JoePo goes deep. Even manages to speak with Mary Kay.
By Joe Posnanski
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Joe Paterno's family won't quit the fight to restore his legacy
Jay Paterno tells a story. It is autumn, and his son is playing in a ninth-grade football game. Early in the first quarter, his son pushes through and brings down the ball carrier. The public address announcer says: “Tackle made by Joe Paterno.”
When the game ends, Joey Paterno goes to his mother, Kelley, and admits that he grimaced when he heard his name called over the loudspeaker.
“Why?” Kelley asks.
“Because,” he says. “I didn’t know how people would react to hearing it.”
“And that,” Jay Paterno says, his eyes filling with tears, “is why we fight.”
* * *
“The most saddening findings of the Special Investigative Counsel is the total and consistent disregard by the most senior leaders at Penn State.
“They exhibited a striking lack of empathy for Sandusky’s victims by failing to inquire as to their safety and well-being, especially by not attempting to determine the identity of the child who Sandusky assaulted …”
“Paterno told a reporter that ‘I didn’t know exactly how to handle it, and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was. So I backed away and turned it over to other people.’”
“The Special Investigative Counsel finds that it is more reasonable to conclude that, in order to avoid the consequences of bad publicity, the most powerful leaders at the University – Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley – repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky’s child abuse.”
— From Findings in the Freeh Report.
* * *
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – On July 12, 2012, former FBI Director Louis Freeh announced that he and his group had investigated, prosecuted, tried and effectively convicted the late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno of heinous crimes that included covering up the child sexual abuse by a former coach, Jerry Sandusky. The Freeh group did so without subpoena power, without identifying accusers, without guidance from sexual abuse experts, without putting anyone under oath and without testimony from Joe Paterno or anyone speaking in his defense. There were no appeals granted.
The Freeh Report ended all arguments and closed all doors. It was accepted across America. Media reports called it an “independent investigation,” though the Penn State Trustees – who controversially had fired Joe Paterno – paid more than $8 million for it. Media reports also called it “exhaustive” – repeatedly parroting Freeh’s claim that the group spoke to 430 key figures and that 3.5 million documents were analyzed – ignoring that the Freeh group, by its own admission, did not talk to a dozen or so key figures, save for an eleventh-hour interview with Graham Spanier, the former Penn State president. Spanier is now suing Freeh for libel and defamation.
The Freeh Report led directly to the ruination of Joe Paterno’s reputation, built over 61 years as a football coach at Penn State. Penn State scrubbed clean its stadium and gameday program of Paterno references. His alma mater, Brown University, removed Paterno’s name from its athletic award. After a threatening banner was flown over State College – “TAKE DOWN THE STATUE OR WE WILL” – a statue of Joe Paterno that stood outside Beaver Stadium and had been a landmark for Penn State fans was torn down and hidden.
Then the NCAA swooped in, announcing crushing sanctions against Penn State football: the cutting of scholarships; probation; a bowl ban; a $60 million fine and the removal of 112 victories, 111 of them under Joe Paterno. The NCAA left the impression that the Penn State program was lucky to not get the dreaded death penalty. “Worry about getting your culture right,” NCAA President Mark Emmert lectured Penn State.
The most piercing example of the Freeh Report’s power involved Nike chairman Phil Knight, who had spoken many times about his love and admiration for Joe Paterno. “I’m a man who needs heroes,” he said on numerous occasions. “And Joe Paterno fills my need.” He spoke lovingly of Paterno at his funeral. After the report, though, he entirely changed course. “It appears Joe made missteps that led to heartbreaking consequences,” Knight said. “I missed that Joe missed it.” He then announced that Nike would take Paterno’s name off its child care center.
In State College, the family of Joe Paterno watched it all in disbelief and horror.
“The lies they’re telling about Joe,” Sue Paterno told Dan McGinn, the crisis manager the family had hired. “I can’t believe the lies they’re telling about Joe.”
“Sue,” McGinn told her. “They are having their moment now. But I can promise you this: We will write the final chapter.”
Continue: http://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/joe-paterno-family-fight-after-penn-state-scandal/
By Joe Posnanski
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Joe Paterno's family won't quit the fight to restore his legacy
Jay Paterno tells a story. It is autumn, and his son is playing in a ninth-grade football game. Early in the first quarter, his son pushes through and brings down the ball carrier. The public address announcer says: “Tackle made by Joe Paterno.”
When the game ends, Joey Paterno goes to his mother, Kelley, and admits that he grimaced when he heard his name called over the loudspeaker.
“Why?” Kelley asks.
“Because,” he says. “I didn’t know how people would react to hearing it.”
“And that,” Jay Paterno says, his eyes filling with tears, “is why we fight.”
* * *
“The most saddening findings of the Special Investigative Counsel is the total and consistent disregard by the most senior leaders at Penn State.
“They exhibited a striking lack of empathy for Sandusky’s victims by failing to inquire as to their safety and well-being, especially by not attempting to determine the identity of the child who Sandusky assaulted …”
“Paterno told a reporter that ‘I didn’t know exactly how to handle it, and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was. So I backed away and turned it over to other people.’”
“The Special Investigative Counsel finds that it is more reasonable to conclude that, in order to avoid the consequences of bad publicity, the most powerful leaders at the University – Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley – repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky’s child abuse.”
— From Findings in the Freeh Report.
* * *
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – On July 12, 2012, former FBI Director Louis Freeh announced that he and his group had investigated, prosecuted, tried and effectively convicted the late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno of heinous crimes that included covering up the child sexual abuse by a former coach, Jerry Sandusky. The Freeh group did so without subpoena power, without identifying accusers, without guidance from sexual abuse experts, without putting anyone under oath and without testimony from Joe Paterno or anyone speaking in his defense. There were no appeals granted.
The Freeh Report ended all arguments and closed all doors. It was accepted across America. Media reports called it an “independent investigation,” though the Penn State Trustees – who controversially had fired Joe Paterno – paid more than $8 million for it. Media reports also called it “exhaustive” – repeatedly parroting Freeh’s claim that the group spoke to 430 key figures and that 3.5 million documents were analyzed – ignoring that the Freeh group, by its own admission, did not talk to a dozen or so key figures, save for an eleventh-hour interview with Graham Spanier, the former Penn State president. Spanier is now suing Freeh for libel and defamation.
The Freeh Report led directly to the ruination of Joe Paterno’s reputation, built over 61 years as a football coach at Penn State. Penn State scrubbed clean its stadium and gameday program of Paterno references. His alma mater, Brown University, removed Paterno’s name from its athletic award. After a threatening banner was flown over State College – “TAKE DOWN THE STATUE OR WE WILL” – a statue of Joe Paterno that stood outside Beaver Stadium and had been a landmark for Penn State fans was torn down and hidden.
Then the NCAA swooped in, announcing crushing sanctions against Penn State football: the cutting of scholarships; probation; a bowl ban; a $60 million fine and the removal of 112 victories, 111 of them under Joe Paterno. The NCAA left the impression that the Penn State program was lucky to not get the dreaded death penalty. “Worry about getting your culture right,” NCAA President Mark Emmert lectured Penn State.
The most piercing example of the Freeh Report’s power involved Nike chairman Phil Knight, who had spoken many times about his love and admiration for Joe Paterno. “I’m a man who needs heroes,” he said on numerous occasions. “And Joe Paterno fills my need.” He spoke lovingly of Paterno at his funeral. After the report, though, he entirely changed course. “It appears Joe made missteps that led to heartbreaking consequences,” Knight said. “I missed that Joe missed it.” He then announced that Nike would take Paterno’s name off its child care center.
In State College, the family of Joe Paterno watched it all in disbelief and horror.
“The lies they’re telling about Joe,” Sue Paterno told Dan McGinn, the crisis manager the family had hired. “I can’t believe the lies they’re telling about Joe.”
“Sue,” McGinn told her. “They are having their moment now. But I can promise you this: We will write the final chapter.”
Continue: http://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/joe-paterno-family-fight-after-penn-state-scandal/
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