Penn State affair: Massive failure all round, while ESPN still throws bouquets at Paterno

Posted on Wednesday, November 09, 2011 at 01:50 AM

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I am sorry, but let's just come out and ask it, why are the biggest sporting websites still talking about Joe Paterno in terms of adoration? Weeks after the allegations have sprung that Paterno and others turned a blind eye to a Penn State coach abusing young boys, hours after calls for Peterno's head started, ESPN amongst others are publishing soft-focus, slush pieces on the Penn State head-coach. Check out this rubbish from ESPN. You can almost hear the PGA Tour soft-core porn music humming in the background as you read the below.

''The love was evident as several hundred students crowded around Paterno's house - The 84-year-old coach looked happier than any senior citizen ever to have kids trample his lawn. He exited the passenger side of a white university van to thank the students in his driveway. A few minutes after that, he opened his front window to say a few more words as the crowd surged forward to hear him. And just when everybody was about to disperse some 30 minutes later, a grinning Paterno walked out the front door to address the students one more time.''

What? Seriously? Are we talking about the same guy here? Is this grinning, lovable old man the same guy who was Jerry Sandusky's boss in 1998 when that year, the Penn State police department conducted investigations of allegations that Sandusky had hugged, rubbed against and inappropriately touched two 11-year-old boys while they were naked with him in the Penn State locker room? During same investigations, and with police listening in, the mother of one of the boys called Sandusky to confront him. According to the grand jury report, Sandusky told her:

“I understand. I was wrong. I wish I could get forgiveness. I know I won’t get it from you. I wish I were dead.”

For whatever bizarre reason he got away with it, but that moment was Paterno's chance to get a clearly deranged man out of dealing with his kids. His kids. How does Paterno let this evil creature stay employed after that?

Back to the ESPN sludge from above, is that fuzzy piece of nostalgic vomit talking about the same Paterno that in 2002 completely ignored strong evidence that a young boy was raped by this evil scum-bag Sandusky in the locker room?

Just checking, you know, if we are all talking about the same Paterno that ESPN is still jamming a halo over.

These people at the high ranks of College and High School Football have a simple remit. Take care of young adults and children. Look after their safety, educate them and take care of their well being. Nothing else matters. Money doesn't matter, BCS ranking do not matter, Boosters do not matter, recruiting profile does not matter, absolutely nothing else matters. Or nothing else should matter.

Everyone involved in the NCAA Football program at Penn State should step down immediately, including the lovable' Joe Paterno, for they have failed at the most simple of tasks. Look after the kids.

The moment they decided they had 'done enough' back in 1998, they failed at their simple job. This was then exacerbated in 2002, when they yet again turned a blind eye and failed epically at their essential yet simple remit. It is worrying that Paterno hasn't already stepped aside. There is little doubt that evidence shows he is a decent, philanthropic and intelligent man. However, his later years will no doubt be wracked with the guilt of realising his gut wrenching mistake in not blowing this disgusting scandal up the moment he got wind of it.

The fact of the matter is, he will only have himself to blame. The split second he got a whiff of this, he should have blown the whole thing up.

Tough material to take to the grave, and plenty of questions remain.

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jmchrystal | Nov 11, 2011, 06:28 PM EST

Even though I'm a fan of a rival Big 10 school, I have always been partial to Joe Pa. However, what occurred (and didn't occur, but should of) at PSU is just another example of how the sports mentality has grown so far out of proportion to it's actual importance to society. This allows some individuals to think that they are god-like and are too important to be bothered with the societies norms and others are too awestruck to call them on their behavior when it far exceeds the norm. Sorry Joe Pa, you should have done more, because you didn't, a bunch of young kids lives changed dramatically, for the worse and forever! You being relieved of coach for the last 3 games of your career is a small thing compaired to what happen to those kids.

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jamieLM | Nov 10, 2011, 11:02 AM EST

JoePa deserves credit for the signficant contributions he's made to Penn State over the years. He's done countless of good things for the university and has had, along with Iowa, the only non-cheating football program in the Big 10. JoePa, probably the most powerful man at Penn State, also deserved to be fired for his role in this horrific scandal. He allowed his good buddy Sandusky to use Penn State football facilities to sexually abuse young boys when he had prior knowledge that Sandusky allegedly had been seen abusing a young boy in the locker room. I'll bet he knew about the shower incident, too. Paterno failed to follow through by not reporting what he knew to the police and by not stopping the subsequent abuse that took place. I guess Paterno and the others didn't take note of how well that worked for the Catholic hierarchy when they tried to sweep their child sex abuse cases under the rug. The Board of Trustees is right in cleaning Penn State's house of those administrators involved in the inexcusable handling of child sexual abuse on their campus. Anyone who sees a child being sexually abused, or has knowledge of it, is obligated, legally and morally, to stop it by calling the police immediately. Period. The Penn State admininstration's failure to do what was right has resulted in the needless suffering of those boys, now young men, and their families that will forever affect their lives.

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ChuckFeney | Nov 09, 2011, 05:30 AM EST

Pope Joe Pa Penn State football's a perennial Big Ten power Who are now lookin' at their most shameful hour. The case they must broach Is an old defensive coach Who liked to bugger young boys in the shower. An assistant busted Sandusky in mid-stroke When he was givin' an at risk youngster a poke. He reported it to Joe Pa, Who gave it a hearty "Ha Ha" Then passed it to the A.D. as a joke. You see, nobody ever bothered to call the cops To protect the program, they pulled out all stops. 'Cause with pedophile rings Powerful deviants pull strings To hold a complaint in the loop 'til it drops. The Administration sat on the story for years Knowing it was the sum of their worst fears They kept the tale quiet 'Til they couldn't deny it But now the Nittany Lion's day of Judgement nears. Now Justice will be done, we all can hope! And Joe Pa has shown he's qualified to be Pope. But for kids in Happy Valley Don't wander down coach's alley And whatever you do, Don't drop the soap! ___________________________________ Charles Ulysses Feney

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