Crime

Paterno Gives First Interview Since Penn State Scandal

Paterno Gives First Interview Since Penn State Scandal
(The Blaze/AP) — Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno says he “didn’t know which way to go” after an assistant coach came to him in 2002 saying he had seen retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually abusing a boy.

In his first public comments since being fired two months ago, Paterno told The Washington Post that assistant Mike McQueary “didn’t want to get specific” about details in his 2002 allegation involving Sandusky, who he claimed was showering with a boy in the Penn State football facility.

The Post reported Saturday that Paterno was hesitant to make follow-up calls because he didn’t want to be seen as trying to exert influence for or against Sandusky.

“I didn’t know which way to go … And rather than get in there and make a mistake,” he told the Post before trailing off.

Paterno reported the allegation to his superiors. Paterno is accused of no wrongdoing, and authorities have said he fulfilled his legal obligations by reporting to his superiors. Washington Post photo by John McDonnell of Paterno at his home during the interview:

Paterno Gives First Interview Since Penn State Scandal

Sandusky has denied the charges, which were first filed Nov. 5. Paterno was ousted four days later after 46 years as head coach.

Post interviewer Sally Jenkins notes that she gave Paterno every opportunity to complain about the way the university had terminated him, but “he didn’t want to do that.”

“I don’t want to walk away from this thing bitter,” said Paterno.

Jenkins’s interview with Paterno, featuring audio/video, at The Washington Post.

Comments (39)

  • RonmeyPaulBotsrOdd
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 2:41am

    FACT: Paterno admitted something was reported to him and it involved a young boy and retired assistant. FACT: Assitant coach admitted showering with young boys. FACT: Paterno waited days to report anything and the witness did not report it to police. FACT: Cowards that waited, tried to get their story straight and violated the victim as much as the retired assistant and to deny it shows how morally sick you as a person are regardless of all else….except for those that support the man/boy sexual laws.

    Report Post »  
    • charleyrocks
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 12:54pm

      Did he not figure out it was somebody’s son? Sorry no excuse!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Report Post » charleyrocks  
    • redbonesrock
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 2:12pm

      FACT: Joe Paterno did not violate the kid, the assistant did. what he did was fail to report as quick as he should have, and that is all he is guilty of, and he has to live with that. Don’t try to make him as guilty a the guy that committed the act..that is just ridiiculous.

      Let’s hold the guilty accountable, but don‘t try to hold people accountable for other’s actions….only the perpetrator is guilty in this crime. Paterno had to do what he felt was right……you can’t just go running to the administration everytime a rumor comes up without first checking to see what really happened.

      Report Post »  
  • Grumptruck
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 8:05pm

    It is worth noting that, according to CBS, JoePa was NOT fired, and remains employed by PennState.

    http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/01/13/hoge-joe-paterno-was-never-fired/

    I lived in State College, PA for 11 years, sadly spending much of that in the service industry. I have cooked for Graham Spanier and many of the PennState suits, and my wife has waited tables for them. I have also banquet bartended for many of them, in fact tended bar at Spanier’s house (as a Pennstate student employee). Reality: these people are NOT nice. They are NOT good people. I have watched Spanier throw change at a waitress on more than one occasion.

    While I had not seen Joe engage in egregiously rude behavior during my years in the town, it is nigh impossible to believe that with an upper staff as corrupt and just plain nasty as much of the administrators at PennState, that Joe was somehow different. Too many cases of football player crime being covered-up, too many statements from him that just didn’t sit right (like his ridiculous attempt to somehow downplay Anwar Phillips alleged raping, that only came out as excusing the act).

    One has to question how honorable this man really is, in hindsight. For the past decade, he has been asked to retire, and given quite a few good opportunities. Keeping in mind that he knew about Sandusky this whole past decade, what kind of arrogance must he REALLY have had to not retire while he had the chance?

    Report Post »  
  • Joyzee
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 3:35pm

    Evil will tell a thousand truth’s to sell one Lie…

    Report Post »  
    • thegrassroots
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 6:51pm

      “He ‘didn’t know which way to go.’ ” WHY NOT? Paterno was a full grown, adult man and these were children. Paterno‘s sounding like he’s the child here. What a useless, spineless “man” Paterno’s proving to be!

      “I don’t want to walk away from this bitter,” HuH? Paterno has no right to be “bitter.” The children Paterno threw under the Sandusky bus because of his failure to step up, are who have the right to be bitter; and I pray that By The Grace Of God they aren’t bitter and can move on.

      Report Post »  
  • AmericanFightingMan1
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 12:48pm

    Joe Paterno is complicit in this evil. He had a moral duty to protect the boy being violated and the future victims. Period, end of story. That he failed to act meant that more children were horrifically victimized and likely to suffer irreparable harm.

    Shame on you Joe. Your fame, glory, and pride prevented you from doing the right thing. You will carry this to your grave unless you repent. Joe, it is simple. Beg for forgiveness. You have done a very bad thing. This is close to being complicit in mass murder. Awful. Shameful.

    Report Post » AmericanFightingMan1  
    • KINGRUDDY
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 1:52pm

      You are not to judge. END OF STORY!
      Wake up AMerica!!!

      Report Post » KINGRUDDY  
    • AmericanFightingMan1
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 2:32pm

      I bet you’d judge little man if that was your son.

      Report Post » AmericanFightingMan1  
    • CarolinaGirl
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 4:36pm

      You are SO right in what you wrote. I feel all of them….Sandusky, Paterno, the others, should spend time in prison for ruining the lives of all those boys.

      Report Post » CarolinaGirl  
    • KINGRUDDY
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:24pm

      Fightman, u make my point, Joe Pa did not do anything to these boys.
      All the gibbeish regarding Joe Pa should have done more has no basis…he had an unblemished record for over 40 years…innocent until proven guilty, 40 years should have bought him at least the end of the season..soon common sense will prevail.
      Wake up America!!!!

      Report Post » KINGRUDDY  
    • B_rad
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 1:55am

      Kingruddy, you keep saying “wake up, America”, yet you appear to be the one sound asleep. “40 years with an unblemished record” and “innocent until proven guilty” are evidence that you are unbelievably immature or whoafully naive, or both. If, at the end of her stellar life spent helping others, Mother Theresa committed an egregious act, would she not have been guilty of wrong-doing because of her previous good?? My God, man, think. Even if Joe was the near-saint so many of you people make him out to be (unlikely, given how many people have stepped forward and spoken of corruption and burying of stories for the good of the team), he did something wrong. It may not have been a legal wrong-doing, but it was wrong nonetheless for him to turn a blind eye while an accused rapist continued to have unfettered access to children on his watch. Innocent until proven guilty is a legal standard that our system relies on to ensure justice, it is not the standard by which people are permitted to express their opinion. Grow up, and take a long, hard look at what you would do if you are ever given the chance to protect children from a rapist.

      B_rad  
  • B_rad
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 11:10am

    It never ceases to amaze me how many people rush to defend this man. It is more than a little frightening that so many would act (or not act) in the same manner when children are in danger. He passed the buck and washed his hands of it, and countless more children were harmed in the nine years it took for something to be done. How about making sure, while the “investigation” was on-going, that NO ONE, including the rapist, Sandusky, was permitted to be in the locker rooms alone with children? How about just being there yourself, or making sure someone else was, any time the rapist was? It is clear that his priority was NOT protecting children, and that should be EVERYONE”S priority. I hope the people who jump to defend this man are never in the position to be the only one who can save children from this horror. Most likely, they‘ll just not know what to do and will stand by while a child’s innocence is ripped from them forever, in the most awful possible way.
    As for McQueary, when he witnessed what he did, he should have taken action immediately and stopped the rape, then called the police. His actions are also inexcusable.

    Report Post » B_rad  
    • KINGRUDDY
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 12:08pm

      Ignorant..you blame this on Paterno.
      Way out of his authority! Because it is Joe Pa, and his unblemished record, the ignorant rear their ugly heads,
      Wake up America!!

      Report Post » KINGRUDDY  
    • B_rad
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 3:57pm

      Ignorant? Really? Way out of his authority? Really? He couldn’t have implemented policies that prevented the rapist from having access to the locker rooms alone with children? He couldn‘t have personally made sure the rapist wasn’t permitted to be alone with these poor kids during the charity events?? In your other reply, you say we are not to judge. REALLY?!? We are not to determine right from wrong?? What a childish and naive thing to say. Have you not just judged my comments by saying they are ignorant?? We are put on this Earth to judge right from wrong. We cannot judge his soul, that is God’s to judge, but we for damn sure are supposed to judge his actions, and that of anyone who does wrong. I cannot stand the mamby pamby attitude of “We aren’t supposed to judge”. BS. If we aren’t supposed to judge, why do we have jails? Why do we determine Jeffery Dahmer did something wrong? BECAUSE WE JUDGE HIS ACTIONS AS WRONG! I sincerely hope that you don’t have any children in your life that may one day count on you to do the right thing to protect them. Good ol’ JoePa may not have broken any laws, but looking the other way while an accused rapist continues to have unfettered access to children for 9 years was certainly not the right thing to do. I would love to know your reaction if your kid was the first one raped immediately after Joe found out and merely passed the buck to the higher-ups. Bet you’d be doing some judging then.

      Report Post » B_rad  
    • redbonesrock
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 2:20pm

      I agree with KingRuddy……Joe Paterno was a coach, not a child-welfare advocate. I would give him the benefit of the doubt, which I am sure you would want if you were in accused in such a situation. If He asked the guy and he denied it, he assumed that the guy was telling the truth. You don’t know what else was going on between the perp and the coach that reported this…..perhpas there was bad blood there and Paterno had to look at it at face value. Remember, hindsight is always 20-20 and it is easy to say what he should have or shouldn’t have done. I am sure he regrets not making more of an effort in this case, but his primary job is to coach a team, and that is what he has done.

      And for the record I am not, nor have I ever been a Penn State or Joe Paterna fan, so don’t even go there. This is about treating another human being with the civility that you would expect if you were in a similar situation. Enough bashing already, until all the facts come out. If I am proven wrong, I will gladly admit it……will you be man enough to make the same offer??

      Report Post »  
    • B_rad
      Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:24pm

      It is clear that Joe couldn’t ensure Sandusky was prosecuted for the previous crimes. You don’t have to know for sure the guy was actually raping kids to implement policies that prevented him, or anyone else, from being allowed alone with children in the locker room. No one needs to be a child welfare advocate to ensure that children aren’t continually victimized by an accused rapist. If you are given that information, even if you can’t prove anything, aren’t you going to be a little more circumspect in the interest of protecting children? Shouldn’t anyone who has the slightest reason to believe there could be harm to children take steps to prevent further harm? Once Joe alerted his superiors, had Sandusky no longer used the locker rooms to rape his victims and instead did it elsewhere, Joe would not be at fault. Since the rapes continued as they had in the past, right under Joe’s nose, he IS at fault for not doing something to prevent them. If you are told someone who works for you is stealing and you pass the information along to those who are supposed to do something about it, you have done your job. If they continue to steal in the same way they did before you were alerted, and you do nothing to stop them, you don’t even watch them a little closer, you are complicit.

      Report Post » B_rad  
  • Guitar Master
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:43am

    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
    THE REPORTER’S View
    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    Mr. Paterno, if your neighbors house was on fire you wouldn’t call the F.Dept, correct?

    Mr. Paterno, if you were witnessing a robbery you wouldn’t call the police, correct?

    Mr. Paterno, if you were witnessing a murder you wouldn’t call the police, correct?

    Mr. Paterno, if you knew your son was being raped by an old man you wouldn’t call the police, right?

    Mr. Paterno, all you ever cared about is yourself and your own career. You sir, are a disgrace and those that support your conspiratorial behavior are a disgrace (all you idiots on this site)!!

    Report Post »  
    • redbonesrock
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 2:26pm

      You nor I have all the facts…..remember this basic fact….innocent until “proven” guilty my friend. The rush for judgemtn in this case is typical of the media, just as it has been in other high-profile sports cases. No one wants to wait until the facts come out to render judgement.
      If you were in Joe’s shoes I would assume you would want everyone to assume you were innocent rather than being sacrificed on the altar of suppostiion!!

      Report Post »  
  • Cape_Lookout_RW_Extremist
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:31am

    What do ya call a woman who goes after younger boys? a cougar!
    What do ya call a man who goes after younger boys? a Nittny Lion!

    Report Post » Cape_Lookout_RW_Extremist  
  • KINGRUDDY
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 8:02am

    The comments here are OUTRAGOUS. You people have no clue what you say… you blame this on Joe Paterno…he is a perv. he didnt do the moral thing, these statements have no merit and would only be uninformed and misguided people. How does Joe Paterno have anything to do with this tragedy? He told his BOSS of what has happened, if he pushes further then he taints the evidence and the case. He has a job to do…over 40 years of dedicated service to this Univeristy…no major moral, legal, or principle issues. As a matter of fact, no one would be crying over this tragedy if Joe Paterno had never came to Penn State…he put them on the National map.
    As you see from Joe Pa’s 1st remarks, he will not rock the boat and take down the University, like they did to him.
    He is a class act and when you morons wake up from your moronic slumber you will see that a man of commitment for over 40 years deserves a benefit of the doubt and innocent until proven guilty.
    He is the only one, until now, who has had no comments on the story that ruined his career.
    The Penn State University should be ashamed of the way they have tarnished this man’s career.
    Wake up America!!!!!

    Report Post » KINGRUDDY  
    • NOTAMUSHROOM
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 9:09am

      Wake up? About Paterno? Huh?

      This story is typical of the disgusting things that dominate our news today. In the grand scheme of things this is just illustrative of how far we have fallen. We have much bigger things to worry about besides this Sandusky monster.

      Report Post »  
    • AmericanFightingMan1
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 12:52pm

      Notamushroom,

      What goes around, comes around. If you think this is nothing, you are quite sick. Sexually exploiting the innocent in our society goes to the very center of us. If we rot in the center, we are done. Nothing is more important. You are lucky not to be in my presence. I’d straighten you out.

      Report Post » AmericanFightingMan1  
  • critterbait
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 7:30am

    I live in the PSU area and with the amount of courption that goes on this is just the tip of it.
    I ve had to take the moral high ground many times to the ponit of having my life and familys life destoyed by these sick freaks..Any pity for them HELL NO …
    Sooner or Later God will Cut You Down …That Day is here for many…Is it over yet ? Not Hardly…
    Standing with God is the only thing that has kept me sane…

    Report Post »  
  • HolyCrap
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 7:26am

    How is Joe the perv?

    Report Post »  
  • Bill Rowland
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 6:10am

    Legallyhedid what he was required to do, morally he dropped the ball.
    He was an example to hundreds of young people, football players wanted to play for him and learn how to to be a man. He let all of them down.

    OMG

    Report Post »  
    • grassroots
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 11:20am

      Joe Paterno says he “didn’t know which way to go” his excuse is unacceptable.Joe your moral duty to protect this young boy should have been your top priority. However you decided your top priority was to protect Penn State. He makes me sick!

      Report Post »  
  • zaverett
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 6:08am

    all u people who think joe pat is a hero…wow i feel bad for u…maybe when someone u know id raped by a freak that u will say the same thing…I didnt know how to handle is…

    Report Post » zaverett  
  • txn4justice
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 4:29am

    The guy is a disgrace.

    Report Post »  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 10:59pm

    By joe, just fade away…… The more you speak the worse it sounds,,, a child was being raped….

    Report Post »  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 10:16pm

    .
    “I didn’t know which way to go … And rather than get in there and make a mistake,” he told the Post

    Well you damn sure don’t go the way of the Child Molester, Joe! You Speak Up!!!…….

    9 years you let this pervert target children, they should throw your sorry ass in Jail for Accessory to Rape of a Child……

    You knew and did nothing, just as guilty as the pervert……………..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • 13th Generation American
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 9:11pm

    These Marxist Communist universities and their leaders are all the same. If everyone was home schooled these communists could never do this again.

    Report Post » 13th Generation American  
  • ropati
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 8:24pm

    People who lack a moral compass DON’T know which way to go. Joe Paterno is not the only person with this dilemma. We are ALL Joe Paterno at one point in our lives. The Son of God was sent to deliever us from this dilemma. We celebrated His birth last month.

    Report Post »  
  • whatthecrazy
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:37pm

    You DIDNT know which way to go?????Really you perv, if that was your son getting snookered would you really be so torn over what to do ?Your are a nasty old man and you were a moraless young thug back in the day.People like you should be locked in cages with rabid animals so you can feel the panic your young victims felt…………….

    Report Post »  
  • crazeedi
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:23pm

    Shame on the people who saw fit to fire this man! The whole board should be forced to resign. JoePa was nothing but good to that university-I don’t blame anyone for never supporting that institution again.

    Report Post »  
  • doxyonr
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:06pm

    Unbelievable. I didn`t know which way to go. How about straight to the police. I don`t feel sorry for Joe at all.

    Report Post »  
  • larrylarrylarry
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:53pm

    Look at the wrinkled face of that old pervert.

    Report Post »  

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