The other serial Penn State sexual predator.

[PittMan 72]

Pre-internet, they controlled the media credentials and thus controlled the media. Say you were put on the PSU beat at the Altoona Mirror or Centre Daily Times and ran afoul of Joe by writing about some player's legal indiscretion. Your sportswriting career was over.

Joe was the quintessential autocrat and tyrant. He was very shrewd and manipulated the media. He hosted those famous Friday night media gatherings the night before games. He’d have all of the regular media folks that covered the nits in for free food and drinks. He also shoveled the horse💩 to them about the “Paterno Way” and the “Grand Experiment” and reminded them to spread the word about that.

In addition to schmoozing them he also fed them tidbits to make them feel “special” and to make them feel like they were his “buddies”. Those comments were to be exclusively “off the record” and for their ears only.

The selected media stooges (including the local PGH area regulars) that Joe felt he could trust all lapped it up. That’s how the famous “I won’t leave college football to the Switzers and Sherrills of the world” quote got leaked. Joe let that one rip at one of his closed gatherings. But someone there decided it was too juicy and leaked it. Joe was furious. But it revealed the kind of petty, vindictive person he was when he wasn’t in front of the cameras or mics at a press conference. And of course all the while he was harboring Sandusky and covering up many other sordid things, like this Hodne story. Talk about lying and hypocrisy?

 

[DruidTM]

Saint Joe always was bullshit… Hell the entire program was a white cloud of flatulence and illusion…

they never did anything better than anyone… it was always bullshit.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Pre-internet, they controlled the media credentials and thus controlled the media. Say you were put on the PSU beat at the Altoona Mirror or Centre Daily Times and ran afoul of Joe by writing about some player's legal indiscretion. Your sportswriting career was over.

Heck the Steelers always did and still do, judging by the fluff garbage Kabooly and Bouchette put out. The dynamic duo didn't write anything investigative about the the whole Ingram situation last year. Going back to the 70's they literally ran John Clayton out of town for him reporting that they were illegally practicing in shoulder pads during mini camp, costing them draft picks. Fortunately he did alright for himself after that.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

Heck the Steelers always did and still do, judging by the fluff garbage Kabooly and Bouchette put out. The dynamic duo didn't write anything investigative about the the whole Ingram situation last year. Going back to the 70's they literally ran John Clayton out of town for him reporting that they were illegally practicing in shoulder pads during mini camp, costing them draft picks. Fortunately he did alright for himself after that.

Douchette is intolerable, takes “sycophant” to a a new (low) level. I guess that’s how you have to be to stay on the Steelers beat.

 

[djbpitt]

Too bad Jackie Sherrill left college football to the likes of Joe Paterno.

 

[pittdan77]

Pre-internet, they controlled the media credentials and thus controlled the media. Say you were put on the PSU beat at the Altoona Mirror or Centre Daily Times and ran afoul of Joe by writing about some player's legal indiscretion. Your sportswriting career was over.

Pre-internet, if you worked for the University, you didn't want the wrong person to hear you question a game decision in the men's room if you were an employee. It sounds crazy but I know people who lost jobs over it.

 

[TFBaum]

One of the best days of my life was when my Nitter brother was visiting me in NZ. He thought it would mess with me if he wore PSU clothing literally every day he was here. The Sandusky thing broke while he was here, as did the firing of JoePa. He literally had no other clothing except for PSU gear, and he was so in denial he just rationalized how it was all a conspiracy. His poor wife had to deal with him in complete tin-foil hat denial, and me just bashing at him the whole time. I found out by my son texting me telling me that JoePa had been fired. We were sitting in a pub in Queenstown having lunch. I told this to my brother and he just kind of lost it, calling me and my son a liar. I had the bartender put ESPN on the TV, and there it was. It was glorious.
We went on a guided fly fishing outing the next day, and he just could not function. He's a good fisherman. There were sighted rainbows in clear fast water. He just couldn't cast, couldn't detect the take, couldn't strike. It's like he didn't care. I just reflected while looking at the beautiful snow capped mountains that JoePa had ruined my brother's trip (which should have been his best day of fishing ever) and I think actually kind of ruined my brother. Everything he believed to be true was a lie. He didn't accept it at that juncture, but he knew it.
That day actually negatively affected our relationship. I hope that James Franklin sinks them deep enough that we can patch it back up and he can come to the realisation that I am right and always was.
My son was talking about that day today as he saw the news about the PSU atrocities coming to light. He noted that he hasn't seen his uncle since that fateful trip.

I have to be up front about this I am having a difficult time processing this. You served as an United States Naval Officer. A distinction not many can claim. And your brother if I read this correctly choose a FOOTBALL coach college. It makes little to no sense to me. You as a Naval Officer served in the shadows of Dan Callahan and Norman Scott. I hope someday he realizes what you achieved and that a football coach is not a US Naval Officer. We are proud of what we accomplished. Winning a college football game who cares. Be well.