Finebaum says put the statue back up but a recent court case said that Joe may have known about Sandusky as far back as 1971?
Do you think Joe knew?
Do you think Joe knew?
Thoughts on Penn State and Paterno
- Thread starter RentechCEO
- Start date
Welp, I guess Bobby Bowden can rest easy knowing that Paterno was a bigger criminal-enabling douchebag of a coach than he was.
It's a shame you would even attempt to compare the two.
I doubt Paterno *knew*, for sure, what was happening. But, I do think that he was in denial and dismissed signs and evidence that he should reported. Until recently, attempting handle potentially embarrassing situations, "in house," was the norm for virtually all college football programs. I wouldn't be surprised if he had some kind of secret confrontation with Sandusky, and Sandusky denied everything. Obviously, he should have just called the cops, but that's the mentality.
Reasonable but I think you might be a bit generous to old Joe. The real cause of his demise IMHO was that he stayed there too long. Had he retired in the early 00's when he still had the record he would have not been touched by this. He stayed, got the record, and the scorn.
Bobby routinely covered up and defended the criminals who played for him (including a convicted rapist).
The difference between him and Paterno is just a matter of degree.
Also, look at all the Nole fans coming over here to defend their patron saint after one offhand comment.
The difference between him and Paterno is just a matter of degree.
Also, look at all the Nole fans coming over here to defend their patron saint after one offhand comment.
Why are you comparing Bobby Bowden to Joe Paterno? A matter of degree? One of your assistant coaches raping little boys, you know about it and do nothing?
Do you really think they are the same? If so, then wow
How is Bobby any different than Urban Meyer "covering up" for criminals?
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I agree overall with this. Most older coaches (including Bowden) have lamented at the increased coverage for all kinds of player and coach malfeasance, big or small. That said, this particular set of circumstances is so horrific that it boggles the mind to contemplate whether Paterno might have even felt uneasy about some possible clues and done nothing.
I do not have a strong opinion whether Paterno's statue should be put back up. That is between PSU, their alumni and students.
I think the big thing with Paterno and the scorn he gets is because he and his nutty fans promulgated the myth for years that "they did it the right way" with the implication that the rest of CFB did not. Even your most rabid Bear Bryant fan admits he paid players, drank too much and ran around with women. Paterno and his fans played the narrative that not only was JoePa a good coach but also he was a great man above reproach in all ways who never passed the buck.
Paterno's testimony to the GJ shows he was told and knew that Sandusky had molested a kid in the shower so he passed the buck to his insider AD (who he put in the job) and washed his hands of it. Ten more years of abuse was the result.
I don't really care whether they have a statue to him or not but I find it somewhat self serving of Finebaum and even Spurrier to defend him while in the past they have taken shots at others who were guilty of far less.
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