Joe Paterno: ‘I Wish I Had Done More’

November 9, 2011 11:03 AM

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The whirlwind surrounding Penn State grew in intensity Wednesday morning as Joe Paterno announced his retirement.

The university is dealing with a child sexual assault scandal involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

Many had been calling for Paterno to step down for not reporting alleged incidents involving Sandusky and young boys to police.

According to a grand jury presentment, Paterno was made aware of an alleged incident involving Sandusky and a 10-year-old boy in the shower by a graduate assistant. The alleged incident took place on Penn State property.

Paterno reported the incident to Athletic Director Timothy Curley and has been cleared of any wrongdoing by Attorney General Linda Kelly.

However, Paterno issued the following statement to PR NewsWire on Wednesday:

“I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief.

I have come to work every day for the last 61 years with one clear goal in mind: To serve the best interests of this university and the young men who have been entrusted to my care. I have the same goal today.

That’s why I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season. At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can.

This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.

My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this University.”

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WARNING Contains Graphic Material: Read The Entire Grand Jury Presentment
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http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/11/09/paterno-to-retire-after-season/ Paterno To Retire After Season « CBS Pittsburgh

[...] Read The Full Statement Here [...]
Julie

“I wish I had done more”. Well, you didn’t.

Twisted

he reported it to his superior as he should have..now what did his superior do??? You never know whether someone is making something up or not so he did what he should have I feel. his superior should have investigated it thoroughly.

da mama

He should have followed up! Plain and simple! These boys depended on him for their safety…
Julie

You are all missing it completely. This guy didn’t cheat on a test – THAT you report to school officials. HE RAPED CHILDREN. For a crime, you call the POLICE. All along the way, all that was needed was for one adult to call the police. NO ONE DID. Police are the ones who investigate crimes. They’ll decided if charges are needed or not. NOT school officials. This is shameful and disgusting. Every last one of them should be on trial. ALL of them.
TimmyD.

Finally….someone with a brain. Everyone at PSU is so brainwashed that they all are missing the point. Watching all those students cheering for JoePa on his front lawn last night made me sick to my stomach. Not one of them understand the severity of all this. It’s not just JoePa either. It’s all of them.
Gary

It’s being said Joe “did what he was supposed to do..” reporting it to his “superiors ” & wished he’d done more…….HUH!!!! Sounds like buck passing to me!

If, in fact, these PSU “officials” did what was “required” then I say the requirements are ASININE! Done per “legal standards”?, but not by the MORAL standards of any reasonable person…. Joe claims to be a family man, pillar of the community, moral force & such..then how, by all that’s Holy, did this debacle & travesty of justice occur. Joe, should have “grown a pair” & done what was right not just “required”!!!

Anyone involved, from the “Redhead” on up, is in my opinion, as guilty as Sandusky!!!!

There was a comment made on Sports Center, “Sandusky, Boy, Shower” should have resulted in immediate contact with the police!!!

The entire situation reeks of “Good Old Boy” BS!!! Keeping this a “secret” & allowing abuse to continue is untenable…………….

John

He doesn’t wish he did more for the sake of the assaulted children…he wishes he had done more so that he wouldn’t now be forced to resign. He’s just a selfish person.

Tim

A selfish person that has given almost every penny he has earned back to the college, some bad man.
John

@Tim, there’s more too selfishness than money. It was all about his ego/job.

Tim

Why didn’t the Graduate Assistant who witnessed the incident do something?? Nobody is talking about him! HE should have called the police.

Janelle

I agree…..it is very strange that the GA behaved like a scalded cat and ran.

Jim

How self-serving is this guy? You didn’t do what needed to be done, and now you want to go out on YOUR TERMS at the end of the season. Sad and Disgusting.

Ron

Ah, yes, all the Monday morning quarterbacks are out in full force. They love throwing stones, yet they live in glass houses.

Anthony Moore

And the Board of Trustees should spend anothe minute thinking about him. Like maybe think about canning him before the end of the season.
Vik

Yes, Joe, and I am sure the further victims of Sandusky had wished you had “done more” before he got to them–
Ron

Twisted,

At Penn State Joe Paterno is his own “Superior” he tells the higher ups how to run the show. He let all those innocent kids down, he could and should have done more !
Jim

Timmy D. and Julie,

Well said in both cases. What about the lives that will never be the same again?
I believe those rallying to be in the minority of people both at State College and around the country. Evil can only win when good people do nothing. McQueary and Paterno did nothing.
pete jenson

thee who has never sinned cast the first stone
Jack

It is funny how some are the first to pass out blame in situations like this but if they were put in the situations they would have been the last to act. Everybody is entitled to an opinion but it is sad to say that Joe Pa probably did more than most other people would have. So before everybody continues ranting, be honest with yourself, do you have the right to criticize Joe based on how you would have handled the situation?
Jim

You knew a young child was being molested and you wouldn’t call the police? Are you kidding me that he did more than most people would have??? Read the Grand Jury transcripts Jack, and maybe reality will sink in. It’s not a bungled “tattoogate” scenario or illegal recruiting, it’s peoples lives!

Jack

No its a moral scenario that people sitting behind a computer have the easy answer to. Is all this criticizim coming because you would have done more, or becasue people love watching a strong man stumble? I no dout am dissapointed, however he went to his superiors trusting they would do the right thing. There are too many gaps left open in the situation to be stating inaccurate opinions about a man who will always be a LEGEND for being the great person that he is.

Ron

Legend? To care more about winning a football game and over inflating his own ego than the safety of a CHILD. If that is the stuff that legends are made of in your eyes, you need serious help yourself pal !!!!!! He is the law at PSU and he did nothing, he is nothing but a FRAUD of a HUMAN BEING !!!!!

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/11/09/ap-report-psu-presidents-tenure-to-end-today/ AP Report: PSU President’s Tenure To End Today « CBS Pittsburgh

[...] Joe Paterno: ‘I Wish I Had Done More’ PSU Board Promises ‘Swift, Decisive Action’ Potential 9th Victim Of Sandusky Comes Forward More Calls For Paterno, Spanier To Step Down Penn State Scandal: Students React, Paterno’s Secrecy WARNING Contains Graphic Material: Read The Entire Grand Jury Presentment VIDEO: Watch The Attorney General’s News Conference (11/7) Attorney General, State Police Commissioner Statements: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Penn State Nittany Lions Penn State Campus Filled With Disbelief, Shame Retired Coach Banned From PSU Campus Former Penn State Coach Charged With Sexual Abuse Retired PSU Coach Arrested On 40 Counts Paterno Issues Statement On Sexual Abuse Case More News from Penn State Share this No comments // [...]
Jim

A strong man would have insisted that the truth be revealed in 2002 or before without pompous regard for his “legacy”. Go to ESPN . Read Howard Bryant’s article. Maybe you’ll understand why people are sickened and disgusted by the whole thing.
BK

He could have gone to the police but didn’t. Guess what – the police had already investigated Sandusky and took no action after eavesdropping on phone calls between one of the victim’s mothers and Sandusky himself. He admitted during those phone calls to showering with and touching the boy. The cops/DA took no action!!

Paterno was not a witness to the crime. He reported what he knew to his superiors. Is he perfect in his innocense – No. Are others far more responsible for the furtherance of this creep’s deviant activity and crime – Yes!!

Jay

Yes! and wasnt one of the people he reported to head of campus police? Glad to hear someone talking sense!

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/11/09/psu-community-mixed-about-paternos-retirement/ PSU Community Mixed About Paterno’s Retirement « CBS Pittsburgh

[...] Joe Paterno: ‘I Wish I Had Done More’ PSU Board Promises ‘Swift, Decisive Action’ Potential 9th Victim Of Sandusky Comes Forward More Calls For Paterno, Spanier To Step Down Penn State Scandal: Students React, Paterno’s Secrecy WARNING Contains Graphic Material: Read The Entire Grand Jury Presentment VIDEO: Watch The Attorney General’s News Conference (11/7) Attorney General, State Police Commissioner Statements: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Penn State Nittany Lions Penn State Campus Filled With Disbelief, Shame Retired Coach Banned From PSU Campus Former Penn State Coach Charged With Sexual Abuse Retired PSU Coach Arrested On 40 Counts Paterno Issues Statement On Sexual Abuse Case More News from Penn State Share this No comments // [...]
penn state sucs

joe pa is a fudgepacker too

Frederic Steven Lucas

Go back to your mom’s basement. This is not a time for bad jokes.

Glenn Sipple

If I were a football coach, (which I could never be, thank you), or even me myself as I am, would have ran in and laced a beating on that sick, sick s.o.b. who started a “charity” just to get more child-meat!!!! I’ve put people in the hostpital for FAR LESS than this, and have gone to trial, JoePa should have GROWN A SET!!!!
COMRAD #12347

Joe Paterno does what was best for Joe Paterno only. He turned a blind eye to what he knew was going on, because all he cares about is Joe Paterno. Not the kids. Joe Paterno is the King of PENN STATE and could have stopped ANYTHING from happening. Don’t give me, he told his superiors so he did as much as he could. That’s bull. He could have stopped this years ago. Don’t you defenders of Paterno realize that Joe Paterno IS THE SUPERIORS! Joe Paterno turned away when he found out that young boys were being molested and sodomized by Sandusky. Well, now it’s his turn.
Sander

Here is hoping they finally stop drinking the cool aide at Joe’s Town.
bob

B.S. Joe,,,wish you had done more..because people know now…don’t matter what you did your whole career at Penn State YOU LEFT THE CHILDREN DOWN. SHAME ON YOU. just leave now God help the Children/
Jim Tressels Used Vest

Cougars are women who chase young boys ……..Nittany Lions are old men who chase young boys

Frederic Steven Lucas

Tasteless and uncalled for. go back to your rock and crawl underneath it where you belong.

your all guilty

Joe should not be sorry about anything. You hypocritical so called people know of abuse that goes on and you don’t report it either. He did nothing to the boys himself. He should not resign. This shouldn’t evn be brought to our attention. My husband was abused as a child and not once would he or his family allow it to be made public. That is a private matter that is embarrasing and should not be known. If you bring attention to yourself for abuse, then all you want is attention.
yuk

Tom ridge at Penn state….. ugh…. keep politics out of it.

2059

His wife’s on the board at Seton Hill in Greensburg, where they found a pervert in their midst last week.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/11/09/artist-paints-over-sandusky-in-mural/ Artist Paints Over Sandusky In Mural « CBS Pittsburgh

[...] The Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal PilatoMurals.com PSU Community Mixed About Paterno’s Retirement Joe Paterno: ‘I Wish I Had Done More’ PSU Board Promises ‘Swift, Decisive Action’ Share this No comments [...]
Frederic Steven Lucas

I feel bad for the victims. They are of utmost priority. This whole thing is sad and disgusting.

You don’t know what went through his mind. Maybe he had a heart to heart talk with Sandusky. Maybe Sandusky lied to him about what he was or was not doing. This goes for everyone else. Or maybe not.

Some of you never liked Penn State and Paterno to begin with. You are using this as an excuse to pile on.

I never thought this would happen either and I’m a little stressed out about it, even though it does not affect me personally.
Blind Joe

Own it. He’s your coach and it’s your school. What you do about this speaks volumes about you as a person. Nothing he has done excuses it going on in his administration as Head Coach He should be ashamed and anyone who says wait til all the facts are in should be too.

If it was your son or daughter you would be hunting his head.

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Joe Paterno: ‘I Wish I Had Done More’

November 9, 2011 11:03 AM

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