lhslep134;965073 wrote:Do you realize that's a qualified statement? He wishes he would (NOT SHOULD) have done more due to the ineptitude of his superiors (hence why his superiors are legally liable). Had he known his superiors would have completely dropped the ball, then for all we know, he would have done more. But, you have to assume that your superiors will handle the situation in the best way possible. If you don't, then the hierarchy of command is a dead concept. Last time I checked, the concept still exists.
I'm normally a benefit of doubt sort of person. In this case, Paterno's own testimony and statements have really soured me on his stance. For the record, I believe he should resign/be removed immediately. He's not a criminal, but he's not the leader that goes with his stature. A few of the things that bother me that I think your stance completely overlooks:
-- Having buildings named after you, having complete control over when you resign/retire, being bigger than the school - you don't achieve these things nor accept the benefits of that stature by doing the minimum required. You accept that role and then when a sore subject comes up fall back on "I told my bosses so I did everything I can do". The guy transcended football in every way....except when it came time to determine whether or not he could potentially spare children from being raped by an old buddy. In that one instance, he was just a lowly employee on the food chain whose only obligation was to report it to his boss. Nobody should be buying that.
-- The 1998 allegations were enough to end the guy's coaching career. When you make that move, you're accepting something is wrong. You can't go part way at that point. If it was enough to remove him from his position, it was enough to disassociate him from the school and the program. There is nobody who has more say in who is associated with Penn State or its football program than Joe Paterno. Again, you can't allow yourself to be bigger than the school right up until the point that you have to turn away someone that you don't trust enough to get rid of as a coach. And the fact that they celebrated the guy in their last game, knowing full well why it was his last game?
-- Sandusky was told not to bring children around the school after the 2002 incident. So again, you either believe there's something wrong or you don't. You either say, "we trust that this isn't true" and the guy remains in good standing with no stipulations or you say, "we need to find out if there's more to this" and you report it. Paterno told his boss and was obviously aware that nothing was done, except telling the guy to go somewhere else if he wants to do that shit. If they didn't believe anything was wrong, why tell him he can't have kids around? Why not defend him? What Penn State, and Joe Paterno as the face of the school said in that is "we don't care what you do to kids on your own time, just don't take any chances on our turf." Horrible, horrible message.
-- In Paterno's statement, he said, "With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more." What that means is, "since I'm now catching hell, I wish I had done more." Whether it is a matter of needing this public outcry to see that he did something wrong or if it is simply that he's trying to say the right thing to appease people, it is pathetic. The benefit of hindsight nine years later? I dare say that he would have never arrived at this "Wish to do more" without the threat of his legacy/reputation being questioned. I doubt most people are buying that he is sorry about anything other than having to deal with the rep hit.
-- His focus is still almost entirely on himself. He doesn't want the school to spend another minute thinking about it? Yeah, he hasn't wanted
anyone to think about it for nine years. He isn't doing the school any favors - if resigning to spare the school the trouble is some noble act, he'd do it immediately. "I feel like I screwed up, but I'm still going to do what I do because I can." Eh, another bad message.
-- Paterno said, his goal has and always will be "to serve the best interest
of the university and the young men
who have been entrusted to my care." Still doesn't care about the victims - the university image is more important and Jerry's kids weren't entrusted to his care. So, this is all a tragedy and he's saddened, but his priorities are still the same. 1. Me. 2. University. 3. Anyone who is part of me or the university. If you're a helpless kid being raped in the shower, it isn't really his issue.
