Joe Pa in bad shape??

im4cyclones

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If I am Bobby Bowden, I would make sure I get things crossed off my bucket list. Retirement for these longtime coaches = death...
 

cyclonedave25

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I dunno about this. Guy had one of the most stressful jobs that exist for how many years? I'd say this is more representative of how quickly cancer and/or the treatment can kill older people.

I don't wish death on Joe Paterno, but I will not mourn his death and I will believe that anybody who remembers him as a good man lacks moral solitude.
Stress is known to have a negative effect on the immune system and the bodies' equilibrium. Yes, coaches especially at that level, have to deal with a great deal of stress but, I think JoePa had been in coaching for so long that he has learned to deal with the types of stress that comes with coaching.

Now, when you introduce a completely different kind of stress that he isn't used to, his body will react differently. I can guarantee that the amount of stress that this whole story has brought upon him has massively effected his body in a negative way, both mentally and physically. It very easily could have depleted his immune system so much that it sped up the lung cancer development. I'm actually shocked that he didn't pass away from a heart attack earlier.
 

ISUboi12

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Stress is known to have a negative effect on the immune system and the bodies' equilibrium. Yes, coaches especially at that level, have to deal with a great deal of stress but, I think JoePa had been in coaching for so long that he has learned to deal with the types of stress that comes with coaching.

Now, when you introduce a completely different kind of stress that he isn't used to, his body will react differently. I can guarantee that the amount of stress that this whole story has brought upon him has massively effected his body in a negative way, both mentally and physically. It very easily could have depleted his immune system so much that it sped up the lung cancer development. I'm actually shocked that he didn't pass away from a heart attack earlier.

Yeah, I won't say it didn't have an impact on his well being, particularly on his ability to recover from his treatment. I am not an oncologist and I don't feel like looking it up, but my bet is once you turn 80 and are diagnosed with any form of cancer affecting vital organs you probably are looking at weeks or months at most.

Now the vital question. Do you empathize with his situation or did he bring it upon himself? Sensitive subject, especially for those of us who have seen loved ones in similar circumstances.
 

cyclonedave25

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Yeah, I won't say it didn't have an impact on his well being, particularly on his ability to recover from his treatment. I am not an oncologist and I don't feel like looking it up, but my bet is once you turn 80 and are diagnosed with any form of cancer affecting vital organs you probably are looking at weeks or months at most.

Now the vital question. Do you empathize with his situation or did he bring it upon himself? Sensitive subject, especially for those of us who have seen loved ones in similar circumstances.
I agree with that 100%.
 

AllIowaTeams

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Posters on PSU message boards are claiming that he has passed according to their sources inside the hospital. I'm not saying it's correct since it is message board material after all, but that's the new rumor.
 

Havs

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Yea, type in Joe Paterno on tweetdeck and about 50 percent of tweets say he died. No official sites reporting though.
 

im4cyclones

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I believe he made a tragic mistake in his role with Sandusky. I hope he used his dismissal from Penn State as an opportunity to repent his sins.
 
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HGPuck

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I have a real hard time with the absolutism of a lot of people. To make the assumptions some people do based mainly on media reports is hard for me to fathom. What Sandusky did was beyond horrible (I'm usually a strict innocent until proven guilty person, but the grand jury report and other reports seem sufficient). And its fairly obvious that other people close to the situation made some grave errors in judgement.

But I just don't see how any of us this far away from it have enough information to definitively know who else is to blame. I guess its easier to just blame everyone. IMO in situations like this if you witness anything first hand you have the moral obligation to follow through vigilantly to make sure it stops and is prosecuted. If you are told about something that seems credible you have the moral obligation to report it to law enforcement. I have yet to see anything definitive that shows Paterno failed to do either of these. He could have, but he also might not have. So in his case I believe in innocent until proven guilty. And at the very least don't wish him to rot in hell.

For full disclose, I never really cared much for Paterno as a coach or public figure when he was just a coach, but also never really had much against him personally. Also, like many people, I have had people very close to me be victims of rape and fully understand how horrible it is.
 
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gtlars

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WOW!!,, As a proud Iowan, the one thing I've installed in my kids is compassion for people and their losses. I have never been a Penn State fan (even though my son went there on full academic scholarship). But,,, Seriously,,Paterno DID NOT RAPE KIDS!!!.
It was a former employee. How many of you have older relatives that you are uncomfortable with talking about sexual acts? How many of you have former employees that have been in involved in criminal activity? He didn't know exactly what he was being told by McQueery.
His legacy should be of his many great things he did as not only a coach, but a mentor to good men he coached.ie. High graduation rates,etc.
Signed,
Not Happy with anyones death,
Gregg
 
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ISUboi12

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I have a real hard time with the absolutism of a lot of people. To make the assumptions some people do based mainly on media reports is hard for me to fathom. What Sandusky did was beyond horrible (I'm usually a strict innocent until proven guilty person, but the grand jury report and other reports seem sufficient). And its fairly obvious that other people close to the situation made some grave errors in judgement.

But I just don't see how any of us this far away from it have enough information to definitively know who else is to blame. I guess its easier to just blame everyone. IMO in situations like this if you witness anything first hand you have the moral obligation to follow through vigilantly to make sure it stops and is prosecuted. If you are told about something that seems credible you have the moral obligation to report it to law enforcement. I have yet to see anything definitive that shows Paterno failed to do either of these. He could have, but he also might not have. So in his case I believe in innocent until proven guilty. And at the very least don't wish him to rot in hell.

For full disclose, I never really cared much for Paterno as a coach or public figure when he was just a coach, but also never really had much against him personally. Also, like many people, I have had people very close to me be victims of rape and fully understand how horrible it is.


To an extent I agree with you, and I wanted Paterno to be completely ignorant to the whole situation when it was first reported.

To look at it rationally, he certainly was informed about the allegation so he probably knew it took place; I think we can both agree with that. But, for a moment lets assume the best case scenario... Paterno went to the police and reported the crimes.....

Now, Paterno has to be aware of the situation following. No trial, no sentencing, no immediate removal of Jerry Sandusky from being around children. He had the power to change that, but he ignored it. He was an enabler in the very best circumstance. Without Joe Paterno, Sandusky is not in position to commit those crimes the way he did, so there has to be some accountability.

Now, can I say for certain that I would or wouldn't have done the same thing Joe Paterno did? No. But as an outsider looking in, I will say that even in the very best circumstance Joe Paterno's response was a grave moral misconduct. I don't think he is evil, probably a product of circumstance; but his legacy and image is not immune to his oversight. That is my opinion.
 

zwclones51

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WOW!!,, As a proud Iowan, the one thing I've installed in my kids is compassion for people and their losses. I have never been a Penn State fan (even though my son went there on full academic scholarship). But,,, Seriously,,Paterno DID NOT RAPE KIDS!!!. It was a former employee. How many of you have older relatives that you are uncomfortable with talking about sexual acts? How many of you have former employees that have been in involved in criminal activity? He didn't know exactly what he was being told by McQueery.His legacy should be of his many great things he did as not only a coach, but a mentor to good men he coached.ie. High graduation rates,etc.Signed,Not Happy with anyones death,Gregg

+1 you would think by reading some comments that JoePa raped the young boys.
 

LivntheCyLife

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Nov 25, 2006
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Now, Paterno has to be aware of the situation following. No trial, no sentencing, no immediate removal of Jerry Sandusky from being around children. He had the power to change that, but he ignored it.

Serious question, how do you follow up on if/when you think somebody is questioned by police? To my knowledge, police questioning is not public record. How do you come to a logical conclusion other than that the police determined there was not sufficient evidence?

And then what more is there to do about it? In general, the 6th amendment requires somebody to be willing to testify against the defendant for there to be a case. I don't see how JoePa would ever had been able to be a key witness.

We don't know the whole story, but I don't think there has been enough attention to the challenges the American legal system faces with regards to sex and child abuse. How do we encourage more reporting of a person's suspicions without absolute proof but still maintain a fair and just legal system.
 
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mj4cy

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So Paterno was planning on coaching next season had the Sandusky thing never surfaced? Everything seems so sudden.