What should have happened is debatable, but what did happen can only be described as incompetent and cowardly beyond defense. And despite his many faults, even Lanny Davis knew this.
Four years to the day of the JoePa beheading. How's that working out for us?
- Thread starter ApexLion
- Start date
Let me let you in on a little secret. The Michigan State Board of Trustees wanted to defend Penn State and its administration when the news broke. However, seeing the Penn State Board of Trustees was unwilling to defend its own school, the Michigan State board decided against the idea.
John Surma blamed Penn State athletics and Joe Paterno.
The act(s) of the Penn State Board of Trustees brought great shame to the school.
They had responsibility for oversight yet they blame Joe for staying too long.
John Surma blamed Penn State athletics and Joe Paterno.
The act(s) of the Penn State Board of Trustees brought great shame to the school.
They had responsibility for oversight yet they blame Joe for staying too long.
As long as you stay out of my neighborhood with your boat trailer I really don't give a rat's rump what you do. If you devote efforts to what you view as injustices, good for you. That will ensure that you aren't spending time screwing up something that I do care about.
I comment about other issues. And to be clear, although I grew up in PA, I went to undergrad at WVU, lest people assume I went to PSU just because I post there. (I'm in your general neck of the woods now...Jim Valvano, I think, is buried in your town.) I find this board more interesting than the WVU OT board, which unfortunately is dominated by a few hyper-partisan political types. So I post here, respectfully, and I appreciate the fact that I'm permitted to do so.
It seems to me that the prevailing view on this board is that the PSU BOT should have said to the public, basically, "We'll look into this whole situation and let you know what we find, in the meantime the games will continue as normal." I get the impression that JVP being allowed to finish the season is an overwhelming majority opinion on this board.
IMO the PSU BOT doing that would have made things much worse. You can call it mob rule or you can call it being sensitive to public opinion, but regardless the PSU BOT had to so something. It wouldn't just say "We'll look into it." They had to at least suspend JVP, which for him would have been career-ending anyway.
I get the impression that JVP being allowed to finish the season is an overwhelming majority opinion on this board.
No one on here ever says that. Period. You say it an michnitt and some other of the usual weird toadies then Like it. It's weird man.
Its amazing how the bot pushed away every one who wanted to help. I wonder why that was?
How about putting up a poll? Let's rough draft it.
Question: What should the PSU BOT have done in Nov 2011.
Possible Answers:
A. Nothing at all.
B. Issue a statement saying they're investigating the issue and in the meantime the football program will continue as normal.
C. Issue a statement saying that JVP has been suspended until the issue is investigated.
D. Issue a statement saying that JVP has been fired.
E. Issue a statement saying that PSU football has been suspended until the issue has been investigated.
I'm trying to cover all possible bases here, which is what a good poll does. Offer suggestions for changes to it.
I get the impression that JVP being allowed to finish the season is an overwhelming majority opinion on this board.
No one on here ever says that. Period. You say it and michnitt and some other of the usual weird toadies then Like it. It's weird man.
LOL
Include Mr. Heim among those branded with a scarlet "T" who will be eternally scorned in public. He certainly didn't expect to get bushwhacked prior to the Armed Service ceremony.
First of all, they should have started to get ahead of this no later than 1 April 2011.
As far as what they should have done in Nov 2011, they should have spoken to Joe and have him voluntarily step down as HC as this is investigated. If he did not agree, then they should have suspended him.
Joe's statement to the press seemed to indicate when he thought he should step down.
WPXI@WPXITarget11
Breaking: ncaa has subpoenaed latrobe based Duquesne brewing over joe paterno beer #wpxi
Breaking: ncaa has subpoenaed latrobe based Duquesne brewing over joe paterno beer #wpxi
I hope it haunts his ass right to his grave. He had an opportunity to do the right thing. He did the expedient thing. Screw him.
So...
No compelling arguments (at least not here) that we are better off four years later.
No real response on here on how going on all the networks/using the media/paying the PR bills and feeding the media with a ready made, live story helped this university.
No facts, no data, no cold, steely-eyed submissions on how Surma, Kenny and Peetz really helped the university.
No real discussion on health of the university, the health of 'the brand' and how alums are better off four years later.
Nothing.
What has changed? Not much.
One could argue that's normally what happens when you make some bad decisions. It's logical. There's no resolution, no moving on, no positivity created.
No compelling arguments (at least not here) that we are better off four years later.
No real response on here on how going on all the networks/using the media/paying the PR bills and feeding the media with a ready made, live story helped this university.
No facts, no data, no cold, steely-eyed submissions on how Surma, Kenny and Peetz really helped the university.
No real discussion on health of the university, the health of 'the brand' and how alums are better off four years later.
Nothing.
What has changed? Not much.
One could argue that's normally what happens when you make some bad decisions. It's logical. There's no resolution, no moving on, no positivity created.
How about having a press conference WITH Joe there. They could announce that Joe was voluntarily taking a leave of absence. Doing what they did, stated emphatically that Joe was guilty and had to be fired. Since then, prominent members of the BoT that night, have testified that Joe was not fired for a failure of leadership. They bleeping lied that night. Surma got his revenge for his brother Vic, whose son walked on, didn't play, and Vic blamed Joe for his subsequent leaving school and getting involved in shady crap in Florida, which ultimately led to his death in Manhattan.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/postgazette/obituary.aspx?pid=170423697
Surma didn't "botch" anything. The outcome was EXACTLY what he wanted.
He was one of the engineers of the project to destroy Paterno's legacy.
I suggest that you roll that clock back to at least March 2011 and try again.
Okay, what would the poll options be if the question is "What should the PSU BOT have done in March 2011?"
Asked a question. Any question. They admitted they didn't ask a single one. Not one. They even lied about being briefed but were caught red handed. Its OK. We understand you didn't know that.
This, in and of itself, is ample reason why the May 2011 trustees should have resigned. Lack of fiduciary responsibility in failing to ask any questions about the risk assessment that Spanier and Baldwin gave them at that May BoT meeting concerning the Sandusky GJ investigation. And Spanier and Baldwin deserved to be dismissed for delivering to the BoT such a such a naive and faulty risk assessment of the Sandusky investigation.
That's my point - it will haunt him forever, because he has a conscience. A few others did and do, also, and it will haunt them as well. I also think it should haunt them - their actions/inactions have haunted me and tens or hundreds of thousands of proud PSU loyalists and we don't know when or if that will ever end.
There are a few who it will not haunt, because they appear to have no conscience: Surma, Peetz, Frazier, Dandrea (a mercenary with ties to Surma), Masser, Joyner (an opportunist if ever there was one), etc. I tend to think Suhey is likely bothered by all of this, whether he would ever admit it or not. Maybe even Ira. Mimi and many others who are guilty by their silence when a voice was most needed, no doubt have this on their minds and want do-overs every day of their lives. I'm not defending them, just pointing out that good people on the BOT realize that their inaction and silence failed us all. Just my opinion.
I saw her quoted in Town and Gown (her own publication) within a year after the sanctions about how the Freeh report was erroneous or went too far or something along those lines. Nothing strongly worded, of course, and that was all I saw other than the fact that when she tried to say something on that fateful night, Surma shut her up and apparently intimidated anyone else from talking, including Garban. Al Clemens also backed away from the BOT's official stance (or non-stance). My guess is that the school admin has threatened the life out of people who gain their livelihood from PSU from ever speaking their minds about it. Steve Jones has never said anything publicly that I am aware of, for example. The fact that 'The Joe We Know' was allowed as much leeway as it got on campuses was due to it not being about the issue and the response, but rather about Joe's impact on the lives of the players.
I understand there is going to be a Lions Tales about Joe - I thought it was scheduled to be aired last week, but I have not seen it. Sandy herself told me this at the end of the town hall last week in response to me imploring her to not be afraid to trumpet "Success With Honor" while invoking Joe's name prominently front and center.
And thanks for posting the things you're comfortable posting, Misder. It is good to get informed input, even if somewhat cryptic at times, to know the good fight is worth the battle.
To be fair, I don't think that Spanier would have expected that Trustee Surma would breach his duty and collude with Corbett to the detriment of Penn State.
Would any university president have predicted that?
If there is any uncertainty where "Mimi" stands (now)....go back and read her last "Lunch with Mimi", her conversation with Bloviator Barron.
And, although the title would suggest it as an option, please don't read it on a full stomach.
