OT: Thursday at 9 a.m., the Freeh Report is available. . .

[Kibitzer]

. . . on line. Everyone connected to PSU football and many who are not will be logged on, some holding their breath.

I see it as a bad sign that the Paterno family has gone to great effort to discredit the report in advance.

The news article I read indicated that the NCAA is expected to evaluate "institutional control" as described in the Freeh report. I expressed my belief earlier that the NCAA will feel compelled to mete out some punishment but it will fall short of the "death penalty."

Well, we shall see after the bomb drops tomorrow (Thursday, July 12) on ESPN.

 

[Vowelguy]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/13/sports/ncaafootball/13pennstate.html?_r=1&hp

No surprise.

"The most senior officials at Penn State University failed for more than a decade to take any steps to protect the children victimized by Jerry Sandusky"

 

[alexrgct]

Burn penn state to the ground. Definitely figuratively, possibly literally.

 

[Kibitzer]

The Freeh report is utterly damning of the inactions of Spanier, Shultz, Curley and, yes, Paterno.

A couple thoughts leap to mind.

It's amazing how some small event leads to a massive event.

A night security guard (in the Watergate complex) spots some tape on a door latch, thinks it is sufficiently unusual to justify reporting it, and VOILA! The historic Watergate investigation begins, ending with the demolition of the Nixon administration.

In this instance, a boy comes home and his mom notices that his hair is wet. When asked why, he explains that he had just showeed with PSU Coach Sandusky. She is alarmed, reports it, and the snowball started rolling downhill, gathering size and speed and momentum.

"For want of a nail, a shoe was lost............" and so on.

 

[OneTrickPony]

I've never been able to understand how McQuery justified not intervening in the shower rape he witnessed...has anyone even posed the question to him?

 

[Wbbfan1]

Christine Brenan - Link

Possibly take down the statue, but going overboard when she says shut down the football program for a year.

 

[Vowelguy]

I've never been able to understand how McQuery justified not intervening in the shower rape he witnessed...has anyone even posed the question to him?

A young guy (24?) in his first job at a large, prestigious company stumbles across the storied #2 person in the organization doing something fishy. Not clear what's going on, he waits to get a better look to confirm his fears since a quick false accusation could end his career. He does, but paralyzed by shock he hesitates on what to do next, and moments later the activity ends.

I have no idea if this is how it happened, but if it did, I can understand it.

 

[Vowelguy]

Christine Brenan - Link

Possibly take down the statue, but going overboard when she says shut down the football program for a year.

Of course it'll never happen, but she does raise a good question -- if SMU got the death penalty, why shouldn't Penn St?

 

[OneTrickPony]

A young guy (24?) in his first job at a large, prestigious company stumbles across the storied #2 person in the organization doing something fishy. Not clear what's going on, he waits to get a better look to confirm his fears since a quick false accusation could end his career. He does, but paralyzed by shock he hesitates on what to do next, and moments later the activity ends.

I have no idea if this is how it happened, but if it did, I can understand it.

My take is a bit different. In a letter released posthumously, Coach Paterno is obsessed with how this scandal will reflect on his football program. I ask you...an ex-Penn State quarterback happens on your 10-year old son being raped...your son looks up with desperation in his eyes...only to see his savior stand there dumbfounded. If it happened to my son or daughter, I'd have no problem explaining to Mr. McQuery what a coward he is...!

But at least, when he reported it to his mentor, Coach Joe...reacting as if it were his own child...immediately asks McQuery why he didn't stop it and rescue the victim...well, that didn't happen either apparently.

Neither man felt any responsibility to this child as a human being as the Freeh Report finds...I wouldn't entrust my children to such conflicted people, and I don't think you would either!

 

[alexrgct]

A young guy (24?) in his first job at a large, prestigious company stumbles across the storied #2 person in the organization doing something fishy. Not clear what's going on, he waits to get a better look to confirm his fears since a quick false accusation could end his career. He does, but paralyzed by shock he hesitates on what to do next, and moments later the activity ends.

I have no idea if this is how it happened, but if it did, I can understand it.

Point of clarification: when McQueary witnessed the incident in the shower, Sandusky had already retired for reasons that were unclear outside the program but were known to at least some people within it.

I agree he probably just froze and didn't react well. I imagine he regrets it.

 

[alexrgct]

Christine Brenan - Link

Possibly take down the statue, but going overboard when she says shut down the football program for a year.

"Possibly" take down the statue? The guy harbored a pedophile, enabled him, and allowed him to harm more children.

I see no reason not to give that program the death penalty. The university cared more about the image of its football program than protecting children. Take away its football program, let current players transfer, and Penn State can rebuild from there, hopefully with more honor and dignity than before.

 

[Kibitzer]

Of course it'll never happen, but she does raise a good question -- if SMU got the death penalty, why shouldn't Penn St?

Christine Brennan gets it wrong again.

First, compare SMU and PSU.

SMU broke the (recruiting) rules again and again and again. And they got caught. And they were warned. And they kept on. And on. So they got the "death penalty," which was like an atomic bomb because the catastrophic aftermath was so horrible that the NCAA doesn't ever want to do it again. (The catastrophic aftermath was the silencing of the cash registers in Dallas, a no-no for the NCAA.)

It was easy for the NCAA to hit little Morehouse College with the "death penalty," but Penn State? Not a chance, knowing the lost revenues after they whacked SMU.

Second, the NCAA rules were written with generous (or sleazy, or both) boosters and unprincipled coaches in mind. The focus is on curtailing guys like the notorious Sam Gilbert, who did much to make John Wooden a wizard. SMU was in very direct and pervasive violations of those rules, including reference to "lack of institutional control."

The brain trust at the NCAA never envisioned being confronted with a situation such as described in the Freeh report. No payola to recruits, no excessive visits, none of that stuff.

But now, there is tremendous public outcry and it is loud and long. So the NCAA must feel the compulsion to "do something," otherwise they will be lumped with the PSU Big Four (Spanier, Shultz, Curley and Paterno) as a bunch of "do-nothings."

My bet is that the NCAA will take some punitive action against PSU but not in such a way as to punish a new coach and current players, nor (Heaven forbid!) slow down the musical ka-ching/ka-ching/ka-ching sound of cash registers ringing in Happy Valley.

Punitive action? Yes. Death penalty? Not a chance.

 

[JS]

Of course it'll never happen, but she does raise a good question -- if SMU got the death penalty, why shouldn't Penn St?

Um, because SMU, after five previous probations, still engaged in massive violations of NCAA rules, including paying its players, whereas it's difficult to see exactly how, as regards Sandusky, PSU violated even one NCAA rule in the conduct of its football program.

This writer is an alarmist who also, IIRC, opined that Geno's job as Olympic coach and even as UConn coach were in jeopardy on account of the bare allegations by Kelley Hardwick. Based on this second article I've ever read by Ms. Brennan, I'd say that when in high dudgeon she tends toward absurdly overblown conclusions.

 

[Kibitzer]

Based on this second article I've ever read by Ms. Brennan, I'd say that when in high dudgeon she tends toward absurdly overblown conclusions.

JS, make that low dudgeon for Ms. Brennan.

 

[Wbbfan1]

The NCAA is responsible for maintaining and ensuring compliance of Athletic Programs, not criminal activity. IMHO don't see where the NCAA has any standing in the criminal complaints lodged against Sandusky or any other person charged with criminal activity. If they did had standing with criminal activity why don't they get involved with DUI's, robberies, assults and other criminal activities that athletes, coaches and others associated with athletic programs are charged with?

The Criminal cases and the civil cases will punish Penn State, Sandusky and others.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Christine Brennan gets it wrong again.

First, compare SMU and PSU.

SMU broke the (recruiting) rules again and again and again. And they got caught. And they were warned. And they kept on. And on. So they got the "death penalty," which was like an atomic bomb because the catastrophic aftermath was so horrible that the NCAA doesn't ever want to do it again. (The catastrophic aftermath was the silencing of the cash registers in Dallas, a no-no for the NCAA.)

It was easy for the NCAA to hit little Morehouse College with the "death penalty," but Penn State? Not a chance, knowing the lost revenues after they whacked SMU.

Second, the NCAA rules were written with generous (or sleazy, or both) boosters and unprincipled coaches in mind. The focus is on curtailing guys like the notorious Sam Gilbert, who did much to make John Wooden a wizard. SMU was in very direct and pervasive violations of those rules, including reference to "lack of institutional control."

The brain trust at the NCAA never envisioned being confronted with a situation such as described in the Freeh report. No payola to recruits, no excessive visits, none of that stuff.

But now, there is tremendous public outcry and it is loud and long. So the NCAA must feel the compulsion to "do something," otherwise they will be lumped with the PSU Big Four (Spanier, Shultz, Curley and Paterno) as a bunch of "do-nothings."

My bet is that the NCAA will take some punitive action against PSU but not in such a way as to punish a new coach and current players, nor (Heaven forbid!) slow down the musical ka-ching/ka-ching/ka-ching sound of cash registers ringing in Happy Valley.

Punitive action? Yes. Death penalty? Not a chance.

I was at SMU at the same time a number of the big boosters during the Death Penalty scandal were in school. Bill "Rabbit" Clements was a trustee of the SMU Institute of Technology and actually got me my first job out of college...rest in peace Rabbit! The SMU situation came down to a showdown between SMU and the NCAA where they were caught red-handed...given the cease and desist...and continued to make payments to the players. When asked later about this...then Texas Governor Clements responded that we felt we had an obligation to those boys. Bottom line is, they left the NCAA little choice. No one expected the extent to which the Death Penalty destroyed SMU's sports program...even now its a ghost of its former success. I doubt it gets meted out again in a situation where the school isn't openly defying the NCAA.

 

[Vowelguy]

Um, because SMU, after five previous probations, still engaged in massive violations of NCAA rules, including paying its players, whereas it's difficult to see exactly how, as regards Sandusky, PSU violated even one NCAA rule in the conduct of its football program.

The point she's making is broader:

SMU -- allowed massive financial improprieties
Penn St -- allowed years and years of child molestation

 

[JS]

The point she's making is broader:

SMU -- allowed massive financial improprieties
Penn St -- allowed years and years of child molestation

Fine to make a broad point, that two awful things happened, but the awful things are apples and oranges.

What she doesn't seem to understand is that, for the NCAA to act, as she specifically advocates, there has to have been a violation of its rules. They can't just say, "These four guys acted disgracefully and allowed bad things to happen, so we're killing the football program." There has to be something more than a remote connection (reputation-protecting, at most) between what they did or failed to do and the way the school conducted its intercollegiate athletics programs.

I agree with Wbbfan1 on this. Penn State and the accused individuals (if found guilty) will take their lumps in the civil and criminal courts. The NCAA has no apparent reason to be involved.

 

[Vowelguy]

Fine to make a broad point, that two awful things happened, but the awful things are apples and oranges.

What she doesn't seem to understand is that, for the NCAA to act, there has to have been a violation of its rules. They can't just say, "These four guys acted disgracefully and allowed bad things to happen, so we're killing the football program." There has to be something more than a remote connection (reputation-protecting, at most) between what they did or failed to do and the way the school conducted its intercollegiate athletics programs.

I agree with Wbbfan1 on this. Penn State and the accused individuals (if found guilty) will take their lumps in the civil and criminal courts. The NCAA has no apparent reason to be involved.

Loss of institutional control?

And are you really arguing that this had nothing to do with football? It had everything to do with football.
It's not "something bad happened; let's think of a way to really punish the school."
It's "something bad happened precisely because of the culture in and around the football program. That culture needs to be fixed."

 

[John Glass]

Christine Brenan - Link

Possibly take down the statue, but going overboard when she says shut down the football program for a year.

one year ? LOL

They will probably never recover. I would think O'Brien would be updating his resume, and getting out of Dodge as fast as he can.

 

[speedoo]

Loss of institutional control?

And are you really arguing that this had nothing to do with football? It had everything to do with football.
It's not "something bad happened; let's think of a way to really punish the school."
It's "something bad happened precisely because of the culture in and around the football program. That culture needs to be fixed."

Rarely do I disagree with JS, but I do in this instance. The connection between the scandal at PSU and its football program is more direct than remote. Protection of the football program led directly to insufficient action against Sandusky.

 

[Icebear]

In contrast to many having, now read read about 2/3s of the 270 page report on my afternoon off, it is amazing how tightly focused the action centers around Curley and Schultz and what they conveyed or didn't convey to others and as the central actors in this whole sad history, then onto Spanier and, finally, JoePA and others. It seems to me that the Grand Jury did a good job indicting the right people given the decisions they made and how they "managed and handled" the various steps along the way.

Speedoo, JS, can speak for himself but I think the connection is more to the athletic director and other administrative personnel than the football program per se. Football is involved in that it was football revenue and the universitiy's reputation that the administrators were defending. The football program or how football was done at PSU had little to do with it. Schultz and and Curley consistently chose against public safety and for the reputation of those involved, individually and collectively.

 

[vtcwbuff]

You can read the entire Freeh report here. There is an executive summary with a timeline that is pretty damning of Paterno.

There is an old saying in the military that it takes justy one "aw " to erase a career full of "atta boys." It applies to Paterno. I think he will rightfully be remembered as the guy that chose to allow a pederast to continue molesting young boys followed by a "didn't he win some football games?" Just what he was trying to avoid.

As for Brennan she has her head up her tookus as usual. Essentially she is condemning an athletic program based on the behavior of individuals that had nothing to do with athletics. While their motives were certainly protection of the program, it was the individuals involved that protected Sandusky and they alone should pay the price.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Keep the Students Ignorant - link

Why would they change the channel to prevent people from watching the news conference?

 

[Icebear]

Here is the direct link to both Louis Freeh's coverage and the full report.

http://thefreehreportonpsu.com/