Ohio State

[The Ancient Enemy]

Isn't it funny how that was the same thing Penn State fans were saying when PSU was losing 5 games a season?

[shocker]

Fact....Pitt is not undefeated and PSU is.

Fact...Pitt has no where near the off field issues/arrests PSU has.

TAE stated an obnoxious comment about Pitt and I replied with a fact about the 2 programs. TAE and Hambone can say what they want to warrent psu problems, etc. I realize that PSU has used the old "we do it the right way" for years even when they were losing. But now they dont' have that to fall back on, win or lose. It must be rough.

And yes Hammy there are other teams out there just like your beloved lions. You make that point every time your lions are in trouble. Get over it! The problem is that for years you and the rest of the nitty wits thought they did it the right way but now reality has set in and you try and divert the attention elsewhere. Face it PSU is like many others....breaking the rules and getting in trouble.

[ham55]

So why are you gonna just name PSU in comments like that? You act like it's PSU's problem alone. It's becoming a problem on a national level, shocker.

In the past it was when PSU players got in trouble "JoePa does nothing to punish them! He just waits it out until it's washed away in time, them punishes them in the off season" from Pitt fans and PSU haters alike. And now, when he does suspend 2 players when they may have not even been charges pressed, it's still not enough. He's punishing actions like this, and those two that are gonna be done for the year (IMO), would have been two HUGE key pieces in PSU's plans on defense. He's held them out, and with charges being filed today against the two, you probably won't be seeing them anytime soon. What more do you want?

You're looking at 2% of a program and tagging them ALL as bad apples. It happens to the best program in the Nation... And USC still is around and doing fine for itself.

Keep being angry at Pitt's shortcomings and bashing PSU for everything but on-field issues. Time will wash away those actions from memories.

[shocker]

Hammy the reason I only brought up PSU is because I was responding to a post about Pitt by a PSU croney. To make you happy I will admit (and already did admit) that alot of schools have discipline issues. PSU just happens to be in the news a whole bunch more than the rest! But you make it sound like it is okay because all the other schools do it and that 2% is okay. Sorry pal when you are given a free education, you have RESPONSIBILITIES!!! Big word I know, but look it up. I dont care if it is 1%. They are held to a higher standard. PSU and the rest. Notice I included other schools here ham. Two wrongs dont make a right.

Since you want to include other schools in your argument, please make sure you include all the schools that are ahead of psu in the ooc rankings/graduation rankings/etc. and whatever else you want to rank psu for doing to make them look like the best. Make sure you include all the universities that are ranked higher than them as being better than you beloved psu. There are alot of schools ahead of them, but you fail to mention them as being better.

[The Ancient Enemy]

Let's play a new game. You are the head coach at Penn State. You recruit kids who never had any kind of problems with character or the law in high school. Kids are now getting into trouble. What do you do? I'm serious, since everyone is pointing fingers, what's your solution? I would like an honest answer as to how they should handle this.

[shocker]

It all depends on what they did wrong as to what the punishment should. Rape, murder, drugs, drunk driving...kick em off the team. Running a red light, or another minor traffic offense, road rage (wait that was the jokester), skipping class.....maybe a light suspension. It really depends on the severity of the crime at hand as to what you punish them with. Make them pay their own way for a semester would also be a good punishment for something.

Discipline is not what you do to someone, but rather what you do for someone.

Yes people are questioning how the psu staff has been handling these issues. But the sole responsibility lies within the player. He shouldn't be getting into trouble. 98 percent of the other kids can keep their nose clean why can't the other 2 percent? And you can say it is only 2 percent but that still doesn't make it right.

[vman]

What do you do? I'm serious, since everyone is pointing fingers, what's your solution?

Consistency is first rule of thumb in dealing w/ any behaviors.....firm yet fair.....punishments fit crimes.....you don't let rapists play a bowl game then suspend them in mid Jan...you don't suspend serious or repeat violators for the baseball season.

I would develop a consistent (as in not depth chart related) policy like:

first time offender (underage type offenses or misdemeanors) suspended for a game and put on curfew for the school yr.

second violation suspended for season (or first time felonious acts) & put on curfew for entire calender yr

strike three (or second strike for for those previously involved in more serious offenses) you're outta here,,,kicked off team & expelled
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Now, for acts of terrorism or murder you have to clean the stadium

[Crimson09Crazy]

To play TAE's game
If i am Joe Paterno the Head Coach of the State University of Pennsylvania
I Step down at the end of the season and realize my time is up, knowing i no longer have control or the respect of my players. Seeing that I am only a Grandfather figure to these players they obviously don't listen to me and need someone that will scare them for discipline. And for respect of the School that has allowed me to coach there well after i was no longer qualified to be a D1 coach i pass the torch onto Tommy Bradley who has been waiting in the wings, actually running this team the past 8 years.And he finally deserves his shot as being the Head man.


Thats what i would do.
I think thats what Joe will do.
Will he do the right thing and give the job to Bradley?
Thats another question.

[deliverance]

Every crime is different. Burglary should have you thrown off the team automatically. DUI or caught with Marijuana should be 3 games. The second time you should be not only thrown off the team, but placed in jail. You can't have a strict rule because all crimes are different. PSU knows that because they have had a lot of them. Every player's situation is different, too. It's all a toss up.

[The Ancient Enemy]

All good points.

HOWEVER... Penn State set precedence already. In the past kids have gotten off with slaps on the wrist. Now, a kid does something minor, and people want him kicked off the team. You cannot give a kid a 3 game suspension for running a red light when you let a previous player miss ONE game for beating the crap out of somebody, etc. They've backed themselves into this corner.

I want you guys to realize though that even though those kids were in trouble, find me one example of any of those kids having troubles with the law prior to going to Penn State. They did NOT "recruit bad players" like the media tries to say.