"Karen, this is Joe Paterno. Are you OK?"

[Franisdaman]

We all know about Jerry Sandusky. Joe knew, too, but LONG before Sandusky was ever stopped and arrested.

Did you know about Todd Hodne, the serial rapist, who was a prized recruit when he joined Penn State football in 1977? Joe knew about him, too.

I knew Joe was a disgusting human being and only cared about winning but damn, he had the power to stop both Sandusky and Hodne and failed.

The story from ESPN:

Before Jerry Sandusky, Penn State football had another serial sexual predator. This is the untold story of his crimes and the fight to bring him to justice.

When Jerry Sandusky's crimes came to light in 2011, the world thought it was the first time Joe Paterno and Penn State had faced a serial sexual predator in their midst. But that was not the case. This is the story of the predator who had come before.

www.espn.com

 

[littlez]

That is an unbelievable story. Lots of failures here, especially the criminal justice system. Holy shit.

 

[NorthDSMHawk]

I'm banned over of B&W. Any hot takes on this over there?

 

[DJ_Kool_Herk]

Christ.
That article is like War & Peace length.

The part where Joe instructs his players not to speak up for Hodne in court (a few players wanted to) because he is guilty doesn't really jibe with the message here about Joe, does it?

 

[HawkeyeInCentralIowa]

We all know about Jerry Sandusky. Joe knew, too, but LONG before Sandusky was ever stopped and arrested.

Did you know about Todd Hodne, the serial rapist, who was a prized recruit when he joined Penn State football in 1977? Joe knew about him, too.

I knew Joe was a disgusting human being and only cared about winning but damn, he had the power to stop both Sandusky and Hodne and failed.

The story from ESPN:

Before Jerry Sandusky, Penn State football had another serial sexual predator. This is the untold story of his crimes and the fight to bring him to justice.

When Jerry Sandusky's crimes came to light in 2011, the world thought it was the first time Joe Paterno and Penn State had faced a serial sexual predator in their midst. But that was not the case. This is the story of the predator who had come before.

www.espn.com

That is one of the most disturbing articles I’ve ever read. Paterno should not have his statue outside Beaver Stadium and a large amount of his wins should be vacated. What an absolute disgusting human being.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

yikes, that was quite a read.

 

[nbanflfactory]

Does espn talk much about sec scandals?

 

[Franisdaman]

Christ.
That article is like War & Peace length.

The part where Joe instructs his players not to speak up for Hodne in court (a few players wanted to) because he is guilty doesn't really jibe with the message here about Joe, does it?

You must have missed this part of the article. Karen is one of the victims.

" When Paterno called, Karen had hoped that he was calling out of concern for her. Instead, Karen felt he was calling out of concern for his program. "He was kind of scaring me I think a little bit," she says.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

The next time somebody gives another poster crap for calling Pedo St, Pedo St...cram it.

Nah.

Our recent win streak over Penn State can be directly correlated to the decrease in the number of posters and frequency with which they spam pedophile jokes on here about Penn State.

Karma takes no prisoners, and that includes Iowa, no matter how dead set some are on being a b**** and getting their lame jokes in on a random message board.

Hope that helps going forward as those I've triggered attempt to defend their need to make pedophile jokes.

 

[GlenHawk]

I'm banned over of B&W. Any hot takes on this over there?

I think this is my favorite so far:

Agreed. my point is that it is a hit piece on PSU (and a guy who recently died and can't defend himself). It is an article that could have been written about any school, any sport, any frat house (probably most large businesses) from that era.

That fan base hasn't learned a damn thing.

 

[red/green hawk]

It's cool how some of the football players protected that girl post trial.

 

[DodgerHawki]

That is one of the most disturbing articles I’ve ever read. Paterno should not have his statue outside Beaver Stadium and a large amount of his wins should be vacated. What an absolute disgusting human being.

Horrific. Just stunning. I know that what this fellow Hodne did is not directly Paterno or Penn State's fault. Hodne was the psychopath to committed the crimes. But the culture that exists there that the Penn State brand must always be foremost and protected did play a part in why the guys was allowed out on bail pending appeal, only to commit more crimes. With Paterno, the Penn State brand always superseded doing the right thing.

 

[iahawkeyes17]

The one thing I couldn't believe when I read about the investigation of Paterno before his firing was he didn't even have an email. Something that probably saved his butt because couldn't trace anything back to him communication wise. But it showed how much of just figure head he really was at the end just trying to get more wins to inflate his ego. Guy just stood there on the sidelines with no head phones doing nothing earning his millions doing nothing.

 

[MitchLL]

Paterno is one of the few people who have been hated and despised more after they died than when they were alive.

It's really shocking how Penn State could tolerate this.

 

[NevadaHawk]

For years, many of us football fans believed Joe Paterno to be a role model for young men to follow. It is shocking and sad to realize the idol and the program he ran was something very different. Joe should have been removed from the university long before he was.

 

[red/green hawk]

Isn't that MSU?

Well played sir, well played.

 

[rfgiowa]

Wow...what a read. I've watched four Iowa games in Happy Valley...including my favorite 6-4 win in 2004. I will never step foot on that campus again.

 

[red/green hawk]

Does espn talk much about sec scandals?

No they're too fast for them to catch up to...

 

[tWarnerHawk]

Pretty sure this guy's picture is in the dictionary next to the word 'rapist'

 

[WDMHawk72]

Paterno is one of the few people who have been hated and despised more after they died than when they were alive.

It's really shocking how Penn State could tolerate this.

Simple. Winning =$$. Obviously they chose the win at all costs approach. Sucks for the good people from Pennsylvania.

 

[littlez]

Honestly if you read the article hardly anyone knew about this story 40 years later. I’m not defending Paterno in any way, but he did boot him off the team after his Freshman year. Guy was obviously a psychopath, and back in those days as you can see after this story it’s crazy how many mistakes were made by everyone involved, from past coaches, Joe Pa, judges, law enforcement, etc. Of course a lot of this doesn’t surprise me.

 

[kwinks1]

This story illustrates the culture around Penn State to allow Sandusky to commit his crimes. Discipline handed down by Joe Paterno with no checks and balances. People afraid to speak up without retaliation.

A lot of disgusting, holy sh#t moments in that story. But Joe Paterno never meeting with any of the victims after his player raped them, that’s unforgivable. A huge indictment of his character. And if you had any doubts before about Joe P, that’s the nail in the coffin.

 

[MrsScrew]

fps Seriously fps

An atomic bomb could go off in crappy valley & I wouldn't shed a tear.

 

[Franisdaman]

'The Paterno Legacy' airs April 18.

Watch the preview here:

 

[Franisdaman]

Horrific. Just stunning. I know that what this fellow Hodne did is not directly Paterno or Penn State's fault. Hodne was the psychopath to committed the crimes. But the culture that exists there that the Penn State brand must always be foremost and protected did play a part in why the guys was allowed out on bail pending appeal, only to commit more crimes. With Paterno, the Penn State brand always superseded doing the right thing.

Speaking of the culture that led to the Sandusky cover up, I found this paragraph very telling:

As Paterno put it in the 1980 Sports Illustrated profile, published one year and 14 days after Hodne was convicted in Centre County Court for the rape of Betsy Sailor, "We have never covered up things around here. We just didn't have problems."


They never covered things up?

They never had problems?

Seriously???

 

[DJ_Kool_Herk]

You must have missed this part of the article. Karen is one of the victims.

" When Paterno called, Karen had hoped that he was calling out of concern for her. Instead, Karen felt he was calling out of concern for his program. "He was kind of scaring me I think a little bit," she says.

Yeah I saw that.
You also didn't quote the hundred times she said she couldn't really remember, she thinks so, maybe, Im not sure... etc.

Listen, I'm neither Paterno defender nor burn him and PSU to the ground guy (weird how one has to be one or the other, isn't it?), but I just thought for a guy who apparently is doing everything he can to cover up the dirt, literally tells his players NOT to speak up for that player.

 

[CloydWebb]

The one thing I couldn't believe when I read about the investigation of Paterno before his firing was he didn't even have an email. Something that probably saved his butt because couldn't trace anything back to him communication wise. But it showed how much of just figure head he really was at the end just trying to get more wins to inflate his ego. Guy just stood there on the sidelines with no head phones doing nothing earning his millions doing nothing.

Joe knew what he was doing by not having an email account.
Reminiscent of the strict edict to members of the Genovese Crime Family to never utter the name of Vincent "The Chin" Gigante in any conversations, but instead silently point to their chins.

 

[wcbtee]

Joe knew what he was doing by not having an email account.
Reminiscent of the strict edict to members of the Genovese Crime Family to never utter the name of Vincent "The Chin" Gigante in any conversations, but instead silently pointing to their chins.

 

[Franisdaman]

Yeah I saw that.
You also didn't quote the hundred times she said she couldn't really remember, she thinks so, maybe, Im not sure... etc.

Listen, I'm neither Paterno defender nor burn him and PSU to the ground guy (weird how one has to be one or the other, isn't it?), but I just thought for a guy who apparently is doing everything he can to cover up the dirt, literally tells his players NOT to speak up for that player.

Should Joe be calling the victims of a serial rapist? No, but he did.

Should Joe be telling his players what to say on the witness stand? No, but he did.

Joe was king of Happy Valley. He created the culture where sexual predators thrived.

 

[cidhawkeye]

A long read with some interesting insights. The spin will be even more interesting

 

[RLMHAWK]

Did Paterno keep the players from taking the witness sand or just from saying something on behalf of the Penn State rapist?

 

[Herky T Hawk]

Did Paterno keep the players from taking the witness sand or just from saying something on behalf of the Penn State rapist?

The story claims that he told them that if they testified on behalf of the defendant that they would be kicked off the team. This claim comes from a player that was kicked off the team after testifying, so he could just have a bone to pick since it is one-sided. A response from someone at PSU was that he wasn't a good enough player to stay on the team.

So it may be true, or it may be an embellishment.

 

[DJ_Kool_Herk]

Should Joe be calling the victims of a serial rapist? No, but he did.

Should Joe be telling his players what to say on the witness stand? No, but he did.

Joe was king of Happy Valley. He created the culture where sexual predators thrived.

In the 70s? Yeah, that shit happened.
And yeah, college kids get lots of advice, from everywhere. All the time. For everything. Especially a coach.

Which brings us back to Joe telling players their teammate was guilty. A strange thing to do for a coach supposedly covering up a program deep in sexual abuse.

You could take the angle Joe did that because he knew Hodne was a goner so he wanted to appear clean when it was said and done.

 

[Mountain Man Hawk]

The story claims that he told them that if they testified on behalf of the defendant that they would be kicked off the team. This claim comes from a player that was kicked off the team after testifying, so he could just have a bone to pick since it is one-sided. A response from someone at PSU was that he wasn't a good enough player to stay on the team.

So it may be true, or it may be an embellishment.

The way I read the story, the kid was going to testify on behalf of the rapist, but Paterno told him the guy is guilty and if you defend him you’re gone. The kid said something like, that guy has a million girlfriends, maybe he broke up with one of them and they got mad and made up a story about him. Long story short, the kid didn’t take Paterno’s advice, testified that he thought the rapist was innocent, and when he got back to Penn State found that his dorm key didn’t work anymore and he was off the team.

 

[Mountain Man Hawk]

Crazy article, as mentioned it’s very long but definitely worth at least skimming. As alluded to in some posts above, my biggest takeaway was just how unbelievably different attitudes were back then. I could give lots of examples but for starters, the guy was constantly in trouble in high school but evidently because he was a good player everyone looked the other way and he wasn’t ever really punished.

There was even a story about a high school dance where he essentially drags a girl under the table and does God knows what to her under the table, and everyone in the school - even the girls - admit that they basically negatively judged the girl for what happened.

Then of course lots of comments from all kinds of administrators and officials that rapes were kind of kept hush hush back then, I guess because people were embarrassed about them and theoretically to avoid embarrassing the girl. Some comments as well about just few rapes in general even got reported at all, I guess for similar reasons.

And then maybe the most shocking - after being convicted for the rapes, he was let out of prison after only a few years! The reason he ends up doing life is because after getting out he kills a guy shortly thereafter!

 

[Herky T Hawk]

The way I read the story, the kid was going to testify on behalf of the rapist, but Paterno told him the guy is guilty and if you defend him you’re gone. The kid said something like, that guy has a million girlfriends, maybe he broke up with one of them and they got mad and made up a story about him. Long story short, the kid didn’t take Paterno’s advice, testified that he thought the rapist was innocent, and when he got back to Penn State found that his dorm key didn’t work anymore and he was off the team.

This is all true in the story. But, from a journalistic approach all of this info comes from one person, who happened to be the guy kicked off the team. That person may have a bone to pick because of being kicked off the team. The other person in the story, Joe, is dead and unable to give his side of it. I'm not saying the guy's story isn't true, I'm just saying that it needs to be balanced that it is only one side of the story.

 

[Mountain Man Hawk]

This is all true in the story. But, from a journalistic approach all of this info comes from one person, who happened to be the guy kicked off the team. That person may have a bone to pick because of being kicked off the team. The other person in the story, Joe, is dead and unable to give his side of it. I'm not saying the guy's story isn't true, I'm just saying that it needs to be balanced that it is only one side of the story.

That makes sense but I guess I’m a little confused - doesn’t this story support Paterno? Unless I missed it in the article (which could be, it was super long), the main damning thing about how Paterno handled this is when he called the girls, he wasn’t very sympathetic. But he did kick the guy off the team and help make sure he got convicted. And the part of the story that you responded to was about how Paterno helped make sure the rapist didn’t get away with the crimes.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

That makes sense but I guess I’m a little confused - doesn’t this story support Paterno? Unless I missed it in the article (which could be, it was super long), the main damning thing about how Paterno handled this is when he called the girls, he wasn’t very sympathetic. But he did kick the guy off the team and help make sure he got convicted. And the part of the story that you responded to was about how Paterno helped make sure the rapist didn’t get away with the crimes.

If we assume that Paterno really did tell the guys to not testify on behalf of the defendant, you have to ask yourself why did he do that?

• Did he do that because he wanted to support a victim and help put a criminal behind bars? Maybe, but I'd be surprised if this was true.
• Did he do that because he didn't want one of his players to be publicly supporting a potentially convicted rapist and harm PSU's reputation? This seems plausible if not probably true.
• Did he do that because he knew the guy was guilty and wanted him to go away as soon as possible so that the story would die down quickly and not damage the PSU reputation? This seems very likely to me.

When the one victim who Joe called said that it felt to her that he wasn't supporting her but rather he was seeing if she would help make the whole situation go away, I'm leaning towards the latter to bullets being much more true than the first one.

What we learned later on in the article is that Joe didn't understand sexual violence. He only understood the sex part of it and that was something icky to him that he didn't want to think about. He could have much more easily have understood the violence part, especially as a football coach, but that isn't what his brain processed. And so because sexual violence was treated as something icky, it became something that he didn't want to deal with and pushed aside. Hence creating the opportunity for Sandusky to continue for years after Joe was made aware of the situation. It was something his brain couldn't process and so he did his best to make it go away and avoid dealing with it.

 

[pink shizzle]

That was sickening to read. How was he given so much leniency even after his time in jail? Absolutely F'ing insane.

 

[CUHawkeye91]

If we assume that Paterno really did tell the guys to not testify on behalf of the defendant, you have to ask yourself why did he do that?

• Did he do that because he wanted to support a victim and help put a criminal behind bars? Maybe, but I'd be surprised if this was true.
• Did he do that because he didn't want one of his players to be publicly supporting a potentially convicted rapist and harm PSU's reputation? This seems plausible if not probably true.
• Did he do that because he knew the guy was guilty and wanted him to go away as soon as possible so that the story would die down quickly and not damage the PSU reputation? This seems very likely to me.

When the one victim who Joe called said that it felt to her that he wasn't supporting her but rather he was seeing if she would help make the whole situation go away, I'm leaning towards the latter to bullets being much more true than the first one.

What we learned later on in the article is that Joe didn't understand sexual violence. He only understood the sex part of it and that was something icky to him that he didn't want to think about. He could have much more easily have understood the violence part, especially as a football coach, but that isn't what his brain processed. And so because sexual violence was treated as something icky, it became something that he didn't want to deal with and pushed aside. Hence creating the opportunity for Sandusky to continue for years after Joe was made aware of the situation. It was something his brain couldn't process and so he did his best to make it go away and avoid dealing with it.

I lean toward the last two bullets, too, particularly the last one. Note that it’s implied that Paterno provided a lawyer for Hodne as well. The lawyer was a fixer of sorts who was used to keep the program clean. I think the lawyer‘s job was to make the problem go away without leaving a stain on the program. This program is what Paterno cared about, not the victims or the players.

Irv Pankey deserves a lot of credit for what he did to support one of the victims in spite of Paterno.