Detroit Free Press writer on Joe Paterno: "Some think he did not take enough personal action."

[ChiTownLion]

Paterno talk: With Michigan playing the Nittany Lions this weekend, Harbaugh was asked "what comes to mind" when he thinks about Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno and Penn State.

"I didn't prepare myself to answer that question, so I won't," he said.

Though Paterno is the winningest coach in college football history, his legacy is complicated by the sexual-abuse scandal involving his longtime assistant Jerry Sandusky. Paterno was told of an incident involving Sandusky and some think he did not take enough personal action to prevent further problems.

PSU removed a statue of him outside Beaver Stadium in 2012. ​

IMHO, first and foremost, it is important to approach these situations as educational opportunities. This is a rare opportunity to teach parents and communities that everything they thought they knew about child predators is completely wrong.

If anything good is going to come out of this, it has to be the teachings of Jim Clemente. Preferential Child Sex Offenders (aka, "nice-guy" acquaintance offenders, like Jerry Sandusky) operate in plain sight, but they are almost undetectable due to the seeds of reasonable they plant through grooming. The sad truth is one out of five American kids will be sexually abused by the time they turn 18, so it's time to put the trash-talk aside and start protecting our youth. This should especially hit home for Wolverines fans when you consider Michigan's handling of pedophile pediatrician Stephen Jenson.

The @JimClemente Report can be found at the following link:

Also, since today is apparently the anniversary of Bo Schembechler's death, it's worth noting Joe's role in Bo being named the head coach at Michigan.

 

[JoeDidntKnow]

Harbaugh gave a pu$$y answer which is no surprise. Hey Jimmy, the right answer is "Joe Paterno followed protocol exactly as it was written. He was under no legal obligation to follow up with either JS or the shower victim. His actions were honorable and helped to convict JS"

 

[Westcoast24]

Harbaugh gave a pu$$y answer which is no surprise. Hey Jimmy, the right answer is "Joe Paterno followed protocol exactly as it was written. He was under no legal obligation to follow up with either JS or the shower victim. His actions were honorable and helped to convict JS"

I see many many posts on here that say it's better if people don't say a word if they don't have all the facts. Harbaugh did just that and you guys bitch. Make up your mind. I'm glad he didn't say a word. Wish more people would follow suit if they don't have all the info they need.

 

[michnittlion]

I see many many posts on here that say it's better if people don't say a word if they don't have all the facts. Harbaugh did just that and you guys bitch. Make up your mind. I'm glad he didn't say a word. Wish more people would follow suit if they don't have all the info they need.

Yeah, exactly.

Besides --- it's NOT JH's job to have an opinion on Sandusky and/or Paterno.

 

[waltsrug]

I see many many posts on here that say it's better if people don't say a word if they don't have all the facts. Harbaugh did just that and you guys bitch. Make up your mind. I'm glad he didn't say a word. Wish more people would follow suit if they don't have all the info they need.

We don't need info. We are the media

Sincerely

ESPN

 

[Westcoast24]

We don't need info. We are the media

Sincerely

ESPN

So you agree?

 

[Chris92]

Yeah, exactly.

Besides --- it's NOT JH's job to have an opinion on Sandusky and/or Paterno.

We wouldn't want Harbaugh stealing your job, michnitt.

 

[waltsrug]

So you agree?[/QUOTE

If you are not smart enough to figure out my comment-you should avoid the internet

 

[PSU87]

I see many many posts on here that say it's better if people don't say a word if they don't have all the facts. Harbaugh did just that and you guys bitch. Make up your mind. I'm glad he didn't say a word. Wish more people would follow suit if they don't have all the info they need.

I find myself agreeing with this. While we live and breathe this topic, not everyone else does. Harbaugh easily could have pulled out the standard "Joe should have done more" line. Instead he truthfully stated he wasn't prepared to answer that question.
I can't find anything wrong with that.

To the Freep writer, however. ...screw you.

 

[Westcoast24]

Ditto

 

[michnittlion]

We wouldn't want Harbaugh stealing your job, michnitt.

PSU alums like me are more likely to have opinions on the whole situation --- at least "more likely" in comparison to football coaches with zero association to Penn State.

 

[Westcoast24]

@waltsrug If you can't figure out how to properly respond to someone then maybe you're not smart enough to be on the Internet.

 

[Art]

So you agree?

I think Harbaugh's response was fine. He's under no obligation to follow a PSU matter that was outside of the football program, so if he doesn't feel that he's in a position to comment, he shouldn't. More people would be wise to follow that example.

 

[waltsrug]

@waltsrug If you can't figure out how to properly respond to someone then maybe you're not smart enough to be on the Internet.

You mean like this douche? And what is this '@' nonsense? This is not twitter.

And to answer your question-I don't agree or disagree. I simply made a comment about people having info.

 

[Obliviax]

I

I see many many posts on here that say it's better if people don't say a word if they don't have all the facts. Harbaugh did just that and you guys bitch. Make up your mind. I'm glad he didn't say a word. Wish more people would follow suit if they don't have all the info they need.

have to disagree. His non-answer is implicit that Joe did something wrong.

 

[Westcoast24]

You mean like this douche? And what is this '@' nonsense? This is not twitter.

And to answer your question-I don't agree or disagree. I simply made a comment about people having info.

Lol.

 

[Westcoast24]

I

have to disagree. His non-answer is implicit that Joe did something wrong.

I have no problem if you disagree. Maybe you are right and maybe you are wrong. I can see it either way. Look I'm not trying to be a douche as someone else called me in this thread, but I just think all and all the question was stupid. It's the anniversary of Bo's death and they ask that. Imagine on the anniversary of coach Paterno's death someone asks about Bo. People would be pissed and going crazy. I respect your opinion on this.

 

[bullerock]

Absolutely nothing wrong with Jims response. Folks that feel otherwise need to realize that not everyone lives and breathes psu football and Joe paterno. Jim Harbaugh was in the middle of his first season as coach of the 49ers when Paterno was fired. Do you think he had time to follow all the details? His knowledge of the situation was probably limited to headlines. And I really doubt that he's had the time (or interest ) in reading up on everything since then...coaching a team to a super bowl, transitioning to being the coach at michigan, etc. He's a busy man. His response is really what it should've been and we shouldn't read too much into it.

 

[cop113]

Harbaugh gave a pu$$y answer which is no surprise. Hey Jimmy, the right answer is "Joe Paterno followed protocol exactly as it was written. He was under no legal obligation to follow up with either JS or the shower victim. His actions were honorable and helped to convict JS"

All Harbaugh had to say was," He was a great coach,winningest coach of all time and Penn State is a top notch football program and this will be a tough game for us."

 

[Osprey Lion]

I find myself agreeing with this. While we live and breathe this topic, not everyone else does. Harbaugh easily could have pulled out the standard "Joe should have done more" line. Instead he truthfully stated he wasn't prepared to answer that question.
I can't find anything wrong with that.

To the Freep writer, however. ...screw you.

I will never understand why some of you "live and breathe this topic". Joe is dead and gone and you aren't going to change anyone's opinion of him.
Especially since he admitted that he should have done more. Some love him, some hate him and some don't care. Such is life.

 

[Class of 67]

And others think he did.

 

[AWS1022]

I will never understand why some of you "live and breathe this topic". Joe is dead and gone and you aren't going to change anyone's opinion of him.
Especially since he admitted that he should have done more. Some love him, some hate him and some don't care. Such is life.

He admitted he should have done more IN HINDSIGHT...is that so hard to understand? Holy sh!t, some people are really stupid. The "in hindsight" part of what he said changes everything. We all wish we would have done more in hindsight. In hindsight I wish I would have shot Sandusky in the head when I was an undergrad. He never said he wished he would have done more, he said he wished knowing what he knows now he would have done more. That's what "in hindsight" means.

 

[21Guns]

Again, I feel this is more evidence of the narrative changing. If that question was asked in 2012, there would have been a prepared, politically correct answer. In 2015, it is no longer considered to be a NECESSARY question so without a prepared response, Harbaugh moved on. We hardly ever hear the question any longer...history is continuing to slowly gather evidence, slowly form an evolved viewpoint....in the end, we will see more and more of a positive opinion, worldwide, of Joe.

It takes time folks: This monster molested countless children during decades in plain sight. It was evil, of the most heinous, most thought out, most devious kind, and it crushes lives and destroys empires. We're not going to see an about face flip in the space of 3 years....

Patience. And it sure would help a hell of a lot if this University stopped protecting Curley, Shultz and Spanier and made them take the stand. Anytime in the next century would be fine, I believe they have now set a state wide record for longest delays.

 

[Sviatoslav]

He admitted he should have done more IN HINDSIGHT...is that so hard to understand? Holy sh!t, some people are really stupid. The "in hindsight" part of what he said changes everything. We all wish we would have done more in hindsight. In hindsight I wish I would have shot Sandusky in the head when I was an undergrad. He never said he wished he would have done more, he said he wished knowing what he knows now he would have done more. That's what "in hindsight" means.

This drives me nuts too. Way too many people have reading comprehension problems, dropping the "hindsight" part of his statement. With the benefit of hindsight, someone would have murdered Adolf Hitler before he came to power. With the benefit of hindsight, I would have sold those stocks before they devalued. With the benefit of hindsight, I would have [fill in the blank]... get the picture? With the benefit of hindsight Joe would have done more. Well no kidding, who wouldn't have done more after it's revealed that JS is a POS?

 

[PSU87]

I will never understand why some of you "live and breathe this topic". Joe is dead and gone and you aren't going to change anyone's opinion of him.
Especially since he admitted that he should have done more. Some love him, some hate him and some don't care. Such is life.

I am a Penn State alumnus. It is part of who I am. What happens to Penn State happens to me. If you don't feel that way, that's fine. Don't fault those of us who do. Its not just about Joe, its about PENN STATE.

 

[Osprey Lion]

He admitted he should have done more IN HINDSIGHT...is that so hard to understand? Holy sh!t, some people are really stupid. The "in hindsight" part of what he said changes everything. We all wish we would have done more in hindsight. In hindsight I wish I would have shot Sandusky in the head when I was an undergrad. He never said he wished he would have done more, he said he wished knowing what he knows now he would have done more. That's what "in hindsight" means.

What is the matter with you people? In hindsight means nothing. All decisions that that you wish you could change were "in hindsight".

In hindsight I wish I would have become a Doctor.

I wish I would have become a Doctor.

In hindsight, I wish I had bought IBM stock 30 years ago.

I wish I had bought IBM stock 30 years ago.

In hindsight, I should have taken that other job offer.

I should have taken that other job offer.

In hindsight, I should have done more.

I should have done more.

They all mean the same thing. And I challenge any of you that question my reading comprehension
to prove otherwise.

 

[kentuckycb]

I will never understand why some of you "live and breathe this topic". Joe is dead and gone and you aren't going to change anyone's opinion of him.
Especially since he admitted that he should have done more. Some love him, some hate him and some don't care. Such is life.

He admitted no such thing. I agree that one's own opinion of Joe is really all that matters. But it's still frustrating when people don't get basic factual elements of the story correct. Such is life I guess.

 

[Osprey Lion]

I am a Penn State alumnus. It is part of who I am. What happens to Penn State happens to me. If you don't feel that way, that's fine. Don't fault those of us who do. Its not just about Joe, its about PENN STATE.

That is just your biased opinion. Everyone heard the statements from some after the scandal broke that Joe is Penn State football.
Penn State and all Penn State sports are much bigger than one man. And you are only kidding yourself if you think you are doing Penn State
any good by wallowing in the past.

 

[Osprey Lion]

He admitted he should have done more IN HINDSIGHT...is that so hard to understand? Holy sh!t, some people are really stupid. The "in hindsight" part of what he said changes everything. We all wish we would have done more in hindsight. In hindsight I wish I would have shot Sandusky in the head when I was an undergrad. He never said he wished he would have done more, he said he wished knowing what he knows now he would have done more. That's what "in hindsight" means.

If I'm really stupid, read four posts up and prove me wrong.

 

[91Joe95]

This drives me nuts too. Way too many people have reading comprehension problems, dropping the "hindsight" part of his statement. With the benefit of hindsight, someone would have murdered Adolf Hitler before he came to power. With the benefit of hindsight, I would have sold those stocks before they devalued. With the benefit of hindsight, I would have [fill in the blank]... get the picture? With the benefit of hindsight Joe would have done more. Well no kidding, who wouldn't have done more after it's revealed that JS is a POS?

They don't have reading comprehension problems, they're just liars. You think you're the first to point out osprey's lie? He's a troll, and probably tried posting earlier and got deleted.

 

[PSU87]

That is just your biased opinion. Everyone heard the statements from some after the scandal broke that Joe is Penn State football.
Penn State and all Penn State sports are much bigger than one man. And you are only kidding yourself if you think you are doing Penn State
any good by wallowing in the past.

Your reading comprehension really sucks. Again- its not just about Joe.
Wallowing in the past? That Freep article is dated YESTERDAY. Its the present and the foreseeable future.

 

[AWS1022]

If I'm really stupid, read four posts up and prove me wrong.

Oh my God, where do I start? In hindsight means if I knew then what I know now. If Sandusky had never been caught do you think Joe would have said I wish I had done more? No, because he wouldn't have known about it. I wish I would have done more means he knew about it then and didn't do enough. In hindsight means if I knew what I know now, I wish I would have done more. Why would you say in hindisght, I wish I would have become a doctor? Do you know something now that you didn't know then? You knew then doctors make a lot of money just like you know now. You only say in hindsight if you know something now you didn't know then. Which is exactly what Joe was saying, he didn't know then what he knows now. If you don't know the difference, then you're too stupid to have this discussion with. There's a huge difference between saying you wish something and wishing something because you know something now you didn't know then.

 

[Osprey Lion]

Oh my God, where do I start? In hindsight means if I knew then what I know now. If Sandusky had never been caught do you think Joe would have said I wish I had done more? No, because he wouldn't have known about it. I wish I would have done more means he knew about it then and didn't do enough. In hindsight means if I knew what I know now, I wish I would have done more. Why would you say in hindisght, I wish I would have become a doctor? Do you know something now that you didn't know then? You knew then doctors make a lot of money just like you know now. You only say in hindsight if you know something now you didn't know then. Which is exactly what Joe was saying, he didn't know then what he knows now. If you don't know the difference, then you're too stupid to have this discussion with. There's a huge difference between saying you wish something and wishing something because you know something now you didn't know then.

All you did was babble. The next time you want to call someone stupid, look in the mirror.

 

[Fairfax Lion]

I believe that Osprey has moved on and he needs to justify that position in his own mind. So to do that, he has determined that hindsight is a meaningless modifier. Hey, you just can't fix stupid!!!

 

[Osprey Lion]

I believe that Osprey has moved on and he needs to justify that position in his own mind. So to do that, he has determined that hindsight is a meaningless modifier. Hey, you just can't fix stupid!!!

Since you are so smart, explain the difference between the statements I posted regarding hindsight. All I see is name calling but none of the name callers have taken the challenge.

 

[AWS1022]

Okay, one more time slowly...
hind·sight
ˈhīn(d)ˌsīt/
noun

1. understanding of a situation or event only after it has happened or developed.
   
   The key being "only after it has happened or developed". Do you understand that or do I need to explain it? AFTER something happens that you didn't know about, you wished you would have done something different. That means Joe is saying he didn't know about it until after and knowing what he knows now (after the fact) he wished he would have done more. I hope you don't have to take the SAT any time soon.

 

[aged_wolverine]

I will never understand why some of you "live and breathe this topic". Joe is dead and gone and you aren't going to change anyone's opinion of him.
Especially since he admitted that he should have done more. Some love him, some hate him and some don't care. Such is life.

Over 3 yrs, I have toned my hate of Paterno the Mastermind down to "he should of followed thru, but he is no mastermind". I even understand him not wanting to deal with it as he was coach. He wasn't the president/AD.

I don't agree with sweeping that entirely off gets you clear. IMO though, until shown otherwise, he is probably the least I am blaming someone directly in loop. MM is next highest, and the far majority on named/unnamed big wigs in Pa. Sandusky had protection from on high. Pa is corrupt.

So perhaps I am the only person, but they changed my opinion from "He was evil" to "He made a mistake". A bad choice no doubt, but no malice involved from what I have seen.

 

[PennStateNate]

Yawn

 

[Mary Anne]

Over 3 yrs, I have toned my hate of Paterno the Mastermind down to "he should of followed thru, but he is no mastermind". I even understand him not wanting to deal with it as he was coach. He wasn't the president/AD.

I don't agree with sweeping that entirely off gets you clear. IMO though, until shown otherwise, he is probably the least I am blaming someone directly in loop. MM is next highest, and the far majority on named/unnamed big wigs in Pa. Sandusky had protection from on high. Pa is corrupt.

So perhaps I am the only person, but they changed my opinion from "He was evil" to "He made a mistake". A bad choice no doubt, but no malice involved from what I have seen.

Against my better judgment, I will try to participate in a civil discussion here. My question is, what should Joe have done? What is 'followed thru'? If he had asked anyone the status he simply would've gotten 'can't comment on an ongoing investigation'. If he asked too many times people would say he was attempting to interfere/influence. And one more thing, Joe never said he never asked again. Do you know for certain that he didn't ask Tim several times? 'More' is very subjective. More to one person is less to another. How many times should he have asked about it? Twice? Ten times? Every day?

 

[robbrunskill]

I think Harbaugh's response was fine. He's under no obligation to follow a PSU matter that was outside of the football program, so if he doesn't feel that he's in a position to comment, he shouldn't. More people would be wise to follow that example.

were you referring to any specific profession (or quasi profession)? What incentive would Harbaugh have to provide bulletin board material? He certainly doesn't need clicks on his blog like some hacks out there.