From what I heard, they had almost no personal relationship, and that it was strictly professional. I really don't think that he was trying to cover for his friend as many seem to imply. Was he wrong? In a way yes, for not doing more. Was anything intentional? I really don't believe that.

actually
 

According to many reports Paterno did turn him into campus police. Couple this with the fact that McQueary admits he did not tell joe all the facts and I feel he got a raw deal. The university more than Paterno seems at fault for the coverup. And if you think Im a Paterno apologist you obviously dont know me.

Tony and Jim,

In an alternate universe his reporting of the issue to his superiors might not have fallen through the cracks and Sandusky's horrors might have been stopped. It is not within the realm of possibility to believe that Paterno could have done nothing more than what he did and the and this sad story could have been brought to a grinding halt. Unfortunately it didn't and if you want to vilify him as an enabler or for not shouting what he heard from the rooftops you have that right. But some of us have chose to remember him for the immense good he did in his life and we too have that right. I completely understand that this is a firestorm topic and people's opinions on his legacy are already etched in stone, but the opening statement of your post is unnecessary.

Uh oh. Steve, bend over - we have a line forming at Tony's request. Could you stop by Rite-Aid and pick up some vaseline? I'm thinking this is going to hurt.

Ouch! Or rather sooooooey!

Methinks that there are a few folks on this thread who need to valet park their high horses.

RIP Joe.

.

man o man
 

I am glad I didn't really comment after I started this thread. If anyone wants to argue about this stuff, go for it. But please remember about having your names in your posts if you are not extremely well known already. thanks

Agreed on both counts.

Well said. RIP JoePa.

The truly blind are those with the hubris to presume from the outside that they know all of the pertinent circumstances and facts.

Perhaps this thread is a little unfair if it is solely about his sports career. I'd say a million things about Ty Cobb and how disgraceful most of his personal life was, but can still appreciate how great he was on the field. However, I still think that is apples and oranges.

Jesus, he just died. Most of us were looking at it from the standpoint that he is dead. I guess we'll have to add 'dead coaches' to the trouble-making list of religion and politics.

Hopefully none of this carries forward into our hobby relationships, but I have to admit, when I'm told that if my opinion is different from someone else's, that I deserve to be raped, or that I'm worthless, my hair stands up a little.

I agree with you. But I did not say that nor would I ever encourage such behavior. Like I said, I can understand if this thread is just about his career in sports. That's fair. Lots of our heroes made mistakes and had errors in judgement. I don't support apologists though or making excuses about why certain behaviors are acceptable. That's all.

I get it, but I just hate to see forum members horse-whipped for wishing the guy a peaceful eternity now that he's dead.

I don't think there's anyone here who doesn't wish Paterno had called the police (including Paterno).

Well, its good to know that Tony, our resident hater, has made his thoughts known. If you don't agree with him, you are subject to being ass-raped and burning in hell. Too bad Tony was born 500 years too late to be involved in those witch burnings. I bet watching that would have made Tony's day.

So, Tony, what about those who aren't yet sure whether or not they agree with you about Paterno? Do they get only half the punishment that people who actually disagree with you get? Either ass-raped or consigned to burn in hell? Exactly how does that work? Do they get to pick or is that your choice? Who made you God? Before you go accusing Paterno of anything, go take a look in the mirror.

As usual Kenny comes out of the woodwork to attack me personally. I don't know him (or wish to) but every time I voice my opinion I get shouted down by him. Look at the history, you'll see. Maybe I should just keep quiet like JoePa and I'll be voted onto sainthood like him.

An interesting take on coach Paterno

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7...no-true-legacy

There is no excuse for the mistake(s) he made, but there was also a lot of good in the man. Like the rest of us he was not perfect.

Hopefully, Penn State, other institutions, all of of us, will learn from these mistakes.

Let him without sin...

I went to Penn State and saw Joe many times on campus. He was always cordial and always spoke even before we had a chance to say hello to him. So let me set up another scenario that you may not have envisioned.

Let's assume that McQueery came to him, as he did, with this sketchy story about Sandusky and Joe immediately goes to his superiors, as he was supposed to do. He immediately releases Sandusky from his perks on campus. Then he goes to the police. Then he goes to newspapers, all in an effort to save any possible attack on children. I would imagine that many of you would think this is a good thing to protect the children.

Now two weeks later everyone finds out that the story is made up, similarly to the assistant coach at Syracuse. The Syracuse assistant coach was accused by a former student, then the student recanted and said that he made the story up because the assistant coach wouldn't help him get a loan. But meanwhile, since Paterno shouted to the top of his lungs that Sandusky did this, do you think that Sandusky would ever get his life back if the allegations were false.

Many times in the threads people pointed out, "What if this was your child?" Well, what if this man was your brother, your father, and if the allegations were false? Would you want his life to be totally ruined by a possible false allegation? In any situation like this, you do want to protect the children. But there are always two sides to the story. Now to protect both sides, wouldn't it be prudent to go to your superiors and have them do an investigation and find out exactly what happened? Well, that's what Joe did.

If you come back at me and say that we need to jump to the aid of the (adult) child now, that this wouldn't really harm the alleged attacker, then all you need to remember is the Atlanta Olympics. Remember the guy that they accused of setting off that bomb. His life was totally ruined after the false allegations hit the airwaves and he died an early life because of the toll of the stress upon him.

Now, of course, it would have been nice to stop these attacks. It would be wonderful, in hindsight, to do the right thing. But one must take prudent action to insure the integrity of both parties. That is the right thing to do.

Cy

Yeah, poor Tony. You say that people who disagree with your take on this issue should be sodomized and burn in hell and then act like you're the victim when I point out what a maggot the nature of your post makes you look like. Cry me a river.

No doubt in my mind, he simply lost the will to live because of football being taken away from him....

goodbye

Cy, I think it defies logic to think that Paterno had no clue about Sandusky's preference for little boys before McQueary came to him in 2002. Sandusky was investigated for touching a boy in the shower in 1998..the next year he "retired" from PSU...I think Paterno forced him out then. Why would one of the best Defensive Coordinators in college football just up and retire from the game in his late 50's? How can you even buy the story that Paterno gave when he said in the Grand Jury testimony that if Sandusky was engaging in that kind of activity he "had us all fooled"? If that's true then why did PSU ban him from bringing children on campus? Certainly Paterno knew ALL of this.

Dan, since any opinion counter to yours "defies all logic", then, being a logical person, and knowing that you only tell the truth, I now agree with you.

That was simple.

Cy - I'll call you later, you imbecile.

Didn't Bill Cowher retire at age 50? John Gruden retired before age 50. I know that neither was college. But it goes to show that coaches do retire before their 50's.

Cy

My guess would be that they were in a much better position financially to retire than Sandusky. Don't know but I'll take a flyer there.
And I would add, that neither are "retired" but are in a different phase of work life.

.

When have I ever said that any opinion counter to mine defies all logic?

Dan, you didn't. Cy's post previous to yours stood well on its own and I shouldn't even have responded.