The Rest of College Football

[hack]

Indeed. Fuck 'em. Perhaps in a spot considered unnatural.

[Jamie H]

But how would the police take action without a victim? I'm not defending Paterno or Penn State, I'm asking a law enforcement question. In cases of alleged child abuse, are the police allowed to track down all the kids that may have had contact with a person over a period of time and ask them if something bad happened?

As far as I know in adult rape cases, the police cannot really act unless the victim comes to them. Child abuse cases may have different rules due to the unlikelihood of children coming forward on their own.

As far as I know, this whole thing only blew up starting in 2008 because one of the victims finally went to the police.

So let's go back to 2002 and say Paterno goes to the cops with the GA's claim. Sandusky flatly denies the incident. Are the cops then able to search out potential victims and try to get them to testify? Or do they need more proof than one person saying he saw something? I mean, who is to say that one person doesn't have some axe to grind (obviously not in this case, but in general)?

[hack]

Different for the average person and a football coach. When you're a role model/mentor/father figure type the standard has to be higher if you're not a total shithead. Popeterno didn't need any legal action or the threat of it to look into this and decide for himself whether Sandusky needed to be removed from the program or reported to authorities.

[Hannibal]

I do think it's a terrible way for Paterno to end his career -- a career in which he's surely done so much good. But that's not the tragedy. The story is tragic because of the gross derelection of civic duty from an entire community -- from the local authorities to the University to a legendary coach. I can't even imagine how many victims there are -- nor do I want to. I only know it's far more than 8. Has to be.

According to local news in Philly, it is up to 20.

[Jamie H]

Different for the average person and a football coach. When you're a role model/mentor/father figure type the standard has to be higher if you're not a total shithead. Popeterno didn't need any legal action or the threat of it to look into this and decide for himself whether Sandusky needed to be removed from the program or reported to authorities.

That's the other question--Sandusky already didn't work for Penn State in 2002. What was his role in the program at the time?

Another question---is this the reason he retired? Because that would mean that everyone at Penn St. knew about it as early as the late 90's and it was a total cover-up from the start.

[hack]

Grimace/wow/ooof. Must be awful to be a PSU fan right now.

[iam416]

Another question---is this the reason he retired? Because that would mean that everyone at Penn St. knew about it as early as the late 90's and it was a total cover-up from the start.

My understanding is that PSU knew about this at least as early as 1998. I mean, the DA considered allegations in 1998 (showering with a 10 year old), but didn't have enough to prosecute (or chose not to). Penn State had to know. That's why he retired. YET, they continued to give him access. And that's why, in 2002, MM walks in on the unspeakable. The whole lot of them should burn. F'n burn.

[lineygoblue]

Start fixing up a cell for each one of them. That's where they belong.

[hack]

Yeah. JoePa might die there, but if that's the price you pay, so be it. No point in having laws if you don't enforce them.

[hodgkal]

I read tonight that there is great concern in Happy Valley for the current PSU team and how they will cope going into a huge game on Saturday and therefore JoePa may stay on in support of the team. The football team is just one of many many characters suffering collateral damage in this scandal.

It looks to me like the fear of losing the revered status of their football program clouded the vision for right and wrong among the higher ups in the chain of command. Another example of the football tail wagging the academic dog. Money! Here's a hypothetical question. What if this same thing happened to Bo Schembechler, say back around 1980? Or any other football coaching icon. We know how the administration in Columbus reacted to scandal -- just cover it up.

We have never lumped Penn State in the same category with the win at all cost mentality of many SEC schools. For that matter not (most) of the Big Ten schools either. Maybe we need to rethink our priorities. If respected Penn State was guilty of such behavior it may be a symptom of a much wider problem nationally. I would like to think such things could not happen at U of M but who knows?

[Optimus Prime]

I read somewhere that Authorities found a picture of DSL's ass in Sandusky's wallet ?

[Jamie H]

My understanding is that PSU knew about this at least as early as 1998. I mean, the DA considered allegations in 1998 (showering with a 10 year old), but didn't have enough to prosecute (or chose not to). Penn State had to know. That's why he retired. YET, they continued to give him access. And that's why, in 2002, MM walks in on the unspeakable. The whole lot of them should burn. F'n burn.

Given that he wasn't charged with anything in 1998, it is possible that Penn State could have been slapped with a wrongful termination suit if they fired him? I'm wondering if the continued access to the campus was part of whatever deal Sandusky cut that included him retiring.

The problem I have is that if PSU knew about the allegations in 1998, I would think that plus what the GA saw in 2002 would have allowed them to put 2 and 2 together and go to child protective services.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Penn State's BOT had a teleconference tonight. No major steps taken. Some Special Committee will be created on friday.

[entropy]

Wonder how this will affect the team's performance against Nebraska on Saturday, their minds may not be in the game? Huskers are a 2.5 favorite,any comments?

BTW, unlike Tressel, JoePa should resign immediately.....just a matter of time.

they will circle the wagons and win for their coach

[hack]

football tail wagging the academic dog

Disagree. Were it a faculty member or a regent or a chess-team member they'd cover it up too. University executives' jobs are to raise money and protect the brand. To leave the job having not overseen anything embarrassing on their watch. Football adds a dimension of eggheads vs meatheads, but it all still goes in the same file.