(11-10-2011 07:31 AM)etsubuc Wrote: Sorry, I simply have a minority opinion on this issue.
I never said that he didnt have a moral responsibility to do something more than he did- and I think that Paterno clearly realizes that after knowing what he does now. I just didnt see the harm in letting him finish this season. He has been a great ambassador for that university for decades, he is not a current danger to anyone, and I think he had earned the ability to coach 3 more games and retire.
But people are getting carried away with his moral responsibility also- if it is that great of a moral responsibility then make it a legal responsibility. Change the law. The fact is that he heard hearsay evidence. The bigger moral responsibility is with the GA who actually saw it.
I can understand how you are so upset by all this, I know too many Penn State people who actually KNOW Coach Paterno and Coach Sandusky and Tim Curley who are devastated. These are men who knew and trusted these men to do the right things and one of those things would be to PROTECT CHILDREN and not destroy them. I am just full of RAGE because these are men that we look to to guide and set examples.
If we intend to hold the Athletes to a "higher standard" then how do we not hold those who educate, guide, and support those Athletes to an even higher standard?? I've felt in my gut all along that Paterno knew more than he was saying. He may not have had a LEGAL obligation beyond reporting by state law, but under federal law (Cleary Act) he is directly reponsible for reporting the alleged crime straight to the Campus Police. He has 48 hours to do so. The Federal Investigation could cost Penn State MILLIONS. The institution will pay the price because the people who had a fidicuary responsibility to run the University were more worried about the image of the BRAND and protecting Joe Pa's legacy than the children who were being raped.
Joe Paterno, who has been one of my hero's for demanding that his players are good students and good people, is treated like a God on that campus. I hate to see the old man go down in flames but honestly, this is so far beyond booster's influencing recruits or a tutor helping to write papers or getting a free tat. We are talking about a massive cover-up of CHILD RAPE. ON-GOING Child RAPE!
I have no doubt the 1999 retirement was the beginning of the cover-up after the 1998 allegations. Then to allow this animal to continue having access to the University and Athletics is just beyond reason. Jo Pa was having his picture made with someone that he KNEW was raping children. You can't blame his age (would Paterno have been 70-something??) these were GROWN MEN who allowed a known child molester to hang around.
CRAP, I'd rather have 100 NCAA violations to deal with than to have to live with knowing that I'd allowed a rapist to continue to roam the hallways.
And now, we'll be finding out how deep this thing ran, more people will be implicated. If I were associated with The Second Mile, I'd hire a lawyer now.
As far as a President not bringing back football because of THIS?? Is that even logical?? The President lost his job because HE HELPED COVER IT UP or ignored it all together. There is no correlation between having a football program and a President's hesitancy because of the Penn State Child Rape situation. None. If you run a clean program and demand that people follow the law and hold them accountable for doing their jobs and ELIMINATE THEM WHEN THEY DON'T DO THEIR JOBS, you get to keep yours.
It's like saying that if ETSU's AD covered up a criminal act, acted on his own to permit the cover-up, was invovled in the cover up, BUT never informed his boss that the President would be held accountable. I'd stand behind that President in that case, BUT if he knew and he just told the AD to "make it go away" then it's a whole new ballgame.
Although I'm SURE nothing like that has ever happened at ETSU.