Joe Pa's letter written in Dec 2011
- Thread starter h8ru
- Start date
The text so no one has to give an extra click to E$PiN
Joe Paterno's family has confirmed that the Penn State football coach dictated in December what was meant to be an opinion letter that was shown to a couple of former players. Paterno died of lung cancer in January without the letter being published.
The letter was made public Wednesday after being posted on FightonState.com, which covers the team. A family spokesman confirmed its authenticity to The Associated Press and said the Paternos did not release it. A former player who received the letter said it was emailed Wednesday by an unknown ex-player to fellow football team alumni.
The letter reads:
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.
Even with his dying words, it was not about him. It was about his players, the men they became, and the school and community that he loved.
What a complete contrast with our BOT. It is only about them, throwing the university, the alumni, football, administrators, and everyone under the bus to protect themselves.
Joe sought to build people, a university, and a community up, even while he was in the lightning rod of the media frenzy. The BOT only looked for cover.
In their own words and in their deeds, when the pressure was on, Joe was bigger than himself and the BOT was a collection of small and feeble cowards.
The actions of both are why we stand behind Joe and why he will forever be a Penn State hero.
It is a matter of time until many of the deceptions of small and feeble cowards are revealed and it has already been revealed the character of a man named Joe who gave away millions, lived humbly, walked to work, and changed lives.
What a complete contrast with our BOT. It is only about them, throwing the university, the alumni, football, administrators, and everyone under the bus to protect themselves.
Joe sought to build people, a university, and a community up, even while he was in the lightning rod of the media frenzy. The BOT only looked for cover.
In their own words and in their deeds, when the pressure was on, Joe was bigger than himself and the BOT was a collection of small and feeble cowards.
The actions of both are why we stand behind Joe and why he will forever be a Penn State hero.
It is a matter of time until many of the deceptions of small and feeble cowards are revealed and it has already been revealed the character of a man named Joe who gave away millions, lived humbly, walked to work, and changed lives.
Just another example of why this will never be over until the arrogant,scum who call(ed) themselves "The University" are exposed and punished. To think that this group included former player like Joyner and Suhey is astounding. Don't you think it is ironic that in Erickson's notes they referred to someone else as a "scumbag?"
Thank you.. My tears are mingling with my smile.
It amazes me how I find reading a several year old letter from him so comforting.
To those who attacked him, especially in his final days, I hope you all burn in hell.
To those who attacked him, especially in his final days, I hope you all burn in hell.
Who among you wants to contribute to having sculptures carved and erected - giant stone tablets with this letter on it just off the edge of campus on every ROW to campus?
The man upstairs is now reaping the benefits of having one Joseph Vincent Paterno around. PSU will always be JVP's heaven on earth....I miss him.
Agreed. Can anyone here imagine peetz, or surma, or frazier, or any of the cowards running our university being so graceful....so eloquent in ANYthing they do?
Thanks for posting. An unbelievable letter. Downside is it got me even more pissed at those scum.
There's always room for more pissed with that group of scum.
Whenever I think of the old guy's last few weeks, I am reminded of this Warren Zevon song...
His words are immortal. There will never be another JoePa
Wow. Reading that made me feel happy, sad and angry all at the same time. Really bothers me that the lingering emotion is anger, but those BoT people really crapped all over Joe, and it's hard to read a letter confirming that he realized it and had so little time to fight back.
One could argue that they understood completely. They just didn't give a damn.
Yes, I think the power brokers knew precisely what they were doing. Tommy the Toad bragged,"I told them to do it." I'm sure privately a few high fives and smirks were shared by the misanthropes. I like how Franco called them out at the board meeting. I didn't see any smirks when he challenged these cowards. God forgive me, I Fn hate them.
OK - so.....how many billboards do we have to pay for to have this entire letter written out for people to read as they drive to/from State College?
I suggest we simply tattoo it on the beautiful behind of that girl in your sig pic and have her walk up and down 322 on game days!
JVP had more class in his pinkie than all of the BOT rat bastards (excluding the alumni elected members) have combined.
Any chance his letter gets pinned at the top, because it certainly should be!!!
Any chance his letter gets pinned at the top, because it certainly should be!!!
This is the reason that it has been so important for the alumni to have fought and to continue the fight. Without that drive and the demand for integrity and truth, this could have destroyed the University. Prouder than ever to have PSU as my second...
This is the reason that it has been so important for the alumni to have fought and to continue the fight. Without that drive and the demand for integrity and truth, this could have destroyed the University.
We can get at the truth by having a new trial for Sandusky or we can continue to post praise for Joe, while the rest of the country believes Joe thought Sanudsky guilty and did nothing about it.
We can get at the truth by having a new trial for Sandusky or we can continue to post praise for Joe, while the rest of the country believes Joe thought Sanudsky guilty and did nothing about it.
At the last BOT meeting I believe nobody spoke up regarding the Sandusky scandal in public comments portion of the meeting. I think this was the first time. I wonder how this will be interpreted by the BOT - finally some breathing room and the energy from disenfranchised alumni is withering? Whatever you are able and willing to do regarding shedding light on the facts - do it.
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[QUOTE="Fizz1, post: Whatever you are able and willing to do regarding shedding light on the facts - do it.[/QUOTE]
Fizz, I started off writing a gadzillion posts about Joe doing the right thing from day one. About 2 years ago, Ziegler wrote an article and it meant a lot of sense. It made complete sense for PSU to have a new trial for Sundusky just to inform the rest of the country that nobody knew for sure. I followed up with a gadzillion post stating facts about how Jerry's trial was a sham. PSU alumni have been my main opponents. At first they replied that this was Joe's one big mistake. For the past 2 years they have been posting that Jerry was convicted by what they believe was an objective jury. What these idiots don't realize is that the PSU BOTs have spent millions on PR to get the alumni to want to move on without knowing the truth. The majority of the PSU alumni don't care that they will forever be labeled pedophile enablers. Life is passing these people by and they just don't care,
Fizz, I started off writing a gadzillion posts about Joe doing the right thing from day one. About 2 years ago, Ziegler wrote an article and it meant a lot of sense. It made complete sense for PSU to have a new trial for Sundusky just to inform the rest of the country that nobody knew for sure. I followed up with a gadzillion post stating facts about how Jerry's trial was a sham. PSU alumni have been my main opponents. At first they replied that this was Joe's one big mistake. For the past 2 years they have been posting that Jerry was convicted by what they believe was an objective jury. What these idiots don't realize is that the PSU BOTs have spent millions on PR to get the alumni to want to move on without knowing the truth. The majority of the PSU alumni don't care that they will forever be labeled pedophile enablers. Life is passing these people by and they just don't care,
I care about a whole lot of things, but not about Sandusky or getting him a new trial. I think your contention that the only way to restore Joe's legacy is to have a new trial for Sandusky is fundamentally flawed. Every time I see your name as the most recent poster in a thread, I know what the subject matter of your post is gonna be even before I read it. Why do YOU care? Are you related to Sandusky?
I care most that Joe was a good man who tried to run a College Football program the right way. I cared when PSU alumni started attacking him and I joined bwirivals in 2005, because the alumni cared more about the won/lost record than what Joe did for the student athlete off the field. It was vicious how they went after Jay to try and hurt Joe and I defended Jay so much some posters thought I was Sue. I am the one who pointed out PSU came within 2 plays of twice being in the NC game. You may remember me as the one in 2011 who bet another poster PSU would win the rest of the regular season games after losing to Bama.
I never met Jerry and I was the one who was saying Jerry should be hung by his manhood. However, I live in TX and whenever I wear my PSU shirt, some good hearted person tells me that they are devastated when they heard about Joe. No one can grasp that PSU paid all those kids tens of millions and PSU agreed to be fined tens of millions UNLESS PSU concedes that Jerry was raping kids for years and no one did anything for fear of harming the football program.
If the alumni push for a new trial, then the country will know that there was no evidence only allegations against Jerry and Joe for sure did not know. They would know Joe had his own grandchildren play at Jerry's house. That alone defeats the consensus that Joe would have done more if his kids where involved. They were!
I sincerely don't believe Jerry had sex with anyone. If Matt is right and a witness steps forward or if Jerry or Dottie break down and confess, then let Jerry rot in jail. At least the country would see Joe did the right thing.
I think at most, Jerry will get a few months for crossing boundaries and will be set free on time served. Lafayette if you were falsely accused and rotting in jail would you want someone fighting for you?
In 1970 I roomed with a black man at a small college in Tennessee. I was told not to be caught alone somewhere like a parking lot after dark, because the KKK would be waiting. I recently saw how there was gun play about blacks entering college in 1968. I do not have a problem standing up for what is right.
I never met Jerry and I was the one who was saying Jerry should be hung by his manhood. However, I live in TX and whenever I wear my PSU shirt, some good hearted person tells me that they are devastated when they heard about Joe. No one can grasp that PSU paid all those kids tens of millions and PSU agreed to be fined tens of millions UNLESS PSU concedes that Jerry was raping kids for years and no one did anything for fear of harming the football program.
If the alumni push for a new trial, then the country will know that there was no evidence only allegations against Jerry and Joe for sure did not know. They would know Joe had his own grandchildren play at Jerry's house. That alone defeats the consensus that Joe would have done more if his kids where involved. They were!
I sincerely don't believe Jerry had sex with anyone. If Matt is right and a witness steps forward or if Jerry or Dottie break down and confess, then let Jerry rot in jail. At least the country would see Joe did the right thing.
I think at most, Jerry will get a few months for crossing boundaries and will be set free on time served. Lafayette if you were falsely accused and rotting in jail would you want someone fighting for you?
In 1970 I roomed with a black man at a small college in Tennessee. I was told not to be caught alone somewhere like a parking lot after dark, because the KKK would be waiting. I recently saw how there was gun play about blacks entering college in 1968. I do not have a problem standing up for what is right.
I know some of you will attack this but I am confused a bit... Is this the first time this letter was published? If so why the delay? I am assuming also that one month prior to his death that Joe was pretty ill and to be able to dictate such a great and well thought out letter is truly amazing...Maybe it was dictated much earlier or maybe he was assisted to some degree in this letter... I dont know if it matters or not at this point.. just wondering... not flaming just want to hear the rational folks on this board shed some light on this..
I'm pretty sure that it was originally published by ESPN in July 2012.
Here: http://espn.go.com/college-football...y-lions-text-joe-paterno-letter-december-2011
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I've seen the letter before. It was compelling then. With what I have learned since July of 2012, it seems even more so. We know that Joe was collateral damage in a power play "masterminded" by TC. We know that there were "daddy's" who masqueraded as trustees and harassed Joe behind the scenes. There were other trustees who wanted positions, such as team surgeon, who targeted Joe. It could be speculated that others on the board had corporate matters pending with The Commonwealth, that saw opportunity for financial gain by signing on with the coup. Revenge, self interest, self aggrandizement...........this is the new face of "The University." Perhaps it is better that Joe Paterno passed away. It was not the kind of world he lived in.
