Joe Paterno Exit

[Blue Horseshoe]

I'm sure most of you have heard about the allegations. All around awful story. Personally, I think everyone should be fired today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/sports/ncaafootball/penn-state-said-to-be-planning-paternos-exit.html

[NavinRJohnson]

I agree, up to and including the University President. What a mess. For anyone to suggest that Paterno, the AD, President, you name it, was not aware of this and turning a blind eye to it, is ludicrous. The fact that Sandusky was in the PSU facilities as recently as last week is just sick. Almost as equally as disturbing as it would be to have Paterno in the coach's booth on Saturday. Coaching legend or not, you have forfeited your right to retire on your terms, just as the University has forfeited their right to celebrate his career. Time to clean house.

[MerrittsMustache]

I'm sure most of you have heard about the allegations. All around awful story. Personally, I think everyone should be fired today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/sports/ncaafootball/penn-state-said-to-be-planning-paternos-exit.html

JoePa is a college football icon, but he needs to go. In fact, everyone at the university who knew anything regarding Sandusky's actions but failed to act needs to go. The fact that these allegations came to administrators' and coaches' attention in 2002 yet Sandusky was allowed on campus with young boys in 2007 is absolutely sickening. It's one thing to look the other way when players are selling jerseys. It's another to look the other way on a felony of this magnitude.

[Blue Horseshoe]

This makes me wonder if Sandusky had some kind of leverage in regard to dirt on the Penn State program. What other secrets will this unveil?

[Henry Sugar]

Got this link from Joe Posnanski.  It's a great editorial.

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/hr.asp?fpVname=PA_PN&ref_pge=lst

[RyanConroy]

This is what happen when sports come before people. Yikes.

[dw3dw3dw3]

Whether MU did anything right or wrong in last years "events", its a small reminder, compared to this, to make sure our beloved University has its priorities straight. A couple years ago, I didn't care what type of kid we brought in as long as we won basketball games. Now as I've become more of a family man, I don't want anyone associated with the team or university who would or could potentially portray it in a bad light.  I admit if I knew the names of the players from the issues last year I would look at them differently. If that means were stuck being a team ranked somewhere in the 20-50 range forever than I am ok with that.

[NavinRJohnson]

It's one thing to look the other way when players are selling jerseys. It's another to look the other way on a felony of this magnitude.

Which makes me wonder what if anything the pathetic organization known as the NCAA will do about this. SMU, Miami, USC get the book thrown at them for cash and hot tubs, but if there is any program out there that deserves severe punishment, it is the one led by BCS President Grant Spanier. I won't hold my breath. They haven't seemed to care about the athletes being taken advantage of all these years, so why would they care about these other kids being taken advantage of while PSU officials looked the other way.

[Dish]

Everything about this is beyond sick and disgusting. It keeps getting worse by the day, as far as PSU's reaction (or lack thereof) has been handled.

Even a movie script or a novel couldn't be as bad as what has happened. It's unfathomable, it really is.

How Paterno could rightfully even be at practice today (let alone years and years and years when this was happening) and lead/teach/coach young men is beyond my grasp. He should either be fired or placed on an immediate leave of absence. Seriously, how does he show up to coach football right now? And if you're a player, how can you go out there and play for him on Saturday or ever again?

[Lighthouse 84]

I just heard on the news that JoPa intends to be on the sidelines this Saturday.  If he is, how empty will, or should, the stands be?  Happy Valley fans should abandon the University until they clean house.  If he's allowed to coach another practice, what does that say for putting the "kids" first?  It says the "kids" aren't first.  Joe Paterno, and the number of games he wins, is.

[NavinRJohnson]

Seriously, how does he show up to coach football right now? And if you're a player, how can you go out there and play for him on Saturday or ever again?

Everything that is wrong with sports, particularly college sports, will be on full display in Happy Valley Saturday afternoon if in fact Paterno is still coaching. Even though he clearly deserves their ire and disdain, the overwhelming majority of the 100,000+ in attendance will undoubtedly make a point to publicly show their support for him.

As I generally and unfortunately come to conclude in situations like these (although this is certainly a new one), we the fans are ultimately to blame because we continue to come back with our time, attendance, and most importantly, our dollars.

[GGGG]

Which makes me wonder what if anything the pathetic organization known as the NCAA will do about this. SMU, Miami, USC get the book thrown at them for cash and hot tubs, but if there is any program out there that deserves severe punishment, it is the one led by BCS President Grant Spanier. I won't hold my breath. They haven't seemed to care about the athletes being taken advantage of all these years, so why would they care about these other kids being taken advantage of while PSU officials looked the other way.

The NCAA has no jurisdiction here.  PSU didn't break any of their rules.

[NavinRJohnson]

The NCAA has no jurisdiction here.  PSU didn't break any of their rules.

Recruiting rules, practice rules, etc.? No. But, if there are no NCAA standards of behavior, or institutional control guidelines in place, that's even more pathetic. Given the arbitrary nature by which they typically seem to operate, I'm sure they could come up with something.

[MerrittsMustache]

Which makes me wonder what if anything the pathetic organization known as the NCAA will do about this. SMU, Miami, USC get the book thrown at them for cash and hot tubs, but if there is any program out there that deserves severe punishment, it is the one led by BCS President Grant Spanier. I won't hold my breath. They haven't seemed to care about the athletes being taken advantage of all these years, so why would they care about these other kids being taken advantage of while PSU officials looked the other way.

I'm not sure that this is an NCAA issue. It's not a matter of players getting paid, someone fudging test scores or some other action that gave a team an advantage. It's a group of university administrators ignoring and/or lying about several reports of sexual abuse that took place on campus, including in the football lockerroom. I'd be all for sanctions against Penn State football, but I just don't know if the NCAA can punish the team for something like this. Perhaps someone with more knowledge of the NCAA's reach can chime in.

EDIT: Guessed I missed a couple posts while typing.

[GGGG]

Recruiting rules, practice rules, etc.? No. But, if there are no NCAA standards of behavior, or institutional control guidelines in place, that's even more pathetic. Given the arbitrary nature by which they typically seem to operate, I'm sure they could come up with something.

So you want them to "come up with something" to randomly enter an area where they have no precedence in entering?  Cmon...  That sounds well and good until the NCAA finds a way to enter every legal issue that an athletic department has to deal with.  Do you really want that?

This is under the jurisdiction of the State of Pennsylvania and the University's Board of Trustees.  That is where it needs to be.  The NCAA needs to stay out of this.

[nyg]

http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/uploadedFiles/Press/Sandusky-Grand-Jury-Presentment.pdf

Grand Jury summary and charging documents. 

[NavinRJohnson]

I liken this to the Baylor Basketball situation, while they ultimately uncovered recruiting issues as well, I think the biggest issue was a lack of institutional control. THE PSU situation doesn't break any recruiting or eligibility rules, but neither does covering up a murder. My guess is that the NCAA rule book has more than two sections.

[NavinRJohnson]

So you want them to "come up with something" to randomly enter an area where they have no precedence in entering?  Cmon...  That sounds well and good until the NCAA finds a way to enter every legal issue that an athletic department has to deal with.  Do you really want that?

This is under the jurisdiction of the State of Pennsylvania and the University's Board of Trustees.  That is where it needs to be.  The NCAA needs to stay out of this.

Since there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to many of their decisions, which are frankly a result of trivial maters by comparison, I'd be fine with it if they fit this into whatever rule was violated. Again, see Baylor. Do you really think that or this is something that the NCAA should stay out of? I'm not about to go paging through the NCAA rule bok, but do you really believe there aren't some sort of regulations and brand protections in there beyond recruiting periods, minimum GPAs and text messages? Of course there are.

[GGGG]

The Baylor lack of institutional control had everything to do with recruiting and improper benefits for Baylor basketball players.  It had nothing to do with the murder of Brian Dennehey.  The NCAA would be way exceeding its current area of control by getting involved with Penn State...unless it somehow uncovers something that actually breaks their rules.

[GGGG]

Do you really think that or this is something that the NCAA should stay out of? I'm not about to go paging through the NCAA rule bok, but do you really believe there aren't some sort of regulations and brand protections in there beyond recruiting periods, minimum GPAs and text messages? Of course there are.

Unless there is a relevant rule in place, the NCAA has no jurisdiction and should stay well away from this.  I mean, *maybe* there is a rule that prevents a former assistant coach from having an office in the AD facilities and prevents them from having access to players.  (I don't think there is though.)

For the NCAA to act without a relevant rule in place sets precedents that I don't think anyone wants set in the long-term. 

[Blue Horseshoe]

As is often the case with the NCAA, the current players (that have nothing to do with this scandal) will suffer.

[Ari Gold]

The Baylor lack of institutional control had everything to do with recruiting and improper benefits for Baylor basketball players.  It had nothing to do with the murder ofPATRICK Dennehey.  The NCAA would be way exceeding its current area of control by getting involved with Penn State...unless it somehow uncovers something that actually breaks their rules.

Fixed. I needed to google that one http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Dennehy
Brian Dennehy  is an actor.

Agree with you Sultan. from what is known so far PSU broke no NCAA laws. whatever PSU's punishment is, it'll be internal

[Aughnanure]

I really do feel sorry for all the Penn St fans out there, this has to be absolutely brutal.

[Dish]

Just curious, if you were a Penn St alum/fan/season ticket holder, would you go to Saturday's game?

I know the easy answer is "no", but let's say you replaced "Penn State" with "Marquette" in this scenario.

[NavinRJohnson]

Just curious, if you were a Penn St alum/fan/season ticket holder, would you go to Saturday's game?

I know the easy answer is "no", but let's say you replaced "Penn State" with "Marquette" in this scenario.

No way to know for sure, but pretty confident I would not. 1) I hope I would make that decision myself. 2) My wife would kill me if I didn't make said decision.