Bogus Beliefs about Joe Paterno

The Top 5 Bogus Beliefs You Must Have To Condemn Joe Paterno 
 
Bogus Belief #1: Joe Paterno only told his boss about the shower incident that Mike McQueary reported to him and never called the police. Truth: The Grand Jury Presentment details testimony that Joe reported the incident to Tim Curley (his AD) and Gary Schultz, the head of University Police. 
 
Bogus Belief #2: Joe never followed up on his initial report to Curley and Schultz. Truth: If he did – and we don’t know – why would they tell him anything different than what they told the Grand Jury? According to their testimony, McQueary did not report child molestation or any actionable evidence. Further, the head of the University Police said in his Grand Jury testimony that he believes the incident was reported to Children and Youth Services. 
 
Bogus Belief #3: Joe Paterno was the most powerful man on campus, State College and Centre County and could have used his clout to take care of Sandusky.Truth: Although Joe was a powerful man, he did not run the University Police. Gary Schultz did. See #2 above as to how Schultz would have answered any questions about Sandusky. In addition, Sandusky’s keys were taken away by the administrators after the 2002 incident and warned not to bring children on campus any more. Surely the University’s legal counsel would have cautioned about a law suit if any severe actions were taken against Sandusky erroneously. And based on McQueary’s various stories, what basis did they have to act? 
 
Bogus Belief #4: Joe never called the police or 911. Truth: A 911 call or a call to the police would have ended up on Schultz’s desk. See #2 above as to what Schultz’s investigation discovered about the incident.  
 
Bogus Belief #5: Joe Paterno only did the bare minimum and nothing more.Truth: Joe Paterno went beyond his legal duty and reported Mike McQueary’s story to not only his boss – as required – but also to the head of University Police.


Calling 9-1-1 from Joe's house would have gotten him the University police, which was already reported to them. And don't even start with the rent-a-cops. Penn State police are fully trained officers who went through the academy and are fully armed.(Two guns, pepper spray etc.)

In a nutshell, Joe Paterno trusted people with this information and they screwed it up. Joe's biggest mistake was putting too much trust in Tim Curley and Gary Schultz. That's why he said: "With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more." 

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He didn't do anything or enogh as he's stated because he really didn't give two chits about it.   He just viewed the entire thing as something that would interfere with his football program and simply wanted someone to make it go away.

That statement proves that you didn't read my post.

   He views himself as a victim now

No, he doesn't. "You know, I'm not as concerned about me," he said. "What's happened to me has been great. I got five great kids. Seventeen great grandchildren. I've had a wonderful experience here at Penn State. I don't want to walk away from this thing bitter. I want to be helpful."

-Joe Paterno's quote from the interview
 

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Frankly I have no time for Paterno.  He not only turned a blind eye, but he disgraced himeself and Penn State.  There has been a very high awareness of child abuse, sexual molestation, etc over the past 10 years, that for Paterno to inply he didn't fully realize is a joke.  The second after he informed School officials, he should have informed the school he was calling the police.  Recent news points to potential future honoring of Paterno for the alumni.  Let it go, the best thing the school can do now to save its image is to highlight and accept its mistakes, make restitution with the victims and stiop talking about Paterno as a god.  He is an enabler of child abuse because he "didn't do enough"... his words.  No joke.  

Bogus Belief #2: Joe never followed up on his initial report to Curley and Schultz. Truth: If he did – and we don’t know – why would they tell him anything different than what they told the Grand Jury? According to their testimony, McQueary did not report child molestation or any actionable evidence. Further, the head of the University Police said in his Grand Jury testimony that he believes the incident was reported to Children and Youth Services. 

You point several of your "Bogus Beliefs" back to #2 so I will bold the most important part of what you wrote.  You dont know you assume the best of course.  But you dont know.  So what if it is "If he didnt"  that changes all your wrote.

Truth:  Joe was too damn old, ignorant, and senile to run a college football program of this magnitude.  When this was brought to him, he probably didn't understand what was going on and definitely didn't do enough.  He was from a differnt era without the internet blowing up stories and probably thought that he did enough. 

Does this make him a bad person?  I don't think so necessarily.  Does it make him deserve to be fired?  Hell yes! He wasn't fit to handle what has become a 24/7 365 job that requires savvy in more than just the game of football.  Sorry Joe, you were a great coach but the times have past you by stringing out your career to that point, you brought it upon yourself.  His legacy will be OK someday, but he really did bring it upon himself.

Truth:  Joe was too damn old, ignorant, and senile to run a college football program of this magnitude.  When this was brought to him, he probably didn't understand what was going on and definitely didn't do enough.  He was from a differnt era without the internet blowing up stories and probably thought that he did enough. 

Does this make him a bad person?  I don't think so necessarily.  Does it make him deserve to be fired?  Hell yes! He wasn't fit to handle what has become a 24/7 365 job that requires savvy in more than just the game of football.  Sorry Joe, you were a great coach but the times have past you by stringing out your career to that point, you brought it upon yourself.  His legacy will be OK someday, but he really did bring it upon himself.

Although this is stated a tad indelicately. It is probably the closest thing to the real truth re: Paterno and what he did or did not do. Those of us who have admired JoePa throughout his career, wanted to believe that he could stay on top of and run the entire program forever just as he had always done. However, that is simply not possible. As many have said, "father time is undefeated".

Perhaps the hardest part of getting old is accepting that we simply cannot do the things that we once did. What's the saying? "The older I get, the better I was"? Anyone who has ever had to have the "It's time to stop driving" conversation with a parent or grandparent understands this and how difficult it is for folks to accept the limitations that come with advanced age.

Penn State fans still support Paterno who is in a fact a player in this ridiculous act in Happy Valley. PSU fans need to man up and admit what happened was totally wrong, and then fire everyone involved and clean house. Quit trying to push everything under the rug and have some morals. If you don't, your program is doomed for years to come.

I love how Penn State fans won't acknowledge that the Board of Trustees DID JOE A FAVOR.  Think about him finishing out the remaining games with constant questions, boradcast booth opinions, etc. of Joe and the Sandusky scandal.  Getting him out when it did really was the best thing.  <br /><br />They have cleaned house from this incident and the BoT finally tried to do the right thing.  If the Penn St. fans or students resent them for this then they are horribly misguided.  There was only ONE thing to do.  That was clean house Prez, JoePa, all the way down to the waterboys.  <br />

TrojanFan, once again I am probably more in agreement with what you are saying.  And have said so in other posts on this.  Well, at least from what I think you are saying, I agree.  For years many of the same people on here and across the country who are blasting Coach Paterno told us that he is just a figure head nowadays and beyond full capacity for running the program.  And there is probably a lot of truth to that.  So when this is thrown in his lap, is it really too far of a stretch that he was being led to believe that enough was being done?  Not saying this is absolutley the case, just that it is not a stretch to believe unless you are just hell bent on asserting blame.

we have got to stop these threads...ignorant people are going to think what they want....truth is legally paterno did what he needed to do, but morally, well thats another issue and i think thats what people are mad about

Penn State fans still support Paterno who is in a fact a player in this ridiculous act in Happy Valley. PSU fans need to man up and admit what happened was totally wrong

We acknowledge that Paterno SHOULD get some of the blame. However, to crucify and call for his head is absolutely rediculous. Yes,Paterno played a role because he did not follow up as he should have. He put too much trust in Schultz and Curley.

There are four people who are more guilty than Paterno:

1. Sandusky (obviously)
2. Gary Schultz (Head of Police, any 9-1-1 call Joe would have made would have redirected to Gary Schultz's desk.)
3. Mike McQueary (Ran to his daddy after seeing Sandusky in the shower with an 11 year old boy)
4. Tim Curley (Athletic Director)
5. Joe Paterno (Should have followed up more vigorously. He put too much trust in Tim Curley and Gary Schultz) 

3. Mike McQueary (Ran to his daddy after seeing Sandusky in the shower with an 11 year old boy)

he should be 2, and really close to #1 IMO....dude is a coward, no reason in the world why he shouldnt have saved that boy..

I wonder what the OP's thoughts are on child molesters?


I wonder if even the thought, hint or allegation levied against someone changes his thoughts about that person?


I can only speak for myself, once you put that allegation of child molester/sexual abuse on someone, my entire thought about that person is changed, and not for the better.


Was an allegation of sexual abuse of a child reported to JoePa?   

At that point, how much involvelment with the PSU football program did Sandusky continue to have?   

How many young men did JoePa let continue to support Sandusky's foundation?

How much freedom did Sandusky have irt PSU football?


There is so much more Joe Pa could have done.   Begining with making Sandusky persona-non-grata.         


I also guarantee you the OP and other blind JoePa supporters would be bashing any other coach/program for doing/failing to do the same thing.  It's very hard to call oneself a hypocrite.               

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Penn St fans come back to the B1G board please, you are missed and we understand

There are four people who are more guilty than Paterno:

1. Sandusky (obviously)
2. Gary Schultz (Head of Police, any 9-1-1 call Joe would have made would have redirected to Gary Schultz's desk.)
3. Mike McQueary (Ran to his daddy after seeing Sandusky in the shower with an 11 year old boy)
4. Tim Curley (Athletic Director)
5. Joe Paterno (Should have followed up more vigorously. He put too much trust in Tim Curley and Gary Schultz) 


I agree more guilty but still all guilty and all should pay the price.  If JoePa was too old to understand what was going on then why washe still in charge?  Some say he was just a figure head but outside of Happy Valley he was touted as the man in charge doing things the right way for 60 years.  He was the example and PSU used him to show how superior they were because of doing the right thing for so long.  That is why Joe had so much responsibility with this situation.  And if he was unable to understand he should have been removed as HC and they should not have just kept him around to get the record. 

I agree more guilty but still all guilty and all should pay the price.

Sandusky will go to jail, Schultz and Curley lost their jobs and may go to jail, and Joe Paterno/Mike McQueary lost their jobs. Paterno lost his legacy. Penn State has been humiliated but has raised over $2 million for the charity RAINN and has stated it will build a clinic for abused children. Alumni/students are mortified. Some have even lost their jobs because they went to Penn State.. What more do you haters want????
Btw, don't just say "Burn down the campus, death penalty etc." Those suggestions are completely rediculous and if you did that to Penn State, you would have to do that to Syracuse and whatever school has an employee that is a pedophile...