Penn State horror story

[greg775]

The NCAA had to do what it did to get everybody's attention in college athletics. Child rape unreported?? Four years is about right. I just wish all their good players would transfer. If they would, then the program would be truly wrecked. If the best ones don't leave, there's still a chance PSU will be over .500 this year and maybe next year. The final two years should be the awful ones.

[Texsox]

I find it so sad that people believe that without punishment to the football program, that crimes will continue to be committed at other universities. That people at universities will see Penn State and say, well we would do the same thing tomorrow if they left the football program alone. Really!? Guilty people are behind bars, their reputations destroyed, careers lost, all on a personal level. But that isn't enough for a high ranking university official to react. Somehow without innocent people losing their jobs and their futures hurt, it could happen again?

 

I don't see it. I don't see another university thinking they would risk jail, ending their career, and the rest, as long as the football program would be spared. Balta works at a university, how far would you go to protect the football program? Would you go to jail for it? Does it really take destroying the football program to have you do the right thing?

[IlliniKrush]

I find it so sad that people believe that without punishment to the football program, that crimes will continue to be committed at other universities. That people at universities will see Penn State and say, well we would do the same thing tomorrow if they left the football program alone. Really!? Guilty people are behind bars, their reputations destroyed, careers lost, all on a personal level. But that isn't enough for a high ranking university official to react. Somehow without innocent people losing their jobs and their futures hurt, it could happen again?

 

I don't see it. I don't see another university thinking they would risk jail, ending their career, and the rest, as long as the football program would be spared. Balta works at a university, how far would you go to protect the football program? Would you go to jail for it? Does it really take destroying the football program to have you do the right thing?

The answer to your last question at Penn st is "yes"

[YASNY]

I find it so sad that people believe that without punishment to the football program, that crimes will continue to be committed at other universities. That people at universities will see Penn State and say, well we would do the same thing tomorrow if they left the football program alone. Really!? Guilty people are behind bars, their reputations destroyed, careers lost, all on a personal level. But that isn't enough for a high ranking university official to react. Somehow without innocent people losing their jobs and their futures hurt, it could happen again?

 

I don't see it. I don't see another university thinking they would risk jail, ending their career, and the rest, as long as the football program would be spared. Balta works at a university, how far would you go to protect the football program? Would you go to jail for it? Does it really take destroying the football program to have you do the right thing?

 

Will the crime happen again? Yes. There are too many Sanduskys out there. The penalties will send a "no-doubt" message to Head Coaches, AD's and university presidents in regards to how to react if something like this is reported up the chain at another school. That is why this is 100% justified and necessary. And yes, I still think PSU should have received the death penalty.

[Texsox]

The answer to your last question at Penn st is "yes"

 

The people that knew are already gone. You really believe their replacements would make the exact same decision?

[Texsox]

Will the crime happen again? Yes. There are too many Sanduskys out there. The penalties will send a "no-doubt" message to Head Coaches, AD's and university presidents in regards to how to react if something like this is reported up the chain at another school. That is why this is 100% justified and necessary. And yes, I still think PSU should have received the death penalty.

 

We'll disagree. I do not believe what happens to the football program weighs heavier on the decision than personally losing your career and going to jail. You really believe the next PSU President would cover up a child rape if the football program was spared.

[YASNY]

We'll disagree. I do not believe what happens to the football program weighs heavier on the decision than personally losing your career and going to jail. You really believe the next PSU President would cover up a child rape if the football program was spared.

 

This was a hideous crime against children. Tex, this was a no brainer and PSU dropped the ball. Perhaps college boards will vet theor AD hirres better in the future, and the AD's vet the HC hires better and so on down the line. That is the why these sanctions are so necessary.

[Texsox]

This was a hideous crime against children. Tex, this was a no brainer and PSU dropped the ball. Perhaps college boards will vet theor AD hirres better in the future, and the AD's vet the HC hires better and so on down the line. That is the why these sanctions are so necessary.

 

Look at the positions of the people who lost their careers. Who had their reputations ruined forever. Who lost any respect they had among friends and possibly family. The personal punishment is enough.

 

Again, what is a bigger deterrent

 

Football team being punished

 

or

 

Losing your career, respect, and possibly going to jail?

 

I just do not believe the next PSU president would risk his life in God forbid, the same situation, regardless what happens to the football program.

 

We have sent one message. If you are a janitor or asst coach, tell someone famous and you are off the hook.

 

Use your company as an example. A former employee is caught wrestling naked with a kid in a company restroom. The president of the company is told and does nothing. Should you lose your job so that another company doesn't do the same thing?

[YASNY]

Look at the positions of the people who lost their careers. Who had their reputations ruined forever. Who lost any respect they had among friends and possibly family. The personal punishment is enough.

 

Again, what is a bigger deterrent

 

Football team being punished

 

or

 

Losing your career, respect, and possibly going to jail?

 

I just do not believe the next PSU president would risk his life in God forbid, the same situation, regardless what happens to the football program.

 

We have sent one message. If you are a janitor or asst coach, tell someone famous and you are off the hook.

 

Use your company as an example. A former employee is caught wrestling naked with a kid in a company restroom. The president of the company is told and does nothing. Should you lose your job so that another company doesn't do the same thing?

 

This is not a company. This is a public institution supported in part by tax payer dollars. In the business world, anybody is subject, every day, to being replaced if they screw up. Tenure and crap like that are not part of the equation. This is a message that needed to be broadcast, loud and clear, across all of academia.

[IlliniKrush]

We'll disagree. I do not believe what happens to the football program weighs heavier on the decision than personally losing your career and going to jail. You really believe the next PSU President would cover up a child rape if the football program was spared.

You can choose not to believe it...but it just happened!

 

People knew consequences of these things and still acted to protect the football program. Of course it could happen again.

[Rowand44]

You can choose not to believe it...but it just happened!

 

People knew consequences of these things and still acted to protect the football program. Of course it could happen again.

Ya no kidding. How the hell is this even arguable?

[YASNY]

Ya no kidding. How the hell is this even arguable?

 

It's not. Hence my remark that this was a no brainer.

[Balta1701]

Balta works at a university, how far would you go to protect the football program? Would you go to jail for it? Does it really take destroying the football program to have you do the right thing?

If I witnessed something illegal/criminal involving a football coach, and I reported it, I'd have zero reason to believe that the university would fire me.

 

This was not the case at Penn State. That is the definition of "Creating a culture of compliance". It permeates the school. Everyone knew who was in charge, and you didn't cross that guy at Penn State. That is not an issue of Spanier, Curley, Paterno, and the other guy whose name I've forgotten. That's not even just a board issue. That's an entire school issue.

 

Two janitors caught Sandusky raping a kid in 2001. They discussed reporting it, and then realized...it would cost them their jobs. THey chose not to report it because they could not afford to lose their jobs. This is not just the janitors at fault. That is the definition of a failed culture of accountability. You can judge those janitors if you want...but that is not a decision they should ever have to make...between their family's lives and doing the right thing.

 

Penn State defied federal law in order to maintain their lack of accountability in the football program, failing to meet compliance reporting steps. That isn't one guy doing that, that is not just the athletic department doing that, that is something permeating the administration.

[greg775]

I find it so sad that people believe that without punishment to the football program, that crimes will continue to be committed at other universities. That people at universities will see Penn State and say, well we would do the same thing tomorrow if they left the football program alone. Really!? Guilty people are behind bars, their reputations destroyed, careers lost, all on a personal level. But that isn't enough for a high ranking university official to react. Somehow without innocent people losing their jobs and their futures hurt, it could happen again?

 

I don't see it. I don't see another university thinking they would risk jail, ending their career, and the rest, as long as the football program would be spared. Balta works at a university, how far would you go to protect the football program? Would you go to jail for it? Does it really take destroying the football program to have you do the right thing?

 

I was talking about this with a guy who works at University of Kansas. We were shooting the breeze and I said, if you saw rape in a sports facility, what would you do? He said, "I would go see the athletic director immediately after breaking up the act." I said, "What if the AD said 'Thank you I will handle it, take care.' He said, 'Good question. I don't know what I'd do.'

It will happen again.

Edited August 5, 2012 by greg775

[Quin]

If I witnessed something illegal/criminal involving a football coach, and I reported it, I'd have zero reason to believe that the university would fire me.

 

This was not the case at Penn State. That is the definition of "Creating a culture of compliance". It permeates the school. Everyone knew who was in charge, and you didn't cross that guy at Penn State. That is not an issue of Spanier, Curley, Paterno, and the other guy whose name I've forgotten. That's not even just a board issue. That's an entire school issue.

 

Two janitors caught Sandusky raping a kid in 2001. They discussed reporting it, and then realized...it would cost them their jobs. THey chose not to report it because they could not afford to lose their jobs. This is not just the janitors at fault. That is the definition of a failed culture of accountability. You can judge those janitors if you want...but that is not a decision they should ever have to make...between their family's lives and doing the right thing.

 

Penn State defied federal law in order to maintain their lack of accountability in the football program, failing to meet compliance reporting steps. That isn't one guy doing that, that is not just the athletic department doing that, that is something permeating the administration.

 

This.

[Texsox]

If I witnessed something illegal/criminal involving a football coach, and I reported it, I'd have zero reason to believe that the university would fire me.

 

This was not the case at Penn State. That is the definition of "Creating a culture of compliance". It permeates the school. Everyone knew who was in charge, and you didn't cross that guy at Penn State. That is not an issue of Spanier, Curley, Paterno, and the other guy whose name I've forgotten. That's not even just a board issue. That's an entire school issue.

 

Two janitors caught Sandusky raping a kid in 2001. They discussed reporting it, and then realized...it would cost them their jobs. THey chose not to report it because they could not afford to lose their jobs. This is not just the janitors at fault. That is the definition of a failed culture of accountability. You can judge those janitors if you want...but that is not a decision they should ever have to make...between their family's lives and doing the right thing.

 

Penn State defied federal law in order to maintain their lack of accountability in the football program, failing to meet compliance reporting steps. That isn't one guy doing that, that is not just the athletic department doing that, that is something permeating the administration.

 

I just can't believe there are people who will now (we learn from mistakes) place an athletic department above their their own life, liberty, and family's security. That somehow ruining their own life isn't enough of a deterrent, that an athletic department must also be destroyed.

 

As you have said, it was the University President and administration that failed to report. then to make certain this doesn't happen again, should the feds pull all research dollars so that education faculty loses their jobs or only athletic support people, secretaries, and other employees? After all, the scandal reached all the way to the top.

 

The people that will be hurt the most are the support people in the athletic department and the non revenue sport programs. The gymnastics, baseball, tennis, swimming, etc. Football's budget will not be cut too much. Most universities depend on football and basketball revenue to run. Put another way, if this happened in Iowa, how would Heads losing his job keep this from ever happening again? These are innocent people. They knew nothing. That had no chance to make a difference.

 

University president:

If I cover this up, I could lose my job. I would never get hired at another university, I could be sued and lose everything. My families future would be ruined.

Decides he can take that risk then realized . . .

 

But, the football program may get the death penalty!. Whoa, I can't risk that!

 

I just don't see that happening. Now that this tragic situation has become public, I don't see others making the same mistake. Obviously most people here believe that there are a lot of people that value their university's football program over their own life, liberty, and family.

[YASNY]

Absolute power corrupts abolutely. Absolute power was the perception at PSU. Personally, I think PSU got off extremely lightly.

[RockRaines]

PSU BOT appealing NCAA sanctions today.

 

 

Not only is there no ability to appeal (waste of time) but they once again are proving they only care about football.

[Harry Chappas]

PSU BOT appealing NCAA sanctions today.

 

 

Not only is there no ability to appeal (waste of time) but they once again are proving they only care about football.

 

hear their appeal and shut the whole f***ing thing down.

[RockRaines]

hear their appeal and shut the whole f***ing thing down.

There literally is no appeal process, and its also only 4 people from the BOT, probably 4 who care only about their football team. I mean, they arent even going to be good or challenge for anything and now you want to make yourselves look this dumb?

[Quin]

hear their appeal and shut the whole f***ing thing down.

 

This. So much this. Every time I try to think it's been enough, Penn State acts like idiots.

[RockRaines]

This. So much this. Every time I try to think it's been enough, Penn State acts like idiots.

From the teamOutlaw stuff to their student rally they have proven again and again that football is still the most important thing to them.

[zenryan]

I dont blame some of the BOT wanting to appeal. The NCAA told the President either death penalty for 4 years or the actual penalties and the acting President couldnt discuss it with anyone because if there is a leak then the possibility of a death penalty is back on the table.

 

While I agree with the penalties that were levied, there still should be a process.

[RockRaines]

I dont blame some of the BOT wanting to appeal. The NCAA told the President either death penalty for 4 years or the actual penalties and the acting President couldnt discuss it with anyone because if there is a leak then the possibility of a death penalty is back on the table.

 

While I agree with the penalties that were levied, there still should be a process.

They all agreed on it as well as their president and chairman. I dont see the point. PSU's very own investigation gave the NCAA all it needed to rule on their sanctions, that is all the process they required. The NCAA sent them a notice of investigation and PSU never responded to their allegations.

 

PSU has proven time and time again they are just ridiculously stupid. How many of us on here have been through NCAA sanctions or the firing of a coach? And how many rioted?

[StrangeSox]

They all agreed on it as well as their president and chairman. I dont see the point. PSU's very own investigation gave the NCAA all it needed to rule on their sanctions, that is all the process they required. The NCAA sent them a notice of investigation and PSU never responded to their allegations.

 

PSU has proven time and time again they are just ridiculously stupid. How many of us on here have been through NCAA sanctions or the firing of a coach? And how many rioted?

 

But Tressel was removed for his heinous crime of allowing his players to sell stuff. Who would want to embarrass themselves rioting over that?