HBO Paterno

[mopkins]

There was a guy that came forward and made that claim. That wasn't fictionalized by the movie. Not sure the guy was 100% credible that made that claim but he did make it. I lean more towards believing JP knew about it or heard complaints early on. I don't think there's any doubt he knew about by the time Sandusky "retired".

The thing is paterno at the **bare minimum** heard the story first hand from mcqueary in 2002. We know that for a fact. and yet paterno still allowed Sandusky access to the football facilities, games and even suites to the bowl games

In my opinion nothing else really matters...it seals the deal with paterno. Even if Paterno only knew about the one isolated case you don't allow Sandusky and kids continued access to the facilities and games....you just don't.

My guess is paterno wanted to take an "out of sight out of mind" sort of stance with Sandusky. He heard rumors but never saw it himself so he thought he could play dumb and pretend it wasn't happening. The only other explanation is that Paterno knew what was happening and was actively helping to cover it up.

 

[SteveGarvey1]

Glad to see Pacino actually acting again. For a long while there all he did was yell. Between him and Sam Jackson all it seemed like they did was yell their dialogue.

He can play a Mafioso head and a football coach very well.

 

[bpiercehawks]

HawkGold, what have you published? I'm an avid reader (English teacher) of American history. I'd love to read your work.
bp

Memory is such a fleeting thing, even memories of victims. I wouldn't put a lot of stock on HBO. As a published author I had one of the most documented books ever for a personal story. However, after the fact, I still find information that wasn't exactly correct. For example, most of the soldiers I interviewed swore they went ashore on D Day, but records show they went in on D+1. One very emotional story told by one was not remembered by 10 who would have been there. You can have adults from the same family who all went through abuse and have some remember minute details, some who deny what happened and some who have no memories prior to puberty at all.

We do know the sanctions should have been worse regardless of the movie. Things aren't necessarily fictionalized. It's just the human element.

 

[HawkGold]

HawkGold, what have you published? I'm an avid reader (English teacher) of American history. I'd love to read your work.
bp

Would love too, but there are too many crazies on the internet and we discuss disagreeable subjects here. You can pm me and we can discuss.

 

[lightning1]

The thing is paterno at the **bare minimum** heard the story first hand from mcqueary in 2002. We know that for a fact. and yet paterno still allowed Sandusky access to the football facilities, games and even suites to the bowl games

In my opinion nothing else really matters...it seals the deal with paterno. Even if Paterno only knew about the one isolated case you don't allow Sandusky and kids continued access to the facilities and games....you just don't.

My guess is paterno wanted to take an "out of sight out of mind" sort of stance with Sandusky. He heard rumors but never saw it himself so he thought he could play dumb and pretend it wasn't happening. The only other explanation is that Paterno knew what was happening and was actively helping to cover it up.

Joe heard every complaint ever made against Sandusky. Campus police called Joe first, when they had to arrest or had a problem with any of his players. This is a FACT! You can't tell me the same courtesy wouldn't get extended for one of his staff members. If it involved the PSU football progam, it's players or staff...Joe heard about it.
I think Joe dismissed the earliest complaints as misunderstandings or nonsense. The problem becomes that once you go down that road, there's no turning back. As more and more complaints come down the line, the only option he had to keep it from landing on him, is to "retire" Sandusky in 1999 (or sometime around there). Where they screwed up was allowing Sandusky continued access to PSU facilities. They should have sacked up and cut ties completely in 1999. They might have survived if they had done that.

 

[Seth53]

Richard Nixon, John Cooper and finally JoPa.....it's not always the initial crime that gets ya, it's the cover up.

 

[mtnhwk]

When Joe heard about the first incident, he, Curly and the administration (whoever was involved) buried it. I believe Joe compartmentalized it and focused on football. I really don't think he could deal with the terrible acts Sandusky was committing and pushed it off to the side and tried to forget about. As an earlier post commented, once you go down that road you're committed, and when Sandusky continued his heinous behavior PSU, Joe continued to CYA.

The last comment in the last scene in the movie is accurate from what I remember. Two years or so ago it was learned that a victim came forward that Sandusky had violated in 1976. I got very little press.......

 

[trj]

Joe heard every complaint ever made against Sandusky. Campus police called Joe first, when they had to arrest or had a problem with any of his players. This is a FACT! You can't tell me the same courtesy wouldn't get extended for one of his staff members. If it involved the PSU football progam, it's players or staff...Joe heard about it.
I think Joe dismissed the earliest complaints as misunderstandings or nonsense. The problem becomes that once you go down that road, there's no turning back. As more and more complaints come down the line, the only option he had to keep it from landing on him, is to "retire" Sandusky in 1999 (or sometime around there). Where they screwed up was allowing Sandusky continued access to PSU facilities. They should have sacked up and cut ties completely in 1999. They might have survived if they had done that.

Yep. Cutting ties in '99 and Mike Mcqueary's life is completely different.