NFG

June 17th, 2015 at 8:35 AM ^

Well, then induct Jerry Sandusky too, based on football coaching accomplishments. Nevermind, the off the field details....

NittanyFan

June 17th, 2015 at 8:46 AM ^

Paterno was nominated himself at some point in the 1990s ---- but turned it down.  

That's the reason Joe isn't in there already.

Reading the stories, Joe was nominated again earlier this year ---- Joe's surviving family (which is utterly incapable of avoiding the spotlight) accepted on his behalf.

BlueCube

June 17th, 2015 at 9:30 AM ^

but if say it should be winning with honor and dignity, no. His wins came along with the molestation and susbsequent coverup. I'd ask to be removed if I was already in the HOF.

The sad part is that he would have come out as a hero if he had not protected Sandusky when he found out. It wouldn't have affected Penn State because he would have done the right thing. Hell even the coverup hasn't bothered many Penn State fans as we are seeing now. It's all about winning in their eyes.

Everyone Murders

June 17th, 2015 at 10:25 AM ^

Would you put Hitler -as an honor - in the highway and infrastructure hall of fame? By your logic, he certainly qualifies (the Autobahn system is really impressive and fairly benign, politically). I wouldn't put him in such a museum, what with the genocide and warmongering. Or if I did, it would be with all sorts of disclaimers underscoring that this is not an honorable person. Paterno's induction is meant to honor his legacy. IMO, he lost the right to be so honored when he betrayed the innocence of children- in part, presumably, to preserve his football legacy. I think thoughtful, decent people don't reward that sort of behavior.

NCMtnBlue

June 17th, 2015 at 10:48 AM ^

in many of the things he did.  Unfortunately, he was bat shit crazy, and many of his methods were absolutely atrocious.  I think with any person's life or career, people should evaluate both the good and bad.  Both sides should be remembered by future generations.  It is the responsibility of the future generations to apply the lessons learned from the good and the bad.

So, to answer your question, yes.  If the Autobahn is an impressive feat, than Hitler should be granted the recognition for his involvement.  That would in no shape, or form, take away from the atrocities committed by him, or in his name.

CLord

June 17th, 2015 at 11:12 AM ^

Your rationale justifies all the lunatics out there who do horrible things just to be recognized and famous, like the idiot who killed people at Virginia Tech.  The same way you don't placate the demands of kidnappers or terrorists, because it just breeds more of the same behavior, you don't honor the accomplishments of people like Hitler or Joe Paterno that were enabled even in the smallest part by the torture and suffering of innocents.

Joe Paterno should only be remembered as a cautionary tale of the horrible potential consequences that an enabling fan base, university and local community can cause.

F*ck JoPa.

Everyone Murders

June 17th, 2015 at 11:25 AM ^

I think what you might be missing is that Paterno's installation is meant to honor him.  Paterno definitely played a huge role in shaping PSU's football program and also helped grow the school. 

Should that be remembered as a matter of hisory?  Of course. 

Should he be honored by installation in a Hall of Fame, after  his role in aiding and abetting the rape of children is known?  Unless you (as a Hall of Fame) are willing to tacitly endorse his "sweep this Sandusky business under the rug - that unpleasantness will make us look bad" reaction to the rape of children - plus his enabling Sandusky to keep on doing it - the answer is no.  Hell no. 

NCMtnBlue

June 17th, 2015 at 12:16 PM ^

I think my position about a Hall of Fame is coming from a visitors perspective.  If I go visit a Hall of Fame, I want to see all the major people or things that influenced the subject of that Hall of Fame.  Even if some of those people or things had a negative impact, I want to be able to see it, or learn about it. 

If I go to the Hall of Fame, I wan't to see the all time hit leader.  I want to see the all time Home run leader.  I want to see the all time winningest college football coach.  I want to see the good and the bad.  If I can see and learn about them when I visit, then put all the bad stuff they did out on display.  Have asterisks as big as an elephant.  To not include an influential figure just seems like a missing piece in a puzzle to me.  I want to see the entire picture.

 

BigBlue02

June 17th, 2015 at 12:34 PM ^

How are you still missing the point. Hall of fame. Fame. Hall where people are honored. Fame. If the all time hit leader covered up the rape of your son or daughter, I'm guessing you wouldn't want to see him honored in any fashion. Or would you still think it was neat because they put an asterisk next to his name while they honored his accomplishments?

Everyone Murders

June 17th, 2015 at 12:51 PM ^

At least from one of the horse's orifices ... This is from the PA Sports HofF website (I added the emphasis - layering on underlining, bold, and italics font in escalating order of outrage):

"A Hall of Fame is a lot more than an overblown closet for some old relics. It is intended to be a repository for all things great about a sport - its moments, its men and women, its methods. Most of all it is supposed to be about Hall of Famers who define the quality of athletics, who lead the right kind of life, a life of integrity for which there is no compromise."

If this does not bring you around, I don't know what will.

Running short of ipecac?  The website is www.pashof.org/about.asp

Everyone Murders

June 17th, 2015 at 9:27 AM ^

The first step to recovery is denial. The fact, pointed out above, that Sandusky is already in the HOF (I didn't independently verify this, because I want to believe it's true) makes this just so, so very PSU. That community is ... batshit crazy. As always, my first sympathy is to the rape victims and their families. But I also feel bad for the large portion of that fanbase that gets it.

RGard

June 17th, 2015 at 10:12 AM ^

The cultists are the most vocal.  They plaster every comments section on any Paterno article with...

1. Joe was framed by members of the PSU BoT, Governor Corbett, Louis Freeh, the NCAA, Emmert and the B1G.

2. The victims are liars and are lying to fleece Penn State.

3. This only happened because the rest of America was jealous of Paterno's "Success with Honor" and "Grand Experiment", because nobody else in college sports could run a clean program, graduate athletes while winning football bames.

Now, that vent aside, I do know some PSU grads and fans who truly believe everybody including Paterno failed those victims.  They aren't vocal and when they do say something negative about Paterno they are viciously shouted down.

mgoblue0970

June 17th, 2015 at 10:36 AM ^

If they aren't vocal about their beliefs, I question their beliefs in the first place.  It's a convenient excuse to blame peer pressure for why they don't speak up. 

Everyone Murders

June 17th, 2015 at 10:12 AM ^

My experience is anecdotal, but it seems that many PSU fans are aware of the stigma, and that the program and university have to own that stigma. So I think there are plenty of PSU fans and alums who get it. I try to be careful with words (with mixed results), so note I did not say a "majority" get it. My sample size is too low to form an opinion on the percentage that get it. A big chunk of their fanbase is, as you note, delusional.

mgoblue0970

June 17th, 2015 at 10:34 AM ^

I think saying there is a even a small portion of the fanbase who get it is an exaggeration!!!  I have yet to run into a single person associated with that school who has shown any remorse.  They all think it's a witch hunt and the NCAA screwed them.

LSAClassOf2000

June 17th, 2015 at 9:48 AM ^

Organizers approached Paterno's family this year and they agreed. The former coach received the most votes in the deceased category, topping former Pitt coach Foge Fazio with 1,823 votes. - from the ESPN story

So, he managed to garner the most votes in the deceased category too. Even in Paterno's death, the cult of personality surrounding that man and his program -  particularly for a vociferous subsect of fans - is a phenomenally weird, sad thing. I suppose we can safely say that vital lessons were not learned here, at least by some people. 

RGard

June 17th, 2015 at 10:27 AM ^

The Paterno cult is still butthurt about his name being removed from the B1G trophy and the fact that the B1G held back their bowl monies share for a couple of years.

WolverineHistorian

June 17th, 2015 at 10:57 AM ^

Grandfather of 16, who continued to cross paths with child rapist on campus and athletic buildings for a decade knowing he had previously done something "sexual in nature" in the showers with a minor allowing for more victims to be violated. Now THAT is Hall of Fame material. Can PSU please be kicked out of the conference already?