freeagent
Six-man pro
Okay, let's first make this clear. Whatever the former assistant coach (who left in 1999 but was still using PSU facilities several years later and something "between the lines" tells me that the departure in 1999 might have been related to the current charges) is WRONG and DESPICABLE. I hope he gets tossed in the deepest, darkest prison cell in Pennsylvania and then has a rotten time.
But there's part of me that says Joe Paterno got the shaft on this deal. Of course, there is probably more to the story than is being reported, but if what is being reported is right, there is sure a lot more people more culpable to fault here than Joe.
From what I read, Joe was informed of the charges by the father of one of the boys (after being directed to do so by a grad assistant who now is a PSU assistant coach, who witnessed the event). Joe went to his superiors (the AD at PSU) and informed them of what happened, which is what I would have done in the same instance. Oh, and remember that Joe Pa is very accessible in State College. Everybody in town knows where he lives and at least until recently, you could find a listing for "Paterno, Joseph V" in the local phone book.
A DA who, with evidence refused to charge the guy years before. At least one other previous event was reported and the janitor who saw it also reported it to his superiors who told the janitor to call the cops (the janitor was a temporay employee and did not do so, perhaps out of fear that he could be terminated ... State College is not a very large town and Penn State is the major employer -- I know, I nearly had a job in that town after college and it wasn't with Penn State).
I'm thinking of a local instance a couple years ago here that involved a co-worker of my wife, a school teacher. A girl student informs the co-worker that she has been having sex with a local policeman who is providing security at the school. The co-worker doesn't call the police -- she contacts the school authorities, who call the police chief directly (the cop was fired and convicted). Now, if somebody in the school hierarchy doesn't feel that the charges have merit -- or wants to protect someone (which, hey, I know does happen) -- do you expect someone who may be concerned about their future to go over the boss's head and make a stink .... and yes, I do understand that Joe Paterno probably didn't need to worry about his job (until a couple days ago).
It just stinks. 'Cause Joe is one of the good guys and should have been allowed to go out on his own terms, especially after earlier in the day he announced his resignation.
But there's part of me that says Joe Paterno got the shaft on this deal. Of course, there is probably more to the story than is being reported, but if what is being reported is right, there is sure a lot more people more culpable to fault here than Joe.
From what I read, Joe was informed of the charges by the father of one of the boys (after being directed to do so by a grad assistant who now is a PSU assistant coach, who witnessed the event). Joe went to his superiors (the AD at PSU) and informed them of what happened, which is what I would have done in the same instance. Oh, and remember that Joe Pa is very accessible in State College. Everybody in town knows where he lives and at least until recently, you could find a listing for "Paterno, Joseph V" in the local phone book.
A DA who, with evidence refused to charge the guy years before. At least one other previous event was reported and the janitor who saw it also reported it to his superiors who told the janitor to call the cops (the janitor was a temporay employee and did not do so, perhaps out of fear that he could be terminated ... State College is not a very large town and Penn State is the major employer -- I know, I nearly had a job in that town after college and it wasn't with Penn State).
I'm thinking of a local instance a couple years ago here that involved a co-worker of my wife, a school teacher. A girl student informs the co-worker that she has been having sex with a local policeman who is providing security at the school. The co-worker doesn't call the police -- she contacts the school authorities, who call the police chief directly (the cop was fired and convicted). Now, if somebody in the school hierarchy doesn't feel that the charges have merit -- or wants to protect someone (which, hey, I know does happen) -- do you expect someone who may be concerned about their future to go over the boss's head and make a stink .... and yes, I do understand that Joe Paterno probably didn't need to worry about his job (until a couple days ago).
It just stinks. 'Cause Joe is one of the good guys and should have been allowed to go out on his own terms, especially after earlier in the day he announced his resignation.
