The Sandusky Saga

[Surge]

Sandusky's been convicted and new e-mails may point to a cover-up that could implicate several parties including the University. We'll see if everyone who deserves to pay will pay or if the students will be the ones screwed over. Lawsuits are probably pending or just beginning, which means the next couple years will probably keep the focus on State College.

I know it's been a while since everything started, but I'm interested to see how you guys view the Penn State program, school, etc. in view of the scandal and the recent stuff going down.

[The League]

Having been a member of a university police department at one time, I fully believe that Joe Paterno believed he did what he needed to do. I say this because the head of university police departments are run by divisions such as "student life" like where I worked. The chair of that department was basically the boss above all...including the chief of police. So if there was an issue and someone went to the chair, they would have completely believed that they informed a police officer when, in fact, they did not. But the public is none-the-wiser. With that kind of command structure comes a lot of politics and needless bullsh!t. Thank God I got out of that department and into a municipality.

[Mickels]

I've heard the argument that since Penn State swept this story under the rug it helped them in recruiting. The logic is if this story broke in 2001, Penn State's recruiting would be hurt across the board. The NCAA isn't getting involved as this is a "criminal' case, but do you think the whole recruiting thing warrants punishment by the NCAA? I thought it was an interesting point.

I can't help but enjoy how Joe Paterno's name is being drug through the mud. That f'ing hypocrite. "I didn't know that kind of stuff existed in college football", Paterno said when referring to the trouble Barry Switzer and Jackie Sherrill got in back in the late 80's. Oh the irony. What Paterno did makes NCAA violations look like child's play, no pun intended. What a despicable person.

[Sinned]

i think they should never play football again. I am glad Joe pa is dead and i think the others should be put to death.

worst story i have ever heard in my life. it could have stopped years ago and nothing was done.

[Surge]

The Freeh report pretty much eviscerates the entire Penn State community. I hope every single kid victimized gets justice against all those who participated in the cover-up. F***ing pathetic.

[Mickels]

I don't remember if it was here or another message board I used to frequent, but I remember talking months ago about this very thing and how they covered this up to protect the reputation of Penn State football. I got blasted for it (which is why I don't believe it was here, as there aren't many passionate college fans here) and was told no decent man, much less Joe Paterno, would make the reputation of a college football program a bigger priority over protecting innocent young boys from being put in a position to be molested.

So... who has two thumbs and is feeling incredibly vindicated today? You guessed it. Sorry, just tooting my own horn.

And Paterno didn't just cover it up, he actively worked against pressing charges and presenting their findings to the proper authorities. Based on the reports, he alone is the sole reason this story didn't come out in 2001. Wow, Joe, I didn't know that kind of stuff existed in college football.

What's next for Penn State? How do they move forward from this?

[Sinned]

[Surge]

JoePa is just a symbol of the bigger problem - one man being the shrine and god of an entire university, community, and alumni base. Penn State went down as they should, and they should receive all the punishment and hell for the next however many years that they deserve. Still, in an era where football and basketball coaches at bigger universities are becoming immortal icons, it's only a matter of time before some, such as Paterno, are proven to be nothing more than mortal. I don't think Penn State is the only university that was not ready for such a possibility, and building the entire campus around the "integrity" and "honor" and other garbage that Paterno spewed but never followed just branded a fantastic academic and research institution as a bunch of rapist-abetting zealots.

As for the future of Penn State, who knows? Those kids deserve every dime they get from the university, and you figure the Freeh report will just increase the amount of zeroes on the checks. I can't remember a university ever filing for bankruptcy, or even if that's possible, but PSU will probably be approaching that step in a couple years.

[krush40]

Pardon my quick little rant:

Obviously the people responsible should be punished to the full extend of the law.

I also feel the NCAA was justified in punishing the football program, only because the scandal was covered up specifically to protect the football team. If it was just Sandusky being a creep and everyone else turned him in, then I feel punishment from the NCAA wouldn't be necessary.

Now that's out of the way, does anyone else think "taking away previous victories" is the stupidest punishment ever, and I'm not just talking about Penn St.?

I mean if you really think about it, the games happened. The people who were there know what happened. Teams have already celebrated or cried and moved on.

What's the point?

[Surge]

Well, they can't punish Paterno in the present, so they take away the most important record of his coaching career - the all-time wins mark.

[krush40]

I get that, but realistically, people still know who won those games.

Any memorabilia anyone has from any of that time still exists. It's not like in the future people are going to answer a trivia question about his record as being the coach for an eternity without any wins.

[Surge]

It's the same as the statue. It's an accomplishment, memory, etc. - it means something more than just an answer to a trivia question. Those wins won't be ignored, but if the NCAA leaves Paterno with 409 wins, they act as if those wins were legitimate, which after this whole cover-up, it clearly wasn't. Doesn't everybody still see Hank Aaron as the HR king? Well, did Bonds HRs just become outs?

Obviously, the games happened and will not be totally forgotten, but they can't go back in time and take Paterno and Sandusky off the team, so it's the closest you can get to punishing someone over the time period they committed a crime.

[Mickels]

A few thoughts...

I have mixed feelings about the punishments handed down by the NCAA. I feel some like the $60-million wasn't enough and others like the bowl ban and the taking away scholarships was too much, just the NCAA flexing its muscle. Frankly, I feel the NCAA caved to the pressure of the public outcry and impulsively came up with penalties.

Once again it seems sports is considered a priority over that of the victims. Who does banning them from post-season play for 4 years really hurt, or help? Or the taking away of scholarships? Do either of those things help the victims in any way? The punishing people who had nothing to do with this is what really bothers me. I feel really bad for Bill O'Brien.

As for the money, I feel they should be fined $60-million a year for the next 14 years. I feel that would be a lot more impacting than not letting them play in bowl games. Not only that, but that money could go to help victims of child or sexual abuse.

[The League]

one glaring thing I can't get past is how EVERYONE is blaming Paterno. I get that he didn't do everything he morally should have done..........but Sandusky is the criminal. Lets not forget that.

[krush40]

[Surge]

Obviously, it does nothing, but I see why they did it. If they had left them with the victories, I don't think anybody would care, either.

If anything, I think people are angry the NCAA's view on this is "Oh, see, look what we did. Joe's now forever no. 10" or wherever he ranks now when actually it means little to anyone except those closest to Joe.

[Surge]