Penn State Scandal: The Freeh Report

[Lanky Livingston]

Here is Louis Freeh's full report of his investigation into Penn State, if you care to read it.

Bottom line: Joe Paterno did nothing to protect Sandusky's victims, even though he knew about the attacks in 1998. Unreal. I hate to talk bad about the dead, but Joe Paterno is a scumbag if these allegations are true.

The most saddening finding by the Special Investigative Counsel is the total and consistent disregard by the most senior leaders at Penn State for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims.

 

[Goaldeje]

I'm thinking his staute may need to be removed.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

JoePa was a scumbag, but he's not alone. Every single one of the school's administrators should go to jail as well.

Administrators gave Sandusky a heads-up and "exposed the victim to additional harm because only Sandusky knew his identity."

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Curley kept inviting Sandusky to "numerous high profile PSU events" right until his arrest.

They treated it like it wasn't happening! I can understand a bit of disbelief, but to just completely ignore it???

 

[Goaldeje]

Ugh. This Freeh report is horrible. What a bunch of scumbags. Yep, prison for all sounds great to me.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

The hits keep on coming:

Penn State received word the indictment was coming around Oct. 27 last yr. On Oct. 29 Sandusky attended PSU game, in Nittany Lion Club.

 

[McD5]

It's time to elevate Bobby Bowden as the winningest coach in history.

What a stain on college athletics.

 

[tshile]

I hope all of those responsible go to jail.

I hope Penn State never recovers from this. I used to separate the university, but at this point it seems the administrators as as much to blame for this.

What's down right shameful is that Penn State is currently boasting their 2nd most donations... thats what their alumni think of this. That in this time, the University needs more money to fight this...

 

[McD5]

Here it is on video for people who don't want to read the entire report:

http://m.espn.go.com/ncf/story?storyId=8160430

 

[Lanky Livingston]

At first I didn't think the death penalty was appropriate, but the more I think about it, the more its the only appropriate punishment at this point. Most likely the ONLY reason they tried to cover this up was to protect the football program and the astronomical revenues it brought in.

I'd bet if this was the golf coach or even a professor, JoePa would have been first in line to call the authorities!

 

[Goaldeje]

^yep. They need to bring the hammer down and let the rest of the colleg world know this will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Sucks for the kids there now, but let them transfer wherever they want, with no waiting period.

 

[Special K]

While I tried to give Paterno the benefit of the doubt until hard evidene revealed his true involvement in the cover-up, I admit this is what I suspected all along.

There was no way something this big and this horrific could have gone on for such a long time without Paterno's knowledge, and significant level of knowledge at that.

This is just such an awful tragedy, particularly as more details come out. Everyone involved in this scandal's cover-up is an evil, self-centered, POS human being. I am of the opinion that the sports program needs to suffer drastic consequences and Paterno's statue should be removed. What happened here is so disgusting and completely unacceptable, I'll be fine with any of the severe sanctions issued against the school and all the participants involved.

 

[Nobody]

Everybody involved that had any knowledge at all needs to go to prison, and be forcibly raped by Bubba on a daily basis.

 

[burgold]

As others have said, I think this goes beyond even the football program. Head's need to roll throughout Penn State.

It's a shame because it is a good academic institution, at least by reputation, but I strongly suspect the stink goes way beyond just the athletic department. Someone in charge of the University had to know or suspect. It went on too deep, too long, and to too many.

 

[RG3 Fan]

Disgusting

Disgusting. The lack of real action on the part of university officials (including Paterno) is totally inexcusable. Penn State University unfortunately suffers a major black mark. More people should go to jail for their role of inaction. Shameful to say the least.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf...ate-including-four-bowl-131754169--ncaaf.html


NCAA announces penalties for Penn State including four-year bowl ban and $60 million fine

By Nick Bromberg | Dr. Saturday

NCAA President Mark Emmert announced sanctions against Penn State University's football program Monday morning in light of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal and the findings of the Freeh Report investigation.

The details of the punishment:

Four year postseason ban

10 initial scholarship losses and 20 per year for four years

$60 million fine

All wins from 1998-2011 vacated

Five year probationary period

The NCAA's action in a case like this is unprecedented, as this was a legal issue -- there was no NCAA investigation. Emmert called this a "very distinct and very unique circumstance." And while the NCAA didn't invoke the death penalty like was given to SMU 25 years ago, it's a crippling blow to the program. Under former coach Joe Paterno, the team's most consecutive seasons without a bowl appearance was three.

After the vacated wins, Paterno's win total goes from 409 to 298. The $60 million fine will go into an endowment for charitable programs that serve the victims of sexual abuse. The NCAA also reserves the right for further individual punishments after all criminal proceedings are finished.

Penn State football players will be allowed to transfer without sitting out a season.

On Sunday, Paterno's statue was taken down in front of Beaver Stadium after Penn State officials in the days prior said a decision hadn't been made about the statue's future. It was removed via forklift and put into storage.

Sandusky, a former assistant coach for Penn State who also ran The Second Mile, a charity for at-risk youth, was convicted on June 22 of 45 of 48 counts of sexual abuse. Many of his victims knew Sandusky through the program.

The Freeh Report, released on July 12th, concluded that school officials covered up the Sandusky issue, saying "the most saddening finding by the Special Investigative Counsel is the total and consistent disregard by the most senior leaders at Penn State the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims." The Paterno family, which has said that Joe Paterno wasn't part of any cover-up, responded to the Freeh Report by conducting their own investigation.

 

[Goaldeje]

I have heard rumors (on FB mostly) that students and alumni connected with PSU are upset about the harshness of these penalties. Anyone have any confirmation of that?

 

[Lanky Livingston]

They got lucky, in my opinion. Should have gotten the death penalty. Most PSU alums I've spoken with don't see the connection between Paterno's actions and the football program, which is why they find the penalties too harsh.
Posted via BGO Mobile Device

 

[Ax]

Eh, I'm still waiting for McQueary to be charged with Attempt To Impersonate a Man.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

This is much worse than the "death" penalty. PSU will not have a full compliment of scholarships for the FB team until 2020. Combine it with the other sanctions and it will take more than a decade to recover - depending on the word "recover" itself. It's relevant term obviously.

I'd like to request that this thread be moved to PA. I have some thoughts from my perspective as an educator.