[Westside]

I know everyone has heard the story now. Should Joe Paterno resign now? What do you think?

[Jarons]

I admit, I have not paid that close attention to the story. Why is Paterno getting so much heat?

[geauxtigers75]

No, Paterno fulfilled his legal obligation by reporting the incident to university administration. He was not a direct witness nor was Sandusky still a member of Paterno's coaching staff. I love how ESPN is trying to crucify him and not the guy molesting little boys.

[Westside]

I admit, I have not paid that close attention to the story. Why is Paterno getting so much heat?

From my understanding an assistant coach of his molested boys at Penn St facilities during or after his tenure at the school. The assistant was caught committing the crime by a grad assistant. The GA told Paterno. Instead of calling the police he only told the Athletic Director. If I'm incorrect inmy understand, please someone correct me.

[LWC]

^Agreed.

Coaches cannot win with the media. If he reported it to the police, he was not following rules. If he did what he did, he is blasted. If he did nothing, he is evil. If he punched the guy in the face, he was crazy, etc....

[Jarons]

From my understanding an assistant coach of his molested boys at Penn St facilities during or after his tenure at the school. The assistant was caught committing the crime by a grad assistant. The GA told Paterno. Instead of calling the police he only told the Athletic Director. If I'm incorrect inmy understand, please someone correct me.

I would understand the heat if he did nothing. He did contact someone, maybe the wrong person. IMO, the AD is in wrong for doing nothing, if I am understanding correctly. Was this going on while Sandusky was at Penn St.?

[zaga_fan]

No

[toussaints]

This whole story is disgusting and disturbing.

Now, Paterno didn't abuse the children, and he did report the incident to some type of authority being his bosses, and we don't know just how much he knew about everything.

Should he have called police? based on what McQueary said yes
Should he have addressed the issue with Sandusky? Yes, especially since they knew each other for over 50 years.
Should he resign on his own terms? yes
Should he be FORCED to resign? No way, again he didn't commit the crime, he did report it, and being as close as he was to Sandusky while dealing with an issue he hadn't dealt with before, it would've been a very emotional, tough situation for a lot of people to deal with.

[dangerousdaneerfan]

Jack Fleming's perfect decription of JoePa from 1986. Fits today's news of him to a T.

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

He reported it to the AD it is the AD's job to cantact the police.

[Amun-Ra]

Here it is. If Paterno did in fact get informed of this from a grad. assistant he should have informed his AD. He did that. Now when the AD failed to contact the authorities, Paterno himself should have. That would have been the correct way of doing it. Not doing so was a failure to those kids that were abused.

[Stardust]

Here it is. If Paterno did in fact get informed of this from a grad. assistant he should have informed his AD. He did that. Now when the AD failed to contact the authorities, Paterno himself should have. That would have been the correct way of doing it. Not doing so was a failure to those kids that were abused.

absolutely F'n Right! :Thumbs:

Thank you!

I like Joe Pa! The game has probably passed him by, but I always gave the guy his props! But this first came up in 2002! That's nine years ago! This Saturday, Penn State told Sandusky that he could no longer come into the locker room - wait............ - he could not come in the locker room with "LITTLE BOYS"! Whoaaaa - If that is truly the case, that tells me that this was known, and the ONLY planned discipline of due diligence that the program - WHICH IS JOE PA - was not not let this creep come into the locker room with boys! Wait a minute now, that tells me that they had an understanding that this creep was doing something wrong, but NO ONE wanted to send this MF'er to PRISON! They only wanted to cover it up to keep their FRIEND covered up!

My respect for Paterno is GONE! There is no doubt in my mind that that old bastard knew something was wrong and he did NOTHING to challenge it! Sandsky need to go to jail to get his asshole reemed out by Bubba! Jo Pa needs to be fired! Any anyone who knew anything about this but never had the balls to bring this to the attention of the authorities needs to have there Nuts cut off and stuffed down their OWN throats!

Screw them all, the damn cretins!

[RunItUpTheGut]

Sickening...

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

There are two kinds of situation like this. When someone gets arrested, and when someone gets Indicted and is then arrested on the indictment. I did not know about the indictment, I looked at some of the facts and have to say that if what is said is true (which is a big if) then alot of people are going to go down over this. But I also believe in innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. An Indictment is relatively easy to get, the big test is to see how the DA in that district pursue's the case. But if they have a case at all with paterno then the DA will probably crucify him for the publicity.

[Stardust]

^ If Paterno did know about this, and he chose to not put aside football and the legacy of Penn State at the cost of children whose lives will be wrecked forever - then he would deserve the public scrutiny! We'll see how this all plays out, but there just seems to be too much stink to not be smelt on all parties involved! I'm not just pointing at Paterno, but all. But if you want to make a statement - then take down the most PUBLIC figure in history! I'm all for it if he knew anything and did nothing short of shouting from the mountain top!

[toussaints]

^ If Paterno did know about this, and he chose to not put aside football and the legacy of Penn State at the cost of children whose lives will be wrecked forever - then he would deserve the public scrutiny! We'll see how this all plays out, but there just seems to be too much stink to not be smelt on all parties involved! I'm not just pointing at Paterno, but all. But if you want to make a statement - then take down the most PUBLIC figure in history! I'm all for it if he knew anything and did nothing short of shouting from the mountain top!

should McQueary, who was the GA that reported it and is now the wide receivers coach be fired as well?

[honestjchsfan]

I was once engaged to the daughter of a PENN ST grad. All us folks from Kentucky and WV were sub-human to the Mother. I heard long stories how the Education there was so much better than anything UK had to offer. All I have to say about that matter now is "WE ARE BUTT RAPE U" Think about it, you are a young Coach and one day you walk into the locker room, walk past the shower and there is a Old-man Raping a 10 year old boy, now the way I was raised down here in Kentucky would be to CLUB the OLD Perv in the head with something then call 911 myself. They should clean the whole lot out even those on-campus police, teachers, coachs, players anyone who knew about these incidents and helped cover it up. All of us UK fans have heard about RUPP supposedly being a racist well JOE PA protected a child molester and they have proof of it! On the other hand they have zero proof that RUPP was a racist. Rupp refused to lie to the parents of black recuits and feed them BS about how he would protect there child when UK played in the deep south. What's right is right and what's wrong is wrong!

[judgementday]

Here is where I am confused....wasn't Sandusky on the coaching staff when the events took place???

With that being said.....should he resign, yes. If I were in that situation especially being the head coach, I would have went to the AD myself to file a complaint and then contact the authorities. Having a Grad Student do it for you is Paterno just trying to push it under a rug. I am sure there were rumors and suspecions about Sandusky and little boys but I am sure everyone ignored them until he got caught.

Now a question that I have, did the AD turn Sandusky in?

[Stardust]

should McQueary, who was the GA that reported it and is now the wide receivers coach be fired as well?

Anyone associated to this and did nothing to report this to authorities should not only be fired, but be "FIRED AT"!

[OrangenowBlue]

If you think that contacting the athletic director fulfills your obligation in regards to reporting child abuse you are NUTS! If that person does not contact authorities immediately, then you need to report it, both Joe Pa and the graduate assistant should have took the initiative to contact authorities when it appeared they hadn't been contacted and an investigation had not been initiated. I think the total as of today is nine victims. Penn State better have their checkbook out because they are about to spend multi-million dollars in settlements. This is equally as bad as the cover-up in the Catholic church a few years ago with the exception that you have only one perpetrator in this case. Joe Pa needs to resign this week as well as any of the coaching staff that was employed at the time of the incidents. You know if they were coaching, they would have heard something, and they would have known if anything had been told to the proper authorities. If you are that damn stupid not to know what is right or wrong, especially in a sick perverted case such as this, you don't even qualify to be a toilet cleaner or a dog pooper scooper. The law states that if you witness or have knowledge of abuse, you are to report it to authorities or ensure that the authorities are notified. You are not protected by just reporting it to an authority figure over you. Joe Paterno could have been indicted by the grand jury but they chose not to do so because he did report it to someone. If he was Joe Blow from Kokomo the grand jury might would have a different opinion.

[toussaints]

Here is where I am confused....wasn't Sandusky on the coaching staff when the events took place?

Sandusky retired after the 1999 season. i think there is one case that happened in 1998, but as far as i know, they happened in the early 2000s. either way, it happened at the football facilities

AP reported today that Paterno will retire after this season.

[judgementday]

Sandusky retired after the 1999 season. i think there is one case that happened in 1998, but as far as i know, they happened in the early 2000s. either way, it happened at the football facilities

AP reported today that Paterno will retire after this season.

Thanks for the clarification and yes, it appears he is going to retire. It was the last year of his contract anyway so regardless, I think it was going to come to this, just not under these circumstances.

[Truth]

Aren't you boys a little quick to reach all of these conclusions and to indict Paterno. Maybe you should drop your lynch mob mentality and wait for the facts. None of you know what Paterno was told nor what he told the AD. Why not wait for a few facts?

Paterno has earned the right to the assumption of innocence. It appears that he did as his job dictated that he do in that he passed along what he was told to his superior, the AD. That is the proper reaction. You follow the chain of command. If he had done otherwise and gone public immediately (ie: contacted law enforcement) he would have been in violation of his contract with Penn State and could have been immediately fired.

Some sportscasters playing the role of "pseudo-lawyers" without any credentials to do so, are saying that Penn State cannot prevent Paterno from now speaking out on the matter. Obviously that is not correct. He is still an employee of Penn State and would certainly be open to firing for breach of his employment contract to go out and play the "Lone Ranger". Contracts are contracts and Paterno, being an honorable man, will live by the terms of the contract he signed.

Also, keep in mind that the information provided by Paterno was strict heresay. To have gone public with strict heresay would have been a terrible mistake because, if wrong, it would have opened Penn State and Paterno, individually and collectively, to lawsuits. Unlike Tony Kornheiser and the other "pseudos" in the media, Paterno is too smart and too loyal to do that.

Everything being done by Penn State at this time is to cover the college's hind side and to limit the damage. Anyone, even the iconic Paterno, will be sacrificed if it helps Penn State. As I said, Paterno deserves much more He deserves the benefit of any doubt. He has earned it.

So, should Paterno resign? NO!

[Stardust]

^ So, Mike McQueary who witnessed this in 2002 and has been on the staff ever sense, came to Paterno in 2002 after he walked in on Sandusky and a 10 year-old boy being sodomized, and McQueary takes it to Paterno at that time and now, 9 years later, you expect to believe that Joe Pa has ONLY thought of this as heresay???? Sorry, I'm not living under that rock!!!

[Truth]

^ So, Mike McQueary who witnessed this in 2002 and has been on the staff ever sense, came to Paterno in 2002 after he walked in on Sandusky and a 10 year-old boy being sodomized, and McQueary takes it to Paterno at that time and now, 9 years later, you expect to believe that Joe Pa has ONLY thought of this as heresay???? Sorry, I'm not living under that rock!!!

Actually, in regard to the use of "heresay", you are living under a rock. For Paterno to repeat what he was told by someone else dealing with something Paterno did not personally observe is obviously heresay. That is not credible evidence of anything.

As required by his employment contract, he reported what he was told (and you "lynchers" have no idea as to what he was told), to his superior. In those circumstances, that is the proper thing to do. You don't risk your job, your reputation, and your employer by going public with heresay. to do otherwise would be irresponsible on Paterno's part.

You people need to think with a little common sense and less with raw emotion. I suspect a lot of you just don't like Paterno and/or his success. He deserves better because he has earned better.

[Stardust]

Actually, in regard to the use of "heresay", you are living under a rock. For Paterno to repeat what he was told by someone else dealing with something Paterno did not personally observe is obviously heresay. That is not credible evidence of anything.

As required by his employment contract, he reported what he was told (and you "lynchers" have no idea as to what he was told), to his superior. In those circumstances, that is the proper thing to do. You don't risk your job, your reputation, and your employer by going public with heresay.

You people need to think with a little common sense and less with raw emotion.

If my superior was not going to take action on a CRIMINAL act, then I would have ensured that an eyewitness in MY PROGRAM for a coach that I let go (which is probably because of this incident in the first place) was properly interviewed by authorities! We are talking about a TEN YEAR OLD boy! If it comes out that Joe Pa "screamed from the Mountain Top", yet nothing was done, then he can be exonerated. But if this "heresay" came into my locker room, and I CONTINUED TO LET THIS GUY BRING IN MORE LITTLE BOYS, then Joe Pa deserves to be roasted! To let this guy continue to bring juvenile little boys after you have heard the "heresay" is criminal! And by gawd, he should have put his job on the line. Because this had apparently been going on prior to this incident, yet no action was taken to prevent the possibility after it was told to him??????

Don't patronize me about my feelings for Paterno. I have been a fan of both he and the Nittany Lions for years. I have been on this message board for the past few years saying that he has earned the right to coach for as long as he wants to. This changes things!

[judgementday]

Actually, in regard to the use of "heresay", you are living under a rock. For Paterno to repeat what he was told by someone else dealing with something Paterno did not personally observe is obviously heresay. That is not credible evidence of anything.

As required by his employment contract, he reported what he was told (and you "lynchers" have no idea as to what he was told), to his superior. In those circumstances, that is the proper thing to do. You don't risk your job, your reputation, and your employer by going public with heresay. to do otherwise would be irresponsible on Paterno's part.

You people need to think with a little common sense and less with raw emotion. I suspect a lot of you just don't like Paterno and/or his success. He deserves better because he has earned better.

I think what it boils down to is the criminal ACT that took place. As a human being he had the obligation to get to the bottom of it and not just pass the buck. It would be different if he was told someone was stealing footballs.....but this was the rape of a 10 year old boy...this should have been investigated and him exonnorated 9 years ago...what has screwed him is his knowledge of the said act and not reacting like he should have.

My opinion has nothing to do with his success....I have always rooted for his teams as he was the face of old time, hard nose football. No fancy playbooks, no headsets, just good ol coaching.

[Truth]

You people are reacting completely on raw emotion. You really are no better than a lynch mob. You know no facts. You just react. You make assumptions and reach conclusions that are based upon no facts other than what you choose to be the facts. Of course, it could be that you don't want to be confused with the facts because they may not fall in line with your quick, baseless, and irrational judgment.

Why not show a bit of maturity and wait for the facts? Is that really too much to ask?

[Truth]

If you think that contacting the athletic director fulfills your obligation in regards to reporting child abuse you are NUTS! If that person does not contact authorities immediately, then you need to report it, both Joe Pa and the graduate assistant should have took the initiative to contact authorities when it appeared they hadn't been contacted and an investigation had not been initiated. I think the total as of today is nine victims. Penn State better have their checkbook out because they are about to spend multi-million dollars in settlements. This is equally as bad as the cover-up in the Catholic church a few years ago with the exception that you have only one perpetrator in this case. Joe Pa needs to resign this week as well as any of the coaching staff that was employed at the time of the incidents. You know if they were coaching, they would have heard something, and they would have known if anything had been told to the proper authorities. If you are that damn stupid not to know what is right or wrong, especially in a sick perverted case such as this, you don't even qualify to be a toilet cleaner or a dog pooper scooper. The law states that if you witness or have knowledge of abuse, you are to report it to authorities or ensure that the authorities are notified. You are not protected by just reporting it to an authority figure over you. Joe Paterno could have been indicted by the grand jury but they chose not to do so because he did report it to someone. If he was Joe Blow from Kokomo the grand jury might would have a different opinion.

You quote "the law". To what law do you refer? My conclusions are based upon the likely content of Paterno's contract with Penn State. I feel sure that he followed proper procedure in reporting his heresay information, whatever it was, to his superior. Now all of you can "woulda, coulda, shoulda" all you want. Hindsight is always 20/20. At the time and under the circumstances as they were (not as you "lynchers" have emotionally concluded as you gather your noose), Paterno acted properly. Like it or not, that is the proper legal conclusion.

[Truth]

If my superior was not going to take action on a CRIMINAL act, then I would have ensured that an eyewitness in MY PROGRAM for a coach that I let go (which is probably because of this incident in the first place) was properly interviewed by authorities! We are talking about a TEN YEAR OLD boy! If it comes out that Joe Pa "screamed from the Mountain Top", yet nothing was done, then he can be exonerated. But if this "heresay" came into my locker room, and I CONTINUED TO LET THIS GUY BRING IN MORE LITTLE BOYS, then Joe Pa deserves to be roasted! To let this guy continue to bring juvenile little boys after you have heard the "heresay" is criminal! And by gawd, he should have put his job on the line. Because this had apparently been going on prior to this incident, yet no action was taken to prevent the possibility after it was told to him??????

Don't patronize me about my feelings for Paterno. I have been a fan of both he and the Nittany Lions for years. I have been on this message board for the past few years saying that he has earned the right to coach for as long as he wants to. This changes things!

You are making a few emotional assumptions as to the facts, aren't you? Leave your rope in the garage and wait on a few facts.