Joe Paterno Announces Retirement
by Jon Johnston on Nov 9, 2011 9:59 AM CST
in 2011 Nebraska Huskers Football
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PrintThe Full Statement from Joe Paterno:
"STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Nov. 9, 2011 -- I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief. I have come to work every day for the last 61 years with one clear goal in mind: To serve the best interests of this university and the young men who have been entrusted to my care.
I have the same goal today. That's why I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season. At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.
My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this University."
I would rather that Paterno not be at the game Saturday, honestly, because it has too much of a chance into being construed as "good vs evil" event when it's never been more apparent that this is only a football game and nothing more.
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I agree.
I mentioned this at offtackleempire, but seeing that 30 some PSU and nonPSU personnel never did anything and how similar this is to many other cases of child abuse, I am starting to believe that we as a society just are unwilling to act properly with this issue. Certainly doesn’t justify any of the actions of Paterno and others, but I wonder if 90% to 95% of people out there, put in that exact same situation, would have done the same thing, regardless of what they are saying now.
Maybe it just needs to be law that you have to go to the cops immediately when you get wind of something like this or face jail time, no “you may” context in any of it. Because apparently, very few are willingly to do this on their own.
Google's homepage celebrates too much shit.
I'm getting tired of this "most people would do the same thing they did" stuff
If I saw what McQueary saw, or if McQueary came to me and told me what he told JoePa and the others, you can bet your damn house I would have called the police. It’s not because I’m a saint; it’s because I’m a human being with a conscience. A lot of ethical and moral decisions are difficult; this one is not – in hindsight or in real-time. I wish people would stop acting as though it is.
by Cheeseandcorn on Nov 9, 2011 10:23 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Why aren't they what?
I’m confused. What are you asking?
by Cheeseandcorn on Nov 9, 2011 10:48 AM CST up reply actions
+ 1
I hope I would have gone in there and pasted the assholes face with my fist, first. But, then I would probably get sued by the pervert and the victim for some reason or other. But one thing is certain: I would not have let it continue or ran away from it, or waited until the following morning to make a call about it. Geez.
"Were there monkeys? Some terrifying space monkeys maybe got loose?"
by UltimaRatioRegum on Nov 9, 2011 12:09 PM CST up reply actions
They were trying to protect the reputation of the university
Joe Pa himself allowed a man who was raping little boys to be free and be around campus for another decade. This would have been horrible for the university no matter when it came out, whether it was 1998 or now. It would have endangered everyone’s jobs then. I just feel like those who are defending Joe Pa really aren’t looking at the situation logically.
Look me up on youtube sometime...if you're really bored.
Why would the 2nd life people care?
Or the parents of the kid that confronted Sandusky in the first place? I think the “protect the university” simple doesn’t cover everything.
Google's homepage celebrates too much shit.
I Disagree With Making This JoePa's Specific Responsibility
First off – the whole thing stinks. Everyone is tainted. I am NOT a JoePa fan by any stretch – really could not care less about the guy and I hope we totally humiliate him Saturday. But where are these opinions coming from that JoePa should have ‘strapped on his six shooters and rode his horsey to the Sheriff hisself’?
Remember JoePa is a lifelong resident of the Penn State system, and he reported it exactly as he was supposed to do (although waiting for 24 hours is absolutely inexcusable). I am sure he was told by those he was supposed to trust that it was being properly handled, and to “let us take care of it – that’s our job, go do yours. It’s handled.” In a corporate environment (and college athletics are a corporate environment) if you take it on yourself to go all vigilante about workplace issues and don’t let the proper channels handle it, you are well and truly screwed.
My point is not to excuse JoePa, but to ask why excoriate him and not the grad assistant jerk that let the assault continue, ran home to daddy, and waited until the next morning to tell JoePa? The guy was 28 freakin’ years old, not some wet behind the ears kid; he is the weenie I would say most let the ball drop. He didn’t have umpteen decades of indoctrination into the system and a lifelong love of the university tempering (clouding) his judgement, so why isn’t everyone jumping on him for not going straight to the police, child welfare, Homeland security and Chuck Norris? JoePa did exactly the same as the grad assistant did – reported the incident to his superiors whose job it is to pursue those kinds of thing. I get the feeling this is more about JoePa being the figurehead and a much juicier target than some nameless grad assistant.
"Were there monkeys? Some terrifying space monkeys maybe got loose?"
by UltimaRatioRegum on Nov 9, 2011 12:38 PM CST up reply actions
We know he did the right thing legally
He reported it to his superiors. But really, did Joe Pa really have superiors in State College? I mean, they even asked him to resign in 2004 and he said no. He said no! If your boss asked you to resign, you said no, and he didn’t fire you…who’s the real boss there?
Joe Pa was a type of diety in State College. He could have easily made sure that Sandusky got put behind bars. But instead, he simply told his “superiors” and sat silently as that man still hung around campus for another decade. It just doesn’t look good, no matter how people try to spin it. It looks like Penn State just tried to keep it quiet to avoid embarrassment. That’s what people are going to think it is until proven otherwise, right or wrong.
Look me up on youtube sometime...if you're really bored.
That is a Good Point
You are right – he let the guy who, no matter what he thought the GA said, undoubtedly was doing something heinous in his locker room. I agree that is inexcusable, and he should have had the righteous indignation to use his (as you point out) considerable power to see something was done about it.
I put your comment in the context of his impromptu speech last night to the student supporters where he had to be reminded to mention the victims after his closing “Beat Nebraska!” war cry. Shows a distinct lack of compassion.
"Were there monkeys? Some terrifying space monkeys maybe got loose?"
by UltimaRatioRegum on Nov 9, 2011 5:54 PM CST up reply actions
I don't think
anyone is giving the GA a free pass. Everyone is talking about JoePa because he is THE university’s voice and moral compass since 1966. For him to make this error is unacceptable, and he has admitted as much with his further statements (in hindsight yada yada).
I don’t believe this is a workplace issue and I am unwilling to budge on the proper channels tact. It occurred on the campus and JoePa is aware of it and he is going to trust that his “superiors” are going to handle it? I don’t buy it. You are JoePa and you own this campus, you do EVERYTHING within your power to see it to the end.
Just my opinion of course.
Agree
It’s not as if the guy was stealing laptops from the school and you should just allow the school authorities to handle it and decide if they are going to press charges. He was raping little boys. How can you just let that go and think the school authorities can handle to discipline for an issue like that? Oh, I forgot, the administration asked him not to bring any more little boys on to campus so that at least they wouldn’t be molested at the school.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the school got sued by these victims and lost hundreds of millions of dollars. I hope they do.
Oh, They'll Get Sued
Now that the grand jury facts are out, they will get sued. This will put a huge hole in Penn State finances for years to come. As it should.
"Were there monkeys? Some terrifying space monkeys maybe got loose?"
by UltimaRatioRegum on Nov 9, 2011 5:56 PM CST up reply actions
Wow. If he had left years ago, JoePa would have been universally revered
as an immortal legend of the game. But what will his legacy be now?
Saturday is going to be a bizarre day. I’ll be at MSU-IA so won’t have a chance to tune-in to the game. Trying to imagine what the atmosphere will be like at Beaver Stadium. Suppose that the home crowd will show strong support and appreciation for JoePa in his last home game, but how are his players going to respond in a week so full of distractions? Plus, it’s Senior Day…
Huskers, good luck at Happy Valley. Have a feeling that PSU is going to play with lots of intensity on a very emotional day. Don’t envy you playing in this environment.
No kidding
I think all this crap actually gives an advantage to Penn State. I would have picked Nebraska in this match-up easily…but now…not so sure.
Look me up on youtube sometime...if you're really bored.
Yup
Obviously, the football game is totally an afterthought at this point. But in terms of the game itself, I really don’t like how this is playing out for Nebraska.
by Cheeseandcorn on Nov 9, 2011 10:52 AM CST up reply actions
at this point
you have people saying that if Paterno isn’t at the game Saturday, there will be rioting. I have no idea if they’re full of shit or not.
Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!
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With the stupidity displayed by some of the Penn State student body last night
I wouldn’t surprised if that were true.
by Cheeseandcorn on Nov 9, 2011 10:50 AM CST up reply actions
And of course...
this is the weekend we have to play them. Ugh! I hate the idea of forfeits and find them stupid, but is there anyway PSU can change the venue or something. I fear for our fans traveling out there when Nebraska wins. PSU is a rough place to begin with and tempers are already high. Living in PA, last minute I got some ticket offers but have declined for this exact reason.
Very Hostile environment for sure.....
But I don’t see any real issue unless someone prevokes their fans……..Husker supporters should go and Be LOUD, an rep NU like we always have, just like any other game. I believe that will help the Penn State fans enjoy this for what this really is, a football game. Still can’t see them being as bad as a CU game in Boulder! Emotions will be high………
by Huskerinthedesert on Nov 9, 2011 11:22 AM CST up reply actions
Last game at PSU in '02...
Couple of friends of mine went to the game, remember we got murdered that night, and did not provoke anyone. They had full cans of beer thrown at them by fans. Fans of other Big 10 schools have told some horror stories about getting jumped and having beer thrown on them.
agreed
I think we’re going to have to watch if the emotions simmer down in the next couple days.
The statement above was by Paterno. Nothing has come from the University, apparently because NO ONE THERE IS CAPABLE OF LEADERSHIP.
At issue is whether or not Paterno will be at the stadium. LIke I said, I don’t think he should be. OTOH, how much will that provoke PSU students if he isn’t.
Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!
Follow @cornnation Twitter
cornnation@gmail.com
by Jon Johnston on Nov 9, 2011 11:40 AM CST up reply actions
Maybe PSU students should grow the fuck up then
That’s why I’m sometimes embarrassed by my age group – conveniently flawed rationale, always acting on brash emotions, and conveniently pushing situations to their breaking points – like a bunch of damn baboons.
by SteveW0720 on Nov 9, 2011 11:45 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I've been thinking about this too....
Out of all the players on the team, those recruited. What kind of psych do you think they are having……some of them have to be horrified and bothered by this on a personal level. Something of this magnitude would be hard to keep from fracture!
I saw that they’ve kept all their commits so far and only lost a few that they were still trying to get.
by Huskerinthedesert on Nov 9, 2011 12:02 PM CST up reply actions
Sorry
didn’t mean for it to be a reply
by Huskerinthedesert on Nov 9, 2011 12:02 PM CST up reply actions
Maybe NU Should Issue A Travel Advisory
You know, like the State Department does for travel to hostile areas where American citizens might be unsafe.
"Were there monkeys? Some terrifying space monkeys maybe got loose?"
by UltimaRatioRegum on Nov 9, 2011 5:59 PM CST up reply actions
Unless he is fired
he will be there. Why wouldn’t he? In essence, his announcement now separates him from the matter and life can go on for him and the football program. Let the Board of Trustees and the media continue to wallow in this mess. He’s got a game to coach!
Once again serving the interests of the University and not the victims
Joe does not get 3 more games, he gets more like 4-5 (Champ game/bowl game) and tons of pomp and fanfare in several months of seeing him off. Is this whats best for the victims to move on with their lives? I think it would be slightly more appropriate for him to resign immediately if there is even an inkling of remorse for what he allowed to continue to happen to the victims.
For all of the people trying their best to distance Joe from this mess consider this: If you have a continued friendship with a man who you know rapes children and you allow this to continue indefinitely until that person is caught, you are a monster in my book, plain and simple.
Some sports writers are not calling for him to leave at his earliest convenience. They were calling for him to leave NOW.
I agree.
The honorable, and right think to do for him would have been to retire today. No question! Apologists have all kinds of rationale, but the bottom line he should have taken the high road and left now. interesting article on SI.com about the possible legal issues he will most likely face down the road, perhaps perjury and obviously civil damages. Walk now, Joe!
by Todd Wolverton on Nov 9, 2011 12:35 PM CST up reply actions
One would hope that the Board of Trustees' legal eagles and moral counselors share your opinion.
A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.
by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 9, 2011 3:59 PM CST up reply actions
Moral Counselors? They Have Moral Counselors?
Just where the Hell have they been?
"Were there monkeys? Some terrifying space monkeys maybe got loose?"
by UltimaRatioRegum on Nov 9, 2011 6:00 PM CST up reply actions
Well, presumably the BoT wasn't aware of the indiscretions and stupidity of their AD, the VP of Campus Security, and God on Earth.
A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.
by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 9, 2011 7:38 PM CST up reply actions
Stolen from
some guy I forget at the moment:
JoePa has the power to tell the board of regents when he’s leaving, but when told of child rape he only calls his “boss”?
Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
by Brizzle T on Nov 9, 2011 12:31 PM CST reply actions 3 recs
Article from April
indicated that Sandusky knew he was under investigation, and that Paterno and Curley were interviewed much earlier than just recently:
http://www.timesonline.com/columnists/sports/mark_madden/madden-sandusky-a-state-secret/article_863d3c82-5e6f-11e0-9ae5-001a4bcf6878.html
A grand jury, spurred by a complaint made by a 15-year-old boy in 2009, has been investigating Sandusky for 18 months. Witnesses include Paterno and Penn State athletic director Tim Curley. Interviewing Paterno about a subject like this had to have been one of the single most uncomfortable acts in the history of jurisprudence.
Plenty of questions remain yet unanswered. Potentially among them: What’s more important, Penn State football or the welfare of a few kids?
Given this, why wasn’t Penn State more prepared for the allegations to go public? WTF are they doing out there??
Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!
Follow @cornnation Twitter
cornnation@gmail.com
My guess is that they just wanted it to go away
Very sad that the avoidance of a tarnished legendary coach or a University reputation is put before the well being of children.
other news
National Football Foundation was to give the 2011 Toner Award to Graham Spanier. It has been vacated: NFF Statement
Concerning 2011 John L. Toner Award
DALLAS, November 9, 2011 – The National Football Foundation Executive Committee and the NFF Awards Committee announced today that the John L. Toner Award will not be presented at this year’s NFF Annual Awards Dinner, and it will be vacated in 2011.
Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!
Follow @cornnation Twitter
cornnation@gmail.com
Minor correction...
Tim Curley was named the 2011 Toner Award winner in June, not Spanier:
I’m still trying to learn all of the names involved in this mess myself…
Boycotting the game
Why does HE get to call the shots? Because he’s JoePa? Because he has more wins than any other…blah blah blah blah blah blah. NONE OF THAT MATTERS ANYMORE!! His credibility as a leader has just gone straight down the drain and he has been reduced to a piece of garbage. As a father, I can tell you right now that he doesn’t deserve anything but a pink slip. I don’t care what that man has done for people over the years, how many people like him or how many games he won. He could have prevented this because he had the power to do so. You can’t tell me he doesn’t walk on clouds in Happy Valley…if that man wanted action taken, he would have gotten it.
Paterno shouldn’t be fired because of what Sandusky did.
Paterno should be fired for what Paterno DIDN’T do, which should have involved calling the law, following up on the report and ensuring that the issue was resolved and would not happen again.. Now, there are more victims coming out of the woodwork—or framework of a twisted, dark and disturbing story.
I can’t stand to even look at his face and will be boycotting this game out of silent protest for the victims, and am disgusted to know that I watched him, in person, roam the sidelines of Memorial Stadium. It makes me sick thinking that I actually admired the man and shook his hand.
Shame on you, Joe..shame on you.
It's Van Halen, not Van Hagar.
by BryanNbugaha on Nov 9, 2011 1:11 PM CST reply actions 3 recs
Right on
Who ever is in charge over there has the power to do the right thing: Fire everyone in power from President to Joe and get that University on the right path again, not to mention send a clear message to the world that they have a zero tolerance policy towards those who molest children and those who protect them.
Does anyone
really think he didn’t know about the first investigation in ’98?
Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
by Brizzle T on Nov 9, 2011 1:13 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Paterno
Has been the most powerful man at Penn State for YEARS! To tell me that he passed up the report of child abuse to his boss and let it go from there is rubish! HE ALONE could have taken care of this many years ago. Instead, is seems he was more worried about his own agenda than anything else.
Case in point: Could you see T.O. ever handling a matter like this and not catching/firing/imprisoning someone for this!?!?!? It would have been done by the next morning for sure.
by Huskerinthedesert on Nov 9, 2011 2:52 PM CST up reply actions
Looks like Spanier is gone now, too.
Reportedly, either he resigns today or he will be ousted.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/breaking-news/index.ssf/2011/11/penn_state_president_graham_sp.html
Is anybody concerned about...
the fact that there is a football game going on this weekend? At this point the only one that can call off the game is Tom Osborne, but does he make that call? I don’t think so. I think that Nebraska just wants to play this game and move on, distance itself from Penn State University at this point in time, and continue on with the rest of the season. This may be the end of someone’s career, but it is not the end of our Football season.
The Husker coaches and players will be ready.
Do you really think this media circus, occurring 1,000 miles away from Lincoln, is preventing them from game planning and practicing? I’d offer that it’s allowing them to focus MORE on this weekend.
Maybe not the coaches, who are professionals and adults.
But you have to believe the players are catching this news. This is a young team that loses focus quickly.
Let’s hope Bo and company has a plan for that.
A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.
by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 9, 2011 4:03 PM CST up reply actions
I Hope It' A better Plan
Than the one he used to ‘focus’ them for Northwestern…….
"Were there monkeys? Some terrifying space monkeys maybe got loose?"
by UltimaRatioRegum on Nov 9, 2011 6:04 PM CST up reply actions
Or for Texas.
A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.
by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 9, 2011 7:38 PM CST up reply actions
Calling off
the game is absurd. Just because the media is having a feeding frenzy over the alleged events that have occurred at ‘Not So’ Happy Valley shouldn’t affect if they play the game or not. The players for Penn St. and Nebraska have worked to hard to let the media take away a game. The situation at Penn St. will all shake itself out in the end. It will have to go through the court system a thorough process which is good so all the FACTS will come to light not just reported hearsay. In the mean time let the kids at Penn State who have worked their butts off and done nother wrong play football.
The game must go on but should be minus the people involved
A federal grand jury indictment with sworn witness testimonies is far from hearsay. The feds don’t move like gang busters and book people unless they have a lock down case. We know everything we are going to need to know to make the right changes. Any more findings are going to be more of the same.
At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status.
even at the end, telling the Trustees not to get involved. Should be fired for that.
plus ? superiors? He is the Head Football Coach, the superior that the grad student went to. He had responsibility as the chief to seek justice, instead of passing the buck.
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