Bob Ryan on PSU

[suzyq]

Interesting read. Dead on regarding Paterno.

 

[upstater]

While I don't disagree with the idea of potentially ending football, I think Ryan is out of his depth here. For one, he imagines there are decision-makers who hold PSU's purse strings. That's not true, PSU is quasi-private at this point. Very soon state support will be down to 2% (and that doesn't even fund the satellites).

The true people who hold the purse strings are students and alumni.

Second, isn't it a stretch to say they haven't discussed (at least behind closed doors) the football program? The President stated they will be deemphasizing football, whatever that means.

 

[arnie3]

I think that his premise is spot on- that there should be a serious discussion by the school to a temporary shutdown of the football program. All options should be looked at. That's known as "policing oneself" something that appears to be lacking to the outside viewer. I have only seen two tactics used by PSU, one to put lipstick on the pig, and two the Paterno family vehemently denying JoPa's culpability in this. Again, this is from an outside prospective, but it gives the impression that PSU just hopes this goes away and that they can resume playing football. There needs to be pressure put on the Board to do the right thing. To me, that would be shutting down the football program for some period of time.

 

[businesslawyer]

Upstater -- with all due respect, you seem to be focused on nitpicking critics to death for no apparent. reason. Fine, PSU is 98% self-funding. So the Government doesn't control "pursestrings" -- it still controls the university by virtue of having the power to appoint Trustees or decide how Trustees are appointed.

His article, for the most part, is perfectly rational and well said. You are doing yourself no service by focusing on that level of statement as opposed to his point.

 

[upstater]

Upstater -- with all due respect, you seem to be focused on nitpicking critics to death for no apparent. reason. Fine, PSU is 98% self-funding. So the Government doesn't control "pursestrings" -- it still controls the university by virtue of having the power to appoint Trustees or decide how Trustees are appointed.

His article, for the most part, is perfectly rational and well said. You are doing yourself no service by focusing on that level of statement as opposed to his point.

Why am I doing myself no service when I already said I agree with his point? When people get the facts wrong they should be mentioned, especially when reporters do it. And it's not nitpicking when these details are precisely the most important details that determine the future of PSU. For instance, it's not an afterthought that political control of the university can/will decide whether or not this happens again. It's precisely those details that will prevent it. Elimination of the football program is a start, but then what to do about the type of political control that contributed to the cover-up by actors OUTSIDE the football program?

 

[businesslawyer]

It is nitpicking when you feel the need to point out the State of PA only contributes 2% to Penn State's budget when his point, which is still correct, is that Harrisburgh controls the university.

Not worth fighting about (at least to me). You will obviously continue to post what you want. have a nice day.

 

[upstater]

It is nitpicking when you feel the need to point out the State of PA only contributes 2% to Penn State's budget when his point, which is still correct, is that Harrisburgh controls the university.

Not worth fighting about (at least to me). You will obviously continue to post what you want. have a nice day.

I've been consistent in saying that what happens to football is secondary. This is precisely why I think the questions that you think are nitpicky are the most important ones. I think the fact that Harriburg contributes basically nothing should mean they don't get to decide on university governance. For me, it's the single most important thing in the aftermath of the scandal... much more important than the football program. So for Ryan to focus on that is to miss the bigger picture.

 

[Husky68]

Not sure why he is so confident that this could happen at other schools. The key element to this was the tenure of the University President. Nebraska didn't want him. Sure the football program was where this took place, but it was at Penn State; where the Penn State President had no concerns about allowing another pedophile to continue teaching at the university. When you have a leader where "almost" anything is ok, where do you draw the line at where "almost" is. Guess being humane to a pedophile isn't past "almost".
The President of the University and head of BOT sure worked hard to make sure there was as little oversight as to how they ran the university as could be accomplished.
I'm not even sure if I can see a penalty for Penn State (vs. the individuals including the Un. President who should face whatever criminal and civil charges they get) that fits the crime. Everyone associated with Penn State should have done more, from the President to Paterno to the janitor. No one there gets a pass. If you were associated with Penn State you were part of the problem.
This was a homosexual pedophile, where else does this get passed over? Not saying a Petrino doing some chick, or Pitino dribbling down his leg; I'm saying what university would pass on a homosexual pedophile.

 

[AtlHusky]

Not saying a Petrino doing some chick, or Pitino dribbling down his leg; I'm saying what university would pass on a homosexual pedophile.

Petrino, Pitino, Paterno,..... hmmm.

(Yes I realize the first two were the actual active participants)

 

[Fishy]

Some of the reactions are getting stupid.

No, the janitors at Penn State were not 'part of the problem'. Nor were the vast majority of fans, players, teachers, professors, administrators, accountants, groundskeepers, concession workers, bus drivers, plumbers or whoever else we've decided to tag from here on our high horse. The average fan or employee has basically zero connection to any given athletic program - they get a full pass.

They had a very bad apple in the football program. A good number of people who should have known better tried to hide that apple in the bushel and that was very, very wrong. But casting such a wide net of blame is wrong as well.

Sandusky will die in prison, his wife will lose every asset to her name. Paterno's legacy is blown to hell, but he's dead and short of digging him up and yelling at his bones that will have to suffice. Some administrators face prosecution and the school is undergoing a trial by fire in the arena of public perception and their football program will soon do the same in the NCAA's offices. Penn State will also be sued back to the stone ages. All well deserved.

But the janitors are still innocent.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Very soon state support will be down to 2% (and that doesn't even fund the satellites).

2% state funding for Penn State ignores any reference to federal financing, research funding, student loan backing, etc. Surely, Penn State will voluntarily take a few year's break in accepting any federal .

 

[upstater]

2% state funding for Penn State ignores any reference to federal financing, research funding, student loan backing, etc. Surely, Penn State will voluntarily take a few year's break in accepting any federal .

Huh? Ryan's article was about state decision-makers. The Feds don't pack BOTs, and the peer review boards for research are other academics.

 

[UConn990411]

Some of the reactions are getting stupid.

On this board? You don't say.

One poster earlier tried to say I was wrong, so I used facts to prove my point was correct. I was then told that I'm "an idiot who is arguing for the sake of arguing."

Sometimes I feel like I would lose less brain cells doing crack than reading this board.

 

[8893]

On this board? You don't say.

One poster earlier tried to say I was wrong, so I used facts to prove my point was correct. I was then told that I'm "an idiot who is arguing for the sake of arguing."

You forgot "childish dick." That was my favorite.

 

[suzyq]

Huh? Ryan's article was about state decision-makers. The Feds don't pack BOTs, and the peer review boards for research are other academics.

Ryan's article wasa warning about the all encompassing power of long term ,entrenched ,iconic sports figures on large university campuses.

 

[upstater]

Ryan's article wasa warning about the all encompassing power of long term ,entrenched ,iconic sports figures on large university campuses.

Yes, I know. And I agree with that part. The problem is he was asking for the wrong people to save the day: state politicos who control purse strings and who happen to be not only PSU BOT members (the people that hired Freeh), but also Second Mile board members.

 

[SubbaBub]

Ryan should really look at his own industry for blame in elevating sports figures to god-like status.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Husky1964]

Those who disagree with him should remember he is a BCU grad!

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

you think those news reporters that were booing the board that made the decision to fire paterno are eating crow?

 

[tzznandrew]

you think those news reporters that were booing the board that made the decision to fire paterno are eating crow?

They weren't booing, they were saying "Boo-urns."

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

No, that wasn't Ryan's point. His point was: the decision-makers need to end PSU's football program. The Feds are not in charge of state higher education. That much is obvious!

As was clearly acknowledged previously, no one suggested Ryan's focus was on federal spending. However, others may have incorrectly inferred such a scenario. If it's actually possible to acknowledge a comment beyond Ryan's article, my initial and follow on posts only suggested a fair # of taxpayers may reasonably object to any of their hard-earned being shared with Penn State. Yes, paid to both state and federal governments. After leaders of Penn State and its football program effectively enabled a pedophile to abuse young boys and covered it up for a decade+, that's really not all too challenging to comprehend.

 

[upstater]

2% state funding for Penn State ignores any reference to federal financing, research funding, student loan backing, etc. Surely, Penn State will voluntarily take a few year's break in accepting any federal .

Penn State should not take a break from accepting federal funding. The students and professors had nothing to do with this. Furthermore, I was responding to Ryan who said the people with the purse-strings should step into the breach of leadership. Unless you believe the Federal gov't should end funding to PSU (the DOD practically runs the place), his point is moot. And the DOD isn't go to obliterate what must be tens of billions of projects because of how a football coach and president handled a pedophile.