Joe Paterno: Dead

[infrared41]

Despite his inactions in the Sandusky incident, the calls for him to "rot in hell" are really unnecessary. He made awful decisions, it destroyed his reputation, it hurt the lives of innocent young children, and the man who actually committed the crimes will rot in prison and probably hang himself unceremoniously in his cell with a bed sheet. What more do you want? Holding such hatred for Paterno, or even Sandusky, isn't going to change what happened. He's dead now. His reputation luckily fell apart before he died so he could watch the consequences of his misdeeds tear him down. Continuing with this rot in hell nonsense is holding such a worthless hatred that is just as stupid as the blind supporters who call him such an inspiration. Great, you're against child molseters and those who enable them, good for you. So is every other rational human being on the planet. But spewing this trash hatred on an internet forum, regardless of the direction of the hate, is worthless. It's not going to fix the shattered lives of those children, and frankly, it just continues the vicious cycle of hate that is all too common in the world. So really, could we please just try to show a bit more class than those who committed these crimes? Can we just take this as a lesson in each of our lives about the importance of integrity and moral responsibility no matter our peofessional position?

I'm sure some will knock this down, and I'll get off of my soapbox now, but damn everyone. Come on now.

But I won't be one of them. Bravo. Excellent work.

Yeah! Let's pretend it didn't happen, honor him and sweep all the child rape under the rug, just like he did. WWJoePaD

Infrared, I'm a little surprised here. Weren't you the one that posed the question about moral absolutes in the Chris Hansen thread?

If Paterno would have done the right thing when he found out, we would be patting him on the back and celebrating his life, career and he himself as a hero. He chose not to and will have to live (no pun intended) with the scorn that is heaped onto him.

But hey, for the most part we all liked him up until a few months ago and he won a lot of football games so its all good.

You pretty much missed my point. In fact, I think you all are misinterpreting what I meant here. There's no need to for us to continue to try to outdo each other in the "rot in hell" department. I think what Paterno did (or did not do in this case) is beyond despicable. He got what he deserved...actually, he got off way easy. All I was doing was agreeing with the bolded part of BucFan's post. But as usual, my point was lost in the rush to see who could react with the most righteous indignation.

Everyone (myself included) is disgusted by the entire affair. What are we adding to the debate with a continuous parade of "rot in hell" posts? That's all I was saying. I do not, under any circumstances, believe Paterno should be honored in any way. By the same token, I also don't feel the need to come in here and reiterate my disgust 22 times.

For what it's worth, I completely understand how my intent (as well as Bucfan's) could be misinterpreted. I hope this clears it up.

With regard to what I may have written in some other thread, I'm flattered (and frankly, a little unnerved) by the fact that you pay such close attention to my ramblings around here.

[The_Admiral]

I don't want to tell anyone to "rot in hell," because that's highly inflammatory, but when you have people non-ironically putting forth puffy crap like "heaven needed success with honor" or "I hope I can be half as great as my proxy grandpa figure" or whatever, it's going to invite hyperbole from the other side of the continuum. Every action, yada yada yada.

[Corvus]

I think it's truly unfortunate that you all let the man's inaction on one occasion cloud your judgment of what he did for the town of State College and for the University. Before JoePa arrived, Penn State was a second-tier agricultural school. Now they are an AAU Member Institution and a renowned research university. Much of that can be attributed by the rise of the football program along with the academic standards of integrity that Paterno held his players to.

Regardless of what you think about JoePa's inaction during the Sandusky travesty, at least let the man have some peace in his death.

One occasion of ignoring child rape makes anything else you did in your life meaningless.

[loogodude90]

I think it's truly unfortunate that you all let the man's inaction on one occasion cloud your judgment of what he did for the town of State College and for the University. Before JoePa arrived, Penn State was a second-tier agricultural school. Now they are an AAU Member Institution and a renowned research university. Much of that can be attributed by the rise of the football program along with the academic standards of integrity that Paterno held his players to.

Regardless of what you think about JoePa's inaction during the Sandusky travesty, at least let the man have some peace in his death.

One occasion of ignoring child rape makes anything else you did in your life meaningless.

I agree... I think it's unfortunate that some people let the man's success regarding football cloud their judgment of his involvement in the scandal.

[rams80]

I think it's truly unfortunate that you all let the man's inaction on one occasion cloud your judgment of what he did for the town of State College and for the University. Before JoePa arrived, Penn State was a second-tier agricultural school. Now they are an AAU Member Institution and a renowned research university. Much of that can be attributed by the rise of the football program along with the academic standards of integrity that Paterno held his players to.

Regardless of what you think about JoePa's inaction during the Sandusky travesty, at least let the man have some peace in his death.

One occasion of ignoring child rape makes anything else you did in your life meaningless.

Does this extend to other forms of child abuse? And would you agree that forcing a child to go through food insecurity constitutes child abuse?

[Gothamite]

I think it's unfortunate that some people let the man's success regarding football cloud their judgment of his involvement in the scandal.

Well put.

Let's also remember that this wasn't just one single mistake long ago - it was a mistake that Paterno made anew every single day he didn't report the eyewitness allegations to the cops. Every single day that he knew Sandusky enjoyed unfettered access to troubled kids. Every single day that he knew Sandusky retained access to the facilities where he liked to rape those kids. Every single day that he didn't go to the AD and ask "Remember that whole 'Jerry ing kids' thing? We ever follow up on that, or what?"

This wasn't just one mistake in an otherwise spotless life. It was three thousand mistakes that completely overshadow whatever good he might have done with his life.

[WJMorris3]

I think it's unfortunate that some people let the man's success regarding football cloud their judgment of his involvement in the scandal.

Well put.

Let's also remember that this wasn't just one single mistake long ago - it was a mistake that Paterno made anew every single day he didn't report the eyewitness allegations to the cops. Every single day that he knew Sandusky enjoyed unfettered access to troubled kids. Every single day that he knew Sandusky retained access to the facilities where he liked to rape those kids. Every single day that he didn't go to the AD and ask "Remember that whole 'Jerry ing kids' thing? We ever follow up on that, or what?"

This wasn't just one mistake in an otherwise spotless life. It was three thousand mistakes that completely overshadow whatever good he might have done with his life.

I honestly think Paterno is not the only one to blame here. Every student and alumnus of Penn State is equally culpable, for deifying Paterno the way they did.

[CS85]

"I don't think we were ready for Joe to die," said Bobby Bowden, Paterno's longtime friend and former Florida State coach. "Here's a guy that one year ago we're sitting here wondering how long he's gonna coach, now not only is he through coaching, but he's dead. It just seems like he's always supposed to be there."

Don't speak too fast, Bowden, you're on my Fatal Forty list. Don't let me down.

"He's been my role model since I was 5 years old," senior David Marselles said as he clung to his cardboard Paterno cutout that brought with him to the statue. "There's never been a football coach like him in college or anywhere who was about more than winning football games and who wanted his students to graduate college."

People are creepy and weird. Can't we just submerge State College and write it off as another botched Jamestown experiment, referring to it in the past tense for always?

[Viper]

Uh-oh... here we go...

The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, notorious for its anti-gay and funeral picketing, plans to picket Joe Paterno?s funeral.

Margie Phelps (pictured), the wife of church leader Fred Phelps, sent several tweets Sunday making her stance on Paterno quite clear[.]

Not sure who to root for in this matchup.

[Evil Doctor]

And I'm also hearing reports that Joe Paterno will be buried looking the other way. Can anybody confirm this?

I'm so sigging this. Funniest thing I've read on this board...

[charger77]

I think it's truly unfortunate that you all let the man's inaction on one occasion cloud your judgment of what he did for the town of State College and for the University. Before JoePa arrived, Penn State was a second-tier agricultural school. Now they are an AAU Member Institution and a renowned research university. Much of that can be attributed by the rise of the football program along with the academic standards of integrity that Paterno held his players to.

Regardless of what you think about JoePa's inaction during the Sandusky travesty, at least let the man have some peace in his death.

One occasion of ignoring child rape makes anything else you did in your life meaningless.

I agree... I think it's unfortunate that some people let the man's success regarding football cloud their judgment of his involvement in the scandal.

Well, there it is, the one thing we'll agree on in 2012.

[slapshot]

Let's also remember that this wasn't just one single mistake long ago - it was a mistake that Paterno made anew every single day he didn't report the eyewitness allegations to the cops. Every single day that he knew Sandusky enjoyed unfettered access to troubled kids. Every single day that he knew Sandusky retained access to the facilities where he liked to rape those kids. Every single day that he didn't go to the AD and ask "Remember that whole 'Jerry ing kids' thing? We ever follow up on that, or what?"

This wasn't just one mistake in an otherwise spotless life. It was three thousand mistakes that completely overshadow whatever good he might have done with his life.

I honestly think Paterno is not the only one to blame here. Every student and alumnus of Penn State is equally culpable, for deifying Paterno the way they did.

Not all fans or alumni. Only those aware of the situation, and/or those blindly supporting the coach even after it was made public that he basically did nothing to stop it. I'm sure there were plenty of alumni who wanted Paterno fired right away.

[charger77]

With regard to what I may have written in some other thread, I'm flattered (and frankly, a little unnerved) by the fact that you pay such close attention to my ramblings around here.

Don't flatter yourself 'red I have a great memory and tend to remember little details like that.

Here is the quote in question for those playing at home:

It would appear that we have a moral relativist in our ranks. (A philosophy, I might add, that falls apart faster than a three dollar suit.)

Serious question loogodude, do you believe there are moral absolutes?

[njmeadowlanders]

I think it's unfortunate that some people let the man's success regarding football cloud their judgment of his involvement in the scandal.

Well put.

Let's also remember that this wasn't just one single mistake long ago - it was a mistake that Paterno made anew every single day he didn't report the eyewitness allegations to the cops. Every single day that he knew Sandusky enjoyed unfettered access to troubled kids. Every single day that he knew Sandusky retained access to the facilities where he liked to rape those kids. Every single day that he didn't go to the AD and ask "Remember that whole 'Jerry ing kids' thing? We ever follow up on that, or what?"

This wasn't just one mistake in an otherwise spotless life. It was three thousand mistakes that completely overshadow whatever good he might have done with his life.

I honestly think Paterno is not the only one to blame here. Every student and alumnus of Penn State is equally culpable, for deifying Paterno the way they did.

So you're saying that I'm guilty of a cover up as well because I went to a few football games while I was there to get a degree?

I never worshipped the guy. I'm not even a college football fan, I'm only into pro football. He was always just a figurehead to me who probably hadn't done anything that actually had to deal with coaching in at least 10 years. But I could understand why people viewed him the way he did.

Yes, it's despicable what he did. Yes, he should've been axed on the spot. Anybody who rioted that night in November is a complete and utter putz.

But to say that students and alumni are culpable? How would we have ever known?

[charger77]

I think it's unfortunate that some people let the man's success regarding football cloud their judgment of his involvement in the scandal.

Well put.

Let's also remember that this wasn't just one single mistake long ago - it was a mistake that Paterno made anew every single day he didn't report the eyewitness allegations to the cops. Every single day that he knew Sandusky enjoyed unfettered access to troubled kids. Every single day that he knew Sandusky retained access to the facilities where he liked to rape those kids. Every single day that he didn't go to the AD and ask "Remember that whole 'Jerry ing kids' thing? We ever follow up on that, or what?"

This wasn't just one mistake in an otherwise spotless life. It was three thousand mistakes that completely overshadow whatever good he might have done with his life.

I honestly think Paterno is not the only one to blame here. Every student and alumnus of Penn State is equally culpable, for deifying Paterno the way they did.

So you're saying that I'm guilty of a cover up as well because I went to a few football games while I was there to get a degree?

I never worshipped the guy. I'm not even a college football fan, I'm only into pro football. He was always just a figurehead to me who probably hadn't done anything that actually had to deal with coaching in at least 10 years. But I could understand why people viewed him the way he did.

Yes, it's despicable what he did. Yes, he should've been axed on the spot. Anybody who rioted that night in November is a complete and utter putz.

But to say that students and alumni are culpable? How would we have ever known?

Just a standard willmorris troll, don't let him get to you.

[RedSox44]

Damn, wrong thread.

[CS85]

Already. A Raven fan reaction video (very NSFW for language).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=0-kCQMDpSVE

RAGESPLOSION

[RedSox44]

Already. A Raven fan reaction video (very NSFW for language).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=0-kCQMDpSVE

RAGESPLOSION

Sorry about posting in the wrong thread.

[RedSox44]

And now a doublepost.

[DEAD!]

Uh-oh... here we go...

The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, notorious for its anti-gay and funeral picketing, plans to picket Joe Paterno?s funeral.

Margie Phelps (pictured), the wife of church leader Fred Phelps, sent several tweets Sunday making her stance on Paterno quite clear[.]

Not sure who to root for in this matchup.

... oh no... head exploding...