Ot - Ex Penn State Defensive Coord Charged

[speedoo]

ESPN and local networks will be broadcasting his weekly press conference live today beginning around noon. The nation will be watching and listening.

Paterno had better not stonewall the "no questions" position. That will simply not be tolerated by the press, the pubic, and probably not by the PSU trustees either.

 

[UConnCat]

I can't help wondering how many kids were assaulted because Paterno chose to do nothing to stop it.

It's being reported that another victim from Lycoming County contacted the police after hearing about the charges Sunday morning. There will likely be others.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/11/state_police_man_comes_forward.html

 

[ctchamps]

I am sorry but no one can say anything about what they would do until they are in that position and therefore what someone should do. I am presently counseling a guy in the local prison who is accused of child sexual abuse but the entanglement of divorce, step children, and numerous secondary events makes the accusations questionable but none the less the accused has been in jail for 5-6 months. Fact is McQueary did exactly what he was required to do and has cooperated with authorities whenever they asked him for information. Now he is able to express with a clarity he apparently could not express at the time what he saw. This is not unusual.

I understand what you are saying. And after having discussions with my wife and reflecting on this matter I have to agree with you.

But you won't get most people to understand where you're coming from. This issue is too emotionally appalling and personal for most of us.

In addition to the horrific acts on innocent children, there is the additional shock that people didn't take steps to stop those acts. My wife, who counseled a lot of sexual assault victims expressed to me something that made sense.

We act shocked when we find out that people do not respond to these incidences in a certain manner for two reasons. The first is we cannot believe that people react in a particular manner. The second is more subliminal. We're afraid we might act the same way and are horrified by that prospect.

In most of my wife's experiences with her clients there was a perpetrator of the acts and individuals who were in denial about the acts or took no action when they discovered them, particularly when they were personally invested with the perpetrator. I would guess other counselors have similar data to confirm this. As frightening as this may be, the reaction by the grad assistant and others at PSU is most likely the norm of human reaction when we are shocked and not prepared for an event. And that is as much a trigger for us as the actions of Sandusky and the reactions of PSU people to those incidences.

Anecdotally, when we see any tapes of people who are shocked by some set up, such as the show "Scare Tactics" or "Americas Funniest Videos" the prevalent reaction is for people to run away.

I'm not condoning Sandusky or any of those peripherally involved. All of the incidences will have to be reviewed and punishment would have to be administered if people were found to be guilty. But I can easily see why these things happen.

In spite of our awareness of these type of incidences, my wife and I are just as appalled by all this as everyone else and want to see justice prevail. That is also normal.

 

[HuskyNan]

My guess is that he will stick to his Sgt Schultz position - "I know nothink". He won't take questions because certainly some reporter might ask why, since he was aware that a young boy was being sodomized, he didn't ask for specifics and why he didn't call the cops. IMO he should have confronted Sandusky - with a baseball bat.

I can't help wondering how many kids were assaulted because Paterno chose to do nothing to stop it.

I think some suit from PSU will announce that due to the ongoing investigation, Paterno can't answer any questions. We'll see how long he can hide behind that.

Paterno needs to go. Nothing goes on in the PSU Athletic Department - NOTHING - that doesn't have his stamp of approval. Ironically, he protected his protege, Portland, in her detestable vendetta against gays while simultaneously enabling a pervert to commit homosexual acts against children. Does Paterno have no moral compass at all?

 

[UConnCat]

Today's press conference canceled. Here's the statement:

"Due to the on-going legal circumstances surrounding the recent allegations and charges, we have determined that today's press conference cannot be held and will not be rescheduled."

It's being reported that Paterno was prepared to make a statement and answer questions but the University informed him and the media that the press conference would not be held.

 

[speedoo]

Today's press conference canceled. Here's the statement:

"Due to the on-going legal circumstances surrounding the recent allegations and charges, we have determined that today's press conference cannot be held and will not be rescheduled."

I have to wonder whether Paterno is actually being canned. "University officials" cancelled the conference and also that Paterno would not participate in some Big 10 presser coming up.

 

[meyers7]

Today's press conference canceled. Here's the statement:

"Due to the on-going legal circumstances surrounding the recent allegations and charges, we have determined that today's press conference cannot be held and will not be rescheduled."

It's being reported that Paterno was prepared to make a statement and answer questions but the University informed him and the media that the press conference would not be held.

Makes sense from the University's point of view.

 

[HuskyNan]

Penn State Said to Be Planning Paterno’s Exit Amid Scandal, NY Times

 

[UConnCat]

Penn State Said to Be Planning Paterno’s Exit Amid Scandal, NY Times

Wow.

The University must also be concerned about potential civil liability down the road and is trying to get out in front of this, if possible.

 

[speedoo]

Penn State Said to Be Planning Paterno’s Exit Amid Scandal, NY Times

I don't think the Trustees had any choice but to do this. I assume the President is gone as well.

If there was ever a scandal that required a total housecleaning, this would be it.

 

[Zorro]

Wow.

The University must also be concerned about potential civil liability down the road and is trying to get out in front of this, if possible.

I don't see how this will help with that. Way too little, way too late.

 

[Icebear]

I understand what you are saying. And after having discussions with my wife and reflecting on this matter I have to agree with you.

But you won't get most people to understand where you're coming from. This issue is too emotionally appalling and personal for most of us.

In addition to the horrific acts on innocent children, there is the additional shock that people didn't take steps to stop those acts. My wife, who counseled a lot of sexual assault victims expressed to me something that made sense.

We act shocked when we find out that people do not respond to these incidences in a certain manner for two reasons. The first is we cannot believe that people react in a particular manner. The second is more subliminal. We're afraid we might act the same way and are horrified by that prospect.

In most of my wife's experiences with her clients there was a perpetrator of the acts and individuals who were in denial about the acts or took no action when they discovered them, particularly when they were personally invested with the perpetrator. I would guess other counselors have similar data to confirm this. As frightening as this may be, the reaction by the grad assistant and others at PSU is most likely the norm of human reaction when we are shocked and not prepared for an event. And that is as much a trigger for us as the actions of Sandusky and the reactions of PSU people to those incidences.

Anecdotally, when we see any tapes of people who are shocked by some set up, such as the show "Scare Tactics" or "Americas Funniest Videos" the prevalent reaction is for people to run away.

I'm not condoning Sandusky or any of those peripherally involved. All of the incidences will have to be reviewed and punishment would have to be administered if people were found to be guilty. But I can easily see why these things happen.

In spite of our awareness of these type of incidences, my wife and I are just as appalled by all this as everyone else and want to see justice prevail. That is also normal.

I agree with everything in your post fleud. We have no means by which to process this type of horror. I agree completely with your wife's comments on the two levels of response. Of course, we are all appalled but the media is leaping tall buildings in a single bound.

All Joe has said is allow the process to continue to work, no further damage can be done to any child at this point. I expect several more victims to come forward at this time, that needs to happen. If more information arises showing that Joe knew more than the single 2002 event that he and McQueary reported then clearly significant action is demanded against Joe. The lack of a chronological account of the events in the Grand Jury report creates impressions not supported when one reorganizes it. Folks have made all sorts of assumptions about what Joe knew, the process should reveal this. Let it work. People have assumed he saw Sandusky on campus with kids at practice despite no witness to that effect. I have attended practices at Penn State and it is not a single event with focus all at one place. Joe is rarely on the field as the positions coaches run everything. Think of how practice works at UConn for basketball and raise that by two orders of magnitude for almost 100 players and a couple dozen or more staff.

Lost in all of this is what did the Second Mile staff know. This has a board that managed the program. What have they known and when. My understanding is that it has people on the board who are professionals working kids at risk. They have worked far closer with Sandusky then Joe or anyone else at PSU for two decades.

Runaway emotion is driving everything now and in the process many more people will have their lives added to the list of victims. Blind rage tramples all things. There is a process and it needs to be given space to work.

 

[pap49cba]

Wow.... number of victims doubles.

LINK

 

[justML]

Unfathomable that so many adults had first-hand knowledge of this despicable crime. Do they realize they could have stopped that monster before he victimized more children???? Sickening.

 

[UConnCat]

Wow.... number of victims doubles.

LINK

It says "close to 20 victims" have come forward, so that means at least 8 or more have come forward since Sunday. As far as we know, Sandusky knew his victims through his children's charity The Second Mile. He founded that charity in 1977. He came in contact with a lot of kids over the years.

You have to wonder if Victim 2 will ever come forward.

Sportswriter/author John Feinstein was on the radio in Philadelphia this afternoon and said that he believes it will eventually come out that Sandusky was asked to resign in 1999 because of what was known about him at the time. He didn't say (or I didn't hear) whether he'd heard that from someone connected to the team or university or whether that's just speculation on his part. But information about what people in State College knew and when they knew it will eventually begin to trickle out.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Geno is about to speak about it on Fox61 local news... hopefully some records and post his comments/opinion

 

[UConnCat]

Geno is about to speak about it on Fox61 local news... hopefully some records and post his comments/opinion

Rich Elliott reports on Geno's comments about a coach's responsibilities in his blog. Geno rambles a bit but seems to be saying that it's impossible for a coach to know everything that goes on in his/her program but ultimately a coach will be judged on what is done with the information that is known. http://blog.ctnews.com/elliott/2011/11/08/auriemma-talks-penn-state/

It’s not can you possibly know everything that’s going on in your program. I don’t know. I don’t think so. But what do you do when you know? I think that’s where we’re going to get judged. I think that’s where ultimately the judgment is going to be on us.’’

 

[cardfan]

Wow.... number of victims doubles.

LINK

I could cry. So sad

 

[stamfordhusky]

I could cry. So sad

Sadly, it wouldn't be at all surprising if there are 20 or more victims still undiscovered. Some will never come forward. One or more may even be dead.

 

[cardfan]

Sadly, it wouldn't be at all surprising if there are 20 or more victims still undiscovered. Some will never come forward. One or more may even be dead.

unfortunately, I agree.

 

[Icebear]

Sadly, it wouldn't be at all surprising if there are 20 or more victims still undiscovered. Some will never come forward. One or more may even be dead.

Absolutely true. In long term situations like this it is sadly very likely.

 

[Aluminny69]

Latest News from ESPN:

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has decided to retire at the end of the season, ending a four-decades-plus tenure that has been overtaken by a child sex-abuse case involving a former assistant.
An announcement will come later Wednesday. The Associated Press reported on Paterno's pending retirement, which has been confirmed by ESPN sources.
Penn State's board of trustees announced Tuesday that it will appoint a special committee to investigate the scandal that resulted in 40 criminal counts against retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky and led to the removal this week of athletic director Tim Curley and senior vice president Gary Schultz.

 

[UConnCat]

Latest News from ESPN:

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has decided to retire at the end of the season, ending a four-decades-plus tenure that has been overtaken by a child sex-abuse case involving a former assistant.
An announcement will come later Wednesday. The Associated Press reported on Paterno's pending retirement, which has been confirmed by ESPN sources.
Penn State's board of trustees announced Tuesday that it will appoint a special committee to investigate the scandal that resulted in 40 criminal counts against retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky and led to the removal this week of athletic director Tim Curley and senior vice president Gary Schultz.

Expect an announcement about Pres. Spanier next. Very soon someone needs to speak publicly on behalf of the University. That needs to happen and it can not be someone who is morally compromised in this situation.

 

[Icebear]

Former Gov. Tom Ridge has been suggested as a replacement for Spanier. He would be an excellent choice.

 

[Icebear]

What continues to bother me is the lack of mention of the Second Mile charity in all of this? This was Sandusky point of contact for all of these kids. It is amazing that they have received virtually no mention.

Also, lacking in the coverage has been discussion and analysis of the emotional and system dynamics that contribute to the actions of people and institutions leading to this kind of event. Without understanding these dynamics the risk of repeating and the ability to stop such things are unresolved. It would have been nice to see a couple of professions from psychology help to analyze why folks like McQueary acted as they did given varying constructs of experience.