IGX

Louis Freeh, former director of the FBI and chief investigator of the inquiry, said in remarks Thursday morning,

The evidence shows that these four men also knew about a 1998 criminal investigation of Sandusky relating to suspected sexual misconduct with a young boy in a Penn State football locker room shower. Again, they showed no concern about that victim. The evidence shows that Mr. Paterno was made aware of the 1998 investigation of Sandusky, followed it closely, but failed to take any action, even though Sandusky had been a key member of his coaching staff for almost 30 years, and had an office just steps away from Mr. Paterno’s. At the very least, Mr. Paterno could have alerted the entire football staff, in order to prevent Sandusky from bringing another child into the Lasch Building. Messrs. Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley also failed to alert the Board of Trustees about the 1998 investigation or take any further action against Mr. Sandusky. None of them even spoke to Sandusky about his conduct. In short, nothing was done and Sandusky was allowed to continue with impunity.
The Freeh report went onto indict senior members of the Penn State administration for the "total disregard for the safety and welfare" of Sandusky's victims.

"Messrs. Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley never demonstrated, through actions or words, any concern for the safety and well-being of Sandusky’s victims until after Sandusky’s arrest, " the report states. "In order to avoid the consequences of bad publicity, the most powerful leaders at Penn State University...repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky’s child abuse."

Further, and perhaps more damningly, the entire structure of Penn State's football program was criticized.

The AP

reports:

The report also singled out the revered Penn State football program – one built on the motto "success with honor" – for criticism. It says Paterno and university leaders allowed Sandusky to retire in 1999, "not as a suspected child predator, but as a valued member of the Penn State football legacy, with future `visibility' at Penn State'," allowing him to groom victims.

protobuilder wrote:Did anyone seriously think Paterno didn't know what was going on? He played the old fool when Sandusky finally got arrested but his fingerprints are all over this thing.

protobuilder wrote:Did anyone seriously think Paterno didn't know what was going on? He played the old fool when Sandusky finally got arrested but his fingerprints are all over this thing.

Grandpa's Spells wrote:They should chuck the football program. Unbelievable.

Turdacious wrote:

Grandpa's Spells wrote:They should chuck the football program. Unbelievable.

Never happen. It makes money and their endowment is fodder for plaintiff's lawyers. They need the money.

bigpeach wrote:No reason to punish current coaches and players.

bigpeach wrote:Sad to see what it turned up on Paterno, but facts are facts, and one of them is that Paterno was not the boss of the University. The president of the University was ultimately in charge, and should have overruled any decisions Paterno made that helped cover up Sandusky's behavior.

Testiclaw wrote:

bigpeach wrote:No reason to punish current coaches and players.

We're talking about a systematic failure that allowed a child predator to hunt, groom and ultimately rape children, with not only the athletic department knowing about it, but the famous "face" of Penn St. hushing it up, and even the President threw it under the rug.

I think the NCAA needs to come down and come down hard for this. Current coaches and players be damned -systematic raping of kids takes precedent.

Universities and sports programs alike need to learn -and learn fast- that keeping criminal behavior quiet in order to further a sports team is not to be tolerated, or even considered.

My personal solution:

bigpeach wrote:So basically you're saying that not only should the football team be scrapped, the entire University should be shut down, as there were university officials, not just football or athletic department officials, that were in on the coverup.

BucketHead wrote:I hope Paterno dies of cancer

Grandpa's Spells wrote:

Turdacious wrote:

Grandpa's Spells wrote:They should chuck the football program. Unbelievable.

Never happen. It makes money and their endowment is fodder for plaintiff's lawyers. They need the money.

Oh, no doubt Penn State would never voluntarily do this. But the NCAA ought to.

Turdacious wrote: The NCAA is as morally bankrupt as PSU was.

Turdacious wrote:

Grandpa's Spells wrote:

Turdacious wrote:

Grandpa's Spells wrote:They should chuck the football program. Unbelievable.

Never happen. It makes money and their endowment is fodder for plaintiff's lawyers. They need the money.

Oh, no doubt Penn State would never voluntarily do this. But the NCAA ought to.

The NCAA doesn't care about criminal activity covered up by it's athletic programs and member schools.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/victoryandruins/

These kind of coverup are not uncommon, although hopefully they are at the level executed by UW.

The NCAA only cares about equality issues and amateur status. They didn't care when schools graduate illiterate athletes; they don't care about criminal activity. As much as I hate to say it, given the NCAA's history of looking the other way, punishing PSU would be an ex post facto punishment. The NCAA is as morally bankrupt as PSU was.

nafod wrote:

BucketHead wrote:I hope Paterno dies of cancer

Again?

Whole thing makes me want to puke. I am on the road, flying back home tonight. Looking forward to catching the vibe tomorrow.

Big Peach, the most popular ice cream at the psu creamery is...Peachy Paterno.

Blaidd Drwg wrote:

Turdacious wrote: The NCAA is as morally bankrupt as PSU was.

ORLY? As a Catholic , this may be hard for you to hear but covering up child rape kinda trips a certain circuit breaker for a lot of people, I think.