Rodney Erickson's remarks to Penn State's faculty senate (10/16/12): "We're about three weeks from my one-year anniversary as president"
Considering that is the date marking one of the darkest hours in Penn State University history...that may be the most insensitive, self-absorbed, classless sentence ever uttered by a sitting administrator.
But, it sets the table. Let's review.
THE NOVEMBER SEVEN
Everybody know this?The vote to dismiss Joe Paterno as head football coach was not the unanimous vote people think it was. 32 members did not say "Aye," or a show of hands...or write on slips of paper. Many were not present and some did not even participate by phone.
As Adrian Monk would say, here's what happened:
Corbett led the charge with his infamous "remember the boy(s) in the showers" quote. That threat was not to get members to vote Paterno out, as most would think. It was to keep potential "Nay" votes from being uttered on the motion. Surma was on board, for reasons that have become abundantly clear. Now, executive sessions require a minimum of 7...and I've already written about 7 being the majority in a quorum of 13. So, after the motion is made and seconded, here is how the vote on Paterno's dismissal went...by phone: "All those in favor, say aye." 7 members said aye. "All those opposed, say nay." Silence. "Ayes have it. Motion approved." The end.At this point in time, you would think that any member who did not vote in favor, or abstained...or simply was not present, would want everybody to know they weren't part of it. But, you see, there's this little problem (sent to my comments):
the BOT's standing orders and bylaws state that any vote will be considered unanimous after passing, and further state that no board member may criticize those decisions after they have been made. [This sort of "we all stand united" attitude would make good financial sense for the Board of Directors of a publicly traded company -- but it makes absolutely no sense for a university]
You may assume that my sources are very good and I know who the 7 culprits are...and most of you should be able to figure it out for yourselves.
2 things:
1. There's a trick to the 7 that involves proxies.
2. The fun part of this is...they can all deny it, but nobody can prove me wrong without providing an actual roll call on the vote. Either way, I'm gonna win.
SNIPPETS
- I've been informed that there will be separate trials for Curley and Schultz. Not confirmed yet.- Cynthia Baldwin must be the worst attorney in history. She even showed up in McQueary's lawsuit.
- I found myself involved in the beginning of a twitterbitchfest with several publications and journalists over just trying to get the McQueary testimony right. It's written down. It can't be this hard to get it right. Copy and paste if you have to. And yet...I tweeted Ganim at the Patriot-News, then Rosenburg at SI. The next thing I know, McCann is all over the map...and Zeigler tries to reason with him...all over indisputable evidence/testimony. Unbelievable. I may not have a law degree, or a Pulitzer...but I can read. Godammit.
- The victim count is now 87,492. Erickson wants to settle by yesterday. No need for due process.
- Michael Berube, former Paterno Chair, single-handedly resurrected the expression "pretentious twit."
- Send a note to Surma with your name and phone# on it.
- George Mitchell celebrates his 150th birthday, gumming caviar he just bought with a blank check from PSU...at the NCAA headquarters.
- There's a reason legal papers require 400 pages to explain what should take a paragraph: billable hours.
- Nobody has ever paid me $800,000 to run a $4billion-dollar enterprise. I have zero diplomatic skills. I still can't balance my own checkbook. And yet, I still would make a better president than Rodney Erickson.
- The Penn State Faculty Senate secretly enjoys watching the athletic side suffer.
- I have 2 words for Governor Corbett: 1. hoist. 2. petard.
- Words don't kill people, irresponsible "journalists" kill people.
SUMMARY
As much as we may want to clear the names and reputations of people we know and respect, and the reputations of our school and community, I try to be open-minded about those who wish to close this chapter and move on with their lives...especially younger generations that may not be as emotionally invested in this chapter of our history.
However, traditions and legacies are the very hallmarks that give texture to our lives and a meaningful transition into the future.
It would be easy, at my age, to walk away from all this this. I've had a pretty good run.
But I can't.
The Faculty Senate had an opportunity to do the right thing by endorsing 2 motions (re: Freeh Report and the NCAA sanctions), regardless of the fact that it would not change either of the results. The point was lost that fundamental rights and truth are being sacrificed in order to expedite an agenda.
This is my point:
Somewhere along the line, people need to understand that this is not about Paterno, Spanier, Curley, Schultz...or even Sandusky. This is about free speech, due process, the Constitution and Bill of Rights. As a Penn State alumnus, I am embarassed to be affiliated with the current administration, Board of Trustees and Faculty Senate.There are precedents being set that may affect future generations in the worst way.
These are MY RIGHTS getting trampled on.
These are YOUR RIGHTS getting trampled on.
Keep that in mind the next time someone suggests moving on.
Here, here! Your posts are always good for a laugh and a good dose of honest common sense!
ReplyDeleteBravo - another post of understandable righteous indignation about the fundamental rightness of Due Process and what this country is supposed to be all about being trampled by a team of wealthy powerful elites who claim to have the interests of PSU at heart despite doing everything in their power to destroy it.
ReplyDelete$$$$$$
ReplyDeleteSubmitted by Soup2323 on Sat, 10/20/2012 - 08:31.
Let's take a look at the bottom line.
1. Removing JoePa statue?
2. Freeh Report?
3. Using only parts of Freeh Report?
4. NCAA sanctions?
5. Loss of Bowl games?
6. NCAA fine?
7. Employee training?
8. Unscheduled BoT meetings?
9. Cost of Removal of part of the stadium to return to before 2001?
10. Price of loosing quality players now and in the future?
You can add anything that I may have forgotten. I hope they don't return to the equipment worn in 90s.
All for someone who was not an employee of PSU.
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First of all it's LOSING quality players. Really? Explain Hackenburg, Breneman, and Gesicki, ALL of whom are top quality college football prospects recruited by O'Brien either currently playing for Penn State or committed to Penn State. Ironically, the sanctions have actually HELPED Penn State to some extent in this regard, as even many 18 year old young men can clearly see that Penn State is worth it to them and the NCAA is a complete joke. Also, you can't underestimate the "O'Brien Factor" here. O'Brien, by virtue of his experience with the NE Patriot and Tom Brady is NOT lost on these potential Penn State recruits. They KNOW with one well-placed phone call, O'Brien and Penn State's remarkable football reputation can get them a shot at the NFL combine every February. And THAT is what impresses NFL scouts, a players performance in the NFL combine. NOT bowl games or national championships.
DeleteThe NCAA sanctions are a matter of the NCAA committing a ridiculous regulatory over-reach and interfering in a criminal matter without benefit of all the legal facts and by denying Penn State's right to a fair hearing before their infractions committee. The NCAA's failure to do the right thing was aided and abetted by the incompetence and hand-wringing guilty nonsensedisplayed by the incompetent, arrogant stupidity of the BoT and "Fraudney Erickson." By signing the consent decree and agreeing to the NCAA penalties unilaterally and without consulting the BoT prior to taking those actions, Erickson tied Penn State's hands and made due process in the sanctions an impossibility. Once again, as has been clearly demonstrated throughout the entire Sandusky debacle, the BoT and Erickson have made ALL the monumental mistakes in judgment and poor decision making that has exacerbated Penn State's problems in dealing with that scandal throughout it's sad, turbulent history.
Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats. H. L. Mencken
ReplyDeleteI love this blog. :)
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