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What an embarrassing display for the university. These students need to realize this is not about football, it's about the abuse of children. The students are looking like idiots right now. If you want to be outraged over something, if you want to riot over something then you should've rioted over what Jerry Sandusky perpetrated upon those children. I can only assume that the PSU students don't comprehend all of this because they aren't parents.

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It's a sad day in sports. And not because Joe Paterno has been fired for not reporting the sexual abuse of children by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. The Penn State Board of Trustees made the only decision they could. A decision JoePa should have made himself. No, what is sad is that people have let sports, a game, become more important than the ruined lives of a number of children and their families. Fans screaming that Paterno had earned the right to coach the last three games of the season boggle my mind.

 

The sad fact behind all of this, is that Joe Paterno failed as a human being. Even if he didn't break any laws, as so many want to point out, he had a moral responsibility to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. It is a sad final chapter in the legacy of one of the greatest coaches of all time. A man who, until this issue, had done everything the right way. He was considered beyond reproach. And he through all of that away by his inaction.

 

As for the idea that he did everything he was supposed to according to the letter of the law. You may want to examine that a little closer. I'm going to assume that Pennsylvania's laws are the same as every other state. As an educator, you are required by law to report to law enforcement and/or social services if you even suspect there MIGHT be child abuse taking place. Paterno knew 100% that it was taking place.

 

So our thoughts and prayers should be with the victims and their families. Most of whom would would never have been hurt had Paterno reported it 14 years ago when he first became aware. And you also have to feel for the current players. Young men who would have been toddlers or in elementary school when these actions first took place, but will now face the full public backlash for something that they have nothing to do with.

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To categorize it as a riot and lump all the Penn State students together in that is a gross exageration of what is going on there right now. Yes... some idiots are rioting... but it's not the majority of students. I'm not defending anything about Paterno's situation. I think that the correct decision was made in light of what was going on. But until you've stepped into the shoes of a young college student in Central Pennsylvania, you don't know what you are talking about. I have been a college student in Central Pennsylvania and I know how they view Joe Paterno. He IS a God and Icon to those kids... for right or for wrong... and as long as they peacefully demonstrate they should not be characterized through a myopic lense. This is obviously an emotional response and as long as it doesn't get too out of hand I think it's wrong to be too critical of the college students.

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Two of my friends actually go to PSU and one of them was just telling me a few minutes ago how people won't shut up about the "football side" of it. It isn't about football, it's about what he did to children..

 

Even though I don't think too much about college football (or any football really haha), I find this very shocking and...sad.

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Two of my friends actually go to PSU and one of them was just telling me a few minutes ago how people won't shut up about the "football side" of it. It isn't about football, it's about what he did to children..

 

Even though I don't think too much about college football (or any football really haha), I find this very shocking and...sad.

 

correction: about what he POTENTIALLY did NOT do to protect children.

 

He didn't commit any direct acts against children himself. We should be careful how we chose our words when characterising someone, lest we acuse them of something for which they themselves are not guilty.

 

I understand the emotion involved... but let's not acuse someone of a crime they are not accused of. It was his former assistant head coach Jerry Sandusky. (sp?)

Edited by Mr. Pumpkinhead
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To categorize it as a riot and lump all the Penn State students together in that is a gross exageration of what is going on there right now. Yes... some idiots are rioting... but it's not the majority of students. I'm not defending anything about Paterno's situation. I think that the correct decision was made in light of what was going on. But until you've stepped into the shoes of a young college student in Central Pennsylvania, you don't know what you are talking about. I have been a college student in Central Pennsylvania and I know how they view Joe Paterno. He IS a God and Icon to those kids... for right or for wrong... and as long as they peacefully demonstrate they should not be characterized through a myopic lense. This is obviously an emotional response and as long as it doesn't get too out of hand I think it's wrong to be too critical of the college students.

Are you serious right now? I call turning over news vans and destroying property, fighting with police and throwing rocks at people a riot

 

You're basically saying that football is more important than what happened to those children, more important than right and wrong. That's the problem with what's going on with those students.

 

And don't tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about. I went to college at a university with one of the most successful football programs of all time. The successful coaches at that program are icons. Penn State has won 2 National Titles, has had 1 Heisman winner and won 3 conference titles since '93. That would be seen as an abject failure where I went to college. So I'm quite familiar with rabid football fans and lionized coaches and when there was a scandal at my university I knew it was time for the much loved coach to go. I think I'm quite justified in being critical of these students.

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Are you serious right now? I call turning over news vans and destroying property, fighting with police and throwing rocks at people a riot

 

You're basically saying that football is more important than what happened to those children, more important than right and wrong. That's the problem with what's going on with those students.

 

And don't tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about. I went to college at a university with one of the most successful football programs of all time. The successful coaches at that program are icons. Penn State has won 2 National Titles, has had 1 Heisman winner and won 3 conference titles since '93. That would be seen as an abject failure where I went to college. So I'm quite familiar with rabid football fans and lionized coaches and when there was a scandal at my university I knew it was time for the much loved coach to go. I think I'm quite justified in being critical of these students.

 

So you want to put words in my mouth now huh? Okay I'm sorry to classify you as not knowing what you are talking about. It's an outrage what happened to those kids. I'm just saying a lot of people are judging these teenagers and EXPECTING a mature response from a lot of college age kids who aren't mature right now. Judge them if you want. But half the people making those judgements against these kids would be acting the same way. The ones who are causing violence are absolute idiots. The one's who are thinking about their coach and their program instead of these children are just not mature. They are not horrible people.. they are teenagers reacting emotionally in support of an Icon. Even if that support is misguided. Let's not judge these kids too harshly. Judge the adults in the decision making and Joe Paterno all you want. I fully understand that.

 

I personally do not agree with it (even going out to protest - it's not something I would do). But I just feel like you might be lumping in all these kids... and now you are lumping me in too and judging me without knowing me. I agree with you COMPLETELY about what you are saying in regards to the violations that occured and the proper response being taken by the University. I just don't think it's proper to say the Penn State students are rioting when it's a couple of idiots. I bet you half of the idiots who are causing problems don't even go to the University.

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I don't think I'm judging them too harshly but perhaps I'm expecting too much out of them. College students don't want to be called kids, they want to be men and women and be taken seriously. But then they act like this. They can't have it both ways. These students are supposed to be some of the best and the brightest as Penn State is supposed to be one of the top public universities. But they aren't behaving like the best and the brightest and the leaders of tomorrow.

 

And it's not just a couple of idiots. At least not on the coverage that I'm watching. It takes a lot more than that to turn over trucks and cause that kind of damage. Also, I'm quite certain that most of them are actually Penn State students as it's a small college town and this is taking place in and around the campus.

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