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FC: Stacy Parks Miller: Charges likely in deadly fall at Beta Theta Pi

mn78psu83

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Nov 10, 2011
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Interesting tidbit in the article:

"Donald Abbey, a California real estate magnate and alumnus of the chapter, has sued the fraternity, seeking more than $10 million he says he loaned it to renovate the property and help its finances."
 
LINK

Interesting tidbit in the article:

"Donald Abbey, a California real estate magnate and alumnus of the chapter, has sued the fraternity, seeking more than $10 million he says he loaned it to renovate the property and help its finances."
I don't blame him one bit, maybe he'll foreclose on the property
 
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Didn't Abbey donate that money to keep the chapter alive a few years ago, and weren't there some contingencies about alcohol at the fraternity that were attached to Abbey's financing the renovations?
 
Didn't Abbey donate that money to keep the chapter alive a few years ago, and weren't there some contingencies about alcohol at the fraternity that were attached to Abbey's financing the renovations?
he did- something over $3 million I think
I don't know anything about a $10 million loan, but that's pocket change for him
 
If he does nothing, he knows full well who will wind up w/ that property.
Indeed. He's not coming to a knife fight with a twig either.

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Yep. Sounds like he's planning to own it.
Here's an article from seven years ago written about the frat next door which was torn down.

http://www.statecollege.com/news/local-news/vandalism-ravages-former-phi-delta-theta-house,417429/

An important paragraphs is as follows.... "Penn State cited an original agreement between Phi Delta Theta and the university, signed in 1905. According to that document, the university provided Phi Delta Theta with the land for the fraternity, but retained the right to buy back the property if the fraternity were to dissolve."

The university will likely claim similar agreements exist with the other on campus fraternities. Since an settlement was reached with Phi Delta Theta, it'll be interesting to see what happens if Beta Theta Pi refuses to sell. Would they be required to sell to the university and ONLY the university? If so, who gets to set the price? And if the university threw money Abbey's way to satisfy him, would that also satisfy the national chapter since they wouldn't need to worry about Abbey's loan?

The other three on campus frats better walk the straight and narrow because the university would love to regain control of those properties too.
 
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Here's an article from seven years ago written about the frat next door which was torn down.

http://www.statecollege.com/news/local-news/vandalism-ravages-former-phi-delta-theta-house,417429/

An important paragraphs is as follows.... "Penn State cited an original agreement between Phi Delta Theta and the university, signed in 1905. According to that document, the university provided Phi Delta Theta with the land for the fraternity, but retained the right to buy back the property if the fraternity were to dissolve."

The university will likely claim similar agreements exist with the other on campus fraternities. Since an settlement was reached with Phi Delta Theta, it'll be interesting to see what happens if Beta Theta Pi refuses to sell. Would they be required to sell to the university and ONLY the university? If so, who gets to set the price? And if the university threw money Abbey's way to satisfy him, would that also satisfy the national chapter since they wouldn't need to worry about Abbey's loan?

The other three on campus frats better walk the straight and narrow because the university would love to regain control of those properties too.
A wild card here. Abbey is potentially a huge PSU donor.
 
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"Today we filed comprehensive charges against Beta McQuaid House, 83 in total with the potential for more. The fraternity's actions and culture are shocking, and warrant the more than 20 felonies we have included in the initial round of charges. This thorough list of charges ensures at least a conviction on a misdemeanor charge of flaking paint will be obtained."
 
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He was quoted in Posnanski's book. I think he blamed his alcohol abuse on JVP and criticized his management technique.
The amazing thing about all of the guys who were Joe's enemies, is that apparently they are all really rich.
I haven't read the book and I've never met Joe or Abbey but I'd love to hear the story of how Joe held Abbey down and poured booze down his throat. And yes, it certainly is odd how the rich alumni blame Joe for their problems. Abbey abused alcohol? It was Joe's fault. Young Vic Surma was gay and battled substance problems? Yep, Joe's fault. Peetz felt her beloved field hockey program was getting shafted? That dang Paterno was behind it!!!
 
I don't have the book so can someone give me the nittany notes on how Joe is responsible for his alcohol abuse
 
"Today we filed comprehensive charges against Beta McQuaid House, 83 in total with the potential for more. The fraternity's actions and culture are shocking, and warrant the more than 20 felonies we have included in the initial round of charges. This thorough list of charges ensures at least a conviction on a misdemeanor charge of flaking paint will be obtained."

"Wormer dropped the big one."
 
I haven't read the book and I've never met Joe or Abbey but I'd love to hear the story of how Joe held Abbey down and poured booze down his throat. And yes, it certainly is odd how the rich alumni blame Joe for their problems. Abbey abused alcohol? It was Joe's fault. Young Vic Surma was gay and battled substance problems? Yep, Joe's fault. Peetz felt her beloved field hockey program was getting shafted? That dang Paterno was behind it!!!
There wouldn't be any field hockey without football paying the freight. Pearl necklace Peetz overlooked that little tidbit.
 
I haven't read the book and I've never met Joe or Abbey but I'd love to hear the story of how Joe held Abbey down and poured booze down his throat. And yes, it certainly is odd how the rich alumni blame Joe for their problems. Abbey abused alcohol? It was Joe's fault. Young Vic Surma was gay and battled substance problems? Yep, Joe's fault. Peetz felt her beloved field hockey program was getting shafted? That dang Paterno was behind it!!!


All their successes were due to their diligent, hard work.
All their failures were somebody else's fault.

I can probably start listing examples, but I'd get pretty tired after listing the 8784th name.
 
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What possibly can you charge here other than misdemeanor furnishing to minors and maybe hazing? The dude tragically fell down the steps. But nothing that happened after that was criminal.
 
I haven't read the book and I've never met Joe or Abbey but I'd love to hear the story of how Joe held Abbey down and poured booze down his throat. And yes, it certainly is odd how the rich alumni blame Joe for their problems. Abbey abused alcohol? It was Joe's fault. Young Vic Surma was gay and battled substance problems? Yep, Joe's fault. Peetz felt her beloved field hockey program was getting shafted? That dang Paterno was behind it!!!

I think Abbey's overall relationship with JVP is being mischaracterized in some posts in this thread.

Posnanski used the Don Abbey example of how nearly all of JVPs' players who may have initially hated him as their coach because of his demands (or as Abbey says, his 'management style'), came around to understanding him and respecting him after their playing days ended. While Abbey tells some really interesting and eye-opening stories about JVP's approach in the late 60s, early 70s, he also shares some really interesting things about how they came to a mutually better understanding of each other later in the 90s. e.g. He said that Joe reached out to him when his business was struggling and offered to help. Abbey makes the statement that there was nothing he could do in return for Joe. Joe helped Abbey network and wrote letters on his behalf. (pg. 370).

To me, the point was that Abbey went from hating him, and for some understandable reasons, to understanding him and respecting him for who he really was at his core.... looking at far more than wins and losses and football skills. He praises JVP's legacy of these accomplishments (pg. 371).

Imo, Abbey comes off as being in support of JVP in the end. Of course, we each hear or read these stories with our own personal lens filters.

Pair these Don Abbey stories from the book with some of the snippets from "The Joe We Know", and I get a strong sense of how his players transformed from the typical 'young player vs. head coach' relationship to an 'adult to adult' relationship of mutual respect later in life, and especially as life unfolded for these ex-players. Some, but not many, were mature enough to 'get it' while still a 1st or 2nd year player under JVP (or most any tough-but-visionary coach, for that matter). The vast majority came around later, and that is why they enjoyed their post-college relationship with Joe even more than they did their on-field success. Joe's demands paid off for them later in life. The Don Abbey story follows that path over the long run. To me, it is not the most typical of examples, as it has some extreme examples of their personal clashes early on, but that makes the final outcome of their relationship even more noteworthy. Again, all my opinion.
 
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Take some of Mother's Little Helpers before you go.
"What a drag it is getting old." I took your advice though. Had some coffee - my version of a mother's little helper - and went skating at the Pegula. Great way to spend the afternoon.
 
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I think Abbey's overall relationship with JVP is being mischaracterized in some posts in this thread.

Posnanski used the Don Abbey example of how nearly all of JVPs' players came around to understanding him and respecting him after initially hating him as their coach because of his demands (or as Abbey says, his 'management style'). While Abbey tells some really interesting and eye-opening stories about JVP's approach in the late 60s, early 70s, he also shares some really interesting things about how they came to a mutually better understanding of each later in the 90s. e.g. He said that Joe reached out to him when his business was struggling and offered to help. Abbey makes the statement that there was nothing he could do in return for Joe. Joe helped Abbey network and wrote letters on his behalf. (pg. 370).

To me, the point was that Abbey went from hating him, and for some understandable reasons, to understanding him and respecting him for who he really was at his core.... looking at far more than wins and losses and football skills. He praises JVP's legacy of these accomplishments (pg. 371).

Imo, Abbey comes off as being in support of JVP in the end. Of course, we each hear or read these stories with our own personal lens filters.

Pair these Don Abbey stories from the book with some of the snippets from "The Joe We Know", and I get a strong sense of how his players transformed from the typical 'young player vs. head coach' relationship to an 'adult to adult' relationship of mutual respect later in life, and especially as life unfolded for these ex-players. Some, but not many, were mature enough to 'get it' while still a 1st or 2nd year player under JVP (or most any tough-but-visionary coach, for that matter). The vast majority came around later, and that is why they enjoyed their post-college relationship with Joe even more than they did their on-field success. Joe's demands paid off for them later in life. The Don Abbey story follows that path over the long run. To me, it is not the most typical of examples, as it has some extreme examples of their personal clashes early on, but that makes the final outcome of their relationship even more noteworthy. Again, all my opinion.
Nice post. Just re-read the pages. It was a nuanced relationship.
 
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What possibly can you charge here other than misdemeanor furnishing to minors and maybe hazing? The dude tragically fell down the steps. But nothing that happened after that was criminal.
They waited until the next day before calling for help, He was still alive during that time-later died at the hospital.
 
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"What a drag it is getting old." I took your advice though. Had some coffee - my version of a mother's little helper - and went skating at the Pegula. Great way to spend the afternoon.

I had a Honey Cinnamon Latte.
 
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