Paterno was a coward

[PimpMario]

Great. Can we all agree that Paterno is a coward, rip down his statue already. We all agree. Lets do it already.

[wcbsas]

JoePa will be defined by his greatest achievement. So in the context of what is truly important in life, society, god, man, family, and etc., what is his most significant action?

No doubt that this inaction will overshadow and erase any good action he ever did (and it should) ... I just think for anyone to judge a man from the peripherary such as we're doing right now without having all the facts, without knowing the man ... well I refer to adage 'do not judge lest ye be judged'. As Formo suggested, he will get his whatever 'it' is.

[wcbsas]

A Few Good Men has always been one of my favorite movies. To quote Dawson, Downey: What did we do wrong? We did nothing wrong. Dawson:Yeah, we did. We were supposed to fight for the people who couldn’t fight for themselves. We were supposed to fight for Willie.

I agree wholeheartedly.

[bilsker]

As far as PSU goes, I don't think the football program needs to be punished for these horrible deeds. But the NCAA SHOULD eliminate the leadership of the program and if possible, the entire school. They failed just as badly as JoePa has.

The more I read/hear about the institution STILL refusing to deal with the reality the more I think the institution, program, etc. should have the hammer brought down upon them. Something as basic as taking down the pedophile enabler's statue is simply too much for them to bear....someone needs to let them know forcefully that they have their collective heads in a dark, unpleasant place.

[Formo]

The more I read/hear about the institution STILL refusing to deal with the reality the more I think the institution, program, etc. should have the hammer brought down upon them. Something as basic as taking down the pedophile enabler's statue is simply too much for them to bear....someone needs to let them know forcefully that they have their collective heads in a dark, unpleasant place.

The hammer upon the institution/program should fall on the heads of the leadership. Not on the players who have had absolutely NOTHING to do with the horrible Sandusky acts.

[BubbaGene]

The hammer upon the institution/program should fall on the heads of the leadership. Not on the players who have had absolutely NOTHING to do with the horrible Sandusky acts.

Maybe the players ought to make a statement and not play. Here it is: "We are not earning this twisted institution any more money".

[huskernut]

I'm torn. It is a terrible, horrible thing what Paterno did or has been reported have done. He definitely will get his in eternity, whatever 'it' may be. Erasing the 'legacy' in PSU is very much warranted. But, I can't help but to think, if I lived under a rock and had no clue what's going on, judging from the mass opinions out right now, it was Paterno that was doing the molestation, that McQueary was a victim at worst, and Sandusky was the accomplice.

To me, that's wrong.

As far as PSU goes, I don't think the football program needs to be punished for these horrible deeds. But the NCAA SHOULD eliminate the leadership of the program and if possible, the entire school. They failed just as badly as JoePa has.

I disagree. People here and everywhere have been all over Sandusky, both originally and after his conviction. What is new lately is the Freeh report, particularly the emails which are very convincing that Paterno told the others to cover it up. Add that to the elevated position Paterno has had for so long, and the pathetic attempt by some at his school to deny it, and that's why people are so down on Paterno right now.

Paterno deserves everything he's getting, IMO.

[BigRedFan1]

If this isn't "lack of institutional control", I don't know what is. If it isn't, I pray I never see what is. Death penalty, period.

[bilsker]

The hammer upon the institution/program should fall on the heads of the leadership. Not on the players who have had absolutely NOTHING to do with the horrible Sandusky acts.

By that logic you must not believe in any kind of NCAA sanction.

[Greatest Fan of All]

If this isn't "lack of institutional control", I don't know what is. If it isn't, I pray I never see what is. Death penalty, period.

Gotta agree with the D-man, welcome aboard!

[Runway]

The hammer upon the institution/program should fall on the heads of the leadership. Not on the players who have had absolutely NOTHING to do with the horrible Sandusky acts.

While I agree with you where the hammer should fall, I just find it hard to believe that NONE of the players ever had any idea or clue what was going on for so long. "Locker room chatter" or suspicions over the years?

[CombatTargeteer]

Germany didn't deserve the Russian occupation but that's the way the world works.

[Formo]

I disagree. People here and everywhere have been all over Sandusky, both originally and after his conviction. What is new lately is the Freeh report, particularly the emails which are very convincing that Paterno told the others to cover it up. Add that to the elevated position Paterno has had for so long, and the pathetic attempt by some at his school to deny it, and that's why people are so down on Paterno right now.

Paterno deserves everything he's getting, IMO.

So you are saying that JoePa might as well been in the showers with Sandusky and the boys? I'm ok with people being ************ at him. But I think with this latest report I think while the masses are piling on Joe, they are forgetting the REAL monster, Sandusky (and on a smaller scale, McQueary).

By that logic you must not believe in any kind of NCAA sanction.

Giving recruits/players money/trinkets/etc does not equal molesting children by an assistant coach in the locker rooms. They are different, and should be treated as such. Also, since you brought it up, I think the NCAA should SERIOUSLY reconsider how they deliver these sanctions. USC, for example, got hammered. After the guilty parties moved on. While USC should have gotten penalized, I would have liked to see a lighter penalty on the institution as a whole and bigger penalties on the guilty parties (Bush, Carrol's staff, etc).

If this isn't "lack of institutional control", I don't know what is. If it isn't, I pray I never see what is. Death penalty, period.

Death penalty for the leadership, yes. For the program? I question it. Why penalize a ton of innocent parties that happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time?

[bilsker]

Giving recruits/players money/trinkets/etc does not equal molesting children by an assistant coach in the locker rooms. They are different, and should be treated as such. Also, since you brought it up, I think the NCAA should SERIOUSLY reconsider how they deliver these sanctions. USC, for example, got hammered. After the guilty parties moved on. While USC should have gotten penalized, I would have liked to see a lighter penalty on the institution as a whole and bigger penalties on the guilty parties (Bush, Carrol's staff, etc).

The NCAA doesn't have jurisdiction over guys that move on to the NFL or out of the game. The lesson, when hammering the institution, is that the WHOLE university is responsible for the actions of the athletic department. The culture of NOT screwing up (be it recruiting violations or pedophelia) should be instilled regardless of who the former or future coach, AD, etc. is. Failure to do so will result in punishment for the institution. That's really the only remedy the NCAA has.

[BigRedFan1]

I hate it for any program, but if the penalty exists, why wouldn't this be the reason? I love college football, but I think the program got out of hand. Focus was lost. Unfortunately, I think it could happen anywhere, including DONU. That is why sanctions like this exist. If it isn't used for Penn St. now, then really no reason for it to exist. I hate it for the Penn St. program, I hate it for JoPa's legacy...., but I would recommend the same for my school if it happened, or was to ever happen in Lincoln.

[bilsker]

Forget about a "death penalty". The NCAA probably won't ever do that again...certainly not to a Penn State or USC. SMU got it because even after getting nailed for cheating beyond belief they continued to do it WHILE on probation.

While some people involved in the PSU deal deserve the death penalty it's not happening to the football program.

[BigRedFan1]

agreed. Likely true.

[BigRedFan1]

but might as well say, "death penalty no longer available. Do as you please with risk of spanking".

[bilsker]

but might as well say, "death penalty no longer available. Do as you please with risk of spanking".

While they haven't said it...their actions have certainly implied it.

[AKIDAD]

I would like to see the Big Ten suspend Penn State from both academic and athletics for two years and be put on probation for ten years with reduced sharing of funds. There is no way that what has been going on in Happy Valley reflects the standards of the Big Ten or its institutions.
I have no faith in the NCAA doing anything.