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Penn State football pedophilia thread (UPDATE: NCAA sanctions handed down)

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So Louis Freeh's report will be released 9:00AM EST on Thursday 7/12. Once this is released, the civil suits will start, and we may finally start hearing about some NCAA "discipline". News have already focused on how it's "tough on Paterno", but it sounds like a lot of Penn State leaders will look bad.

As an aside, this is probably the most unprofessional thing I've ever seen, especially when you consider this guy was at least able to get a degree from some Law school:
http://deadspin.com/5924845/karl-ro...s-other-lawyer-is-here-to-take-your-questions
 

CorvoSol

Member
So Louis Freeh's report will be released 9:00AM EST on Thursday 7/12. Once this is released, the civil suits will start, and we may finally start hearing about some NCAA "discipline". News have already focused on how it's "tough on Paterno", but it sounds like a lot of Penn State leaders will look bad.

As an aside, this is probably the most unprofessional thing I've ever seen, especially when you consider this guy was at least able to get a degree from some Law school:
http://deadspin.com/5924845/karl-ro...s-other-lawyer-is-here-to-take-your-questions

I can't decide if the "Zing!" moments are the most unprofessional, or the fact that, in lieu of an actual interview, I'm reading a conversation conducted in what is practically Youtube Comments.
 

tapedeck

Do I win a prize for talking about my penis on the Internet???
So Louis Freeh's report will be released 9:00AM EST on Thursday 7/12. Once this is released, the civil suits will start, and we may finally start hearing about some NCAA "discipline". News have already focused on how it's "tough on Paterno", but it sounds like a lot of Penn State leaders will look bad.

As an aside, this is probably the most unprofessional thing I've ever seen, especially when you consider this guy was at least able to get a degree from some Law school:
http://deadspin.com/5924845/karl-ro...s-other-lawyer-is-here-to-take-your-questions
Wow.
 

krzy123

Member
Deadspin can be pretty amusing, actually. I particularly enjoy their stories on Craig James and how he murdered five hookers at SMU.

agreed

while deadspin can have a lot of fluff, they'll touch stories you won't see on "espn" and other "media", ie . CJM5H, espn blogger/scammer
 

KingGondo

Banned
Deadspin's pretty great. Their coverage of the sports media landscape is invaluable, and Drew Magary's off-topic posts are usually very funny.
 
agreed

while deadspin can have a lot of fluff, they'll touch stories you won't see on "espn" and other "media", ie . CJM5H, espn blogger/scammer

Shit, just realized the guy who wrote the espn blogger/scammer story for Deadspin, was a college buddy of mine.

Now I really feel like a slacker. :(


Damn you for bringing this up krzy!
 

Shiv47

Member
This was pretty terrible, as is anything turned over to user comments, of which Deadspin's are usually just as stupid as anywhere else, a collection dudebros +1-ing each other over their "snappy" comments.
 
This was pretty terrible, as is anything turned over to user comments, of which Deadspin's are usually just as stupid as anywhere else, a collection dudebros +1-ing each other over their "snappy" comments.

That's pretty much a general Internet problem and not a Deadspin problem.
 

zomaha

Member
Looks like Paterno's family released a statement yesterday in preparation for the Freeh report. And boy, it's a doozy.

Over the last nine months Joe Paterno has been praised by some in near saintly terms and criticized by others as a villain. He was neither.

As the people who worked closely with Joe know, he was tough, aggressive, opinionated and demanding. He was also highly principled, uncompromisingly ethical, dedicated to his job at Penn State and committed to excellence.

When the Sandusky case exploded last fall, Joe's first instincts were to tell everything he knew. He assumed the University would want to hear from him, but he was never given the chance to present his case.

He planned to hold a press conference, but University officials ordered him to cancel it. And then the various investigations started and the legal process took over. On top of everything else, Joe was diagnosed with lung cancer. Two months later he was gone. The end result is his story has never fully been told.

As this situation unfolded, Joe cautioned everyone not to jump to conclusions. He believed that a rush to judgment and a disregard for due process would ultimately result in conclusions that would not stand the test of time. To be clear, he did not fear the truth, he sought it. As much as anyone he wanted to know exactly what Jerry Sandusky had done and he wanted to understand how it happened.

The hiring of the Freeh Group is the single most important action the Board of Trustees has taken. Joe supported this decision with the hope that it would result in a thorough, balanced and thoughtful assessment of the Sandusky tragedy. Unfortunately, recent events have raised questions about the fairness and confidentiality of the investigative process.

Over the last several weeks there has been a virtual torrent of leaks about the Freeh Group's work. To be clear, we do not know the source, or sources, of the leaks. What cannot be disputed, however, is that select emails intended to smear Joe Paterno and other former Penn State officials have been released. Testimony from witnesses highly critical of Joe has been revealed. And purported conclusions condemning the culture of the football program have been widely disseminated. The Board promised a fair, transparent and impartial process. These developments are a threat to their stated objectives.

When these leaks first started we appealed to the Freeh Group, the Board and the Attorney General to condemn the leaks and caution the public that it would be wrong to reach any conclusions from selectively released materials. We then asked that all emails and other documents be released so a full picture of their research could be understood.

As purported conclusions started leaking out, we followed up with the Freeh Group to ask for the right to respond. Since Joe Paterno never had an opportunity to present his case, we believe we should have a reasonable time to review their findings and offer information that could help complete the picture. We were told we could offer responses to the publicly reported allegations, but the Freeh Group declined to confirm that these allegations are in the final report. It is our firm belief that the report would be stronger and more credible if we were simply given a chance to review the findings concerning Joe Paterno in order to present the case he was never allowed to make.

Since the outcome of this process appears set in stone, we have no choice but to wait for the report and respond as best we can. Given that the report is estimated to be between 100-150 pages it will understandably take us some time to study it and prepare a comprehensive response. In advance of the release of the report, there are a few facts we want on the record:

* We would still welcome a chance to meet with the Freeh Group to review the findings and offer a response. We do not seek or expect the right to edit the report; but we believe our voice should be reflected in its conclusions.

* To this point, Joe Paterno is the only person who publicly acknowledged that with the benefit of hindsight he wished he had done more. This was an honest and courageous admission that a true leader must assume a measure of responsibility when something goes wrong on his watch.

* The sad and frightening fact is Jerry Sandusky was a master deceiver. He fooled players, coaches, law enforcement officials, child service professionals, Penn State board members, University leaders, neighbors, donors, staff and supporters of Second Mile and his family.

* With respect to the email from Tim Curley which stated, "After giving it more thought, and talking it over with Joe yesterday - I am uncomfortable with what we agreed were the next steps," the media spin that this is proof of some sort of cover up is completely false. When the facts come out, it will be clear that Joe Paterno never gave Tim Curley any instructions to protect Sandusky or limit any investigation of his actions.

* Joe Paterno did not cover up for Jerry Sandusky. Joe Paterno did not know that Jerry Sandusky was a pedophile. Joe Paterno did not act in any way to prevent a proper investigation of Jerry Sandusky. To claim otherwise is a distortion of the truth.

If he were with us today, we are certain Joe Paterno would say that he wished he had done any number of things differently. We also believe he would make it clear that he was not an investigator, law enforcement officer, child services professional or a member of the Board of Trustees. Joe would accept his responsibility, but he would expect others to step forward as well.
 

Cyan

Banned
* To this point, Joe Paterno is the only person who publicly acknowledged that with the benefit of hindsight he wished he had done more. This was an honest and courageous admission that a true leader must assume a measure of responsibility when something goes wrong on his watch.
Wow, he actually admitted that just maybe he could've done a little more.

What a leader.
 

Mengy

wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
any eta on this report?

Tomorrow at 9 AM EST. I know I'm looking forward to it, and then looking forward to how the Paterno family will respond. If they want to claim Joe was innocent in all of this, they have their work cut out for them.
 
The whole article reads like a family plea to the public to not let Paterno's legacy be tainted by, you know, choosing to let child rapings go unnoticed.
 

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
As purported conclusions started leaking out, we followed up with the Freeh Group to ask for the right to respond. Since Joe Paterno never had an opportunity to present his case, we believe we should have a reasonable time to review their findings and offer information that could help complete the picture. We were told we could offer responses to the publicly reported allegations, but the Freeh Group declined to confirm that these allegations are in the final report. It is our firm belief that the report would be stronger and more credible if we were simply given a chance to review the findings concerning Joe Paterno in order to present the case he was never allowed to make.

Read: we wanted one last chance to try and remove information that would damage Paterno's legacy.

* With respect to the email from Tim Curley which stated, "After giving it more thought, and talking it over with Joe yesterday - I am uncomfortable with what we agreed were the next steps," the media spin that this is proof of some sort of cover up is completely false. When the facts come out, it will be clear that Joe Paterno never gave Tim Curley any instructions to protect Sandusky or limit any investigation of his actions.

Uh huh. Suuuuuuure.
 

Diablos

Member
I love how the Paternos think they somehow have the right to interfere in an investigation - one that's not even specifically targeted at JoePa.
Goes to show you how powerful the name alone is, and it's sick.

Tear the fucking statue down already. If his family plus faculty manage to spin the truth just enough to make JoePa look like a hero there better be an outrage.
 
Honestly, why do the Paternos even care? JoePa's reputation is already ruined outside of the Penn State community, and he'll always be considered a saint within the community no matter how damning the evidence to the contrary.

Does it make the estate vulnerable to a civil suit? Dude Abides? mre?
 

mre

Golden Domers are chickenshit!!
Honestly, why do the Paternos even care? JoePa's reputation is already ruined outside of the Penn State community, and he'll always be considered a saint within the community no matter how damning the evidence to the contrary.

Does it make the estate vulnerable to a civil suit? Dude Abides? mre?

Not any more vulnerable than it already was, from a legal standpoint. Discovery would have probably uncovered most of those emails and whatnot anyway. God bless notice pleading.
 
Honestly, why do the Paternos even care? JoePa's reputation is already ruined outside of the Penn State community, and he'll always be considered a saint within the community no matter how damning the evidence to the contrary.

Does it make the estate vulnerable to a civil suit? Dude Abides? mre?

I am sure they still make money of selling JoePa stuff, like his autobiography and such. If they can make it look like he wasnt involved then all the people that love him can go back to buying JoePa stuff with a clear concise.
 
To this point, Joe Paterno is the only person who publicly acknowledged that with the benefit of hindsight he wished he had done more. This was an honest and courageous admission that a true leader must assume a measure of responsibility when something goes wrong on his watch.
Give this man a medal.
 

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
What do you know, a letter Joe Paterno wrote late last year has suddenly been leaked:

For the last two months, at the request of the Attorney General's office, I have not discussed the specifics of my testimony regarding the pending cases. And while I will continue to honor that request, I do feel compelled to address comments made subsequent to November 9; specifically, I feel compelled to say, in no uncertain terms, that this is not a football scandal.

Let me say that again so I am not misunderstood: regardless of anyone's opinion of my actions or the actions of the handful of administration officials in this matter, the fact is nothing alleged is an indictment of football or evidence that the spectacular collections of accomplishments by dedicated student athletes should be in anyway tarnished.

Yet, over and over again, I have heard Penn State officials decrying the influence of football and have heard such ignorant comments like Penn State will no longer be a “football factory” and we are going to “start” focusing on integrity in athletics. These statements are simply unsupported by the five decades of evidence to the contrary - and succeed only in unfairly besmirching both a great University and the players and alumni of the football program who have given of themselves to help make it great.

For over 40 years young men have come to Penn State with the idea that they were going to do something different — they were coming to a place where they would be expected to compete at the highest levels of college football and challenged to get a degree. And they succeeded — during the last 45 years NO ONE has won more games while graduating more players. The men who made that commitment and who gave of themselves to help build the national reputation of what was once a regional school deserve better than to have their hard work and sacrifice dismissed as part of a “football factory,” all in the interests of expediency.

Penn State is not a football factory and it is ALREADY a great University. We have world-class researchers, degree programs, and students in every discipline. Penn Staters have been pioneers in medical advancements, engineering, and in the humanities. Our graduates have gone on to change the world — even graduates with football lettermen sweaters.

That is why recent comments are so perplexing and damaging — Penn Staters know we are a world class University. We can recite with pride the ranks of our academic programs and the successes of our graduates. Penn Staters (and employers) know what we are and the quality of our education. Nothing that has been alleged in any way implicates that reputation; rather, it is only the inexplicable comments of our own administration doing so.

It must stop. This is not a football scandal and should not be treated as one. It is not an academic scandal and does not in any way tarnish the hard earned and well-deserved academic reputation of Penn State. That Penn State officials would suggest otherwise is a disservice to every one of the over 500,000 living alumni.

Forget my career in terms of my accomplishments and look at the last 40 years as I do: as the aggregate achievements of hundreds of young men working to become better people as they got an education and became better football players. Look at those men and what they have done in the world since they left Penn State and assess their contributions as an aggregate - is this a collection of jocks who did nothing but skate by at a football factory, or are these men who earned an education and built a reputation second to none as a place where academic integrity and gridiron success could thrive together?

Whatever failings that may have happened at Penn State, whatever conclusions about my or others' conduct you may wish to draw from a fair view of the allegations, it is inarguable that these actions had nothing to do with this last team or any of the hundreds of prior graduates of the “Grand Experiment.”

Penn Staters across the globe should feel no shame in saying “We are…Penn State.” This is a great University with one of the best academic performing football programs in major college athletics. Those are facts — and nothing that has been alleged changes them.

You know what's a disservice? Doing absolutely nothing after learning of a pedophile within your midst.
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
* To this point, Joe Paterno is the only person who publicly acknowledged that with the benefit of hindsight he wished he had done more. This was an honest and courageous admission that a true leader must assume a measure of responsibility when something goes wrong on his watch.

You know how many Nazi war criminals said they wished they'd done more when captured? LOTS. You know how bad this is? Godwin's Law isn't inappropriate when talking about the long term multiple anal rape of small children.

FUCK JOE PATERNO.

I hope he rots in hell.

And you know what else? IT IS A FUCKING FOOTBALL SCANDAL.

If Sandusky had been a professor, you think he'd still have tenure?
 

Amir0x

Banned

Yeah but this exchange happened so it was worth it:

Raysism
Did Mr. Sandusky ever ask you to file a motion for habeas corpus novus?

Karl Rominger
novus? new? say what?

Raysism
It's one of those lawyer terms you'll hear bandied about. Literally translated, it means "have the young body".

lol x 10

Then this one

SchenkersAxe
Totally hypothetical question: What do you when a client wants to hire you and you think, "This guy is guilty as hell." How do you reconcile that?

Karl Rominger
You reconcile a check book too.
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
It's not a football scandal, and it's not an academic scandal. It's just a, you know. Scandal scandal.

If Sandusky was a professor and not part of the football program, we would not be having this conversation and far fewer children would have been, you know, anally raped.
 
Did this ever get posted?

Probe eyes Paterno's preference for handling problems internally

CNN said:
(CNN) -- Former FBI Director Louis Freeh's investigation into possible wrongdoing at Penn State University appears to be examining football coach Joe Paterno's apparent preference for handling scandalous issues internally, and what role that may have played in a potential cover-up involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, convicted on 45 counts of child sex abuse on June 22.

Freeh's group has been poring over internal Penn State e-mails and has interviewed a past university official about the way Paterno influenced a variety of disciplinary matters, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. Freeh is leading an internal review of Penn State's handling of the scandal that is unrelated to criminal investigations.

The e-mails obtained by CNN from a source familiar with the investigation, and first reported by the Wall Street Journal, show Paterno wielded power that went well beyond the realm of football or even the athletic department.

E-mails cast a pall on Penn State's Paterno

In a 2005 e-mail from Dr. Vicky Triponey, then vice president of student affairs in charge of disciplining students, to athletic director Tim Curley and others, she summarizes a meeting they had with Paterno in which he tells her that he wants to be the sole disciplinarian of his players.

She criticizes Paterno for wanting to limit the Campus Code of Conduct to incidents that take place on campus and keeping disciplinary matters involving his players private. "Coach Paterno would rather we NOT inform the public when a football player is found responsible for committing a serious violation of the law and/or our student code -- despite any moral or legal obligation to do so," according to her e-mail.

In the same e-mail, Triponey, also refers to calls her office was receiving from coaches and others. "I must insist that the efforts to put pressure on (Student Affairs) and try to influence our decisions...simply MUST STOP," she writes.


Curley, in a subsequent e-mail, acknowledges that Triponey's take on the conversation with Paterno is accurate.

Triponey replies to Curley, "I know you are caught in the middle of a very difficult situation," an apparent reference to appeasing Paterno.

In a subsequent e-mail to then-Penn State President Graham Spanier she is more blunt: "I am very troubled by the manipulative, disrespectful, uncivil and abusive behavior of our football coach," she writes.

Triponey has been interviewed by the Freeh group, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

In the same e-mail, she calls Paterno's behavior "atrocious" and said others are mimicking his behavior. "It is quite shocking what this man -- who is idolized by people everywhere -- is teaching our students..." she writes.

Triponey's e-mails may be a sign Freeh is also examining the culture around the football team as his investigators work to determine the circumstances surrounding a 2001 sexual incident with a young boy and Sandusky in a Penn State shower room and reported by then graduate assistant coach Mike McQueary.

In purported 2001 e-mails between Curley, Schultz, and Spanier, read exclusively to CNN, Curley appears to change his mind about reporting the locker room incident to outside authorities after speaking to Paterno, he wrote in one e-mail. Sandusky was convicted in June of four counts related to the 2001 shower incident, including unlawful contact with minors, a first-degree felony.

Curley and former Penn State vice president Gary Schultz face perjury and failure to report child abuse charges in connection with the Sandusky case. They have pleaded not guilty.

Disturbing e-mails could spell more trouble for Penn State officials

In 2007, after a widely reported incident where more than a dozen players crashed an off-campus party and started a violent brawl, Paterno appears to send an e-mail, through his assistant, to Spanier that says, "I want to make sure everyone understands that the discipline of the players involved will be handled by me as soon as I am comfortable that I know all the facts."

Paterno's attorneys have said the coach didn't use e-mail. The exchange shows while he may not have had his own e-mail account, his assistant would still send e-mails for him.

Paterno planned to punish the team by forcing them to perform 10 hours of community service and clean up the stadium after home games, according to a memo provided by a source familiar with the investigation.

After Triponey tried to discipline football players in the same manner as other students, she was harassed both online and at her home, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. On her front lawn somebody put up a "for sale" sign. Police installed a surveillance camera. In the end, the source says Spanier suggested she think about her future at Penn State, and she resigned.

After Triponey left Penn State, the university changed its discipline policy involving off-campus incidents. Its current code of conduct says it only applies to "off campus conduct that affects a Substantial University interest."

The Freeh goup and the university declined comment on this story.

Efforts Sunday night to obtain a comment from the Paterno family were unsuccessful. Paterno died of complications from lung cancer in January.

The 2001, 2005, and 2007 e-mail exchanges are among many now under investigation by the Freeh group. The e-mails revealed so far suggest coach Paterno preferred to handle bad behavior internally, a preference that may have influenced a decision by university officials not to report Sandusky to authorities in 2001 and allowed him to continue to abuse young boys.
 
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