The story in State College just keeps getting worse. First we find out that Joe Paterno is on his death bed. Then CBS reports that he had died. Then we find out the report was false. In my opinion, there's nothing a media outlet can do that is worse than falsely reporting the death of a human being. As for Paterno, (as of 8:44pm CT) his family says he is in serious condition and continuing to fight. The prognosis isn't good, and that's just too bad. Paterno made some major mistakes in the Sandusky scandal, but it's too bad he made them so close to the end of his life. Most people get a chance to make up for their mistakes. It looks like Paterno won't get that chance. (Editor's note: Joe Paterno later died Sunday morning, confirmed by the Paterno family. He was 85.)
I'm one of the people that believe the good that he did far outweighed the bad. That's not saying that he couldn't have saved several kids from a lifetime of problems, but he had a positive impact on more lives than I think anyone can imagine. No one deserves to go out like this.
CBS' premature reporting on Joe Paterno's death reminded me of this classic SNL skit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkhwiuRbOEE
Iowa State is looking like the team Cyclone fans were hoping to see, earlier in the season. There are games you want to win, and games you need to win. Today's game was both.The Cyclones needed to blast a bad Tech team on the road, and they did. It was exactly the showing they needed. They're 14-5 overall, and 4-2 in the Big 12. I must say, they've exceeded my expectations to this point, and baring some kind of injury or implosion, this team will make the NCAA tourney.
Now things are getting really interesting. If ISU can win at Texas, Tuesday, they'll be in 2nd or 3rd-place in the conference when 1st-place Kansas comes to town in a week. I'd love to see Hilton if everything falls into place. The Cyclones proved they can play with KU on the road. There's no reason they can't beat the Jayhawks in Ames.
What was Pittsburgh thinking when constructing its basketball arena? Courtside suites opposite the TV camera? No one wants to watch a game and see a handful of old fogies sitting on cocktails behind the bench. Flip the camera around to the other side and let us see the crazy students. Give me a break.
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18 comments:
"I'm one of the people that believe the good that he did far outweighed the bad."
How lucky you are then that you were never sexually abused as a child. Because if you had been, you would have never made this statement.
What? Mistakes at the end of his life??? His "mistakes", if you can call allowing child rape a mistake, has been going on since Sandusky "retired" in 1998. JoPa probably knew way before that.
I have to agree with this! Seriously, Chris...choose your words carefully. The man was a coach, just a coach. He could have been much more; a legend even, but he chose to put football first, ahead of human life and respect.
Anyone who calls "rape" just a mistake is completely and utterly CLUELESS!!! I have never been more disappointed! I am appalled and sickened at the minimizing of what child sexual assault victims call "a murder if who they were". Chris Hassel you seriously need to spend a few hours working for a rape crisis center. YOU ARE SO WRONG! Statistics tell us that 1 in 4 young girls and 1 in 7 young boys will be sexually assaulted and those are only reported cases. Perpetrators have revealed that they average far more than that before they are caught.
Many of you are acting as if Joe Paterno physically raped these boys. He didn't. Jerry Sandusky did. I'm not defending what Joe-Pa did (or didn't do). I'm just saying it's a shame that a human being that was so beloved for so long has to go out like this. Paterno didn't commit any crimes. He just made bad decisions. Really bad decisions.
Damn Chris, you've got anonymous Bobbi D's all fired up tonight!
Chris, The wrong far out weighs the good ever done. The Children that were abused were pushed aside as if they were meaningless while football remained the focus. A stupid game, legend, and program were all sacrificed at the expense of young children. The lone decision to ignore the hurt, they cry for help is socially and morally wrong. This is a wrong that can never be righted. So no the so called coach who helped more than he hurt did not do the right thing. As a person of importance and significance, he ignored a coaches number one priority....the safety of those in his care... SO CHRIS...WHERE DID JOE PA DO WRONG?
Billi C,
I'm pretty certain Anonymous is just one person. I'm holding out hope that Bobbi returns and we can be friends.
I wonder if you would still think Paterno so innocent if it were a child you loved who was victimized? Sandusky perped because he knew he was safe to do so....Paterno sure didnt stop him!
Anonymous,
Yes, Paterno could've done more. Much more. He made mistakes and that's why he was fired. But he never committed a crime. That's about all that needs to be said.
Gotta agree with hassel on this Paterno did not rape any children, yes, he mishandled that situation, but he's not even close to the only person who did, he's just the most public. I think Hassel did choose his words carefully, I think our four Anonymous's are just looking for a reason to be upset.
Although you are right he was just a football coach, a head college football coach for 46 years with between 100 and 150 players on that team in any given year whose lives he had a direct impact on. No matter how many lives Sandusky ruined it's likely that Joe Paterno positively effected more.
Oh and as for the 4th Anonymous those Statistics are estimates based on both reported and unreported, so you've horribly misrepresented them, and I think you're confused we're talking about Joe Paterno, not Sandusky. In case you haven't been keeping track it was Sandusky who is accused of raping children, not Paterno. Apparently you're slightly clueless.
By not reporting what he knew, Joe Paterno is just as guilty because more victims were abused because of his inaction.
My parents tried to report my abuse at the hands of a camp counselor to a local sheriff. He wouldn't accept the report because my attacker was "beloved" by the community. I felt attacked all over again.
It is quite obvious that you, like Paterno, have much higher regard for football than children. You too have made a very bad decision by making that comment.
No Chris anonymous is not one person. I am Lynn Koch Melbourne Ia i am a victim advocate who will make sure everyone hears and knows about your position and coments. I WAS a faithful viewer of WHO....NOT NOW!
Crime or not he is a morally wrong for what he didn't do which was the right thing. Where in our society have we stopped holding people accountable. Are you not held responsible for the quality or the reporting you do? Do you hold any moral obligations to your job? How do you hold yourself accountable? Bottom line no Paterno is not a criminal, but he hurt children by allowing this to happen under his watch even after it came to the light. Paterno is not an evil man, but a man who let his job and clout get ahead of his judgment.
You're not a very good advocate for victim's rights Lynn Koch Melbourne if you're letting yourself get riled up and start making threats because someone made a true statement that it's unfortunate Joe Paterno who messed up royally (as Chris Hassel has already stated several times) isn't going to have time to make up for the mistake.
If you're the Anonymous who was abused I'm very sorry for what happened to you (and if you're not I'm very sorry for their pain as well) but your over reaction isn't helping victim's rights, nor is it putting you in an even remotely positive light. Find some perspective, read what he's saying and actually think about what he's saying. No one, including Hassel is saying Joe Paterno did the right thing, quite the opposite in fact. However, the state of Pennsylvania has said that he did not do anything criminal.
For Chris and for Lynn and for all the others anonymous or otherwise, a simple proverb:
"Judge not lest ye be judged"
The reality is the only person who really knows what Paterno knew is Paterno and his maker. Maybe he was complicit in the whole thing, maybe he was just an old man who didn't understand what he was hearing, maybe he didn't really get a good account. We'll never really know. He did a lot of good beyond football. He was a noted philanthropist and changed a number of lives for the better, either directly or indirectly. And in some way, his failure to act had the opposite effect. Who can say with certainty what the balance is?
I do believe good people make bad decisions. There are a lot of people who are quick to say they'd take action in this case or other abhorrent things. It's easy to say, but there are plenty of cases in history, or just every day, of good people freezing and failing to act. That's why its easy to judge....until your number is called.
You guys are rediculous! Leave the old man alone..the Guy positively impacted more lives than you losers could ever even attempt too...he didn't commit a crime and gave his whole life to Penn State.. He was a great man and deserves to be respected not bad mouthed in his final hours
In the final analysis, Paterno committed sins of omission and he was still a great coach, but a flawed human being as we all are.
We should forgive him and realize that he probably never witnessed an acutual rape, but he had to rely on second-hand info.
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