Paterno Out At Penn State

[Von Halen]

I think the whole University should be given the "death penalty". Shut it down. An institution that places more value on its football program, than its children, doesn't deserve to be in business.

[chefcraig]

From my local newspaper, this morning.

Paterno statue, like others, symbol of idolizing false gods

George Diaz, Orlando Sentinel/Sun Sentinel

We are engaged in an age-old classic fairy tale where the "happily ever after" part got bushwhacked by reality.

The goody-two shoes Joe Pa narrative has been trampled to extremes, reaching a crescendo of hatred in which a number of folks would happily spit on his grave. They would likely settle for the next best thing — tearing down the statue of Paterno outside Beaver Stadium at Penn State.

It has become a 7-foot high, 900-pound bronze monument to the naïveté in all of us — from folks like me who once considered Joe Paterno a shining example of the greater good in college athletics, to the fans who chanted "We Are Penn State!" blinded by unconditional loyalty.

We built a monument to a false god, and now it is time to tear it down.

The thing is, we should have never built it in the first place.

You reserve Mount Rushmore reverence for true heroes — George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Don't build statues for men who win a lot of football games, or players labeled icons shortly after getting the legal right to drink and drive.

Yet there's a statue in Alabama for Nick Saban, a guy who has become the new-age Bear Bryant. The homage should include the inscription "I'm not going to be the Alabama coach," since he lied like a weasel before leaving the Miami Dolphins to take the job at Alabama.

There's a statue in Gainesville of Steve Spurrier, the iconic ball coach who quit on the Gators in January of 2002 to chase a pile of NFL money. Spurrier's likeness is flanked by Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow, one of the most polarizing athletes of our generation.

There's a statute in Auburn of Cam Newton, the guy who left the University of Florida after he was arrested for stealing a laptop computer, although charges were eventually dropped. Newton then ended up in Auburn under dubious circumstances, after his dad went to other schools trying to parlay his son's talents into a little something-something for the bank account.

While it's obvious that the SEC has set the gold standard in idolizing coaches and players to idiotic extremes, there are other examples of overzealous hero worship throughout the country.

Check out the bronze statue of former St. Louis Cardinals great Mark McGwire. Or perhaps not. It's currently hidden in storage by sculptor Harry Weber, after the Cardinals had the good sense not to make it a spectacle of shame, given McGwire's use of chemical enhancements to put a little more pop in his swing.

There's nothing wrong with celebrating Saban, Spurrier, Newton, Wuerffel and Tebow. They've done many great things for the institutions they represent. So did Paterno, giving loads of his own money to build libraries. If only he had invested just a little bit in honesty and integrity while children were getting raped, we wouldn't be having his conversation.

Parterno's' rise and fall is the quintessential example of building a narrative that is full of holes, and cluttered with hyperbole. Over 46 years as head coach at Happy Valley, Paterno cultivated a narrative that allowed him to reach rock-star status among the media and the masses.

We were all duped. We should have known better. The wrath of retribution now comes down on Paterno and his family, still in shameless denial over the sins of the father.

Of course Paterno's statute should come down. Here are a few suggestions: Stick in Jerry Sandusky's jail cell, where they can literally be pen pals for life. Or put it in the shower stalls where Sandusky preyed on innocent children. Make sure Paterno's statue is facing the walls, oblivious to the house of horrors that now stands as his lasting legacy at Penn State.

The narrative has definitely changed. This is what happens when you build monuments to false gods.

[TFM_Dale]

It is most certainly about me mother fucker. How about I try to get a new job right now. My diploma had to come down in my office. Can you imagine?

Too bad for me? Take my team away? How about we take your team away. I have to think about never seeing my team again. Do you have any idea how that feels? I'm an innocent human being man and fucking all 500,000 of us over even more doesn't help anyone.



This is just an unbelievable cruel thing to say. Put yourself in our shoes and think about it. You're a human. You're a Van Halen fan. We're all the same. Do you really want to fuck us over that bad?

It makes no sense if you stop the hate and think about it.



Do you honestly think I cheer for my team MORE than you follow yours? We're all crazy but you're not? That's a load of bullshit concocted by the media. Utter bullshit. The only school in the US with a larger stadium than PSU is michigan.



How the fuck do I do that? I graduated from there! So did my mother and sister! Hmm yeah I'll just become a pitt fan. I'm sure if something happened to the old blue and maize you could just pick up the green and white with no problem. Listen to what you're saying man. It's all hatred-fueled nonsense.

This isn't about cheering for a team for fucks sake. YOUR SCHOOL PROTECTED A CHILD MOLESTER. I do not have any other clever way of saying that. If Michigan, the Lions, the Tigers, any team I have ever cheered for protected A CHILD MOLESTER and allowed them to harm even more children because they were unwilling to act I would not even consider how much it sucks for me because that is "my team". I would mourn for the victims, pray they can somehow move on in some way, and when the time was right I would find another team to cheer for. If that makes me a bandwagon fan then fuck it, I am. Some things in life are far more important then your fucking sports team or even the fucked up school you attended.

[jhale667]

Someone seems to miss the point that it's JUST A GAME.

Wow, that's all I can say about this thread. FYI, the "world" is not condemning the entire fucking alumni.

I find it sickening that someone's "pride" in their alma mater seems to matter more than the abuse of children. Absolutely mind-boggling.

Totally agree here, I was reading this last night like "WTF"? I was on the fence about killing the program entirely for whatever period of time, but OD's attitude convinced me it SHOULD be.

Alot of hate spewed towards someone for condemning a school that protected a child molester for years. You want to bitch, moan, and cry about losing your team and you continue to miss the big picture. Penn State protected a child molester. They allowed him to destroy even more children's lives by not acting on the first reports of abuse. These are facts in the case. Insult me all you want, leave my family out of this. I have plenty I could say regarding you and your family considering your stance on this whole thing but I have enough decency to keep it to myself.

THIS. OD you're usually cool, but this is just nuts and completely out of line, calling someone "faggot" for thinking there should be harsher sanctions imposed against the school (?)... a child's welfare is more important than any stupid fucking GAME. The entire Penn State organization (NOT the alumni - no one bashed YOU personally) thought the game took precedence over this - for YEARS. For that - the organization SHOULD be punished, and robbed of the very thing they chose over children's safety. Otherwise, they're merely embarrassed, and that is NOT sufficient. Suspend it for a year.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Again, as a lifelong Penn State fan, I simply have to concur, the statue must come down....

The University, IMHO, has to do everything in its power to cleanse itself from his horrible situation....

Everyone in the chain of command is basically gone, meaning Paterno (dead), Curley (currently suspended), Schultz ("retired") and Spanier (stripped of presidency)....

Sandusky will be in prison for the rest of his life....

I'd be shocked if Curley, Schultz and Spanier don't do at least some jail time.....

The school should be fined substantially, in the millions, with the proceeds going to the victims......

But I just don't know penalizing the ~100 kids who happen to play football at PSU, the entire PSU student body that receives the millions of dollars that PSU football generates, not to mention the thousands of people who earn their living in the State College area and receive millions of dollars during football season, if all of THEM need to be penalized as well.

[Von Halen]

But I just don't know penalizing the ~100 kids who happen to play football at PSU, the entire PSU student body that receives the millions of dollars that PSU football generates, not to mention the thousands of people who earn their living in the State College area and receive millions of dollars during football season, if all of THEM need to be penalized as well.

The only chance to make sure history doesn't repeat itself, at any institution, is to make it known there is zero toleration. By leaving the program intact, and the school intact, they are essentially letting other institutions know there is survivial even after the most heinous of crimes. The "millions of dollars" you speak of, are the basis of this cover up. I'm sorry, but putting Sandusky in jail for however long, isn't good enough. That place allowed and condoned dispicable crimes against kids. Kids lives were ruined for the "millions of dollars". How much money is one childs asshole worth? Shut the shithole down.

[PETE'S BROTHER]

Most of you are being reasonable and that's commendable. I expected way worse when I got the nutz to open this thread finally. Just remember that the Freeh report drew a lot of conclusions from inconclusive evidence. It's not the end of the story no matter what ESPN says.

When you throw around the term death penalty like it's no big deal, remember you're just fucking over the 500,000 or so alumni and students who DID NOTHING WRONG and don't deserve to be shat on any more. You're giving a real death penalty to tons of businesses in the area. This is already the biggest shipheap of fucked up bullshit I will EVER witnessed. Why make it worse. Does it make you feel better?

I'm really not sure I want to live in this world any more. It's serious god damn business. Some cocksucker was flying a plane around state college yesterday threatening us over the statue. That's disgusting.

Hey michigan man, it could happen to you in a heartbeat. In one fucking second all your pride could be stolen from you. Laugh it up, it could happen and then you'll know how horrible it is to be a Nittany Lion right now. Asshole. I would think Big Ten fans might give us a helping hand to get through this but nope. Nothing but cold hearted hatred from you. From hell's heart I stab at thee.

we have a good friend who went to penn state. his rationale is similar, let the players go where they want, but the death penalty will punish track and field, women's and men's, soccer, bowling, golf, fuckin' all of them, and those programs do not merit punishment.

[PETE'S BROTHER]

I agree that Alabama and Auburn fans are out of hand, too bad I'm a Gator fan and alum fuckstick. So that whole post is a giant fucking FAIL.

I was trying to be somewhat civil until you attacked me personally, but now you can suck my dick asshole.

Why don't you go chain yourself to the statue of that pedophile protecting piece of fucking shit Joe Paterno to keep them from tearing it down.

[fourthcoming]

I was a life long Penn State fan as well. I think that adds to the anger. Everyone fell for the bill of goods Paterno sold for years. He thought he was above everything and everyone and NEVER policed his players. His team was in a huge brawl years ago and several students got really injured. Paterno decides that HE will be the one to discipline them and nobody else. What does he do? He has them clean up a section of the stadium seats. However rediculous the characters were at the University of Miami in the 80's, that place comes out looking like flower children compared to the vile bullshit that Paterno and everyone else ignored. Yea it sucks that innocent students, faculty, workers, and athletes will suffer. How can the football program NOT take a hit? SMU received the death penalty in the 80's for financial scandals.......I think this is a little more disturbing than a financial scandal.

[ODShowtime]

How can the NCAA NOT give Penn State football the death penalty though?

Hmm. Maybe because it's completely out of their jurisdiction. Maybe because the people allegedly involved in not reporting are either in dead, in jail, or on trial. Or maybe because this is about evil and not about football. Or maybe because the actual crimes are so much worse than what the NCAA deals with that they're out of their league. Or maybe because the school didn't gain competitive advantage from this (I know some morons argued we did). Or maybe because all of the surrounding community would be economically devastated, and the big networks would lose millions, and the teams we play would be screwed.

There's a few reasons, all of them better than the nonsense the media and the ignorant are spewing.

And suck a dick for what you said about Paterno you fucking sheep.

[ODShowtime]

Wow, that's all I can say about this thread. FYI, the "world" is not condemning the entire fucking alumni.

I find it sickening that someone's "pride" in their alma mater seems to matter more than the abuse of children. Absolutely mind-boggling.

What's absolutely mind boggling is that we've had to sit here and get shat on for months and cannot and will never be able to defend ourselves and our school. i understand the horror of the victims. It's not just about football. It's our lives. You obviously don't have any empathy. After over 6 months and after the plane flying around town intimidating us, I've fucking had enough. I'm done being silent as you'll all notice I have been for months. Fuck you ya canadian redneck cunt.

This is my time now. This is my thread to curse out all the fucknuts with stupid bullshit opinions about my school. I've read thousands of hate filled messages and I'm done sitting silent.

[ODShowtime]

Alot of hate spewed towards someone for condemning a school that protected a child molester for years. You want to bitch, moan, and cry about losing your team and you continue to miss the big picture. Penn State protected a child molester. They allowed him to destroy even more children's lives by not acting on the first reports of abuse. These are facts in the case. Insult me all you want, leave my family out of this. I have plenty I could say regarding you and your family considering your stance on this whole thing but I have enough decency to keep it to myself.

You don't have any decency. And you don't know what the fuck you're talking about. I know I came at you hard, but I also gave you a chance. Now you can fuck off a die.

[Guitar Shark]

What's absolutely mind boggling is that we've had to sit here and get shat on for months and cannot and will never be able to defend ourselves and our school. i understand the horror of the victims. It's not just about football. It's our lives. You obviously don't have any empathy. After over 6 months and after the plane flying around town intimidating us, I've fucking had enough. I'm done being silent as you'll all notice I have been for months. Fuck you ya canadian redneck cunt.

This is my time now. This is my thread to curse out all the fucknuts with stupid bullshit opinions about my school. I've read thousands of hate filled messages and I'm done sitting silent.

Forgive me for saying so, but your anger seems to be misplaced.

[ODShowtime]

So it really is about "your team" with you. Unbelievable.

Yeah THIS is. Today. Yes. This post is. I've heard the same bullshit for MONTHS. When will it be time to acknowledge our victimization? There's 500,000 of us. There's like 20 victims... who will all soon be millionaires.

It's more fun to keep turning the screws and throwing the hate. It feels good to point the finger, doesn't it. You're better. It would never happen to you.

[PETE'S BROTHER]

Yeah THIS is. Today. Yes. This post is. I've heard the same bullshit for MONTHS. When will it be time to acknowledge our victimization? There's 500,000 of us. There's like 20 victims... who will all soon be millionaires.

It's more fun to keep turning the screws and throwing the hate. It feels good to point the finger, doesn't it. You're better. It would never happen to you.

eh, not a good argument, brother