Penn State President Orders Paterno Statue Removal (construction workers there now)

[Are_grits_groceries]

Penn State University will remove the famed statue of Joe Paterno outside its football stadium, eliminating a key piece of the iconography surrounding the once-sainted football coach accused of burying child sex abuse allegations against a retired assistant.

The university said Sunday that it will take down the larger-than-life monument in the face of an investigative report by former FBI Director Louis Freeh that found the late coach, along with three top Penn State administrators, concealed the abuse claims against Jerry Sandusky more than a decade ago in order to shield the university and its football program from negative publicity.

Construction vehicles and police arrived shortly after dawn Sunday, barricading the street and sidewalks near the statue, erecting a chain-link fence then concealing the statue with a blue tarp.

A live video feed posted on the website of the Centre Daily Times of State College showed workers in white hard hats draping a plastic sheet over the statue, preparing for its removal.
<snip>
http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/t/story/fence-erected-paterno-statue-penn-state-16830208#.UAvjqY7CEc4

That's a start.

[kooljerk666]

1. it need to be taken to the Scrap yard............

and melted down b4 pedi-alumni take it to a chapel..............

[orpupilofnature57]

2. Too bad we couldn't disassemble idolatry as easy.

[chervilant]

18. + a gazillion

Idolatry is a corrosive form of hierarchy.

[malaise]

3. Great news

[Spazito]

4. I am glad they changed their minds...

it is the right thing to do.

[liberal N proud]

5. The Penn State scandal highlights why it is never good to have idols.

I live by that standard, never hold anyone up as a hero or idol.

Looking for good examples in people but never hold them up above others, they will let you down.


A movie star, sports star or other celebrity cannot be a hero simply by the performance they are paid to do.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

6. ESPN is covering it live

Edit: they were covering it. I tuned in at the end. Heard Lou Holtz say what a sad day it is.
He didn' say for whom, but I don't think he was talking about the victims..

[Berlum]

7. The lone and level sands stretch far away

[Surya Gayatri]

9. Well quoted! Shelley's sad wisdom shines again...

Edit: Welcome to DU, Berlum. Nice post!

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Good!

[obamanut2012]

10. Good first step

[edhopper]

11. So Penn State takes down the statue

of the man who covered up years of child rape.
And the Catholic Church makes another man who did the same thing Pope.
Interesting.

[mountain grammy]

21. Yes, and thats the REAL sadness behind it all.

[Raster]

24. BAM! Thank you for the clarity.

Ratzi the nazi would most likely be charged and convicted in most civilized countries for his handing of predator pedophile priests.

[edhopper]

25. The rhetorical question is

why is he above the law?

[PassingFair]

29. Maybe Paterno was just following advise from his priest.....

Or the Pope.

[edhopper]

30. He was certainly following

their example.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

12. NCAA to make announcement on Monday

Heard on ESPN who quote CBS news as source..

[obamanut2012]

13. Interesting

I think the report is finally forcing some hands.

[Chorophyll]

14. Wow. Would not have believed it possible.

Also, good.

[cindyperry2010]

15. good all the way around

now get his name off the library and give that money back so the victims can sue and get it from that horrid family

[obamanut2012]

16. They really are horrid, aren't they?

They know want to sue because of the report released this week.

[alcibiades_mystery]

17. Library name stays

"I now believe that, contrary to its original intention, Coach Paterno’s statue has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing in our University and beyond. For that reason, I have decided that it is in the best interest of our university and public safety to remove the statue and store it in a secure location. I believe that, were it to remain, the statue will be a recurring wound to the multitude of individuals across the nation and beyond who have been the victims of child abuse.

On the other hand, the Paterno Library symbolizes the substantial and lasting contributions to the academic life and educational excellence that the Paterno family has made to Penn State University. The library remains a tribute to Joe and Sue Paterno’s commitment to Penn State’s student body and academic success, and it highlights the positive impacts Coach Paterno had on the University. Thus I feel strongly that the library’s name should remain unchanged."

http://onwardstate.com/2012/07/22/rodney-erickson-issues-statement-regarding-statue-library/

NCAA to hand down "unprecedented sanctions"

[AmericanCommissars]

19. Penn State President Orders Paterno Statue Removal (construction workers there now)

PSU also needs to shut down the football program for 1 year, and return with new colors. No more blue and white. http://am-com.blogspot.com/

[femmocrat]

26. Good riddance to the statue, but I disagree...

The current team had nothing to do with the scandal. I do not think they should be punished. Let the legal system take care of the criminals who were involved.

Welcome to DU, AmericanCommisars.

Don't care about the colors one way or another (and I'm a Penn State grad).

[Freddie]

31. Agreed.

No reason to punish the team, they have absolutely nothing to do with this.
Just read that there will be sanctions but not the "death penalty", hope that is correct.

[femmocrat]

35. That's good to hear.

Welcome to DU, Freddie.

[WI_DEM]

20. Good! but watch all the nutty students and alumni who will call foul and protest.

[MADem]

22. Good move. They must be petrified of the "death penalty" to make them throw his carcass on the

sacrificial blaze.

[msanthrope]

23. Nah...they don't want the news reports tomorrow with the statute as background....

The NCAA releases the penalty at 9am, Monday.

[Faygo Kid]

27. There are good people at Penn State. But Monday brings the death penalty.

Joe Paterno ran that university. And he made the conscious decision that Jerry Sandusky was bigger than Penn State, bigger than decency, bigger than young boys who deserved much, much better.

All this because of a horrible person who set up a "charity" just so he had recruits he could molest.

There is a special place in Hell and in memory for Jerry Sandusky and those who would enable him.

Goodbye, Joe.

[MADem]

32. Sources say there will be no death penalty.

We will know tomorrow for sure, but this does not sound like it to me. No scholarships means they won't get good players, and loss of bowl eligibility, same deal...

...A high-ranking NCAA source said, "I've never seen anything like it," according to CBS News, which first reported the sanctions.
ESPN reported that announcement will not be the NCAA's well known "death penalty," but it will include deep scholarship cuts and loss of bowl eligibility for many years.

....Normally the NCAA conducts its own investigations and schools are given a notice of allegations and due process hearings. However, ESPN reported Emmert was granted authority to sanction Penn State "through non-traditional methods.

The NCAA has handed down the death penalty -- which shuts down a program for a year -- once, to SMU in 1986. However, a source told ESPN that Monday's penalties could be more crippling than a death penalty.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/reports-penn-state-facing-big-154016333--ncaaf.html

[Are_grits_groceries]

33. It can be more crippling.

I want to know how many years it's in effect. That will be key.
They will retain the structure of the FB program without losing playing years. However, what they are able to fill it with won't be the same.

Will PSU step up with funds for other programs that the FB program normally supports?

[Oilwellian]

28. It's a start, but...

Allowing his name on the library, for everyone to see, defeats the purpose. Penn State officials still have some work to do.

[Blue_In_AK]

34. This is a good move. n/t