CNN: Penn State emails suggest Paterno involved in cover up

I find it odd that this story isn't the lead headline on the CNN website. Or anywhere at all on the CNN website as of this morning.

I wonder if they have it nailed down or not.

 

I agree. I was wondering if the overnight shift at CNN.com had cold feet or something. ESPN.com now plays it under the headline "Report: PSU officials declined to alert authorities" leaving Paterno entirely out of the headline, even though his involvement is obviously the big news.

 

I did too, but it's the lead story on CNN.com now.

 

This sentence might reveal the nature of the problem, and why it took so long to get the story out front:

"CNN does not have the purported e-mails. However, the alleged contents were made available to CNN."

 

The story on CNN.com is strange. Any sane person would agree was the big news here is Paterno's apparent instigation of a cover-up, but that is not mentioned until the 19th paragraph in the story, and then that angle is soon let go. And Paterno is not in the headline at all.

 

Just browsed through one of the Penn State message boards, and that's a sad (though expected) sight on their mindset.

A good number of the posters on there are reading these developments as, "See, this is proof that Paterno wanted to do the right thing but was overruled by his superiors"

It's as if they have to come up with silly rationalizations to explain away 60 years of idol worship of a football coach who was a hypocritical little man and no better than the "bad guys" of the sport, willing to tolerate the sexual abuse of children who couldn't defend themselves, all in the name of image and protecting a friend who was a sexual predator.

I hope that's just the opinion of the vocal minority, but it's still really sad.

 

I sincerely hope, although I know this will never happen, that the enormous civil damages that Penn State will have to pay are paid by levying a surcharge on football tickets, on a sliding scale so the most expensive seats are hit the most. It's the people who buy those who support the culture that made this possible. They are morally if not legally liable. Why should innocent taxpayers in Upper Darby or Erie who don't care about football foot the bill?

 

Perhaps to underline the point, the tax should be on Penn State football tickets, and douche.

 

I hope the power doesn't go out in Central PA. Going to be pretty much impossible to buy emergency candles with all the healing vigils that must be in the works.

 

Assuming the e-mails are valid, I think CNN is correct to focus on the Three Stooges (Spanier, Schultz, Curley). They're the ones currently culpable for a cover up. Paterno having passed, most of what's at stake is his reputation, which can be debated by supporters and critics. The Three Stooges appear to have approved the cover up. This also gives the NCAA the opportunity to throw the "lack of institutional control" log on the fire.

 

There's validity to your point, obviously, but one of the foundation stones of the Paterno defenders was that he had nothing to do with any cover-up.

Presuming this e-mail is legit, he was not only involved, but likely made the decision not to go to the cops.

 

I hope the university gets sued up the wazoo.

I also think an alumnus can remain supportive of the current program while admitting that a lot of people fucked up. Massively.

"The kids" (yes, same ones Sandusky could have diddled) on the field aren't responsible for the mess. They aren't directly to blame for the hero worship culture.

I don't know, I just don't see this as black (or blue) and white as many do.