Joe Paterno dead at 85

[dedalos]

Excellent speeches going on currently at the public funeral. Its on ESPN right now if anyone cares too watch.

So much love to the man, excellent role model, and a hero for kids trying to do it the right way. 

This is a hero http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,327666.0.html  But no one knows him and I did not see a parade or any speeches on TV for him.  Not enough wins I guess?  How dare you compare a sports figure (any sports figure) to people like him?

[fudgums]

This is a hero http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,327666.0.html  But no one knows him and I did not see a parade or any speeches on TV for him.  Not enough wins I guess?  How dare you compare a sports figure (any sports figure) to people like him?

I'd like to know where I compared Joe Paterno to a Veteran of war. I'm offended that you would think that I would put sports figures above our veterans...considering that my father was a marine and was in Grenada, had 3 great great uncles die in WW2, 4 great Uncles that fought in Vietnam, and 2 grandfather that served in the Army. But you make assumptions before you know the full story.

Why I think Joe Paterno is a excellent hero and role model for kids of today.

Joe Paterno preached to do more than yourself, to commit to excellence. Joe Paterno donated millions on millions of dollars to Universities, charities, special olympics, etc. He preached that you are a student-athlete, not an athlete. Most of the buildings, books in the libraries, and many of the things you see at that institution today are because of Joe Paterno. Did he win a lot of games? He sure did, but he changed many many more lives than people are giving credit for, more than any single one of us that bash/converse on this forum will ever do.

The child abuse case will forever haunt his legacy, and quite frankly it should, but it should not hold a dark shadow of the 60+ years of work that he did. Phil Knight, CEO of Nike said it best at the funeral today at State College, "If there is a villain in this tragedy, it lies in that investigation, not in Joe Paterno's response."  Could Joe Paterno could've done more, yes he could, but he did what probably any of us would've have done. If you say you would've done more, hopefully you will never know how you will face a situation as quite as bad as the one at Penn State.

You can go ahead and say I'm supporting a child abuser and Joe Paterno is going to hell. In my own opinion, Joe Paterno will always be a hero of mine as I aspire into my football coaching career.

[dedalos]

I'd like to know where I compared Joe Paterno to a Veteran of war. I'm offended that you would think that I would put sports figures above our veterans...considering that my father was a marine and was in Grenada, had 3 great great uncles die in WW2, 4 great Uncles that fought in Vietnam, and 2 grandfather that served in the Army. But you make assumptions before you know the full story.

Why I think Joe Paterno is a excellent hero and role model for kids of today.

Joe Paterno preached to do more than yourself, to commit to excellence. Joe Paterno donated millions on millions of dollars to Universities, charities, special olympics, etc. He preached that you are a student-athlete, not an athlete. Most of the buildings, books in the libraries, and many of the things you see at that institution today are because of Joe Paterno. Did he win a lot of games? He sure did, but he changed many many more lives than people are giving credit for, more than any single one of us that bash/converse on this forum will ever do.

The child abuse case will forever haunt his legacy, and quite frankly it should, but it should not hold a dark shadow of the 60+ years of work that he did. Phil Knight, CEO of Nike said it best at the funeral today at State College, "If there is a villain in this tragedy, it lies in that investigation, not in Joe Paterno's response."  Could Joe Paterno could've done more, yes he could, but he did what probably any of us would've have done. If you say you would've done more, hopefully you will never know how you will face a situation as quite as bad as the one at Penn State.

You can go ahead and say I'm supporting a child abuser and Joe Paterno is going to hell. In my own opinion, Joe Paterno will always be a hero of mine as I aspire into my football coaching career.

  You still using the word hero

[fudgums]

You still using the word hero

Your point is what?

[BreakingBad]

It wasn't his responsibility to report anything to the police.

He was not legally obligated to report anything to the police (though that is debatable).

IMO he had a moral responsibility to do so and I think a majority of people do as well, but it is a judgement call.  People who hide behind the 'legal argument' are just equivocating.

Why McQueary wasn't fired as well I don't understand.

[mensa180]

respect to dedalos, del, etc.

[SuperDud]

I think I can sum this up for those having trouble understanding:


If you even suspect child molestation you should contact the police... END OF STORY! If you're wrong then you just have to live with the embarrassment. If you just tell someone who isn't in law enforcement  you aren't much better than the person doing the crime. It's really not that complicated.

If this was any other person, everyone on here would be saying what an idiot he was. But since he was famous, people try to defend this behavior. It's kind of scary actually. For his sake I think he's lucky to have passed and not have to face what will be revealed.


Will add I agree with an above post. If you don't have children it's much harder to understand. The thought of someone doing that to my kid would make me want to go all wookie on them. It's deplorable and any excuse made doesn't make up for it.

[BERN1]

Yes he was agreat football coach
did anyone mention that jerry Sandusky had an office on campus until he was arrested?
I am confused some people say JoePa was a great guy and that he did not know the details of the "horse play" going on.
some of those same people talk about whata great leader he was and how he had great power and knew everything that happened on Penn state grounds.
my feeling is they all tried to keep it hush hush to protect the football program,and JoePa was right in the thick of it he was afterall the most powerfull guy on campus.
sad really that everyone has forgotten the multiple young boys that were violated and tossed aside.

[Delirium]

Why I think Joe Paterno is a excellent hero and role model for kids of today.

You do realize that Paterno knew about the accusations about Sandusky as early as 1998, right? You do realize the idolized hero, Joe Paterno, waited to report it, not to police but to Administration? In Paterno's own words, "“I didn’t want to interfere with their weekends" . What a great hero! He should be idolized by everyone as a pillar of society!    Paterno clearly puts the needs of himself, Administration, and the football program ahead of a child. Yes, it is a shame that one event (or one person like Sandusky) can tarnish a good career and the life of Paterno, but if Paterno had done the right thing and followed through in making sure the police were involved, none of the black cloud above his past would exist right now.

While we are talking about villains, Mike McQreary is still a bigger villain than Paterno. He didn't stop Sandusky in the middle of the act, waited to report it to his boss, Paterno, and never made sure it was followed through upon. So, instead of removing him for a complete lack of proper protocol and character, he STILL has a job at Penn State. In fact, in addition to coaching, he is also doing some of the recruiting for the college. How can someone with a complete lack of common sense and moral character assess applicants that wish to attend the college. Oh, that is right, football trumps it all, including the welfare of children.

Even bigger villains than Paterno or even McQreary is Admiistration; Curley and Shultz, who lacked not only good moral character, but were willing to use kids as fodder to keep their jobs and the football program intact. I am not a vengeful person, but part of me wishes they get their just rewards in the shower room in prison.

A lot of villains in this unfolding drama, even the fans are willing to put football or idolized hero-worship ahead of the truth. Too bad, this event could of been a spring board in a push to protect children instead of the same status quo.

edit: I wish I had proof read that before I posted; grammatical errors were corrected.

[Delirium]

I know I'm not making any friends in this thread, and perhaps my comments have been a bit strong but I wouldn't take any of them back.

I've seen too many kids destroyed and many of those abused have stories much in common. Pedophiles tend to perform their nefarious acts and often aren't caught long after they have abused many kids. The reason for it is they often go unreported and/or people tend not to completely trust the victim or fail to take the allegation seriously. I will bet good money Sandusky has been abusing kids most his life, but never had to face justice. Watching a teaching institution allow one of these monsters to skate numerous times (and therefore abusing more kids) and seeing people defend the actions of even one person involved is absolutely revolting to me.

[grizz441]

Well it does not surprise me that those who would so easily demonize Joe Paterno, would quickly jump to demonize posters in this thread who would even think to defend him.   

[Shane]

Well it does not surprise me that those who would so easily demonize Joe Paterno, would quickly jump to demonize posters in this thread who would even think to defend him.   

what are you defending him from?

[dedalos]

Well it does not surprise me that those who would so easily demonize Joe Paterno, would quickly jump to demonize posters in this thread who would even think to defend him.   

Oh there you are.  I thought you made a run for it.  So, yeah, what are you defending him from? 

[Vipermann]

Excerpt from an article online:

"In the morning Thursday, I met Jack Harris, a retired Air Force colonel from Colorado, in the hotel lobby over breakfast. He graduated from Penn State in 1969, and talked about meeting with Paterno. It was 1966, Harris’ sophomore year, and he was homesick and a little lost at Penn State. His mother, worried he would drop out of school, had called an adviser to keep an eye on him.
Then one day, he was walking to the football game and, "All of a sudden, I hear this high, squeaky voice," Harris said, "'Hey, where you going?'"
Harris said he and Paterno walked together for half an hour, by happenstance. And Harris talked about missing home, getting a pep talk from Paterno. Harris credited that moment, in part, for turning him around, showing him that someone cared about him.
Even if it was a football coach he would never talk to again.
Eventually, Harris went on to his career in the Air Force, he said, and always made a point to talk with young soldiers to help."

Not everything the guy did was to cover up some crime or to promote the football program. Some of us remember things like this and choose to focus on them right now and not the things he did wrong. Doesn't mean we aren't sad or angry, but there's a time and place for it and in my opinion it isn't right after the guy died.

[dedalos]

I know I'm not making any friends in this thread, and perhaps my comments have been a bit strong but I wouldn't take any of them back.

Or maybe you are making some friends and you are finding out who you don;t want to be friends with?