<p>To a certain extent I agree with Bagsboy. Today, I find it hard to believe that Penn State is a flagship academic institutional that places a high value on personal integrity. Joe Paterno was Sandusky’s supervisor. While it is a scandal that Paterno’s supervisor’s failed to take action, Paterno had the option of dismissing Sandusky. In my opinion this is a ‘big’ scandal primarily because Paterno failed to act. As others have mention he is responsible for Branding Penn State, endowing the library and scholarships. By not taking action it would appear that in his mind football was/is more important than university.</p>
<p>I am having trouble believing Joe Paterno is the greatest thing that has ever happened to Penn State. If true it means the campus needs to take a good long look in a mirror. It suggests that the alum of the university rate the coach and sports above scholarship and academics.<br>
Winning teams will eventual become loosing teams, coaches leave switch campuses for a bigger salary. A number of university’s use football as a recruiting tool and to boost annual giving. On the vast majority of campuses little or none of the profits (if there are any) are used to support academic programs. I worked a a PAC 10 campus the vast majority of the undergraduates cared more football and frat parties than they did academics. If you wanted to work on game day you had to wall more than three mile because on-campues parking was reserved for alum attending the game. When the head of the lab complained he said the people in campus parking looked at him as though he was crazy. By the way he left that campus taking 4 grants and 10 staff to a private university where parking is reserved for staff and faculty interested in working on game day. </p>
<p>Hypothetical question: If Penn State’s board of trustees voted to switch from Div I to Div III how would it effect the institution?</p>
<p>Barrons, yes I guess there will be people in the future who will unfairly and irrationally view me as tainted goods because my degree is from Penn State. </p>
<p>I’m old enough to know that life is not always fair, so be it.</p>
<p>Hopefully I can count on the few hundred thousand Penn State alumni out there in the world to help me out and judge me for me, and for my own abilities and accomplishments, and recognize that the tragic failings of a few do not discount the academic quality of the institution.</p>
<p>Everyone should seriously consider actually reading the grand jury report. I will no longer be posting any opinion on here since it has turned into a very vicious thread.</p>
<p>Do you turn off your radio every time a Michael Jackson (a pedophile, for sure) song plays?<br>
Do you still watch the NFL every Sunday, an institution that has embraced more thugs and lowlifes (Michael Vick, animal murderer, for one) back into its arms?
Do you watch the train wrecks called reality television, including “The Jersey Shore,” a television show that celebrates duncedom and demonizes an entire nationality?
Do you support the Wall Street investment bankers who were inexplicably bailed out after they failed to do their job?</p>
<p>This horrible scandal is a cautionary tale – a parable of good and evil. I hope you never commit a “moral” error – like cheating on your taxes, or not giving a homeless person money, or driving 10 miles over the speed limit, or taking the wheel of a car when you’ve had just a little bit too much…you get my drift…because you never know if the MEDIA will be there to ruin your life.</p>
<p>Penn State is a great ACADEMIC institution above all else.</p>
<p>“In the wake of the recent events at Penn State University, a grassroots network of PSU alumni are standing up for victims of sexual abuse by supporting RAINN’s effort to prevent and treat victims of sexual abuse. We have joined together to mobilize the Penn State fan base alumni, students and fans to ensure something like this never happens again anywhere.”</p>
<p>Can’t help but throw my 2 cents in. ^^^ The media is running away with this so there is obviously going to be distortion. In addition, I believe there are many facts not known to the general public and more facts that Liberal media is ignoring. JoePa followed the system of Hierarchy. He notified all correct superiors, including the head of the University Police, which has the same power as local law enforcement. That being said, he is not totally in the clear. He let Sandusky stick around, and he should be criticized for this. I think his announcement to retire at the end of the season was appropriate in light of this fault. It is so depressing to see this great man, a true legend, forever tarnished by this scandal, when it is truly not his fault. And to address some disturbing earlier comments, “Shut down the football program for 5 years.” Lets get real; football is an ENORMOUS source of revenue the school NEEDS. Furthermore, there is no need to punish athletes for Sandusky’s actions. Should we outlaw cars because one person drove drunk and killed somebody? Finally, anybody notice how convenient this timing is? A decade old crime comes to light right after one of the biggest records in collegiate football is broken. A lot about this scandal feels fabricated and I look forward to getting the rest of the facts and putting rumors to rest. Just my opinions guys, try not to get too insulted.</p>
<p>The cult-of-personality, brain washed reactions coming out of State College, seemingly in droves, is disturbing. Anyone talking about “the system of hierarchy” is either naive or foolish, at best. “Not his fault”? Sickening.</p>
<p>Hierarchy, “any system of persons or things ranked one above another.” - Dictionary.com …Sounds like the personalty of a naive cult member to me </p>
<p>If anyone here is being foolish and naive, it is you. Rather than post childish comments bashing anyone who opposes your opinion, I invite you to explain why you oppose it.</p>
<p>McQueary was the one who saw the incident happen, Paterno is only informed of it.</p>
<p>And Paterno’s fired. McQueary, meanwhile, will be coaching against Nebraska.</p>
<p>I have lost a lot of respect for several people in this topic, specifically you, Pennquack. You may be 12 years my senior, but as a student who is considering Penn State as my school for the next four years, if my resume even sniffs your hands, I will also do my best to avoid that at all costs because I will never, ever willingly work with someone who has blamed an entire school for a few people’s actions.</p>
<p>While not bringing into question Penn State as an Academic Institution, the Media did not ruin lives. Not reporting child abuse ruined lives, more importantly the lives of innocent children while responsible adults did nothing</p>
<p>Terriergirl,
As a matter of fact, I refused to purchase any Michael Jackson music after his transgressions. While we are at it, I also refuse to pay to see any Woody Allen movies. I think he crossed the line when he dated his virtual common law wife’s daughter. They are all lacking in Moral fabric.
Cheating on taxes, not helping the homeless, and speeding can not be equated to putting one’s privates in the mouth of children.
If I ever do a heinous act, let the press at me. I assure you that will not happen.<br>
The transgression of a hideous man are horrible. The systemic coverup by a coach,an administration, and local authorities is despicable. While Penn State might have been a great institution, the coverup will taint it. Greed, Ego, and Power resulted in many young boys being violated. There is nothing anyone can say that makes all the actions acceptable.<br>
I feel for your community. But don’t defend the actions of so many heinous people. I think the story will only get worse. Join me in calling for justice…</p>
<p>There’s no defense of a sexual deviant. But your original post painted the entire university with a broad brush. Don’t make the students the bad guys here. Don’t make the athletes in all our sports demons. We’re innocent. Each and every one of us. Most of us are hardworking and caring. We take our classes seriously, study hard and work part time jobs to pay our tuition. And by the way, did you know that Thon, the campus philanthropic organization, is the world’s largest student run philanthropic in the world and raised $9 million for pediatric cancer last year? How’s that for morality? </p>
<p>I will not stand by and let people lump me in with a bunch of adults who made questionable, although not illegal, decisions.</p>
<p>And finally – on a different note for everyone to ponder – where the heck are the WOMEN at Penn State? All I’ve seen is a bunch of old men screwing up and then covering up. Maybe if some women were in high administrative positions, things would be different…</p>
<p>hey terriergirl, I like your style. I complete agree with you. The students and teachers should not be punished for something they knew nothing about. The school’s academic integrity and morality (of the students/teachers) should not be seen any differently.</p>
<p>Shansull…thank you. I’m just sick of people making this mess MY problem. I’m just trying to get through this week. It’s been hard with all the media crud around here and adults like socaldad42 blaming me and my fellow students for the actions of a few. There are 40,000 students here. Give us a break. Are idiotic employers really not going to hire us because of this? It’s insane and scary. If all the events, including the sexual attacks, weren’t so sad, this is like a bad Seinfeld episode. Can anything else go wrong? My friends and I are beside ourselves. Are any posters/reporters/people at other schools thinking about us before they viciously demonize us all because of the actions of a few old men? </p>
<p>I have never once regretted my decision to attend PSU and, as the saying goes, this too shall pass for the students at PSU. And don’t all jump over me and say “but for the victims it will never pass.” That’s not my point and not the issue in my post. Tone down the vitriol, folks…the 40,000 students are innocent and don’t deserve your wrath.</p>
<p>So, someone comes up to you and tells you that one of your highest ranking employees is fondling little boys. You report it and…that’s it?! You don’t follow up? You don’t talk to the employee? You don’t dismiss the employee? You aren’t even curious as to whether it’s true?</p>
<p>Joe Pa got what he deserved. A swift kick in the ass out the door.</p>
<p>What the Penn State students did last night was absolutely stupid as it will tarnish the reputation of both them and their colleagues for years to come. They don’t represent the majority but unfortunately their actions will cast a shadow over all of their fellow students. They could’ve come out and stood on the side of the boys who were raped on their campus. They could’ve gone to protest Sandusky. Instead, they spend their time protesting the firing of a football coach that enabled child molestation. And it wasn’t even a peaceful protest.</p>
<p>It’s not fair to the current students and current Penn State football players. No one enlisted for this disaster when they chose to come to Penn State. Now, they will pay for the sins of a few. What I don’t understand is why their anger isn’t directed at Joe Paterno or the idiots last night but rather at the rest of the country for being objective.</p>
<p>Terriergirl- people like you are the reason I loved the school in the first place. I’m still considering it. The students and faculty shouldn’t be attacked for something they didn’t do.</p>
<p>Terriergirl, no one thinks that the students did anything wrong. BUT the responses of some students, and the protests last night, show me what’s wrong on that campus: </p>
<p>Football is more important than the safety of children. </p>
<p>For 15 years, the entire administration turned a blind eye to a predator in their midst. Even when they were presented with an eyewitness account, they did nothing to protect that child or to stop future predation. These were grown men, smart, savvy, experienced. They knew it was wrong to cover this up. And they ALL continuted to do it. </p>
<p>Football is more important than the safety of children.</p>
<p>Or is there some other explanation for the way these men behaved?</p>
<p>While you make some valid points, and the students are not to be blamed for the stupidity of Paterno and his crony network, they looked foolish coming to his defense. I stand by my position that the university should be punished by the NCAA for the greed demonstrated by the entire administration. Take away football for many years. Make them the poster children for all that is evil about the greed of College football… </p>
<p>Sent up a fund with 10’s of million of dollars for these kids. Hang Sandusky Paterno, and all the people in Happy Valley who looked the other way and allowed this to take place for years.</p>
<p>I agree that the NCAA needs to act, quickly. The thought of Penn State in a bowl game is sickening.</p>
<p>The “death penalty” – a team being banned for a year or more – has been handed down for point-shaving, for pay-for-play, and for giving sports scholarships to non-students. This current situation is far more serious than any of those.</p>
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