via Fight On State: [bold added]
For the last two months, at the request of the Attorney General's office, I have not discussed the specifics of my testimony regarding the pending cases. And while I will continue to honor that request, I do feel compelled to address comments made subsequent to November 9; specifically, I feel compelled to say, in no uncertain terms, that this is not a football scandal.
Let me say that again so I am not misunderstood: regardless of anyone's opinion of my actions or the actions of the handful of administration officials in this matter, the fact is nothing alleged is an indictment of football or evidence that the spectacular collections of accomplishments by dedicated student athletes should be in anyway tarnished.
Yet, over and over again, I have heard Penn State officials decrying the influence of football and have heard such ignorant comments like Penn State will no longer be a “football factory” and we are going to “start” focusing on integrity in athletics. These statements are simply unsupported by the five decades of evidence to the contrary – and succeed only in unfairly besmirching both a great University and the players and alumni of the football program who have given of themselves to help make it great.
Pac would be proud.
This morning, the Paterno family mailed this column, said to be written by Joe Paterno in late December and early January, to former Nittany Lion football players. It was obtained by Fight On State. The 700-word essay barely mentions the Jerry Sandusky allegations. Rather, it addresses the nature of the situation, which Paterno calls "not a football scandal."
While he admits that the Attorney General’s office asked him not to discuss specifics of the case, it is troubling to see what now appears to be the most heartfelt statement given by Paterno concerned the legacy of the football program and university, not the massive failure to stop a mad man. I 100% get that caring about those two very separate things are not mutually exclusive, and I also get that this was apparently meant for former players, but, for better or worse, we once again see a Paterno who was seemingly more concerned with his program and university than the awful acts of his long-time right-hand man. He mentions the word “football” 13 times – mostly to point out that the scandal had nothing to do with the sport – and never once even comes close to acknowledging the obvious fact that Sandusky was given access, benefit of the doubt and, really, children almost exclusively because of football.
If a football coach raping boys in a football locker room of a major D-1 football program isn’t a football scandal, I don’t know what it is. Paterno says many things here that are deserving of mention – specifically, that the accomplishments of former players, students and almost everyone associated with Penn State are not on trial – but pretending the scandal has nothing to do with the “influence of football” is completely wrong.
The timing of the letter’s mailing is curious, and we’re assuming that Paterno’s lawyer or PR guru, Dan McGinn, helped, at least in part, to craft the column.
Tomorrow, former FBI director Louis Freeh will release his supposedly independent report on what happened at Penn State and the ensuring coverup. There have been leaks and speculation indicating that Paterno knew more than he admitted. As a result, earlier today, his family released a statement defending his actions.
Freeh's report will shed much more light on what happened at Penn State. For now, though, read Paterno's column in-full after the jump.
For the last two months, at the request of the Attorney General's office, I have not discussed the specifics of my testimony regarding the pending cases. And while I will continue to honor that request, I do feel compelled to address comments made subsequent to November 9; specifically, I feel compelled to say, in no uncertain terms, that this is not a football scandal.
Let me say that again so I am not misunderstood: regardless of anyone's opinion of my actions or the actions of the handful of administration officials in this matter, the fact is nothing alleged is an indictment of football or evidence that the spectacular collections of accomplishments by dedicated student athletes should be in anyway tarnished.
Yet, over and over again, I have heard Penn State officials decrying the influence of football and have heard such ignorant comments like Penn State will no longer be a “football factory” and we are going to “start” focusing on integrity in athletics. These statements are simply unsupported by the five decades of evidence to the contrary – and succeed only in unfairly besmirching both a great University and the players and alumni of the football program who have given of themselves to help make it great.
For over 40 years young men have come to Penn State with the idea that they were going to do something different — they were coming to a place where they would be expected to compete at the highest levels of college football and challenged to get a degree. And they succeeded — during the last 45 years NO ONE has won more games while graduating more players. The men who made that commitment and who gave of themselves to help build the national reputation of what was once a regional school deserve better than to have their hard work and sacrifice dismissed as part of a “football factory,” all in the interests of expediency.
Penn State is not a football factory and it is ALREADY a great University. We have world-class researchers, degree programs, and students in every discipline. Penn Staters have been pioneers in medical advancements, engineering, and in the humanities. Our graduates have gone on to change the world — even graduates with football lettermen sweaters.
That is why recent comments are so perplexing and damaging — Penn Staters know we are a world class University. We can recite with pride the ranks of our academic programs and the successes of our graduates. Penn Staters (and employers) know what we are and the quality of our education. Nothing that has been alleged in any way implicates that reputation; rather, it is only the inexplicable comments of our own administration doing so.
It must stop. This is not a football scandal and should not be treated as one. It is not an academic scandal and does not in any way tarnish the hard earned and well-deserved academic reputation of Penn State. That Penn State officials would suggest otherwise is a disservice to every one of the over 500,000 living alumni.
Forget my career in terms of my accomplishments and look at the last 40 years as I do: as the aggregate achievements of hundreds of young men working to become better people as they got an education and became better football players. Look at those men and what they have done in the world since they left Penn State and assess their contributions as an aggregate – is this a collection of jocks who did nothing but skate by at a football factory, or are these men who earned an education and built a reputation second to none as a place where academic integrity and gridiron success could thrive together?
Whatever failings that may have happened at Penn State, whatever conclusions about my or others' conduct you may wish to draw from a fair view of the allegations, it is inarguable that these actions had nothing to do with this last team or any of the hundreds of prior graduates of the “Grand Experiment.”
Penn Staters across the globe should feel no shame in saying “We are…Penn State.” This is a great University with one of the best academic performing football programs in major college athletics. Those are facts — and nothing that has been alleged changes them.
57 Responses
He means to deflect criticisms away from the program because of the actions of one certain lunatic. Interest of the many over the interest of the few. I am in no way condoning Sandusky, his heinous actions, and the utter failure of authorites (both university and otherwise) to put a stop to such crimes, but I feel like paterno wanted to focus on “the hundreds in young men looking to become better people” as well as the 500,000 living alumni who have built the reputation of Penn State, and remind people that the actions of one does not represent the character, integrity, and honor of the many.
Reading the letter, it seemed to me that Joe was seriously out of touch with reality regarding what went on. If Sandusky had been say, a teacher or a janitor, then sure, I’d agree that it wasn’t a football scandal, but since that lowlife was a coach on the team who abused young boys while on the team’s faculties, then it WAS a football scandal, plain and simple. What’s more, I find myself skeptical about whether or not Joe even composed that letter. My mother was almost thirty years younger than Joe when she died from lung cancer, and in her last weeks, she had been a withered husk who couldn’t speak, never mind write anything like that letter. This looks to me like some sort of half-assed PR campaign to save Joe’s legacy.
Joe forgets to mention that years after the first investigation – that is mentioned in the emails of the second investigation – Sandusky was still taking boys on road trips to bowl games – so Joe, you certainly knew of Sandusky’s “horsing around” issues in showers with boys- you did report it to your ‘alleged’ superiors – yet you did nothing while this man brought children to bowl games – on the University’s dime, I’m sure – yet you absolve yourself under the guise that “jerry fooled us all”
fuck you Joe
“I didn’t know a man could be raped” “he doesn’t know how to use email”
Fuck YOU JOE
the brilliant hero is pretty fucking dumb when he has to be
“Stay classy PSU”
“We are! …..barf….”
These are exactly the reasons why Joe (or whoever) wrote this letter to the former and current players. I’m not going to pretend that they didn’t intend for or know it would get out, but the sentiment is certainly one that Penn State alums should have heard from someone.
You people generalizing this to all of Penn State, the alums or the football players are idiots, plain and simple. Entirely too many people took the scandal and ran with it, cracking jokes and- worse- legitimately blaming the entire Penn State community for this atrocity. It was the actions of a few, NOT the majority.
Penn State is STILL a place of great academia, athletics and philanthropy. And those responsible for this heinous act are out.
The fact that you had some people come out after this and say they wouldn’t hire Penn State alums (whether they were serious/in a position to do hire or not- for however many said it, there are probably 5 times the number who will actually follow through) is a disgrace.
What happened was deplorable. But STOP BLAMING ALL OF PENN STATE. If all of Penn State found out this was happening (and how involved JoePa seems to have been, now) and allowed to continue prior to this past November, guess what would have happened? The town of State College would have had a massacre on its hands. And Joe’s head would have been on a stake right next to Sandusky’s.
this is all penn states fault
This sounds just like every other argumebt from the state clut members..No wonder where they got it from! These Penn Staters need to shut the fuck up! they look more and more awful everytime they open their mouths. Their blind and rabid defense of this man (joe) is just perplexing..Honestly,it goes without saying that the schools education and it’s students/athletes accomplishments shouldn’t be tarnished by a few sick assholes. Kyle was right on the money by pointing out how Joe was more worried about the legacy of the football team than the heinous acts that he, in part, was responsible for. It’s exactly how all the apologists sound, especially when this first broke.
And not a football scandal? The main reason that this man isn’t being crucified by staters is because of his status as a football legend!!! Sure he did good things for the community and school, but one awful mistake like this absolutely should overshadow that stuff…Not to mention that sandusky himself did good things for the community in addition to his atrocities, but no ones letting him off, now are they? How can you say this isn’t a football scandal, at least in part? A child rapist was allowed access to football facilities, was covered up by the school, and was allowed to bring children to football games and events!!
Penn State is a joke…it’s funny how all the Penn Staters were crying ‘We Are!’ after JoePA was canned, as if that was the injustice in all this.
The only time you hear them now is when…JoePA is brought up in regards to all this.
Get a clue.
Ex FBI Louis Freeh is the guy who gave “shoot to kill” orders in the Ruby Ridge incident.
Let’s see how he spins this.
In my opinion, the ‘not a football scandal’ Joe is referring to is something which could be/could not be sanctioned by the NCAA. That hasn’t happened yet, but I’m sure NCAA’s hammer will fall soon. It’s possible he (or whoever wrote this) is trying to make a case to not be or, to a lesser degree, sanctioned by the NCAA. Now, in terms of Sandusky being involved with football, it is most definitely a football scandal in that sense. He’s wrong either way.
There were a lot of good managers at Enron. A lot of good donations by Susan G. Komen. A lot of good sailors on both the Titanic and Concordia. A lot of good priests in the church.
But when you’re ship goes down in flames, with massive exposed bungling & cover-ups at the very top, as an underling you just need to accept you hitched your wagon to a dead horse. It happens.
The faster everyone connected with PSU gets that and moves far away to other things, the better off they’ll be in the long term.
Joe Pa was an Avalon A lister
Free Jerry!! Just wants to pay with his grand kids
@Still Penn State Proud
“If all of Penn State found out this was happening (and how involved JoePa seems to have been, now) and allowed to continue prior to this past November, guess what would have happened? The town of State College would have had a massacre on its hands. And Joe’s head would have been on a stake right next to Sandusky’s.”
You can’t possibly believe that statement.
Penn state is a cult, filled with Chodey douches
“When you turn your head and look the other way, you are just as responsible”
– Ayn Rand
The horrific crime of molestation is one of, if not the dark unspoken facet of the human race. Wash DC to Indonesia, children are subjected to this daily, and most adults look the other way.
Every city today has a Coliseum with its heroes and we want to believe they are above every human defect. Maybe I shouldn’t have watched ” The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” last night…..
Agree with all the cult comments above. The Cult/Penn State spin strikes again in that Paterno is innocent. Admired Joe Pa as a coach, but ultimately he dropped the ball on this one, and it’s a tough pill to swallow. Joe Pa was bigger than the University and didn’t do enough to stop a mad man. If anything they continued to enable him.
Joe is a pos
If Joe really wrote this, he makes a lot of good points. Some Very bad ones too, like this not being a football scandal. But when speaks of the university and students as a whole, and not of his own reputation, I believe him.
Kyle Scott go to hell and stop writing about PSU football!
Kyle Scott if you think child abuse victims are so important and must be talked about all the time why are you writing a sports blog and not out there catching pedophiles? Yes, it’s sad what happened to the victims but Joe’s letter is not about them. It’s about defending PSU it’s not to make light of what happened to them it’s to show all the great things about PSU and not one isolated incident. Anyone who criticizes JoePa is clearly jealous of his long illustrious career and of all Penn Staters being proud of that. Obviously children being raped is horrible and I don’t think you need to bring it up every time PSU is talked about. So does this mean any time anyone writes about Penn State football they need to write praying for the victims? No that’s rediculous and I’m even a Pittsburgh Panther fan. I hate Penn State but I must defend them when all of these jerks are putting down one of the greatest college football legends and Pennsylvanians.
@Vinny Curry
I absolutely believe that statement. IF it came out (somehow, obviously I don’t know how it would have) before Sandusky was indicted, and IF there was concrete evidence that Joe knew about it and actively covered it up, allowing more children to be molested? Yes. Yes it would have ABSOLUTELY resulted in a massacre in State College.
Penn Staters are a proud bunch. And, contrary to the actions of a few, Penn State cares for and does more for kids than most other educational institutions (just look at THON). All hell would have broken loose up there.
Again, that’s if it had somehow come out before the indictment, and JoePa certainly would have been right next to Sandusky if the proof was there in that hypothetical situation.
I hope you burn in hell Kyle Scott. Penn State Football is the greatest program in the country and Joe Paterno is a saint and his legacy will live on forever in Happy Valley. I bet you’ve never even been to Beaver Stadium so you can stop writing about Penn State and focus on your professional dick head teams in Philly. Penn Staters should always be proud of what our team and athletes have done. We must ignore unintelligent bastards like Kyle Scott who know nothing about Penn State or the facts of the “scandal”. We must never sacrifice our pride for the enjoyment of jealous others. We Are Penn State and we always will be. Call us a cult, we don’t care. We could care less what you call us because we know who We Are… and We Are Penn State!!
Kyle Scott = dick hole : that whole statement was the most misguided thing I have ever read. All you people at penn state can remember joe as the “saint” you believe him to be. But the truth is most of the rest of the country will see him as someone who knew kids were being raped and failed to use his influence and status to do anything about it first and a great coach second.
I bet Joepa faked slept while jerry was playing
I never agree with Kyle but he is 100% right here. Fuck JoePa. He’s an accomplice as far as I’m concerned. I hope he is haunted in Hell by these kids faces.
Haha kyle can’t write about penn state because he’s never been to beaver stadium and instead should be out there chris hansening the streets… You’ve gotta be kidding…
I don’t think he was serious as i’ve seen a lot of reverse trolling where trolls act like PSU psychopaths to perpetuate stereotypes. That being said dont blame kyle for striking while the irons hot. The media has got to grab as much money out of this story as they can. I am sure its for their serious concern for the victims tho…..
To say that it is not a “football scandal” is too general. While it is an arms length from the game itself, the fact is that deficiencies in the actions of authoritative members of the “football” organization and community allowed it to happen. That is the only part of this essay that I think is a stretch. Otherwise, Paterno is completely justified in his attempts to protect the reputation of all the dedicated individuals who are invested in the Penn State football community and knew nothing of the atrocities taking place. I also think that the criticism of Paterno’s lack of publicly released statements regarding the victims is unwarranted based on the little and selective amount of material actually made “public” to this point. I enjoy this blog and think there is more intellect behind it than most people credit it with, but this spin seems to be off target to me. The idea that Sandusky got away with all of this exclusively because of football lacks causality to me. The real reason he got away with it is because of organizational deficiencies and the shortcomings of a few individuals at the highest levels of that organization. I will give you that the presence of potential public scrutiny due to the sport’s popularity played its factor in concealing the truth, but the true root of the issue is in the ethical fiber of these individuals and a lack of sufficient control/policy in place to ensure proper handling/prevention of this sort of situation. Hopefully moving forward, the thrashing that Penn State took will prove incentive enough for others to quickly alert anyone and everyone of anything like this in any organization.
Feel free to refute that post, I’m a Penn Stater also but I’m trying to approach the subject objectively. Open to any argument. Just trying not to be one of the Penn Staters who rages into the topic emotionally and without much rationality.
I heard Jerry wasn’t attracted to Scott Paterno but had a thing for jay
Fuck Joe Pa. He might as well have set Sandusky up on dates with these kids. Scumbag. They should melt his statue down and turn it into a bird bath.
Joe Pa is a saint i my book!!!
It wasn’t a football matter, Jer was retired
wonder if Joe Pa is in hell
Not to mention, don’t you and Enrico at 700level know each other in real life? why would you rip him off? haters gonna hate, but fuck them!
keep up the good work KS!
The arguments by everyone…Penn Staters…Penn State haters…are absolutely ridiculous. Lay off the PSU cult thing because frankly it isn’t relevant. Me loving PSU because I went there and had an awesome 4 years, got a great degree, and a great job is entirely independent of the disgusting actions of Jerry Sandusky. But the point Joe Pa is trying to make here…is that its not about football in the sense that it has nothing to do with the players…it has nothing to do with them….
With that said…it has EVERYTHING to do with the individuals in charge of the football program and the unnecessary need to preserve it at the expense of injustice. I spent my 4 years at PSU loving Beaver stadium and the nostalgia of it all, to include this Joe Pa guy. Well guess what, it turns out he wasn’t that perfect hero we are all hoping for. And guess what…no one is. So that is why, despite the fact that I don’t think Joe Pa is an inherently bad guy, I do believe the actions he failed to take will, and have, rightfully tainted his previous seemingly flawless reputation.
Penn State is a great school, as mentioned above by others, it does have its share of douche bags…there is no doubt about that…but so does every school. It is the biggest “state” school in PA and therefore has a huge following…so does Ohio State…so does Michigan…etc…and guess what they all have douche bags too.
I suppose my overall points after reading the reactions to this article are this.
To my fellow PSUers – the jig is up…it is clear that there was a monumental slip up in the integrity and moral decision-making capabilities of Joe Paterno and some other faculty members. We have no argument there, so stop sounding like “Kyle Scott = Dick hole” and realize that when you are an icon for integrity and leadership, and you slip up on something that is so incredibly black and white, you ruined the emotional impacts of everything good you’ve done before. A lifetime of incredible things cannot preserve your reputation when you knowingly fail to protect children by the omitting an unrelenting pursuit of justice to any man/woman accused of such. I want it to be otherwise for Joe, but it’s not. Just remember … We Are…(wow reading that makes me understand why it annoys the hell out of people who didn’t go there)…Penn State. Our football program isn’t Penn State and Joe Pa (ya Joe Pa) wasn’t Penn State…wait for it…wait for it… WE are Penn State. The millions of dollars raised for THON, the thousands of graduates working all over the world, our Veteran graduates newly commissioned Officers in all of our armed services, Medal of honor recipient LT Michael Murphy, and so on are Penn State. There is way more to PSU than Joe Paterno and arguing against his actions is starting to look plain stupid.
To everyone else – separate the incident from the institution. It happened at PSU not by PSU. If someone was raped in lets say Boston, and a handful of people did nothing about it, does that make the city of Boston a bad place? No, just those people. Penn State is a great place, I can’t remember a holiday/football weekend where the streets weren’t flooded by college students from all over the state (bloom, ship, IUP, Pitt, west chester, temple) coming up to see friends and just having a great weekend. It isn’t a cult, that’s absurd to say, you’re on a Philly Sports website…99% of you (us) are outrageous Phils, flyers, eagles, sixers fans (or even pathetic Pens/steelers fans being internet tough guys)…the cult argument doesn’t really hold any value for ya’ll (me included). Making this about PSU students, others involved in the football program, or the actual school itself (who like students at any institution I have ever met love their school (all though sometimes I think our ego could be checked…but only a little)) is just as off topic as their arguments about Joe Pa. This is about Douchebag Sandusky, Joe Pa, and others who all put the reputation of the football program in front of the well-being and justice of our youth. Can we keep it about that…or does it have to permeate everything State College and PSU?
Its unfortunate but true…trying to save face for the football program would have been better done by Mike McQueary beating the shit out of Sandusky on sight, The University firing the shit out of Sandusky, and the police and justice system holding him to the highest possible punishment…and then some.
Stepping off soapbox. Wait, Graham Spanier is a douche also, okay now off. Commence follow on arguments.
Wow there is a lot of really crazy people on this blog. I bet some of you guys actually think joe was in the shower with Jerry don’t you? You people are an absolute disgrace. This tragedy is about one evil man and four absolute knuckleheads who didn’t go to the police. Joe trusted a guy who was a president at two huge universities, spanier ( penn state and nebraska) and a guy who had national security clearance for god sake, schultz. Joe thought those guys could handle it and they let him down big time. Isn’t anyone mad that the district attorney didn’t prosecute Jerry the first time they investigated him in 1998? Is that joes fault too? The had a stakeout and everything on this guy and the cops did nothing? And you all yell and cry about joe being the root of all evil.
Penn state will be stronger having gone through this. In time both the university and the victims will heal. We are and always will be Penn State.
I would have agreed with you a few months ago, but reality is that while everything you said was also a failure of justice and decision making…Joe Pa failed to take follow on action for a coach that was caught red-handed…it wasn’t like it was speculated…the facts seem pretty black and white on this one…
Le sigh,
The fact is that the face/leader of the entire university Spanier, and the public face of the university both helped cover up for a friend. and the fact that PSU Students (albeit, a few hundred) stood with JoePa, chanting his name, after it was quickly revealed that he didn’t do enough for those kids, in front of the hundreds of media personnel, and the number of PSU friends on facebook that are STILL defending him as of tonight tells me the PSU community is fucked up.
I also have an interesting religion for you all to join that was made u…..passed down to a man named L. Ron Hubbard, to share with the world.
Joe Pa was a child molester
Also, Melt that fucking statue.
1. JoPa’s PR hacks release a pre-fab “op-ed” clearly not written by him, just hours before a damning independent report, and it’s the media or blogs being exploitational and opportunistic by mentioning it? Seriously?
2. All the JoPa/PSU defenders currently claiming “institutional failures” have only JoPa – the self-appointed God of the institution – to blame for the end result, period. He could have run Sandusky out of town a decade ago. He didn’t, instead he initiated or supported a cover-up. The rest is noise. Buh-bye to JoPa and PSU’s rep.
3. Thanks Kyle for explaining back-story of why there are always trolls sniping you on this site. Knew there was a reason…
I’m ready for a Scott Paterno press conference
That Guy,
I can’t argue that the whole vigil thing was massively stupid…and I won’t…cause it was. Students were acting emotionally and without much actual thought…it’s kinda a problem in America.
Scott Pa currently has a petition going to get CC Peppers back open in the state college area
Needs more Scott Paterno
Anyone want to smoke?
How ironic. People who have always hated PSU are excited abvout the rape of children, because it lets them say everthing they always wanted to say.
Google: Sandusky Santorum Madsen
This is why Louis Freeh was brought in.
Wayne Madsen is ex NSA ( No Such Agency )
When you turn over the big rocks, don’t be suprised whats underneath.
@ Le sigh – stop boring us with those long posts
Avalon joe pa
That DA you speak of? Uhhh Yeah he was pronounced dead after nobody could find his body. His laptop was found in the river next to where his car was found. He was either murdered, committed suicide, or faked his own death. I’m leaning toward he was murdered.
Look dude. Joe Pa was GOD of Penn State, he had the power to make sure Sandusky never got near another boy again, yet he allowed him to bring them into football facilities and saw him bring them on the road and shack up in a hotel with them. After he knew he was a little boy molester. It was a huge cover up and most people have come to realize Joe Pa played a big part in that. And whatever did cause that DA to just vanish? Hmm?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/11/ray-gricar-missing-jerry-sandusky-pennsylvania-da_n_1088950.html
Joe PA was just old & confused.
Catfish chad, thank you for that enlightening contribution.
Fuck joe pa. Cared more about his football program than the lives of children.
I wonder if Joe Pa ever got balls deep in some of those kids.
I don’t comment on posts. Whatever was written above was not me.
so, in the midst of a child sex scandal, Paterno decides to open his mouth by making a statement about the fucking football program and its integrity?
are you fucking kidding me?
it is very kind of you to sharing the information. i enjoy it very much! thanks a lot!
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