposed to do, but not all he could have done, and then washe his hands of the whole deal. It's not the actions of a great leader of men.
<br>Still Joe is gone now. I hope he found peace, but also remorse. His death does not wash away his failures, and his failures don't mean his good works meant nothing.

MWW6T7

January 22nd, 2012 at 1:34 PM ^

No,  I expect my self to see the process through and make sure that there is something done about it.  Not swept under the rug for 15 yrs.  If you were in the same position and you did as he did would you be satisfied with the results?  I think not.  I feel bad for his family and for everyone that was close and lost him and I hope he rests in peace but to ignore the fact of what happened and his role in it is not fair to all the children involved and to anyone who had ever been monlested.

In reply to by coastal blue

bluewave720

January 22nd, 2012 at 12:08 PM ^

Football was placed before the safety of kids.  That is unforgivable and will always define JoePa.  No amount of the "good" he did makes up for that.  He was just a football coach.  I don't care how many games he won, there is an expectation for the position.  He failed when most important.  

Also, and for those whose lives have been touched by cancer please do not think I am being insensitive, but an 85 year old man dying of cancer is not sad.  It's life.  It is life's only guarantee.  The fact that he was able to live for 85 years and than had, from a medical sense, a very reasonable degree of time to deal with things is actually desirable in some ways.  I am a healthcare practitioner in oncology.  I hold people's hands when they die and I comfort the family afterwards.  Of course there is a sense of loss, but it is important to distinguish a situation like this from actual sadness.  What is "sad" IMO is allowing injustice and inequity to effect those that are powerless.  

In reply to by coastal blue

SalvatoreQuattro

January 22nd, 2012 at 12:08 PM ^

yet he did nothing to prepare American naval forces(thought he was once was thr assistant Secretary of the Navy) for a Japanese attack.2400 Americans died that day. His sin was much worse than what Joe did and yet many still revere the man. I think it is more than possible that Joe will still be revered by many Americans.

 

 

bluebyyou

January 22nd, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^

What impacts me right now is how the kids that were abused will deal with that issue for the rest of their lives.  Paterno cared more about his precious football program than he did about a bunch of kids.  That is a sin I will never forgive him for, which is a shame, because I always respected the guy.

Butterfield

January 22nd, 2012 at 11:47 AM ^

That's exactly the thing, he did act. I was once pulled over for suspicion of DUI, but was not arrested. Should I have had my license revoked purely on suspicion? Should Sandusky have been banished from PSU purely on suspicion? At some point we allow the system to determine how situations must be handled or else we devolve into an anarchistic vigilante state.

bluebyyou

January 22nd, 2012 at 11:58 AM ^

The situations are not analogous.  Paterno was told by an eye witness what was occurring between Sandusky and one child.  Admittedly, it wasn't a court of law, but I suspect there was little reason to doubt the veractity of what he was told.  I also believe that McQueary was not the only one seeing strange behaviour. How can you possibly compare a DUI with sexual child molestation?  Children are routinely removed from certain environments, including their homes, if abuse is suspected.

Paterno had a moral and ethical and potentially a legal obligation to follow up on the information that was revealed to him.

Butterfield

January 22nd, 2012 at 12:15 PM ^

Witness accounts can often produce unreliable information for a variety of reasons that I could link to if I weren't driving at the moment lol. Again, not saying that mcqueary was wrong, just that it was plausible. And if it is plausible, paterno put his trust in the system to investigate further to determine the validity.

MGoSoftball

January 22nd, 2012 at 10:48 AM ^

allow the victims to be forgotten.  While I applaud JoePa and his accomplishments, I cannot forgive him for his one and only mistake (that I know of).  What he did (or didnt do) is inexcuseable.

I hope God has mercy on his soul, provides peace for his family, and the entire PSU Clan.  I just hope that JoePa never called the police to "protect" PSU.  I hope I never hear that word during the upcoming trial.

 

Amutnal

January 22nd, 2012 at 11:01 AM ^

He made a conscious decision each and every day for the better part of a decade to allow a child rapist to remain a part of the PSU football community. He saw him at practices with DIFFERENT children AFTER he heard the 10 yr old shower rape story. It wasn't one mistake. He somehow rationalized in his head that his inaction was morally acceptable. I believe he knew deep down this wasn't true. But he was so blinded by potential ramifications of doing something, he allowed incalculable pain for a dozen or more children and their families.
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<br>It's sad he's dead, but don't minimize his transgressions. Unfortunate that he was confronted with a horrific situation that no one else in his progression had to face.

SalvatoreQuattro

January 22nd, 2012 at 12:17 PM ^

But it has been shown throughout history in similar circumstances many people would do nothing. Kitty  Genovese' murder is the most infamous American example. The most despicable example is how Germans living near concentration camps by while people  were being slaughtered did or said nothing. 

Paterno's inaction was reprehensible and his reputation surely deserves to be tainted. But one ought not to act like what he didn't do was exceptional. It wasn't. Many, many, people throughout history and living  today have and will do the same as Joe did--sit back and permit a great evil to be done.

coastal blue

January 22nd, 2012 at 12:46 PM ^

the extent that people will go to be different is just beyond me. 

Germans standing by in WWII? Yeah, if they spoke up or had done anything they would have been killed. Or their families might have been killed. You want to wish you'd be different in those situations, but to disagree in Nazi Germany was a death wish. Do you understand that?

What exactly would have happened to Joe Paterno had he followed up? Or confronted Sandusky? Or tried to find out who the victim was? Or went to the police himself? Oh right, nothing along those lines above. The only thing that could have went wrong was PSU football being interrupted by an inconvenient scandal. And we can't have that can we! So sweep it under the rug and hope no one finds out. 

Go away and think up some more ridiculous defenses. Then don't come back. 

In reply to by coastal blue

SalvatoreQuattro

January 22nd, 2012 at 1:02 PM ^

Germans spoke up during the Aktion T-4 program--the euthanization of the mentally ill--and the Nazis stopped the aktion. If Germans and more importantly, the Heer, had reacted negatively to the Holocaust there would have been no Holocaust.The German Army was the state as it is in EVERY country which has a standing army.

In both the PSU scandal and the Holocaust, it was a necessary condition for said events for people to do nothing. If people had reacted morally in either case both tragedies would have been been curtailed.  Unfortunately no one did.

coastal blue

January 22nd, 2012 at 1:37 PM ^

They stopped it officially. Plenty of evidence appeared that even more people were killed after the program was "disbanded". They didn't actually stop because of the opposition, they just shrouded it even more secrecy. And who knows if anything happened to the people that opposed. But this isn't the point and I'm not going further into something that isn't on the actual topic. 

We're talking about the leader of the PSU football program and one of the most powerful men in the state of Pennsylvania not doing anything. You're acting as if Paterno was just some powerless 18 year old freshman. Is that what you think? He had almost no serious repercussions for getting further involved in this situation and he was one of the people who could have done the most good. He didn't, because he didn't want any distractions at his football program. But hey, keep trying to find excuses. As is said, you know you've completely lost an argument when you start comparing situations to Nazi Germany. 

In the end you're just wrong. You know it. I know it. Everyone reading this knows it. You just want to disagree because this is a clear cut situation where there is a proper school of thought and you can't resist the urge to be different.