As Penn State’s athletic department finalizes details for how to honor the 50th anniversary of Joe Pa. “I do appreciate that [Penn State is] doing something”, said Franco Harris, a former Nittany Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers player who has vocally supported Paterno in the past. Paterno finished his career as the winningest coach in FBS history with 409 victories but was sacked in November 2011, shortly after Sandusky, Paterno’s former defensive coordinator, was arrested for child sexual abuse.
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“While we are pleased they have acknowledged Joe’s contributions, we communicated to the administration that we would like the focus for this event to remain on the players”, she said.
Underdog Dynasty: The victory a year ago was the biggest for the program in a long time, maybe even ever, and got people in Philly to actually talk about Temple Football. “It doesn’t happen very often and it shouldn’t happen to any of us”.
Limauro said he started a petition earlier in the week to protest the decision to honor Paterno before more information on his role in an alleged cover-up of Sandusky’s actions. They gave up 403 yards with 253 in the first half.
One protester also showed up, holding two signs. “When I heard Penn State was organizing a tribute to Joe Paterno in any way, shape or form, my blood boiled again”, Hoatson said.
The Owls took over and converted a fourth-and-8 play for 11 yards to the Penn State 40. There were no other confrontations, however.
Sounds about right. Paterno is dead and Penn State would be wise to let him die or suggest a book. “It’s as if these poor little kids who were sexually abuse here don’t matter”. Court documents released this summer revealed Paterno may have been aware of the sexual abuse for nearly four decades before Sandusky was brought to trial. The university’s president, Eric Barron, has said the allegation was not substantiated in court or tested by any other process.
Paterno, boss and confidant of convicted pedophile Sandusky for more than 30 years, knew of Sandusky’s predilection and did nothing to protect children.
“In announcing it’s tribute to Paterno, the university loudly declared that college football is more important to its institution than encouraging victims of sexual abuse to report their crimes to law enforcement”, Rosenblatt wrote.
With fans like this pair, Paterno’s statue and his legacy on campus may be resurrected in no time. One blue brick with 409 – the number of Paterno’s wins and his initials, JVP, stood at the foot of the tree on Friday night.
There are some at Penn State who understand the message honoring Paterno sends and know his supporters shouldn’t have been appeased.
Saturday marked the 50th anniversary of the former coach’s first game.
“Penn State needs a reality check”. “It’s a good first step”. “That’s part of it”.
“It could have been done maybe somewhere if people wanted to go to it they could have”. And so we hope that this grows and grows. But it ended with a phone call from the board of trustees who fired him amid the Sandusky scandal. “I said, is that all you’re going to do?”
Even more disgraceful is the talk of Penn State permanently resurrecting Paterno in bronze.
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“Paterno had an opportunity to protect young victims of sexual abuse, and instead chose football”, Rosenblatt wrote.
