Penn State lettermen petitions the return of Paterno statue because he didn't do anything wrong.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/16796265/lettermen-petit…
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- More than 200 Penn State football lettermen petitioned the university Tuesday for the return of Joe Paterno's iconic bronze statue, which was removed in the summer of 2012 in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse case.
The former players and coaches, who span every decade since the 1950s, also made two other demands: Return the wall that rested behind the statue and celebrated Penn State accomplishments, and issue a formal apology to Paterno's widow.
"Joe Paterno has been cast in a negative light," the letter writer, former tight end/punter Brian Masella, told ESPN, "and we're trying to correct that narrative. The university has ignored us over and over again."
The university did not immediately release a statement in response to the letter, although a spokesman acknowledged it was received.
I thought maybe this was a joke. Then I realized they actually asked for this. Wow. There are no words.
figure getting hung out to dry. Once you have bought in enough, you can't hear enough logic to the contray to believe anything else. This will continually be a thing until there are no more lettermen who played for him to raise this up as an issue. It is baffling to me, but nothing will likely change their minds at this point after seeing the mountain of evidence regarding a cover up.
I grew up in PA and was a Penn State fan since childhood. My brothers and many of my friends went to Penn State. I was in the stadium in Happy Valley when they beat Pitt in 1978 to be ranked #1 for the first time in their history. I was near tears when they lost to Alabama and Bear Bryant in the National Championship game on a goal line stand.
I do not wish any harm on Penn State.
All of this is for background when I say the following:
Fuck Penn State. At this point they deserve what they get.
They have learned nothing. Because they don’t want to learn anything.
They just want to prop up some mythical false legacy of Paterno, regardless of the cost.
I have said this before on here a number of times . . . Penn State fans: Paterno flat out betrayed you, so why are you still loyal to him?
Why do you keep defending him? You owe him nothing.
Penn State is bigger than just one person. Paterno does not get to define the entire university to the world, unless you let him.
The sooner that Penn State divorces itself from Paterno and cleans off the stain of his legacy, the better off they will be.
Until then, they deserve what they get.
I don't know why they won't let go. They really are delusional.
What happened is not their fault. Paterno betrayed them. They don't owe him any loyalty. They are not obligated to defend him.
But they won't let go, and they keep making it worse.
I don't support them, but I understand why they feel the need to do this. I actually feel sorry for the guys who played there (assuming they were clueless to what Sandusky was). Consider:
If they actually accept, as most of us do, that Paterno knew that he had a pedophile on his staff for decades and did nothing about it, then it poisons EVERY aspect of what they must consider to be their glory years. Their memories of the best years of their lives completely taken from them. That is a HUGE psychic cookie to crumble for a long time.
So. Deny until you die.
I think you summed it up nicely and as respectfully as possible.
I grew up here and am an alum. When I see people wearing PSU gear now all I can think of is PSU Child Rapists. My wife had an old hoodie that she wore for doing yardwork and whatnot. I asked her to please get rid of it.
I don't want Penn State fans to throw out their gear or deny the existence of Penn State. None of this is their fault. They were betrayed too.
I want them to stop willingly letting one guy, even if that guy is Joe Paterno, define the entire university.
Penn State is a proud institution with a great tradition and history. It's big enough to stand on it's own without being defined by Joe Paterno.
It's as if a lot of PSU fans feel like they don't count as an institution unless JoePa represents them as a figurehead.
I just want to tell them: "You are more than just Joe Paterno. I don't like it, you don't like it, but he betrayed you. It's not the first time in history that betrayal from a trusted figure has happened, it won't be the last. Be strong and rise above it. Be more than just a cult for a flawed individual."
We just have too damn many bright people on here and excellent writers. This is a recipe for long, seemingly endless debates. Then once in awhile, someone will make an excellent post, trying to diffuse the situation in a pefrectly logical manner. Well done, sir.
is in the college football Hall of Fame. And deservedly so - 16 seasons, all winning seasons, and brought PSU up from a good football school in their region to a school knocking on the door of becoming a national power.
Yes, Paterno actually brought PSU across that threshold of being a national power. But Engle did set Paterno up to cross that threshold. They both were good coaches.
Point being, if one understands college football history in the post-World War II era, it's really not true that Paterno "as basically it for them."
And pre-World War II, Penn State went to as many Rose Bowls as Michigan did.
They have an actual history, better than 90% of CFB programs have.
They are more than just Paterno.
So what's your point? What does Engle have to do with a sick fuck enabling a child predator? And looking the other way for decades?
This post isn't about Engle... it's about a delusional support group of fans, alum, and those associated with the university who refuse to repent for what happened.
No Talent Required.
Yeah, I guess that comes with enabling and sheltering the rape of children for decades. I've said it before, I'll say it again: Fuck Joe Paterno, fuck Sandusky, and fuck every single one of their apoligists.
Never forget. Never. Fucking. Forget.
They still don't get it! They have learned nothing from it.
Never forgive. Never. Fucking. Forgive.
If they do ever succed in returning the statue, and the wall I suggest we petition penn state every day to add "Pedophile Enabler" below "Educator, Coach, Humanitarian". I mean this is all about his legacy right? Might as well be accurate.
or at least add a blindfold and a piece of tape over the mouth
I think three statues would be even better:
If you're going to stick up for the legacy of that era, at least be complete and tell the whole story.
Can we kick them out now?
Please, please Jim Delany kick them out. Their ex-players and a lot of their fan base are SICK DESPICABLE BASTARDS!!!
BTW, FUCK penn state and all their delusional joepa loving fans AND MORONIC EX-PLAYERS!!!
unass these fucktards from the B1G. And...
BTW, FUCK penn state and all their delusional joepa loving fans AND MORONIC EX-PLAYERS!!!
CARTHAGE MUST BE DESTROYED!!
We will give them their statue back and they can go play in the American Athletic Conference.
Apologize to Paterno's widow. Nothing for the victims. I'll take another Rutgers in the B1G if we can dump PSU.
Dear Ms. Paterno -
On behalf of oh-so-many in the B1G, I'd like to apologize to you. I am sorry that your husband was directly informed of Jerry Sandusky's rape of a child in Penn State's shower by Mike McQueary, but put the football program's reputation ahead of the interests of children. I'm sorry that recent evidence suggests that he knew of Sandusky's activities decades ago, yet did nothing.
I'm sorry that when Sandusky's atrocities became too risky for PSU's sainted football program, that your husband and PSU were complicit in arranging the "retirement" of Sandusky rather than putting the matter in the hands of law enforcement and doing every thing in their power to keep Sandusky away from children.
I'm sorry that PSU allowed Sandusky's charity, which was a front for his child rape, to use PSU facilities and associate itself with the university. I'm sorry that Mike McQueary did not go into that shower, and defend that poor child being raped. And I'm sorry that Mike McQueary has to live with that guilt - he seems like a decent person overall, and I'm sure the guilt from this incident will haunt him forever.
Most of all, I'm sorry for you that your husband's moral compass was so horribly broken on such a basic human issue. I don't doubt he was a good husband, a devoted father, and generous with his money and time to the university.
And I'm sorry that his good qualities don't outweigh the rape of dozens of boys at the hands of Jerry Sandusky, and all the things that your husband did to help cover them up. You were living a bit of a fairy tale life until the truth finally came to light. And I'm certain it was Hell on Earth learning all these things about your husband.
I'm sorry that I can't really grieve for you and your family. When the scion of your family is complicit in such atrocities, the right thing to do is become humble, work to right the wrongs, and seek forgiveness rather than vindication.
Finally, I'm sorry that you, your family, and the legions of supporters your late husband has don't get this.
Sincerely,
EM
perfect
Shouldn't have said scion - maybe lodestar ? But thanks!
.
You were rolling.
I have a lot of friends who are Penn State grads. As a group they are pretty rational people and VERY dedicated to their university. That being said, some truly believe the narrative that Sandusky "retired".
It really boggles my mind that someone could buy into that steaming pile of crap story that a Defensive Coordinator at a major university in his 50's randomly retires because "Paterno told him that he wouldn't get the Penn State HC job". This came one year after he was investigated, but not charged, for sexual abuse of a child. Connect the dots!
Other Penn State friends (probably not coincidentally with small boys) just sort of cringe and get a sad look when the topic comes up.
If you're inside this thread can I "donate" 5,000 points via upvotes to Everybodymurders post here? It deserves all that and more.
Your post is getting play on Pennlive...and a lot of other mentions about MGoBlog.
Please provide link. It sounds delicious
Edit: nevermind, found it. I believe the person who posted it is actually M-Dog here.
I tried unsuccessfully for several minutes to find this on Pennlive.com.
I specifically said another Rutgers instead of PSU. Pitt is too much of a plus for the B1G to make the sacrifice seem real.
Everyone aids and abets four decades of child rape.