Nike founder defends Paterno response to scandal

(AP) 

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Nike founder and chairman Phil Knight got a standing ovation at Joe Paterno's public memorial Thursday for defending the late coach's response to an accusation of child sex abuse against a former assistant.

At a ceremony filled with lavish praise that would likely have embarrassed the school's beloved coach, Knight waded into a subject that had been virtually ignored since Paterno died on Sunday from lung cancer — the immediate cause of his firing after 46 seasons leading Penn State's football team to a record-setting 409 wins.

University trustees have said a major reason Paterno was ousted Nov. 9 was that he failed to alert anyone beyond his two superiors at the school when he was told of an abuse allegation against former assistant Jerry Sandusky in 2002. Sandusky was charged with dozens of child sex abuse counts on Nov. 5, two school officials were charged with perjury and former school president Graham Spanier was pushed out the same night as Paterno.

Special Section: The Penn State Scandal
Penn State says last goodbye to Joe Paterno

Commenting on those events, Knight said, "it turns out (Paterno) gave full disclosure to his superiors, information that went up the chains to the head of the campus police and the president of the school. The matter was in the hands of a world-class university, and by a president with an outstanding national reputation."

Knight added, "...this much is clear to me. If there is a villain in this tragedy, it lies in that investigation and not in Joe Paterno."

The remark drew a standing ovation from the crowd of 12,000 at the Bryce Jordan Center — with Paterno's widow, Sue, and former defensive coordinator, Tom Bradley, among those rising to their feet.

"Who is the real trustee at Penn State University?" Knight asked.

The campus has been torn by anger over the Sandusky scandal and Paterno's firing, but this week thousands of alumni, fans, students and former players in Happy Valley have remembered Paterno for his stellar career, his love for the school and his generosity.

That made Knight's remarks even more surprising.

Paterno's son and former quarterbacks coach, Jay, also got a standing ovation near the end of the ceremony when he imitated his raised-in-Brooklyn father's voice, telling the audience to "Sit down! Sit down!"

Then, growing serious, he told the crowd, "Joe Paterno left this world with a clear conscience."

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Earlier in ceremony, the focus was praise for Paterno and fond memories.

"Bless us this day as we honor and celebrate one of your greatest gifts to the world — Joe Paterno," the Rev. Matthew Laffey said in the opening prayer.

A short time later, after a video montage, former star Penn State quarterback Todd Blackledge said, "No one individual has ever done more for a university anywhere in the country than what Joe Paterno did for this school."

The line drew applause, and Blackledge was followed on the podium in the darkened arena by Lauren Perrotti, a Penn State student and Paterno fellow.

Thursday's event brought to a close the public mourning period for Paterno.

Public viewings were held Tuesday and Wednesday morning at a campus spiritual center, followed by a funeral Mass, procession and burial for Paterno that afternoon.

[Samlv]

JoePa never did anything wrong.

[Goofer-Buddy]

Joe Paterno's memorial was the finest memorial I have ever seen... A real tribute to a great man.

[betterusa]

This is for the people that want to ridicule and mostly hold responsible Joe Paterno for the Sandusky alleged crime. This is a man that coached, taught life lessons, and made better people of over 1000 young men in his lifetime at Penn State yet all you can do is believe he could care less about a child that he was told was "horse playing" in the shower with Jerry Sandusky. He went to the administrator's in charge, in fact the one was responsible for the university police, and reported what he was told; he did not witness anything or hear the child was in danger.

Where are these children's parents and/or guardians through all of this? As a father, if a man in his fifties or sixties wanted to take my 8 to 12 year old son out of town for a weekend, week, day etc. I would sure as h-ll want to know a lot more about this person. If my son came home with lavish gifts I would want to know why. What about in 1998 when Sandusky was supposed to be investigated by the law and nothing happened? A DA disappears and the cops cover it up but who cares, it's all Joe Paterno's fault. Sandusky was no longer on the coaching staff and Joe Paterno did not give him permission to use University facilities, the administrators did; in fact, Joe asked that Sandusky NOT be allowed to use the football facilities.

All decent humans care about the welfare of a child and do not want to see them as victims of sick people but to put this on Joe Paterno is totally unjust and most that do are either hateful, jealous or ignorant.

Blame: Sandusky (especially if he's found guilty); the children's guardian(s); the PSU administrator's; the media for automatically trying this case in the public opinion and sensationalizing their reporting; the assistant principal and wrestling coach from the school close to the Second Mile; and lastly, the Second Mile administrator's and guardians for not monitoring the children.

Joe Paterno never sought the spotlight and never stated he didn't make mistakes in his life. Apparently all of you that criticize his life and accomplishments are perfect human beings. I for one admire Knight's support and will buy Nike products as much as possible.

[Emloutom]

Thank you! We echo your sentiments!

[MacDerb]

No Nikes.

None.

This valuing of things that have no substance to produce culturally-significant young people is one of the most serious problems that the United States has today.

Few play musical instruments with skill so that their mathematical ability increases, few are able to hold relevant discourse with any great length, few can pay attention to their partner in conversation long enough before the discourse falls down the tubes in the way of sex talk, and few can earn anything beyond $50,000 a year.

Our society values things that fail our children, and here is yet another example of that fact.

You are killing the United States to cause younger generations to believe that only money will make them the best people in the world.

What a horrible lie that is.

Look at what that lie did to Joe Paterno - to cause such astonishing controversy that will languish attached to his name for all eternity.

Think higher, young Americans. Think above the old nasty men that bring you down.

Take leave of their lies.

[aChangeOfIdeas]

So the next time someone says that someone else was seen "maybe" doing something hinky with a kid (remember, McQueary's story to Paterno was NOT what it is now) make sure you go to the police because with no name, no address, no pictures, and not being an eyewitness they are certainly going to jump all over your story.
McQUEARY should have gone to the police, but he is still employed by Penn State. If you say well McQueary reported it to his superior, well HELLO, that's what Paterno did.
And let's keep reminding everyone that the DISTRICT ATTORNEY did not find enough evidence to move the case forward, the boy said nothing happened, and that is why there was no case back then.

[longtree-2009]

this man might just be in the corner of pedophiles and those who know of it and do nothing. psu will stink for years to come as will past and present graduates if they continue to praise a man who didn't do the right thing, simply dial 9-1-1 and notify the police. how would you feel if the children used, raped by sandusky, was your sister, your brother, any young relative, your best friend's child? would paterno still be your personal hero?

[betterusa]

YOU ARE an azz hole.

[Berkland4]

Your argument is old and tired and lacks intelligence. ONCE AGAIN, support for Joe Paterno is not support for pedophiles. 9-1-1 on campus would put you in contact with campus police which is a REAL police force. We are all parents, brothers, sisters, etc. and we're all outraged at the actions of ANYONE who would hurt a child. If Gary Schulz, Tim Curley and Graham Spanier had done their jobs and Jerry Sandusky had been investigated sooner, Joe Paterno would have been praised for what he had done. These children were failed by a few Penn State administrators, The Second Mile, law enforcement, then PA Attorney General Tom Corbett, school district administrators and, of course, Jerry Sandusky who very cleverly gained the trust of everyone, including these childrens' parents. Joe is resting in peace with the Lord - no question about it!

[ralphing]

I have asked this before, but why was Sandusky reported to the school's president when he wasn't an employee of the school?

He was a former employee, now a private citizen. None of Paterno's bosses had no real jurisdiction over Sandusky. If some unknown person was seen committing a crime you wouldn't tell Paterno or his boss, you would call the police by dialing 911. This is where McQueary and Paterno failed. A company boss can fire an employee or put him on administrative leave for doing something against company policy. All you can do to a non-employee is to tell them to leave the premises or you will call the police and have them charged with trespassing.

[Berkland4]

PA law clearly states that an employee, if given information about possible child abuse, should report that information to their superiors. It then lists the exact steps that those individuals are to take in further reporting the information. That is why Schulz and Curley were charged. They were given the information and did not further report it. Furthermore, they are accused of lying to the grand jury when they were questioned regarding the incident. 9-1-1 on campus reaches campus police. Gary Schulz was head of campus police.

[OPPORTUNITIESPASS]

I would never send any of my 4 sons to PN State! Ever!

[betterusa]

they probably aren't smart enough to get in.

[Berkland4]

I would agree with betterusa. If they are like you, they lack the intelligence required for admission.

[Montana5]

Those who defend Paterno's handling of this information just need to answer one question: would they think Joe had done enough if it was their child who was being victimized in the showers? I venture to say if it was Knight's kid, he wouldn't have been within 200 miles of this memorial service.

[betterusa]

Montana: are you 100% certain the child was victimized in the shower and are you 100% certain McQueary told Joe that is exactly what happened? By the way, the trial still has to take place and no one has been found quilty or innocent yet. Even if Sandusky is guilty (I too believe he is), Joe did what he had to do with SECOND HAND information.

[Goofer-Buddy]

The finest memorial I have ever seen... A real tribute to a great man.