Penn State AD and Sandusky Charged

[In Vino Vinatieri]

McQueary is probably a whistleblower at this point. He would likely sue PSU if he got fired. Worse, the decision would be spun in some quarters as a Paterno loyalist (Bradley) firing the man who brought Paterno down. Bradley couldn't fire McQ if he wanted to.

When PSU hires a permanent head coach this winter, his first act will be to fire all the assistants, including McQueary. And that's how it should be. Don't give the guy a chance to play the martyr.

I agree with this. McQueary was one of a slew of people who things ranging from, at best, questionable, all the way down to knowing about, profiting from, covering up, enabling and helping a man in a position of power over children rape them. He's also one of the few people who has done anything substantial about it in testifying before the grand jury without being charged with perjury. Even though it took him a decade. I'm kind of shocked he's still around in that he hasn't asked about time off, and agreed with the admin that he'd take a break with pay or something, because who even wants to talk to him at this point? Do you think he's going to get any coaching done? I doubt it. But to actually remove him, fire one of the only people to do something, when the entire administration has been stonewalling and enabling the actual pedophile for so long, that's just a terrible idea.

As has been said Bradley stated that he hasn't even talked with the new AD about McQueary, and he really doesn't seem to know much about what's going on in general. I think he handled himself pretty well, and while everyone wants to basically fire everyone at the school, that's not realistic at all. As far as I can tell there have been no allegations about Bradley as of yet so removing him seems rash to me as long as they remove all of the major players in the scandal. Honestly I'd be pretty shocked if McQueary was on the field, or anywhere he could be shown on TV, on Saturday. If his face is shown between a crowd of cheering PSU fans they should basically just pack up the entire football program, box it up, and let it get moldy in the basement.

Bradley was also asked pretty much point blank about whether he thought everyone should be fired soon, and he said something like "that's up to the board". He sounded like he knew it was an inevitability for just about everyone involved with the program sooner or later.

 

[fairlee76]

I don't get the Joe PA as martyr defense, the only people involved who are not gone are McQueary and Curley. Curley is on administrative leave because they can't fire him until the legal issues are cleared, McQueary to me is the least culpable, he was the only one not in a position of power, when Paterno and the administration covered it up the tacitly told him not to open his mouth.

And in the one moment where he could have been in a position of power (when he saw the kid being sodomized), he shit his pants, ran to call Daddy, and then left the kid with Sandusky. McQueary is plenty culpable in that one instance. And for participating in the ongoing cover-up.

 

[In Vino Vinatieri]

Fuck you. Rape is not funny. Ever.

Not even when the head of the IMF tried to get paid overtime this summer in NYC?

 

[czar]

http://www.cnn.com/

http://www.foxnews.com/

Can you link the articles on those sites where they talk about the new rumors that Sandusky ran Second Mile as a way for wealthy donors to get access to boys?

That's the Madden stuff we were talking about.

 

[doc]

Because it is depressing as hell that there need to be laws dictating that someone behave like a semi-decent human being?

Well we have "Though shalt not Kill" in some ways that should be unsaid that we don't go around killing one another.

 

[JBill]

From Ben Jones, the student reporter:

Per a source, Sandusky was at Dick's Sporting goods yesterday, in "full PSU attire"

https://twitter.com/ben_jones88/status/134670339232894978

 

[Bozo Texino]

The Onion nails the State College "press" response...

Sports Media Asks Molestation Victims What This Means For Joe Paterno's Legacy

 

[J.McG]

Madden dropped the bombshell 6 hours ago and I haven't seen it picked up by a major news outlet yet. Does this lend to or take away from its credibility? Would have thought such a major allegation would have been denied or discredited by this point if it there was no substance to it.

 

[GBrushTWood]

No one in the MSM will until someone more credible than a former pro wrestler discusses it.

Have you ever seen Mark Madden? The only thing he ever wrestled was a 3rd helping of deli meats at his local buffet. He was a color commentator, reporter, and website "writer" for WCW a long time ago.

 

[Byrdbrain]

I'm as gung ho on this whole thing as anyone here but the new Madden revelations are too far for me to go without something concrete backing it up. I know Madden was ahead of the curve with his first article but that was using public information, granted public information that was being almost universally ignored but still public information. This information is as far as I can tell pure rumor at this point.

 

[FungosWithJimy]

And in the one moment where he could have been in a position of power (when he saw the kid being sodomized), he shit his pants, ran to call Daddy, and then left the kid with Sandusky. McQueary is plenty culpable in that one instance. And for participating in the ongoing cover-up.

Exactly. No way McQueary should be coaching this weekend. He watched a child get raped and he did nothing.

 

[WayBackVazquez]

I'm as gung ho on this whole thing as anyone here but the new Madden revelations are too far for me to go without something concrete backing it up. I know Madden was ahead of the curve with his first article but that was using public information, granted public information that was being almost universally ignored but still public information. This information is as far as I can tell pure rumor at this point.

Didn't his first article report on the grand jury investigation and even identify witnesses who had testified? This information is not public; even the existence of a grand jury investigation is secret until an indictment is returned.

 

[In Vino Vinatieri]

I thought they should cancel the rest of the season when this story broke to send the message that the football program is not above the reputation of the university. But if the Madden story is correct, they should eliminate their football program now and forever.

ESPN could make a statement by not broadcasting Saturday's game. Nothing good will come of that game being on the air.

Nothing good for PSU is going to come out of the game being aired, yeah. I'd actually like to see it publicized, like the riots, just so everyone else sees how crazy the whole place is being right now. PSU has been fighting exposure over this for so long that I'd like to see it made sure that people know about it.

One of the worst things about the riots, I think, is what it means about their football program. Instead of embracing the change and realizing how screwed up the entire program and administration were, they basically forever tied the program even more tightly to Joe Paterno. If the Board had come out and fired everybody, and then people showed up to the game and cheered because they wanted to support the players and people who had nothing to do with it, it might have been a nice moment for everybody. They could even have used the huge amount of publicity just to express their regret and shame, or had a moment of silence, or something which would have helped them all distance themselves immediately from what had gone on.

With crowds of screaming kids yelling things like "Paterno forever!!!" and flipping cars and smashing windows, the whole thing is even more irrevocably tied to Paterno. There are going to be lots of people who will just be unable to cheer for the players or for football because, in the back of their minds, they're going to feel like they're cheering for child molestation. They had an opportunity to choose athletcis and education over Paterno football and Penn State coverups, but instead they threw a riotous party on the deck of their sinking ship for Paterno and the entire administration that helped Sandusky. Penn State should probably just end their football program at this point.

 

[Byrdbrain]

Didn't his first article report on the grand jury investigation and even identify witnesses who had testified? This information is not public; even the existence of a grand jury investigation is secret until an indictment is returned.

My understanding is the information was public. I just re-read the article and he certainly doesn't present it like it is some sort of scoop. It's all done quite matter of factly.
If I am wrong and he did get some information from some great source that would of course lend more credence to the latest report.

 

[mikeford]

From Ben Jones, the student reporter:



https://twitter.com/ben_jones88/status/134670339232894978

I'm stunned he's even leaving the house.

 

[dcmissle]

No one in the MSM will until someone more credible than a former pro wrestler discusses it.

The MSM should be the arbiter of nothing -- John Edwards says hello.

The news function of ESPN is not the MSM -- it's the mainstream whorehouse,

 

[mauf]

The MSM should be the arbiter of nothing -- John Edwards says hello.

The news function of ESPN is not the MSM -- it's the mainstream whorehouse,

True, but Madden is inviting doubt by not revealing anything about the basis for his allegations.

 

[Mr. Wednesday]

If you want a little something (very little) in the way of smoke, this was posted on another board that I read regarding the financial state of Second Mile:

Their assets tripled from 2002 to 2009 and Sandusky was their "primary fundraiser". They hold roughly $10m in assets now, which seems to me to be a nice chunk of change for a charity in central PA. As a comparison point, the capital campaign for Holy Name Cathedral, a wealthy archdiocesean parish in central Chicago with thousands of parishioners, has raised $6m in 5 years.

Sandusky was asked to stay out of children-linked events in 2008 and retired in 2010. Assets have declined since.

I would think there would need to be "high value donors" to make those numbers work, as the foundation has full time staff and was paying Sandusky $57k a year as well. You don't accumulate $10m by passing the hat at the Lions Club.

It may just mean that Sandusky is an effective fundraiser using legitimate means, but it does give one pause.

 

[BigMike]

Exactly. No way McQueary should be coaching this weekend. He watched a child get raped and he did nothing.

And you can make a very strong argument that he profited from his silence, as he has received multiple promotions since this event occured.

Maybe he made these advancements because he is a fantastic coach and recruiter, but who knows. He'll always be tainted,

 

[J.McG]

Ordway/Holley giving some deserved criticism to ESPN for how it has been handling the story with kid gloves compared to other major news outlets. There's been a lot of sidestepping around what may have occurred through euphemisms like "alleged sexual assaults" or "inappropriate contact". Just come out and say what happened; kids were being orally and anally raped. Stop pooh-poohing it. Stop having former players and college football analysts on to talk about how they feel bad that old JoePa had to go out like this, then not even question them about how they reconcile that with what happened to these kids or alert them to their obvious misunderstanding of the grand jury presentments. There were so many instances last night where analysts continued to misconstrue the grand jury testimony and present their interpretations as if they were fact. It pissed me off. Some credit to Stu Scott who was the only one asking remotely tough questions last night.

 

[Snodgrass'Muff]

Fuck you. Rape is not funny. Ever.

Humor is one of the ways people deal with awful things. You might not agree that it's funny in this case, and that's fine. Other people might use humor as a way to process something as terrible as what has been going on at Penn State. That's also fine. For some perspective, I was molested as a kid. For a long time, I was a fucking powder keg waiting to go off at the mere mention of any kind of physical abuse. I used to get into fights with people for making jokes. At some point, I realized it was more about me not having dealt with it than it was about the inappropriateness of the material. I went through counseling... years of it. Eventually I came to accept what had happened and moved past it. It was still a terrible thing. And it's something I wish no other person would have to go through, ever. But I have no problem discussing it anymore, no longer feel any shame about it and I can appreciate humor on the subject.

I'm not saying that because I can see the humor in it that everyone has to. But asserting that no one else can because you don't is close minded. Hell, there are certain ways in which jokes could be made about this situation that I'd probably find offensive. But that's the nature of humor. It's entirely subjective and often at its best and most poignant when offensive.

 

[The Talented Allen Ripley]

No, no, Kremlin is making the very bold and courageous stance that child rape is wrong. Let him have his say.

 

[Manny ActaFool]

Well said, and thank you for sharing.

I think your sig is one funny example of rape. I laughed anyways.

 

[dcmissle]

True, but Madden is inviting doubt by not revealing anything about the basis for his allegations.

True, but Madden also wrote this 6 months ago -- http://www.timesonline.com/columnists/sports/mark_madden/madden-sandusky-a-state-secret/article_863d3c82-5e6f-11e0-9ae5-001a4bcf6878.html

If I were him, I don't know whether I'd dish to D&C right now. I can understand his reluctance to share details that might imperil stories in progress.

 

[J.McG]

Ordway/Holley giving some deserved criticism to ESPN for how it has been handling the story with kid gloves compared to other major news outlets. There's been a lot of sidestepping around what may have occurred through euphemisms like "alleged sexual assaults" or "inappropriate contact". Just come out and say what happened; kids were being orally and anally raped. Stop pooh-poohing it. Stop having former players and college football analysts on to talk about how they feel bad that old JoePa had to go out like this, then not even question them about how they reconcile that with what happened to these kids or alert them to their obvious misunderstanding of the grand jury presentments. There were so many instances last night where analysts continued to misconstrue the grand jury testimony and present their interpretations as if they were fact. It pissed me off. Some credit to Stu Scott who was the only one asking remotely tough questions last night.

Probably off-topic but EEI seems to be picking up an increased nationwide audience now that their Madden interview has been making the rounds across the internet, particularly with the Drudge link. Guy from MO called saying he just started listening after hearing of the station through Drudge. Think the Big Show has actually done a good job discussing the Sandusky story this week. Francesa & Kim Jones have been even better

EDIT: redundant wording

 

[Cellar-Door]

If you want a little something (very little) in the way of smoke, this was posted on another board that I read regarding the financial state of Second Mile:


It may just mean that Sandusky is an effective fundraiser using legitimate means, but it does give one pause.

Well Sandusky had contacts with Paterno, and dozens of current and former NFL stars, major coaches etc.
look at the honorary board:
http://www.thesecondmile.org/ourTeam/bod/bodHono.php

 

[Mr Weebles]

Well Sandusky had contacts with Paterno, and dozens of current and former NFL stars, major coaches etc.
look at the honorary board:
http://www.thesecondmile.org/ourTeam/bod/bodHono.php

This is awesome: Mark Wahlberg - Actor, Rapper, and Film & TV Producer

Rapper.

 

[Mr. Wednesday]

Well Sandusky had contacts with Paterno, and dozens of current and former NFL stars, major coaches etc.
look at the honorary board:
http://www.thesecond...bod/bodHono.php

That's exactly what I meant when I said he might be "an effective fundraiser using legitimate means."

 

[Hendu's Gait]

This is awesome: Mark Wahlberg - Actor, Rapper, and Film & TV Producer

Rapper.

Yeah
can you feel it baby
I can too

...

It's such a good vibration
It's such a sweet sensation

...

Making you feel the rhythm is my occupation
so feel the vibration
Come on come on
Feel it feel it
Feel the vibration

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

If Reid is still on the board of directors I wouldn't doubt that he might be taking a "leave of absence" in the near future. Hes probably getting fired anyways due to the performance of the "Dream Team"

 

[Jeff Frye's Face Mask]

Francesa & Kim Jones have been even better

EDIT: redundant wording

I agree.

Francesa can be a bit of a gas bag sometimes but I think his coverage/discussion of this whole situation has been good. He's hammered the university (as they should be hammered) and he has not backed down or sidestepped around of the details thus far (as opposed to some of the talking heads at ESPN).

 

[Steve Dillard]

Hmmm. Common knowledge within the program in 2005?

Three Penn State football players -- including starting linebacker Dan Connor -- face discipline after making a series of prank calls that "escalated to the point of harassment," athletic department spokesman Jeff Nelson said in a statement released yesterday.
.....
The victim of the prank calls, according to several sources, is a retired member of the Penn State football family. Nelson refused to comment on the identity of the victim.

 

[kenneycb]

This is awesome: Mark Wahlberg - Actor, Rapper, and Film & TV Producer

Rapper.

They forgot underwear model.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Ordway/Holley giving some deserved criticism to ESPN for how it has been handling the story with kid gloves compared to other major news outlets. There's been a lot of sidestepping around what may have occurred through euphemisms like "alleged sexual assaults" or "inappropriate contact". Just come out and say what happened; kids were being orally and anally raped. Stop pooh-poohing it. Stop having former players and college football analysts on to talk about how they feel bad that old JoePa had to go out like this, then not even question them about how they reconcile that with what happened to these kids or alert them to their obvious misunderstanding of the grand jury presentments. There were so many instances last night where analysts continued to misconstrue the grand jury testimony and present their interpretations as if they were fact. It pissed me off. Some credit to Stu Scott who was the only one asking remotely tough questions last night.

I do give some credit to ESPN for having this on their front page:

http://espn.go.com/blog/poynterreview/post/_/id/168/espn-stumbles-with-penn-state-coverage

Granted it's pretty far down.

 

[Johnny Fashion]

Am I the only person who can't remember hearing about this?

 

[Plantiers Wart]

To those wondering why McQueery is still around - Can he be protected under the state Whistleblower law? He "reported" wrongdoing, albeit it years ago, and cannot be "punished" or discriminated against because of what he reported. If he is fired, he can claim it arises out of his report to Paterno of the rape.

 

[AimingForYoko]

I feel sick.


Goddamnit.

 

[mikeford]

To those wondering why McQueery is still around - Can he be protected under the state Whistleblower law? He "reported" wrongdoing, albeit it years ago, and cannot be "punished" or discriminated against because of what he reported. If he is fired, he can claim it arises out of his report to Paterno of the rape.

Gresh was speculating to this effect this afternoon... that this was probably why McQuery was still around because firing him may bring on a lawsuit.

 

[Billy Jo Robidoux]

Fuck you. Rape is not funny. Ever.

I totally agree. And I have the statistics to prove it:

 

[Beomoose]

To those wondering why McQueery is still around - Can he be protected under the state Whistleblower law? He "reported" wrongdoing, albeit it years ago, and cannot be "punished" or discriminated against because of what he reported. If he is fired, he can claim it arises out of his report to Paterno of the rape.

I Could be wrong but I don't think Whistleblower laws cover someone who reported something to their boss but only their boss. I think the intent of the law is to cover those who would be punished for bypassing their superiors and reporting crimes directly to the appropriate authorities. Maybe he's covered now that he's voluntarially cooperating with the investigation, however belatedly.

 

[FungosWithJimy]

Francesa just read the Madden article, followed by the details of his D&C interview.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Am I the only person who can't remember hearing about this?

I remember hearing about it, but not too much. This was before the priest issue, and before we all knew what a terrible thing child molestation was about. Someone local should pick up on this and remind everyone that "it can happen here"

 

[J.McG]

Rumored Madden allegations starting to make me think that the disappearance of the DA had nothing to do with busting a drug cartel.

 

[Gambler7]

I feel like the DA disappearance story is getting completely ignored. Reading the details about it and now knowing this is scary.

 

[pedros hairstylist]

In 1986, the Pennsylvania Legislature enacted Pennsylvania's "Whistleblower Law," declaring it unlawful for any employer to "discharge, threaten or otherwise discriminate or retaliate" against an employee in compensation or in terms or conditions of employment because the employee has made, or is about to make, a good faith report to the employer or to an "appropriate authority" about an instance of "wrongdoing or waste." The Act, codified at 43 P.S. § 1421, et seq., also renders it unlawful for an employer to discriminate or retaliate against an employee because he or she has been requested by an appropriate authority to participate in an investigation, hearing or inquiry regarding the employer's alleged wrongdoing or waste. <br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; "><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; ">In addition to various federal whistleblower statutes, at least thirty-five states have enacted whistleblower laws. While most of these states extend whistleblower protections to governmental employees, Pennsylvania is one of the minority of states that extend these protections to private sector employees. <br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; "><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; ">No doubt, Pennsylvania's Whistleblower Law does create a potential minefield for employers. However, it is hardly an open-ended invitation for every disgruntled employee to litigate whatever gripe may have led to his or her termination. By its own terms, the Act only extends whistleblower protection to employees who complain of "waste" or "wrongdoing," and both of these terms are very carefully defined in the statute. <br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; ">

Wrongdoing The Whistleblower Law's definition of "wrongdoing" is likewise narrowly drawn. The Act does not concern itself with wrongdoing in the everyday sense of the word, or even in a tort sense of the word. Instead, in order for a report of wrongdoing to afford an employee with whistleblower protection, the alleged wrongdoing must be a violation of a federal or state statute or regulation, or of a municipal ordinance or a code of conduct or ethics "designed to protect the interests of the public or the employer," and which is "not of a merely technical or minimal nature." Thus, where an employee of a nursing home that has contracted with a municipal government reports substantial violations of numerous health and safety requirements, that employee will be entitled to protection under the Whistleblower Law. However, where an employee simply reports violations of a company's internal policies not embodied within any particular statute or regulation, such a report does not entitle the employee to whistleblower protection. Unless a particular statute or regulation specifically prohibits particular conduct, the Whistleblower Law simply does not apply. Courts have therefore held that a supervising surgeon's failure to be physically present during medical procedures he was required to supervise, no matter how medically inappropriate, did not constitute "wrongdoing" for the purposes of the Whistleblower Law because there was no state statute specifically requiring the supervising surgeon to be present during the surgery.

Am not a lawyer, but this looks to me like his reporting of the rape to school authorities, in this case to Paterno, would qualify him as a whistleblower. His failure to halt the assault as it happened or go to law enforcement at any time in the ensuing 9 years until called by the grand jury seems to not qualify him under this Act. We'll see when the lawsuits commence, I guess.

 

[Plantiers Wart]

I Could be wrong but I don't think Whistleblower laws cover someone who reported something to their boss but only their boss. I think the intent of the law is to cover those who would be punished for bypassing their superiors and reporting crimes directly to the appropriate authorities. Maybe he's covered now that he's voluntarially cooperating with the investigation, however belatedly.

I think the PA version covers reports to the employer as well....

In 1986, the Pennsylvania Legislature enacted Pennsylvania’s “Whistleblower Law,” (codified at 43 P.S. § 1421, et seq.) declaring it unlawful for any employer to “discharge, threaten or otherwise discriminate or retaliate” against an employee in compensation or in terms or conditions of employment because the employee has made, or is about to make, a good faith report to the employer or to an “appropriate authority” about an instance of “wrongdoing or waste.”

 

[Plantiers Wart]

I think McQueery is protected - the nine years delay in any reporting to anyone except the employer might reduce his damages, but he could certainly claim he is being fired because of his report of wrongdoing to PSU. Let him finish the season and fire him in the full sweep - that eliminates the liability since all coaches are going in a regime change.

 

[mabrowndog]

Mark May is on ESPN, and he absolutely blasted the administration over not axing McQueary. Now he's lambasting the "reporters" whose first question after the trustees' announcement was "who's going to coach Saturday?"

Great stuff. The fact that he's a Pitt alum, albeit one who was also recruited by Paterno, is likely ramping up his venom, but he's been on point with everything he's said.

 

[Delicious Sponge]

Seriously, who gives a shit about the whistleblower law?

The school has a massively metastatic cancer inside of it. You can't leave even a single cell of this cancer in the body. McQueery is such an obvious cancer it is beyond comprehension how they could still have him around.

Then again, this is the same leadership that let all this happen for a decade or more, and then, when it all came out, took almost a week to fire the coach and president.

 

[J.McG]

Gresh was speculating to this effect this afternoon... that this was probably why McQuery was still around because firing him may bring on a lawsuit.

McQuery is not specifically mentioned by name in the grand jury presentments. Name has only been mentioned in reports by the media. Sounds like he may be the key witness and linchpin to bring the whole program down in flames. If so, they're doing an awful poor job of handling it. Guy should be put into witness protection before he gets run outta town on a rail.