Joe Paterno dies?

[Ed62]

It's been reported that he died http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/footbal...bituary_012212, but my wife said she saw where the person who wrote that abruptly retired. So is it true?

Ed

[LCHIEN]

confirmed by several reliable sources (Wash Post, USA Today) that he died today (Sunday). There were several erroneous reports Saturday night around 9-10PM that he had died but these were quickly retracted and there was one resignation.

However late last night the news was saying he had taken a serious turn for the worse and the family was going to decide whether to pull the plug Sunday.

a probably sentimental article from Philly Equirer
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/...137839023.html


History will be mixed. How many Attaboys does it take to cancel out one Aw-Sh*t?

[dbhost]

Both Fox News and CNN say he died. I figure 2 major and somewhat opposing sources, must be reasonably accurate.

Pity he died in disgrace over the child sex abuse scandal.

[Cochese]

Article last night said he died. Retracted, resigned. Died this morning.

What he did was bad, but nowhere near what some want to tar him for.

[Knottscott]

This whole debacle makes me sad. I really hated the way this was handled. I don't even recall all the details, but do agree that it was apparent that he didn't do enough about the incident...however, given his age, his legacy, and the amount of elapsed time from the events to their "discovery", I also think the his punishment could have waited a few more weeks until the season ended. Destroying his life didn't help anyone.

[tommyt654]

I can agree with that Knotscott. We may never know what was actually said and done by anyone until it all bears out. Sadly I think a great man may have been the target of those easy to throw stones without knowing the entire truth of the matter. Had this not have happened so late in a very distinquished career Papa Jo would have been the greatest college football coach of all time

[sweensdv]

Because of his fame and celebrity status, the media piled far too much of the blame for that unfortunate incident onto Coach Paterno shoulders. If he indeed did inform his superiors, as he claimed, who in turn then did nothing then those people is were the blame and media attention should have been all along. RIP jopa, you will be missed.

[All Thumbs]

Disagree with some of the comments.

Joe Paterno had a moral obligation to go to the authorities once he saw the administration failed to do so. Frankly, his first phone call should have been to the police, not to the university's administration. This is a matter for law enforcement. Period.

Fast forward some years, and I think worrying about whether the football season is allowed to wrap-up before taking any action, or whether the guy's career is sullied, is really sending the wrong message.

Society puts way too much emphasis on entertainment and sports "heroes" and "legends."

Maybe the next time something like this happens (and make no mistake, there will be a next time), the coach or executive or entertainer or whomever will drop a dime to the cops.

Enough is enough.

[jackellis]

I'm with All Thumbs on this one.

For those who would cut Paterno some slack - any slack - would you be as willing to do so if your child had been one of the victims, alleged or otherwise?

[dbhost]

I whole heartedly agree. His position of celebrity and authority did not release him from his moral and legal obligations...

What do you mean to drop a dime?

[QU OTE=All Thumbs;495126]Disagree with some of the comments.

Joe Paterno had a moral obligation to go to the authorities once he saw the administration failed to do so. Frankly, his first phone call should have been to the police, not to the university's administration. This is a matter for law enforcement. Period.

Fast forward some years, and I think worrying about whether the football season is allowed to wrap-up before taking any action, or whether the guy's career is sullied, is really sending the wrong message.

Society puts way too much emphasis on entertainment and sports "heroes" and "legends."

Maybe the next time something like this happens (and make no mistake, there will be a next time), the coach or executive or entertainer or whomever will drop a dime to the cops.

Enough is enough.[/QUOTE]

[All Thumbs]

I whole heartedly agree. His position of celebrity and authority did not release him from his moral and legal obligations...

What do you mean to drop a dime?

"Dropping a dime" is a way of saying you are going to place a telephone call. I guess it was coined (pun intended, my apologies) back when pay phones were more prevalent.

[Cochese]

I'm with All Thumbs on this one.

For those who would cut Paterno some slack - any slack - would you be as willing to do so if your child had been one of the victims, alleged or otherwise?

I think one can acknowledge what happened in his later years without it dominating how a person lived the rest of their life.

[chopnhack]

I'm not sure it its a matter of cutting slack or what not and I am not fully versed on all the details, but from what I read, Paterno heard an account of abuse and reported it to the school officials. Most folks without any legal knowledge would have probably done the same. He expected the superiors of the school to act appropriately, the failure would have been on the administration. I don't see their names splashing the front page though..

[Knottscott]

...For those who would cut Paterno some slack - any slack - would you be as willing to do so if your child had been one of the victims, alleged or otherwise?

For those who wouldn't cut him some slack....If you had an otherwise illustrious career, and one of your work cohorts molested someone at work, you found out about it and contacted your supervisors, would you want someone to cut you some slack or make a scape goat of you?

[leehljp]

I discussed this with my daughter just after the news broke last fall. She works with child protective services and what she told me - only showed me what I didn't know about the law.

ANYone who works in any educational institution or organization (and there are other situations also) is required by law to inform police or law enforcement when there is an allegation of sexual abuse with children or students. I am pretty sure that this is a federal law.

I may have some of the wording off, but the basic meaning is there.

If it was reported to him, then he was required under federal law to report this to Law Enforcement, not his superiors. This same law applies the fellow that told him.