BREAKING: NYTimes: Paterno is Out

[oldguystudent]

The houses around these parts clearly are made of brick, not glass. Toss those stones!

Edited November 8, 2011 by oldguystudent

[Cerebus]

That's just passing the buck. The GA going to his superiors is understood. However, once nothing was done, not going to the police is inexcusable. Considering his inaction, the only conclusion one can reach is that he was included in the cover-up.

That GA was Mike McQueary, and he was named a full time assistant THE NEXT YEAR. He is still on the coaching staff.

[greenminer]

I'm just shocked to read that Paterno and the GA didn't go to the law. What kind of scenarios make good people have horrible judgement? Can anyone else suggest further reading into this?

http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance_theory

http://psychology.about.com/od/historyofpsychology/a/milgram.htm

http://www.experiment-resources.com/asch-experiment.html

[VideoEagle]

That GA was Mike McQueary, and he was named a full time assistant THE NEXT YEAR. He is still on the coaching staff.

It appears silence had a reward for Mr. McQueary.

[Green P1]

The houses around these parts clearly are made of brick, not glass. Toss those stones!

Disturbing stance right there.

[Censored by Laurie]

I'm just shocked to read that Paterno and the GA didn't go to the law. What kind of scenarios make good people have horrible judgement? Can anyone else suggest further reading into this?

http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance_theory

http://psychology.about.com/od/historyofpsychology/a/milgram.htm

http://www.experiment-resources.com/asch-experiment.html

Thanks for this...I was trying to remember the title of the Milgram experiment. I'm sure some will view this as defense...I'm assuming you're not intending it as such...rather just empirical data that tells us the human mind is one fascinating, albeit effed up, thing.

Nobody can say definitively what they would do in such a circumstance...what I can say with some certainty however is that every single possible scenario that could play out as the result of their actions/in-actions has played out in their minds over the years and as such JoePa and McQuery and anyone else with knowledge knew the potential consequence.

[Mean Green 93-98]

It appears silence had a reward for Mr. McQueary.

I highly doubt that had anything to do with it. Mike McQueary was one of the better QBs ever to play for JoePa and has great coaching potential.

[VideoEagle]

I highly doubt that had anything to do with it. Mike McQueary was one of the better QBs ever to play for JoePa and has great coaching potential.

And he was demonstrably complacent in the cover up of a crime. While he might have gotten the job anyway, now there will be forever doubt about his earning a quid pro quo - his silence for a job.

[ADLER]

Penn State will be able to convince the world that they had nothing to do with this travesty.

All they need to do is get Bill Cosby to come hold a candlelight vigil and miraculously everybody forgets all the indiscretions that the athletic department and the university committed.

That way they can paint Penn State as the victim and not the entity that enabled the crime.

Why not, it sure worked well for Baylor.

[risinggreen]

I highly doubt that had anything to do with it. Mike McQueary was one of the better QBs ever to play for JoePa and has great coaching potential.

If I ran into a situation like that, my first gut reaction would've been more about issuing a butt kicking than anything else. At the very least, he should have grabbed the kid and gotten him the Hell out of that lockerroom. Sad situation, but I guess the incredible shock of what was happening in front of him could have frozen him in his tracks. Sounds like that's what happened to that janitor who is now conveniently unable to speak.

[Censored by Laurie]

Penn State will be able to convince the world that they had nothing to do with this travesty.

All they need to do is get Bill Cosby to come hold a candlelight vigil and miraculously everybody forgets all the indiscretions that the athletic department and the university committed.

That way they can paint Penn State as the victim and not the entity that enabled the crime.

Why not, it sure worked well for Baylor.

Interesting comparison, but I don't think it holds up...Baylor could put a bow on the Dennehey murder by distancing from 3 people (Dennehey, Dotson and Bliss) over a relatively brief period of time. I don't recall any administration stepping down / being removed over the murder (please correct me if I'm wrong).

The scope, both in terms of individuals and duration, of the Sandusky case is so much larger...and we're really only 2 days into this story. It will (very unfortunately) continue to grow over the next week or two. By the time this is finished it will be the biggest scandal in American athletic history.

Penn State will of course do their best to distance. Dozens will lose jobs or step down. A handful will be criminally tried...though probably on Sandusky will be convicted and serve time. 45 years as a head coach and this is now how JoePa will be remembered. The tarnish will not wear off of PSU for a very long time.

[Cerebus]

Two years ago Sandusky was allowed to hold overnight youth football camps *AT* Penn State and use their facilities. He was seen at football practices all the time, with young boys at his side. He was working out in their gym just last week.

Everyone involved in this should burn for it.

[UNT90]

Well, I hope McQuerey enjoyed his coaching career, because it is now over. Whatever advantage he gained in 2002 has come full circle. No one involved in this thing will ever coach in college athletics again.

Penn St deserves the death penalty for these offenses.

Edited November 8, 2011 by UNT90

[MeanGreenTexan]

Thanks for this...I was trying to remember the title of the Milgram experiment. I'm sure some will view this as defense...I'm assuming you're not intending it as such...rather just empirical data that tells us the human mind is one fascinating, albeit effed up, thing.

Nobody can say definitively what they would do in such a circumstance...what I can say with some certainty however is that every single possible scenario that could play out as the result of their actions/in-actions has played out in their minds over the years and as such JoePa and McQuery and anyone else with knowledge knew the potential consequence.

I wonder if he would be like me: I think my first reaction would be to go ballistic right then and there. But, I would have to calm myself down, and from there, who knows... but I just don't think I could just walk away from that scene. Ever.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Penn State will be able to convince the world that they had nothing to do with this travesty.

All they need to do is get Bill Cosby to come hold a candlelight vigil and miraculously everybody forgets all the indiscretions that the athletic department and the university committed.

That way they can paint Penn State as the victim and not the entity that enabled the crime.

Why not, it sure worked well for Baylor.

Baylor administration had no knowledge of the events until it became public.... Penn State situation looks like a cover-up by officials or at least they knew and did nothing.

No real comparison here.

Bad year for a lot of big names.... Miami, Ohio State, and now Penn State (the worst) . USC hasn't fared too well either.

Why Bill Cosby??.... he went to Temple ... it is in Pennsylvania but no real connection... after all we are 50 miles from SMU and we had nothing to do with that cheating mess.

..

Edited November 8, 2011 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[UNT90]

Thoughts from a friend of mine:

"So back in the 80's SMU gets the death penalty for paying players and renting houses for ones mom.

The EXACT SAME thing USC was caught doing for the Reggie Bush days (they only get Heisman stripped and National Title taken away (which in essence is nothing) )

This year Ohio State players get caught trading school property (shoulder pads, helmets, etc. ) for dope all with the knowledge of the school. Their penalty is coach gets fired with severance package and the players have to go to NFL a year earlier.

University of Miami booster gets caught using illegally obtained ponzi scheme money to pay for houses, parties, dope, even buying abortions for players pregnant girlfriends. Their penalty is players get suspended 2-3 games.

NOW Penn State is caught up in this? School Athletic program including the great Paterno covering up the #2 coach banging little boys in the locker room!!

If this isn't death penalty for the program worthy, what is??"

Edited November 8, 2011 by UNT90

[Censored by Laurie]

Penn St deserves the death penalty for these offenses.

I don't see how they can't...mind you, not that I think it will matter. I think this ruins PSU athletics...

And, I'll say unfortunately not because their hands are clean but rather because they are unquestionably the largest public university in Pennsylvania and as such provide affordable higher education to so many, I think this ruins Penn State.

I wonder if he would be like me: I think my first reaction would be to go ballistic right then and there. But, I would have to calm myself down, and from there, who knows... but I just don't think I could just walk away from that scene. Ever.

I think we all want to think that.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

--The fact that the "incident" happened is bad enough.... but to me the fact that those that learned of it did nothing is the real problem... Unfortunately for the alums their college just became a punch-line for many jokes and PSU lost a lot of respect nationally.

[TIgreen01]

It will be interesting to see what kind of hit this delivers to their 2012 signing class. You would think it would be catastrophic. At this point, does a not guilty verdict even save the program? Or has the damage already been done?

[Rudy]

I know everyone loves to kneejerk, but this incident is still coming to light. We really should all wait until the dust settles, then evaluate every piece of information, then come to judegement.

[GreenN'walinsVet]

First off what happened was awful. But the NCAA has absolutely zero authority to penalize Penn State. The things that happened did not involve student athletes or the football program as it relates to the NCAA. This was coaches and administrators legally and morally fing up period. Mark my words there will be zero sanctions by the NCAA and that is a good thing. The NCAA has no business sanctioning over criminal matters that don't involve the program on the field.

[Cerebus]

I know everyone loves to kneejerk, but this incident is still coming to light. We really should all wait until the dust settles, then evaluate every piece of information, then come to judegement.

[Mean Green 93-98]

I think this ruins Penn State.

Really? The football program will be feeling the repercussions of this for a long time to come, but there is no way this "ruins" one of the top universities in the country. As twisted as what Sandusky did is, there are other college campuses that have also had faculty members guilty of sexual abuse. And while it undeniably leaves a black mark, it has not "ruined" the universities where those faculty members were employed.

[CMJ]

I know everyone loves to kneejerk, but this incident is still coming to light. We really should all wait until the dust settles, then evaluate every piece of information, then come to judegement.

Even though this looks damning as all hell, I must agree. Duke Lacrosse as example 1A.

[Cerebus]

Really? The football program will be feeling the repercussions of this for a long time to come, but there is no way this "ruins" one of the top universities in the country. As twisted as what Sandusky did is, there are other college campuses that have also had faculty members guilty of sexual abuse. And while it undeniably leaves a black mark, it has not "ruined" the universities where those faculty members were employed.

I think it ruins Penn State's self image. A great article about this on Grantland: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7205085/growing-penn-state