Should the Penn State Football Program receive the Death Penalty?

[twcpfan1]

different circumstances. those were incidents of cheating to win. This is criminal behavior. I don't know if the Penn State community has gotten the message either. But I don't see how the NCAA is involved in this. Can you explain how they enter this discussion?

I am appalled at the lack of concern for the children from people that should have known better. I do see it as an Institutional Fail in a big way, but not in an NCAA way, more in a criminal negligence kind of way.

The ncaa sure figured out a way to get involved in tattoos for tosu players. No cheating to get a competetive advantage there either. Based on this precedent, the death penalty should be the minimum

[JagFan]

The ncaa sure figured out a way to get involved in tattoos for tosu players. No cheating to get a competetive advantage there either. Based on this precedent, the death penalty should be the minimum

At the others student athletes (players) were involved in the violations, as far as I know none were at Penn State.

As Pied said this is a very difficult situation and Sandusky is in jail. Others will follow if they knew and did nothing t0 protect the children.

I think the law should do everything they can to the ones involved and the victims should sue them until they are naked in the street and have nothing else.

[Southlakehawk]

In the press conference, Freeh talked about a janitor(Korean War Veteran) who saw Sandusky **** a child. He said it was the most violent event he has ever witnessed. He said after talking with fellow janitors, he decided not to go up the chain of command for he feared he would lose his job. That sounds like to me like a program that got to powerful, bigger than the school itself. PSU was my second favorite college football team because of what I perceived as a program that does everything right. Never put on probation, graduating their players, doing everything right. My sister teaches there and my nephew works there. They are so disinherited over all of this. T&P to the victims of this horrible tragedy.

[drgnbkr]

Other than protecting his program, what could have possessed Joe Pa to turn a blind eye to abuse of this magnitude? His entire legacy is way more than shot....

[DrEdward]

Agreed, PSU is going to be paying out probably in the hundreds of millions of dollars in civil suits, not only that but they are already talking about criminal charges against those that did nothing.
Paterno probably had an interesting conversation when he arrived at the pearly gates. He was Catholic and very wealthy so I would assume the family wrote a huge check to guarantee his way into heaven, but that is a different thread.
I feel for his family, his wife has to be humiliated and I would assume will be moving out of State College and his son may have a difficult time getting a coaching gig at a BCS school.

I doubt that Penn State, as an institution, will have to pay out much at all. The individuals involved in the cover-ups might well get socked with huge damages, but most state agencies, of which Penn State is one, are typically protected by state law from large assessments of damage claims against them. That said, I do not know what the laws are in Pa.

[Super B]

In the press conference, Freeh talked about a janitor(Korean War Veteran) who saw Sandusky **** a child. He said it was the most violent event he has ever witnessed. He said after talking with fellow janitors, he decided not to go up the chain of command for he feared he would lose his job. That sounds like to me like a program that got to powerful, bigger than the school itself. PSU was my second favorite college football team because of what I perceived as a program that does everything right. Never put on probation, graduating their players, doing everything right. My sister teaches there and my nephew works there. They are so disinherited over all of this. T&P to the victims of this horrible tragedy.

He didn't say he feared the threat of violence against him or his family. He said he feared losing his job. I know I don't know this Janitors circumstances, but if it had been me, I would have told without fear of losing my job. Losing my job would be the last thing on my mind.

Before telling anyone though, there is something else that baffles me. This Janitor and Assistant Coach Mike McQueery. I cannot grasp my mind around how they saw it plain as day and just stood there or walked away. Aside from telling someone, I cannot fathom just walking away. I can imagine becoming so incredibly overcome with anger that I would have ran in there, got Sandusky off the kid, then beat the hell out of Sandusky. I mean I would have been boiling over with the most intense anger I've ever had. Maybe that's just me.

[slcdragonfan]

In the press conference, Freeh talked about a janitor(Korean War Veteran) who saw Sandusky **** a child. He said it was the most violent event he has ever witnessed. He said after talking with fellow janitors, he decided not to go up the chain of command for he feared he would lose his job. That sounds like to me like a program that got to powerful, bigger than the school itself. PSU was my second favorite college football team because of what I perceived as a program that does everything right. Never put on probation, graduating their players, doing everything right. My sister teaches there and my nephew works there. They are so disinherited over all of this. T&P to the victims of this horrible tragedy.

I would have gone up the chain of command and to hell with my job, I wouldn't want to work at a place that hid that kind of thing. Maybe I'm a boy scout, but it takes SOMEONE to ACT and set aside their fears.

[chhspantherfan]

He didn't say he feared the threat of violence against him or his family. He said he feared losing his job. I know I don't know this Janitors circumstances, but if it had been me, I would have told without fear of losing my job. Losing my job would be the last thing on my mind.

Before telling anyone though, there is something else that baffles me. This Janitor and Assistant Coach Mike McQueery. I cannot grasp my mind around how they saw it plain as day and just stood there or walked away. Aside from telling someone, I cannot fathom just walking away. I can imagine becoming so incredibly overcome with anger that I would have ran in there, got Sandusky off the kid, then beat the hell out of Sandusky. I mean I would have been boiling over with the most intense anger I've ever had. Maybe that's just me.

it's not just you.....It's called Frontier Justice. Plays a whole lot easier in Texas than PA.

[yankee]

PSU will pay big when all is said and done in more ways than one. I wouldn't want my kid in an institution with that hanging over its head.

I'm just trying to figure out how PSU will pay big in relation to the relatively normal student population (i.e. non-athletes). If something like this went down at OU, I can't imagine me leaving or even considering leaving. Some big time people would need to pay and be removed, but the affect on the athletic department would be 10X greater than everything else IMO.

[yankee]

There'd be a sort of "hangover" affect on the general population, but even at a football-crazy school like OU, I don't see parents wanting to take their kids out of school or kids wanting to leave. I think some of you in your old age forget what college was like.

[slcdragonfan]

There'd be a sort of "hangover" affect on the general population, but even at a football-crazy school like OU, I don't see parents wanting to take their kids out of school or kids wanting to leave. I think some of you in your old age forget what college was like.

TWCPfan just likes to put out extreme statements for shock effect. While he really does want to discuss I believe, he also likes to be controversial. Not all ODB's have forgotten college.

[twcpfan1]

TWCPfan just likes to put out extreme statements for shock effect. While he really does want to discuss I believe, he also likes to be controversial. Not all ODB's have forgotten college.

It's not an apples to apples comparison. Penn State and OU are 2 completely different animals as far as mystique goes, not to mention if you start comparing what Paterno means to PSU as opposed to what Stoops means to OU. I just do not see OU students rioting on Stoops' behalf if he's fired for being an enabler of child abuse like those nutjobs did at PSU. You and your young Southlake paduan are being delusional if you think that Joe Pa's influence stopped at just the athletic department.

Ok, maybe transferring out might be extreme, but when choosing colleges or grad schools, I would advise a kid to consider other options particularly if you're qualified to attend a school like Penn State.

It's also becoming apparent to me that State College is full of wack jobs. Something not quite right about those people.

[CCCSportsFan]

There'd be a sort of "hangover" affect on the general population, but even at a football-crazy school like OU, I don't see parents wanting to take their kids out of school or kids wanting to leave. I think some of you in your old age forget what college was like.

I agree with you Yankee... If this happened at OU my kids would be ticked off with the athletic department, but it wouldn't impact their decision to leave the school. They're attending OU because of how strong the programs are for each of their majors, not because of the football team past/current/future success.

I still have enough brain cells left to remember exactly how college was like for me

[twcpfan1]

PSU will pay big when all is said and done in more ways than one. I wouldn't want my kid in an institution with that hanging over its head.

I agree with you Yankee... If this happened at OU my kids would be ticked off with the athletic department, but it wouldn't impact their decision to leave the school. They're attending OU because of how strong the programs are for each of their majors, not because of the football team past/current/future success.

I still have enough brain cells left to remember exactly how college was like for me

Nowhere in my quote did I say that a kid should transfer out, but at this point, I would not advise any kid to go there. You guys are missing the point. This happening to Joe Pa and PSU is not the same as something like this going down at Norman with Stoops.

[pied]

Nowhere in my quote did I say that a kid should transfer out, but at this point, I would not advise any kid to go there. You guys are missing the point. This happening to Joe Pa and PSU is not the same as something like this going down at Norman with Stoops.

I see where you're going and agree with you to an extent. This is a HUGE deal and speaks to the University as much as the football program. It should not and will not affect the academics at PSU, but there will be a reputation associated with the school for some time I think. PAterno was not only the coach, but his name is on buildings all over the campus.

[slcdragonfan]

It's not an apples to apples comparison. Penn State and OU are 2 completely different animals as far as mystique goes, not to mention if you start comparing what Paterno means to PSU as opposed to what Stoops means to OU. I just do not see OU students rioting on Stoops' behalf if he's fired for being an enabler of child abuse like those nutjobs did at PSU. You and your young Southlake paduan are being delusional if you think that Joe Pa's influence stopped at just the athletic department.

Ok, maybe transferring out might be extreme, but when choosing colleges or grad schools, I would advise a kid to consider other options particularly if you're qualified to attend a school like Penn State.

It's also becoming apparent to me that State College is full of wack jobs. Something not quite right about those people.

OU fans past (and probably present) worshiped the ground that Switzer walked on. He could do no wrong (even though he did all the time).

JoePa I think we will see is seriously diminished in the eyes of the country and I suspect in the eyes of his fans. I do hope to see renaming and statue removal. His legacy is tainted to the point that his life's work is meaningless when considering these events. And rightfully so.

[CCCSportsFan]

Nowhere in my quote did I say that a kid should transfer out, but at this point, I would not advise any kid to go there. You guys are missing the point. This happening to Joe Pa and PSU is not the same as something like this going down at Norman with Stoops.

I know you didn't twcpfan... I was replying to Yankee's post since he is a very recent Sooner alum and I have 2 kids who are present students there...

[twcpfan1]

I see where you're going and agree with you to an extent. This is a HUGE deal and speaks to the University as much as the football program. It should not and will not affect the academics at PSU, but there will be a reputation associated with the school for some time I think. PAterno was not only the coach, but his name is on buildings all over the campus.

Exactly. Joe Paterno is the name and face you associate with everything Penn State. Athletics and everything else. I would guess that in the past, he was a lot of the reason why kids (not just athletes) would consider attending PSU.

[pied]

Exactly. Joe Paterno is the name and face you associate with everything Penn State. Athletics and everything else. I would guess that in the past, he was a lot of the reason why kids (not just athletes) would consider attending PSU.

I diverge a bit there, but I certainly think that he helped add to the University's persona. Don't know that kids(non football players) chose or styed away from the school because of him specifcally, but certainly some did so(in my opinion) based on the image that was created and advertised by Paterno and the team.

[CCCSportsFan]

Nowhere in my quote did I say that a kid should transfer out, but at this point, I would not advise any kid to go there. You guys are missing the point. This happening to Joe Pa and PSU is not the same as something like this going down at Norman with Stoops.

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