I'll admit to being pretty conflicted about this. At first, focusing on the abused children, especially the ones victimized AFTER Paterno and university officials knew what Sandusky was doing...I wanted blood
Sandusky, as soon as he's sentenced and lands in mainstream population somewhere...is going to learn what all pedophiles learn in prison...that you don't ever want to be a convicted child molester in prison
Hard working criminals (mobsters, hit-men, take-down artists, thieves etc) resent being locked up with them. Jerry is also going to relearn every day what it's like to be brutally abused by those more powerful then he.
Fine so far!
I have rejoiced in the DE-canonization of Joe Paterno...cheered when he lost his reputation, his legacy, his statue...and his 13 years of victories...until I thought about the young athletes who actually played and won those games. Granted, they were recruited, trained, coached and inspired by Paterno...but THEY won those games...and unless any of these young men are shown to also be child molesters...none deserves the punishment they've received.
Likewise any athletes who are still attending PSU this fall...and the 10 a year who won't be attending at all
There are going to be so many investigations, civil and criminal trials over this, with so much more information (and culprits) emerging, that the prudent thing...the REASONABLE thing, for the NCAA to do, was to wait and take copious notes...
Not stage a media-inspired power-play...
Those responsible should be exposed and punished in accordance with the law...and perhaps the university...but not in a manner that impacts so badly on the university students themselves
Yet again, a false god has been unmasked. Joe Paterno was, and to some still remains, a "god."
Football is simply a game. Abetting and enabling children to be sodomized and raped is pure evil. Those involved are guilty of stealing the very souls of countless, innocent children, and for what? So that middle-aged "adults" can mindlessly cheer on a football program and an institution that was protecting a pedophile?
Can we be spared the image of clueless freshman girls and alumni weeping and laying wreaths at the site of the removal of the statue of the golden calf?
Had Joe Paterno done the right thing, he truly would have been a hero. He had the opportunity. Not once but likely dozens of time. But his silence reveals a total lack of morality; his hypocrisy unfathomable; his excuses lame and not credible. It is clear that Paterno knew EVERYTHING that happened in, on, or near that football program. It's an undeniable fact.
The Bible states: "Whoever would harm one of these little ones, it would be better for him if he had a heavy weight fastened about his neck and be thrown into the sea"
This is where the "legacy" of the beloved "JoePa" lies--under the depths of the sea.
Paterno had no one to blame but Paterno. It's long past the time that his supporters accept reality and yes, even their own culpability. To many, college days are sometimes people's happiest times. But for God's sake, can't these Penn State alumni admit to themselves that they were duped? This blind, mindless "boolah-boolah" mentality is part of the systemic disease that creates such a cesspool of corruption. For God's sake, can't these people GROW UP??
Probably not. There are millions who still believe that "Nixon did nothing wrong." There are people who still believe that the U.S. faked the moon landing. And yes, there are people who will always believe that Joe Paterno was a "god." He wasn't. He was a fatally flawed human being who valued his reputation and his empire more than the innocent children who he turned his back on.
It's hard to learn that you have been taken in by a cult. But the first step in doing so lies in acceptance that you were. And the first step for those grieving over Penn State's football program is for them to accept the fact that Joe Paterno, the school, the administration, and everything associated with it was a fraud of the most egregious kind.
No event in recent memory better calls to mind the quote: "The only thing required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing."
Perhaps these men were once good. But in the end, THEY DID NOTHING! And evil prevailed. No penalty invoked upon Penn State will even make a dent in the irreparable harm, pain, and destruction they caused.
To all the cry-baby football lunkheads carrying on about your Penn State records: nobody took those wins away...your own precious sports heroes crapped all over them. It was the sick obsession with sports and winning that led to this. It was a disease, a sick pattern of behavior that permeated the university (and I'm sure many universities throughout the country). It wasn't one bad apple who made one mistake. It was criminal negligence on a systemic level. Many people in power knew what was going on. And by doing nothing, they were complicit (over a period of many years). It wasn't some sort of gambling scandal, or cheating, or even embezzling...it was the raping, the sexual molestation of young boys. Why don't you spend a little time thinking about all that was taken away from those kids instead of whining about your ultimately meaningless football records. Really: think long and hard about how scarred these kids may be for life. And it wasn't one kid. It was many of them. The men in power at Penn State heard about this and basically said: "The hell with those kids. Who cares!" It's not just criminal. It's disgusting.
Nobody, including the NCAA, can reverse history. Joe Paterno and Penn State won those games fair and square. If Paterno had cheated to win those games, then depriving Penn State of the wins would be legitimate. But Joe didn't cheat to win those games. So the NCAA waving its magic wand won't won't make the wins disappear.
Does it make sense to rewrite history as a punishment? Regardless of Paterno's role in the coverup, nothing changes the fact that his teams won the games. It would make more sense to let the record stand with a notation that Paterno participated in the coverup.
Yes. It makes perfect sense. Morally, it's what you have to do. LIkely, the "notation" you recommend will ALSO be there. It's part of the history now, too.
How many games have you led your team to win? And are you important enough for that to matter? Joe was; he was respected, looked up to and revered. So his accomplishments mattered -- until he blew it. Now they matter no more. For his accomplishments, no matter how many, no matter how great, can never undo what he allowed to happen, what he was an accomplice to by saying nothing.
These penalties are a stinging blow to a lot of students who were not and are not responsible for what happened. They did not know and I would like to think that if even one of them had known, he'd have said *something* to somebody. But would he have? Would such a student/team member have risked the wrath that would have befallen him had his words struck down Sandusky or the mighty JoPa?
It is not likely that such a student would have acted any differently than the janitor who knew about it and did nothing because he feared that same wrath; that same wrath that some of you would now unleash upon all concerned.
Collegiate athletics, take notice. Football became too important to Penn State. I believe this will change that.
Paterno made a mistake . The NCAA made a mistake vacating the wins. The student atheletes that fought for the wins are the ones being punished . The taking of scholarships is also a mistake;it takes away opportunities of diserving young students to use GOD given talent to better their education and future. If the university must be punished fine them . Destroy the reputation
Speeding is a mistake. Forgetting a dentist appointment is a mistake. Spelling a word wrong is a mistake. Covering up the ongoing rape of children is a crime. A big, disgusting, unforgivable crime.
What college-bound football player is going to be seeking a Penn State Scholarship anyway? Who the f*ck wants THAT on their resume????!!!!
You cannot erase the wins. THEY HAPPENED!!! Penn State wasn't accused of cheating; those players, who know NOTHING about Sandusky and the coverup, beat their opponents and earned these wins. Taking the wins away from these players is unfair & ridiculous.
No. The wins never happened. Penn State didn't win those games. The players who were never there didn't beat their opponents, because it never happened. No wins were earned. 111 wins? Not sure what you're talking about. They're simply not there. Guess they never happened.
The rapes, on the other hand, they happened. They happened over a period of years. They messed a lot kids up for years, maybe for life. Yes they definitely happened. The kids: they tried to erase them, but they found that no matter what they did, they couldn't. It couldn't be erased. The rapes infected their dreams, they haunted them every day. It crippled them. They were a horrible, disgusting secret that sickened them to their core. Because, you see, they were kids, and when you rape kids, it's like killing their souls. And they carried those soul-killing memories around like a 20 ton weight that no one could see. Yes, that all definitely happened. And that, my friend Jack, is truly unfair.
I agree. After all, what's the continued raping of children compared to college football? I'm sure those kids were proud to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the team. Rape! Abuse! Cover up! Whatever. But, for god's sake, don't take away my football team!!!!
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Sandusky, as soon as he's sentenced and lands in mainstream population somewhere...is going to learn what all pedophiles learn in prison...that you don't ever want to be a convicted child molester in prison
Hard working criminals (mobsters, hit-men, take-down artists, thieves etc) resent being locked up with them. Jerry is also going to relearn every day what it's like to be brutally abused by those more powerful then he.
Fine so far!
I have rejoiced in the DE-canonization of Joe Paterno...cheered when he lost his reputation, his legacy, his statue...and his 13 years of victories...until I thought about the young athletes who actually played and won those games. Granted, they were recruited, trained, coached and inspired by Paterno...but THEY won those games...and unless any of these young men are shown to also be child molesters...none deserves the punishment they've received.
Likewise any athletes who are still attending PSU this fall...and the 10 a year who won't be attending at all
There are going to be so many investigations, civil and criminal trials over this, with so much more information (and culprits) emerging, that the prudent thing...the REASONABLE thing, for the NCAA to do, was to wait and take copious notes...
Not stage a media-inspired power-play...
Those responsible should be exposed and punished in accordance with the law...and perhaps the university...but not in a manner that impacts so badly on the university students themselves
Football is simply a game. Abetting and enabling children to be sodomized and raped is pure evil. Those involved are guilty of stealing the very souls of countless, innocent children, and for what? So that middle-aged "adults" can mindlessly cheer on a football program and an institution that was protecting a pedophile?
Can we be spared the image of clueless freshman girls and alumni weeping and laying wreaths at the site of the removal of the statue of the golden calf?
Had Joe Paterno done the right thing, he truly would have been a hero. He had the opportunity. Not once but likely dozens of time. But his silence reveals a total lack of morality; his hypocrisy unfathomable; his excuses lame and not credible. It is clear that Paterno knew EVERYTHING that happened in, on, or near that football program. It's an undeniable fact.
The Bible states: "Whoever would harm one of these little ones, it would be better for him if he had a heavy weight fastened about his neck and be thrown into the sea"
This is where the "legacy" of the beloved "JoePa" lies--under the depths of the sea.
Paterno had no one to blame but Paterno. It's long past the time that his supporters accept reality and yes, even their own culpability. To many, college days are sometimes people's happiest times. But for God's sake, can't these Penn State alumni admit to themselves that they were duped? This blind, mindless "boolah-boolah" mentality is part of the systemic disease that creates such a cesspool of corruption. For God's sake, can't these people GROW UP??
Probably not. There are millions who still believe that "Nixon did nothing wrong." There are people who still believe that the U.S. faked the moon landing. And yes, there are people who will always believe that Joe Paterno was a "god." He wasn't. He was a fatally flawed human being who valued his reputation and his empire more than the innocent children who he turned his back on.
It's hard to learn that you have been taken in by a cult. But the first step in doing so lies in acceptance that you were. And the first step for those grieving over Penn State's football program is for them to accept the fact that Joe Paterno, the school, the administration, and everything associated with it was a fraud of the most egregious kind.
No event in recent memory better calls to mind the quote: "The only thing required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing."
Perhaps these men were once good. But in the end, THEY DID NOTHING! And evil prevailed. No penalty invoked upon Penn State will even make a dent in the irreparable harm, pain, and destruction they caused.
God help them.
These penalties are a stinging blow to a lot of students who were not and are not responsible for what happened. They did not know and I would like to think that if even one of them had known, he'd have said *something* to somebody. But would he have? Would such a student/team member have risked the wrath that would have befallen him had his words struck down Sandusky or the mighty JoPa?
It is not likely that such a student would have acted any differently than the janitor who knew about it and did nothing because he feared that same wrath; that same wrath that some of you would now unleash upon all concerned.
Collegiate athletics, take notice. Football became too important to Penn State. I believe this will change that.
What college-bound football player is going to be seeking a Penn State Scholarship anyway? Who the f*ck wants THAT on their resume????!!!!
The rapes, on the other hand, they happened. They happened over a period of years. They messed a lot kids up for years, maybe for life. Yes they definitely happened. The kids: they tried to erase them, but they found that no matter what they did, they couldn't. It couldn't be erased. The rapes infected their dreams, they haunted them every day. It crippled them. They were a horrible, disgusting secret that sickened them to their core. Because, you see, they were kids, and when you rape kids, it's like killing their souls. And they carried those soul-killing memories around like a 20 ton weight that no one could see. Yes, that all definitely happened. And that, my friend Jack, is truly unfair.