Sandusky and the Shock Doctrine

Will the real Penn State please stand up?

Let me reduce this to something everyone probably already knows:

Penn State's "reputation" is just fine...thank. you. very. much.

Trustee Joel Myers tries to bring a little sunshine into our lives as the designated PR guy...by telling us things we already know about Penn State. He omitted a critical fact: Penn State's reputation is stellar IN SPITE of the conduct of The Board of Trustees. These 2 things should NEVER be confused. The BOT does not do the teaching or research, does not perform in the classroom or in athletics. Nor do they hire those that do.

Who's minding the store?

Penn State is a $4 BILLION/YEAR sandbox. PER YEAR. Who gets to play in it? (that was rhetorical)...the BOT. When they get done pushing this pile of money around...they get to do it all over again...year after year. I've had interesting discussions lately about who exactly took charge of the money when they (AG, Corbett, PSUBOT) effectively removed four of the most influential people at Penn State? What exactly happened between 11/5/11 and 11/11/11...and why? Who has control of this place?

Which brings me to this---there is a theory or phenomenom called The Shock Doctrine. I'm just putting it out there as a compelling explanation with some merit. Look it up. Here are some discriptions:

• "a perfect setup for cronyism and profiteering."
• "a deliberate strategy of certain leaders to exploit crises by pushing through controversial, exploitative policies while citizens were too busy emotionally and physically reeling from disasters or upheavals to create an effective resistance."
• "using the public’s disorientation following massive collective shocks –  to achieve control by imposing economic shock therapy. Sometimes, when the first two shocks don’t succeed in wiping out resistance, a third shock is employed."
• "exploited crises to push through an agenda that has nothing to do with resolving those crises, and everything to do with imposing their vision of a harsher, more unequal, less democratic society."
• "a compelling account of the way big business and politics use disasters for their own ends"
• "Nearly always, they are developed in secrecy and implemented too rapidly for citizens to respond."

That's scary close to what's going on around here.
Then, just for giggles, add this definition:
SOC-IO-PATH: "long-term pattern of manipulating, exploiting, or violating the rights of other. This behavior is often criminal."

SNIPPETS 

- With regard to the BOT's bragging rights over addressing 119 recommendations, I will offer this analogy: Even turds can bob to the surface...that doesn't make them flotation devices. Nice try, though.
- If you hire a hitman (Freeh), you are as guilty as the man who pulled the trigger.
- I'm not big on conspiracy theories, but I do believe in greed and opportunism. The public documentation and facts clearly show that Corbett, Kelly, Tomalis, Surma, Frazier, Eckel, Dambly, Peetz, Masser, etc., saw an opportunity and seized upon it. And Freeh was paid to endorse it. And while I'm at it, apparently the Faculty Senate is OK with all this. Throw in some conflicts of interest, personal vendettas, racism...and I think we're approaching Hallmark Card status.

Louis Freeh: "This is a Harley."

- It's as though Freeh held up a photo of a Vespa...and "concluded" it was a Harley. People went "Yes! Of course it is!" But, using the Freeh Report in a court of law would be like riding a scooter into a biker bar...it's probably not going to end well.
- There is a cast of thousands and dozens of back stories, and I see people drifting off on tangents, personality pissing matches....basically falling for misdirection from the central  issues:

GOVERNANCE. RIGHT TO KNOW. DUE PROCESS.

- Bored of Trustees ...me, too.
- I'm a Blehar fan...have been for quite a while. His attention to detail, evidence, testimony, vetting, cooboration, timelines, etc., has provided most of us with an education in legalities that is staggering.
- More and more, Twitter reminds me of my spam folder.

- In case you missed it: Wendell Courtney found a new firm in Harrisburg.
- John Zeigler's recent interview with Todd Blackledge was one of the very few attempts at humanizing what has happened to people we know and care about.
- The governor doesn't need a vote if he controls 1/3 of the Board.
- The Joyner/FSU AD job qualifications was an education.
- The only person to defend Paterno and sue Freeh: Graham Spanier.

- I'm just glad it's not about football.

- When I think of Penn State lettermen (all sports), I don't think about what they were or what they did as athletes. I am more proud of how they have lived their lives and what they've become since then.
- If you have two people who think exactly alike...you only need one of them.

- Ryan Bagwell keeps truckin' along on the RTK issues. Probably should get more recognition than he does.

- Ron Tomalis has surfaced, again, as (1) the driving force to oust Spanier...and (2) using his "experience" to land a $400,000/yr. job in education. Check it out.
- I'm not impressed with dissents over emeriti status when there are no dissents over approving $60million in settlements.
- I'm a Paterno supporter, but I don't get the lawsuit. I'm referring to any BOT or faculty members "joining in." The BOT fired Joe Paterno in disgrace, hired Freeh and "approved" the NCAA consent decree (by policy/procedure). The Faculty Senate never had the stones to give a vote of no confidence, so now they can watch their health benefits go down the toilet with everything else. If this is anyone's way of saying "we screwed up," then they need to go fix it in their own venue. More importantly, this is only about the NCAA's actions...not the insanity that is The Freeh Report...which was financed by and gushed over by, you guessed it...the BOT. Everyone follow that?
- Matt Sandusky keeps changing his name and his testimony. He committed perjury. He has been placed at the scene by "victims." He has placed himself at the scene of "crimes." He never testified in court. He never claimed to have been sexually abused...just creepy stuff. There is something really, really wrong here...and nobody seems to look into it. Is he a victim or a criminal? Is he a witness for the prosecution or a person of interest? Did he cut a deal? Did he sue Penn State? What do the Adult Survivors have to say about this? Are they insulted or happy? Matt Sandusky had nothing to do with the ultimate conviction of Jerry Sandusky. Quite the contrary, it would seem. Those were real victims who came forward and testified.
- Governance Committee forms committee to hire governance expert. JESUSHF*CKINGCHRIST.
- Is Surma really going to get away scot free?

Anyhoo, we are on the eve of the preliminary hearings...and I'll keep it short.
It's been refreshing to see some coverage on four very respectable human beings.

I'll get back to you. We Are.

All things Penn State

"I have people on the ground."

I love this expression. It's like having journalists embedded in a war zone. So, yes, when it comes to all things Penn State, I have people on the ground...and they are me.

I took a break from blogging and Twitter to test a theory, and here are the results:
1. If you live and work here, there is nothing significant or controversial going on.
2. Life in Happy Valley is pretty much the same as it's always been.

THE END.

Once again, though, I immerse myself into the issues of the day...and here are the gems:

- America has decided to sue the NCAA. Final results will coincide with my grandkids' AARP cards.
- Corbett's lawsuit was/is nothing more than political posturing. Same with Corman.

- Eckel had a brain fart...and decided to go public with it.

- Myers is as dependable as the weather...and partly cloudy.
- Masser would do well to remember that HE was the "vocal minority" that leaked the Freeh Report and made inflammatory remarks regarding the "conclusions."

- Strange bedfellows: the Paterno suit is joined by members of the very group (BOT) that fired Joe Paterno, accepted the Freeh Report...and members of the faculty that did not give a vote of no confidence. McCombie was the ONLY person to file suit when the event happened...and he was asked to sit on it until due process played out.

- Costas was progress, but still is football/sports. This needs to be over on the news/legal side.

- If you think anyone outside of a small group (Marianne E. Alexander, James S. Broadhurst, Mark H. Dambly, Keith W. Eckel, Kenneth C. Frazier, Edward R. Hintz, Jr., Peter A. Khoury, Ira M. Lubert, Keith E. Masser, Karen B. Peetz, Paul H. Silvis and Linda B. Strumpf) will have any say in hiring PSU's next president, you may want to check back with Ben Novak.
- Sherburne got hired.

- To repeat my earlier assessment of the PSUBOT: "If you put new sparkplugs in a shitty engine, you still have a shitty engine."
- I knew Joe Paterno before Sue did...and I support the Paterno family. I think that covers it.
- "Truthers" and "Joebots" are just condescending tags, generally administered by people with no relevent information to support an opinion.
- I support any effort that discredits the Freeh Report.
- A family of 6 can hardly sit down to dinner without an argument breaking out. With that in mind, I don't expect a group of 10,000-20,000 people to agree on everything. Bottom line, I think PS4RS has demonstrated remarkable organization, dedication and professionalism. Such is the business of activism.
- I have singled out many characters in this melodrama in my previous posts, using information that is public knowledge, not opinion. I haven't seen or read much to change those assessments. If I should, I've made it clear that I'm open to corrections.
- I may be in the running for village idiot, but I would not want to be a prosecutor who is depending on testimony/evidence from McQeary, Baldwin and Freeh. Everything that may or may not happen in the future, rests with Kathleen Kane. Period.
- I could write a book.
- Joe Paterno, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz are all innocent. I'll let you know when a court of law says differently.

JUST FOR GIGGLES
Rate your reactionary investment and knowledge in all things Penn State:

Level 1: Current PSU student.

Level 2: PSU alum, but that is the extent of your experience.

Level 3: PSU employee, and/or resident of Centre County.

Level 4: PSU alum and PSU employee.

Level 5: PSU alum and former student/athlete.

Level 6: PSU alum and have read, in its entirety - the Linda Kelley presentment, Sandusky trial/testimony, the Freeh Report, the Freeh agreement, the Thornburgh rebuttal, the Clemente report and the comprehensive reports by Ray Blehar and PS4RS, et.al....and you've seen John Zeigler's "The Framing of Joe Paterno" mini-movie.

Level 7: PSU alum/employee for more than 20 years.

Level 8: At least 3 generations of PSU alums in your family.

Level 9: At least 5 PSU alums in your family.

Level 10: PSU alum/student-athlete/employee, born and raised in Centre County.

Give yourself some bonus points:

1 STAR- have experience as a board member anywhere.

1 STAR- have a degree in journalism, law or political science.

1 STAR- you do charitable work...as opposed to donating money.

1 STAR- you personally know, and are on a first-name basis, with at least 20 of the following people: Jerry Sandusky, Aaron Fisher, Linda Kelley, Kathleen Kane, Stacy Parks-Miller, Joe Amendola, Joe Paterno, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, Steve Garban, Dave Joyner, Mark Sherburne, Rodney Erickson, James Broadhurst, Michael DiBerardinis, Ken Frazier, Edward Hintz, Keith Masser, Linda Strumpf, John Surma, Tom Corbett, Richard Allen, Ron Tomalis, Al Clemens, Mark Dambly, Peter Khoury, Ira Lubert, Paul Silvis, Marianne Alexander, Jesse Arnelle, Stephanie Deviney, David Jones, Joel Myers, Anne Riley, Paul Suhey, Keith Eckel, Samuel Hayes, Barron Hetherington, Betsy Huber, Carl Shaffer, Karen Peetz, Anthony Lubrano, Ryan McCombie, Bill Oldsey, Barbara Doran, Ted Brown, Adam Taliaferro, Wendell Courtney, Sara Ganim, Josh Moyer, Audrey Snyder, Ray Blehar, John Zeigler, Franco Harris, Eileen Morgan, Ben Novak, Ryan Bagwell, Mark Emmert, Louis Freeh, John Mitchell, Bob Costas, Mark Schwarz.
1 STAR - You actually know the ownership, distribution and editorial policy of all local media outlets.

1 STAR - You can identify these people.

And finally, you have a 50/50 chance of getting this right:

GROUP A

Believes that Joe Paterno was evil incarnate, the Freeh Report is accurate, the NCAA sanctions are appropriate, PSU officials are guilty of a cover-up, the alumni base is delusional and Happy Valley is nothing short of a pedophile-enabling cabal.

GROUP B

Believes that GROUP A is full of shit.

Of course, this information solves nothing and has no bearing on the outcome of events over which we have no control. There's no right or wrong to it. It is a simple exercise that separates the the curious and opinionated from those with a little more understanding of what's happening and why.
There is a case to made for being better informed, and conversely, there is a case to be made for being prejudicial and taking things personally. I can accept that.

What I find unacceptable is rambling conjecture by people who have not read all the legal documents, do not actually know the people they are writing about, have never set foot in Happy Valley or Penn State's campus...and yet project an opinion of certainty that even I can't muster.

I am clinging to the Constitution, Bill of Rights and due process.

I am LEVEL 10 / 6 STAR / GROUP B

Reflections on the Sandusky Learning Curve.

This is an unedited, direct copy of my reaction(s) to the Sandusky Scandal, less than a month after the BOT firing of coach Paterno and the resignation of President Spanier:

12-04-11 repost from TDC group page

by Owens Family (Notes) on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 7:55pm

People ask me a lot of questions. This is about all I have...
Re: Sandusky
For those of you who subscribe to the mantra “Knowledge is Power,” I will insist that whatever credence I give to your journalistic efforts will be based on just that...knowledge. That standard will apply forever to your opinion(s), also. Embrace the notion.
In this profession, especially, I hold people more accountable for what they pen and “gut reaction” is no excuse. Gut reaction is also the cause for projectile vomiting...and I note the similarities.
Here’s what I bring to the table: I am a graduate of State College High School and Penn State University. I am a former student/athlete. I have a lifetime investment in all things Happy Valley and Blue and White. I have been working in publishing for almost 50 years. I am better informed than most and may well know more people in the eye of this storm than most. And here is what I know about what actually happened:
Not much.
I believe that renders my opinion useless and I am trained to not speculate when other peoples’ lives and reputations are at stake.

I do, however, have a few things worth mentioning:
- I am constitutionally incapable of guilt by association. I don’t need time to heal, because I didn’t do anything wrong. Neither did the student body at Penn State nor the inhabitants of Centre County. I am a proud Nittany Lion and anyone who has a problem with that can come see me about it.
- I’m pretty sure I was against child sex abuse before this event. Do we need a show of hands? Collective guilt, after the fact, is an interesting phenomenon that somehow makes me uneasy.
- I don’t abandon my friends.
- “Success with Honor” is a noble goal. It is not meant to be assigned to any person, place or thing.
- Vigils and “riots” look like photo ops.
- Town Hall events are PR.
- “Transparency” is the new buzzword.
- A former FBI director has about as much authority to interrogate people as I do. He just has a cooler title.
- Anyone who has dealt with a Board of Trustees, Board of Directors, etc., at any level, knows the downside of accountability issues.
- I don’t brag about what charities I donate my time, not money, to.
- Why would anyone feel guilty for donating to The Second Mile if their heart was in the right place when they did it?
- Has anyone besides me even looked at the financial statements for RAINN?
- I fight back when I’m attacked. I know, I’ve always been a candidate for anger management therapy, but still...not a single soul stood up for us during an unprecedented barrage of sweeping accusations against an entire community and university. Instead, everyone either curled up in the fetal position or distanced themselves. Pitiful.
- Lions don’t cry. Embrace the teardrop, if you like. I get it. I prefer that everyone gets off their collective asses and DO SOMETHING...and I don’t mean design t-shirts and logos.
- The perjury charges were the most damaging. So, what is the criteria for deciding who is a credible witness?
- A presentment doesn’t actually prove anything.
- In the same vein, just because a prosecutor or a defense attorney says it, doesn’t make it true.
- I don’t use the word “victim’” until it is proven...and, as anyone who has taken journalism law courses will tell you, the word “alleged” is not our get-out-of-jail-free card.
- Tom Corbett is knee-deep in this.
- “Teaching moment,” my ass. Typical academic reply to a real world tragedy.
- ESPN is out of control. It belongs over on the A&E or SciFi channels.
- My contempt for broadcast news is well documented. Overwhelming evidence supports me on this matter.
- It falls to us to remain objective, concentrate on the facts and maintain some form of journalistic integrity amidst a storm of emotional, irrational and irresponsible commentary. The students I work with have shown more dedication and resolve to get it right, under enormous pressure, than their counterparts out in the world. That’s a fact that I get to witness every day and they are my only hope. My generation has become a hopeless embarassment to me.
- By the way, if you witness a crime, report it to law enforcement. You may want to make certain that there is documentation.

Penn State trustee voting guide

IT'S TIME TO HANG CHAD, FOLKS.

You have until May 2nd to vote.

I didn't wake up one morning and say "geez, we really need to replace these trustees. They have gone to great pains...or more precisely, inflicted great pain over nearly the last 17 months...that any reasonable person would see the logic of change.

So, here is your formula:

Any trustee in November, 2011.

Almost anyone else.

Any questions?

I make observations. I don't make endorsements.

Besides, an endorsement from me would be like a getting deck chair on the Titanic.

There are quite a few qualified candidates out there and organizations that have shown considerable interest in restoring our reputation and the dynamics of sound leadership...that can be trusted. Read their bios, get involved, make a statement.

I reread my previous posts to check for errors or to modify my position over time. Nothing comes to mind. Sarcasm is my weapon of choice. Individual trustees and the BOT as a whole have either made statements or commited acts that are a matter of public record...not something I make up to amuse myself. I just shine a little light on their actions. You may be shocked to learn that I have quite a few character flaws, so I will thank the BOT for this: every time they do something, or say something...I feel better about myself.

They all need to go.

Just spitballin'...but I will add this - I could put 30 of my favorite people on this board, but if they don't change policy and governace, it simply won't matter. There's no real transparency. There's no roll call. Nothing has changed in the last 17 months in spite of the rhetoric. Half of the trustees will be corrupted by the money, power and prestige...and the other half will succumb to the grind and futility of non-dissent. You can bet on that.

Step away from the calamity of social media and have a moment of clarity. Exercise your right...vote to make a difference.

Speaking of rights.

I would be remiss if I didn't take every opportunity to remind everyone that my main focus is Constitutional rights, due process and freedom of speech. We still have 3 respected members of our community awaiting trial: Spanier. Curley. Schultz.

I would find it refreshing if I saw even a fraction of compassion or support for their rights that I see for others. Support is not a declaration of guilt or innocence...it is simply the right thing to do. PA Attorney General Kane will have the final say on validity issues of the Freeh Report and any other subject related to these cases. Pay attention to the legal documents and analysts.

Sandusky aftermath rolls on....

People in academia have referred to many of the recent adventures at Penn State as "teaching moments."
So, what have we learned?
Well, for starters:

The Pennsylvania Guide to Grand Jury Presentments:

- Make any accusation you want...against anybody you want.
- Make it as long and as sordid as you possibly can.
- Call a press conference to read it aloud...lotsa microphones and cameras.
- Make it late on a Friday afternoon.
- You will need a tripod and really bad, blown-up mugshots of the accused.
- Surround yourself with really serious-looking people, maybe a police commissioner.
- Provide flyers with provocative language and more bad photos of accused.
- You will not have to answer questions...because grand juries are secret.
- The accused cannot defend themselves...because grand juries are secret.
- When done properly, there will be no need for evidence or a trial...because the media and general public will take of that for for you.

Pretty cool, huh?
To borrow a previous layout, your work may look something like this:

Of, course, Linda Kelly worked in concert with, and has since eloped with Louis Freeh (who was actually "engaged" to.. or by Ken Frazier), but the point remains the same:
Who needs evidence, when you can just drag people's reputations through the mud, attack their character and ruin their lives and careers? Good times.

  

Lettermen
I support this group and their efforts to right wrongs, with regard the treatment of Joe Paterno and the sanctions imposed by Erickson...oops, I meant Emmert...oops, I meant the NCAA. Whatever. So, we are faced with fighting fire with fire...or in this case, football with football. Not exactly how this is supposed to play out, but here we are. The average person is not going to get national attention, so we are left with marquee name blowbacks. This is not the group that should be staring at cameras and microphones...but the situation dictates it.
I am concerned about several things:

• No mention of the Surma Vendetta against Paterno at the BOT meeting.
• No mention of Corbett's role in Paterno's firing at the BOT meeting.
• No transparency over the meeting with Corbett on the date of Paterno's memorial.
• Several have indicated a willingness to throw administrators under the bus.

Here's the deal - Paterno was fired in disgrace. There is no spin for that. The BOT cannot change the language, nor will they...until AFTER the trials of Spanier, Curley and Schultz. They hint at it, even gurgle the expression of due process when it suits their agenda...and this is one of those situations.

Justice vs. Money
Presumably, justice was served when Sandusky was tried and then sentenced to prison for his crimes.
Others, who have been indicted (under the guise of justice) are sliding over onto the "prosecutorial misconduct" pile.

On the other hand, due process is a non-factor in civil law. Civil law is determined over at the teller's window. Let see, the insurance companies tell you what the cap-per-person is, the attorneys take their 60% and the victims have now established a price for the crime. No trial is necessary. Everyone is guilty, but it's a win-win. Go figure. (Keep an eye on the cap if the insurance fails and PSU has to foot the entire bill)
Personally, I'd make everyone go to trial and prove it. What a concept.

I have yet to see or read anything substantial with regard to actually helping victims, with the exception of donations to RAINN. I think there's a $12million loan/rainydayfund/sanctioned/ncaa/lawsuit/pa/lostinspace bag of money floating around somewhere.

Not one single word or story about cleaning up gov't agencies and reporting procedures.
Nicknames are starting to surface:

• Paul "3 weeks" Suhey
• Ira "rent free" Lubert
• Paul "Mack the Knife" Silvis
• Linda "Return to Sender" Strumpf
• Keith "No Mas" Masser
• Ken "White Men Can't Jump" Frazier
• Stephanie "Pom Poms" Deviney
• Karen "Pearls of Wisdom" Peetz
• John "Vendetta" Surma  

 All trustees deserve recognition for their efforts over the last 15-16 months.

 SNIPPETS

---Compared to our trustees, politicians are starting to make sense. God help us.

---Know why trustees don't care what legislators think? - They make 10 times the money and probably control who gets elected.
---Leave it to Frazier to drag another football player into this. See? It wasn't racist, it was football!
---Frazier doesn't care if Spanier, Curley and Schultz are acquitted or not.
---Frazier doesn't care about due process.
---Frazier swings the "children come first" baton like he invented it.
---Say what you want about Ken Frazier...(I mean that. Say what you want.)
---The Sandusky-related expenses to Penn State has reached $17 trillion rubles.
---I tried to follow the money, but I keep getting lost and confused.
---When it comes to PSU fighting the NCAA sanctions, I believe it was Gene Marsh who told everyone to sit down and shut up...there was nothing that could be done. (Not his exact words, but I think I captured the essence).
---Masser is shooting for a dishonorable discharge.
---Checked my inbox on the Mark Sherburne question. Nothing.
---Checked my inbox on the Matt Sandusky question. Nothing.
---Committee restructuring is about as dynamic as changing the colors on name tags.
---The Board has approved the formation of a Tsk Tsk Force.
---Silvis defended Deviney in a Facebook forum with a "knife in the eye" reference.
---Has there ever been better examples for piercing the veil?
---McQueary's testimony, the Freeh Report and Baldwin's paricipation are so screwed up, they are starting to look better as defense witnesses than for the prosecution.
---Costas is a start. Anderson Cooper and the rest of the bigshots need to review all this.
---McQueary's lawsuit hinges on the interpretation of what someone said. Sound familiar?
---Don't get me started on Pepper Hamilton / Deviney's firm / Baldwin. Too late.
---The misinformation and cheap shots on Twitter knows no bounds.
---We can't get rid of any of these people, but they are working on the "Lubrano Rule," so they can.
---The proposed number of trustees is now set at 674.
---The alumni election(s) are approaching and fracturing will be a major player.
---The governor can't vote. The president can't vote. Well, most evidence suggests that nobody actually votes, anyhow...2-3 people decide something...and nobody dissents. THAT'S how they vote. duh.
---Deviney gave Lubrano a harsh glare. Girls Gone Wild.
---In an effort to get something in the win column, Tom Corbett just sued himself.

Once again, nothing has changed. Really.

Stay on point, people.

DUE PROCESS. BILL OF RIGHTS. FREE SPEECH.

NOTEWORTHY:
Ray Blehar has the definitive interview:
 http://notpsu.blogspot.com/2013/03/ray-blehar-interview-with-whvl.html?spref=tw

John Zeigler appears to be scheduled for the Today Show on Monday. This radio interview was posted recently regarding Steubenville:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stranahan/2013/03/21/steubenville-attacks-on-the-coach-with-guest-john-zeigler
I would rather see any of these people face-to-face with the BOT than Freeh again:
http://www.paterno.com/Default.aspx

Things are going down the wire as elections approach. I believe PS4RS is reaching it's final 3 this weekend:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/ps4rs/496093520438261/?notif_t=group_activity

In closing -
Remember the Lion logo with the teardrop? It should have been this:

What do you expect when you sucker punch a Lion?

Penn State trustees - Hiding in Plain Sight

We need to play fair.

There are so many people getting so-o-o-o-o much press...it just doesn't seem right that anyone should have to suffer from group anonymity. We talk about the Penn State Board of Trustees as though it is this singular thing. But no, grasshopper...there are many individuals that deserve recognition for the role(s) they have played in this neverending melodrama. We need to fix that.

I can't get a roll call. They insist on this unanimous thing. So be it.

I give you:

Exhibit A - Betsy E. Huber

We could do this like those "employee of the week" posters back in the breakroom, but one way or another, EVERYONE needs credit for their accomplishments.

Now, I know next to nothing about Betsy E. Huber. But, I know this much - she is responsible for firing Joe Paterno, forcing the resignation of Graham Spanier, hiring Erickson, firing Sherburne, hiring Joyner, hiring Louis Freeh, accepting the Freeh Report, accepting the NCAA sanctions, paying Mitchell and encouraging civil suit settlements without the benefit of due process...for starters. Her name will forever be linked to these historical events. THAT'S POLICY.

Does it even matter if a trustee has voting priveleges? Emeritus status? Where's the discussion? Voice of dissent? What, exactly, are they there for?

Every time the media mentions the Penn State Board of Trustees, I recommend that ALL the members names be included. No sitting in the shadows. If you didn't like what was going on, you should have spoken up. EVERYONE needs to be held accountable. Why should everyone else get all the press? Photos and bios are helpful. Maybe a plaque to commemorate all their good deeds?

And here they are:

Steve Garban, Rodney Erickson, James Broadhurst, Michael DiBerardinis, Kenneth Frazier, Edward Hintz, Keith Masser, Linda Strumpf, John Surma, Tom Corbett, Richard Allan, Ronald Tomalis, Alvin Clemens, Mark Dambly, Peter Khoury, Ira Lubert, Paul Silvis, Marianne Alexander, H. Jesse Arnelle, Stephanie Deviney, David Jones, Joel Myers, Anne Riley, Paul Suhey, Keith Eckel, Samuel Hayes, Barron Hetherington, Betsy Huber, Carl Shaffer, Karen Peetz

      http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/01/penn_states_board_of_trustees_1.html

*I'm not sure I have all the names right, considering the sequence of events for the last 15-16 months, but the overall point remains the same. If there is a name missing, or one that should be deleted, I will be happy make correction(s).

Question: Who on the Penn State Board of Trustees said:

• "Wait a minute. We need more time to evaluate the situation."
• "Excuse me...we're firing who?"
• "I'm not voting at this time."
• "Have you lost your freaking minds???"
• "If this is way we do things, I resign."

Answer: Nobody

You like irony? Sure you do.
Try this:
There is nobody on the Penn State Board of Trustees who is qualified to be the president of a university. They don't have the skillset or academic credentials. And yet, these are the people that decided Graham Spanier lost institutional control (within 48 hours), hired Erickson...and will choose his sucessor. Swell.

SNIPPETS

--The trials for Spanier, Curley and Schultz have been moved to The Twelfth of Never.

--According to the prevailing logic, if Sandusky had been a former trombone player, we would have spent the last 15 months skewering the Blue Band.
--Watching Corbett, Corman and Emmert fight over PSU sanction money is pretty close to watching hookers fight over a street corner. Besides, Corbett's and Corman's history with The Second Mile kinda bothers me.
--Spanier was not the only magician at Penn State. Peetz, Surma, Corbett and Frazier made ethics disappear.
--Frazier confuses being arrogant and condescending with being tough...something he can't quite pull off.
--Surma has set his own timetable for departure from this debacle and will go unscathed. I can't describe how much that pisses me off.
--In one video, Peetz actually used the word "superlatives" incorrectly...made me laugh, but there's nothing really funny about that woman.
--I cannot keep track of where the money is coming from to pay for all this. We have these mysterious piles of cash lying around, apparently.
--It's probably just me, but the time to bitch about the NCAA sanctions was before we accepted them.
--It's probably just me, but the time to bitch about the Freeh Report was when he published it.
--It's probably just me, but the time for outrage was November 8, 2011.
--BREAKING NEWS!: Insurance companies don't want to pay out.
--It seems as though the Penn State chapter of the Ron Musselman Fan Club has merged with the Dan Wetzel and Desmond Howard chapters.
--It's probably just me, but isn't it kinda stupid for Myers and others to say "the NCAA was wrong and should admit it," when they all agreed to it (backing Erickson)?
--If legislators really wanted to do something meaningful, they would (1) clean up the government agencies and procedures related to child abuse and (2) restrict/ban the use of grand jury presentments in their current form.
--In reality, would any of these people be backpeddling and questioning the Freeh Report if it weren't for the professional analysis of Ray Blehar and the Paterno family (see Paterno.com)?

--For what it's worth, anyone who is a coach, I refer to as "coach." Always have.
--Former PSU president Bryce Jordan had to learn from his wife that he was still on the board of The Second Mile...22 years after his retirement. Is that a Raykovitz thing or not?
--There seems to be a legitimate case for this: Linda Kelly commited "prosecutorial misconduct" with false information in her presentment.
--Thanks to the efforts of the Penn State Board of Trustees, there are no unemployed attorneys.
--Murder, arson and domestic violence just doesn't seem to turn heads like it used to (re: Matt Sandusky/Heichel family).
--Notice how little I write about football and sanctions? I'll let you know when I think this is about football.
--I see Mitchell got his first $million from us. I was concerned.

 

Worthwhile links. Maybe you've seen/heard/read them. Maybe not.
 

"The scandal surrounding ex-football coach Jerry Sandusky and others at Pennsylvania State University is casting a spotlight on a distinctive part of the state's criminal-justice system.

In the federal system and most states that use the grand-jury system, grand juries typically unveil their criminal allegations against someone in an indictment or a criminal complaint. Such documents are usually tersely worded and can run as few as three or four pages, stating only the most essential factual allegations. They also often use initials or pseudonyms to protect people who aren't criminally charged.
But Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states in which grand juries occasionally issue a "presentment," or report, to convey their findings. Presentments, including the one this month in the Penn State case, read as narratives rather than a set of allegations that must be proved in court.
The use of presentments was common in the early part of the century but is now infrequent in many states and extremely rare in the federal system. When they are used, they often try to point out widespread or systemic failings within an institution—not to single out individual wrongdoing."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204517204577042491094936470.html

"The Board absolutely adores seeing things differently from everyone else—and thinking that they alone understand what is going on."

http://www.bennovak.net/2012/04/whats-up-with-the-board/
 

"In reality, the PSU officials’ behavior suggests that they had absolutely no idea

Sandusky was ever a pedophile."

http://notpsu.blogspot.com/2013/02/did-penn-state-officials-know-jerry.html
 

Corbett-remember the ten-year-old:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnNfGo5_tfk
 

BOT contradictions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPL0NMixmxc
 

Lubrano comes as close as anyone to voicing my sentiments...in this interview:
http://wrscfm.com/content/morning-guys-kevin-and-jeff/post/anthony-lubrano-interview

 

"It’s possible that the social norms in this brave new domain will change once more — with users shunning meanspirited attacks from posters hiding behind pseudonyms and cultivating civil debate instead.

Until then, beware the nasty effect."

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/03/opinion/sunday/this-story-stinks.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

FINALLY

I try to keep up with Blehar, Zeigler, Bozeman, Morgan and others at PS4RS, Freedom Fighters, Framing Paterno, Paterno.com, etc...and similar people/groups that show the tenacity and resourcefulness to support due process, PSU governance issues...and especially, the victims.

I know that some people are tired of hearing about the Freeh Report, but it goes to the heart of the matter. It takes a lot of staying power to right a wrong.

"Truthers" - welcome to losing your personal identity courtesy of the media's penchant for pigeon-holing like-minded people with a label. According to most national columnists, you are now incapable of independent thought. To make matters worse, take a look at Twitter. All it takes is one schizophrenic nutcase, with a sprinkle of Tourettes...to have his/her obscenities assigned to your group. Of course, I'm talking about "journalists" who use Twitter as a source. I'm fortunate that I can support a group and still be the lone wolf, loose cannon my mother always said I was.

It transcends incompetence. I cannot shake the overwhelming sense of betrayal exhibited by the Board of Trustees. There have been times when I want to be wrong about them, but the facts just keep getting in the way. It's one thing for the Emmerts and Freehs of the world to do what they did...and the media. But, when your own family turns on you, abandons you and does exactly the opposite of what this place stands for...it is unforgivable.

*I hope the links work. I haven't used them before.
 

Penn State / Paterno / The Rest of Us

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST...revisited.

They fired a coach without due process. They forced the president to resign...because he wouldn't fire the coach and supported his co-workers. They abandoned their administrators. They fired Sherburne. Hired Erickson. Hired Joyner. Hired Edelman. Removed names. Removed a statue. They plead guilty to everything imaginable. Hired Freeh. Accepted his report. Accepted NCAA sanctions. Hired Mitchell. Hired a civil suit attorney from 9/11....

There is a perfectly good reason for the Penn State Board of Trustees to have done all this:

Most of them are idiots.

Now, snicker if you must.
However, if your nostrils are aflarin' and your cheeks are starting to pucker, consider this - I only have so many choices available to reconcile their abysmal track record. I really don't subscribe to the darkside, so I went for the easier, softer way. Now, I think we can all agree that I'm not exactly a lightning rod for intellectuals, so my critics could say "well, it takes one to know one."
Ironically, though, that would validate my point.
Checkmate.
Being wealthy and/or powerful doesn't make you the smartest person in the room. But, it does make you dangerous. I have written about many of the people involved in previous posts, so I'm not going to repeat it all...they are all still there. It's like a nightmare that never ends. Jesus.
If we're gonna repaint a room, first we need to scrape off all the old shit.

Nothing has changed.
Look around. Of the 31 people responsible for this nightmare, 28 are still on the board. They've just been playing musical chairs. Corbett is still governor. Surma is still there. Peetz is still there...chriminy, they are all still there. Masser is the chair, for chrissakes.
Nothing has changed.
Look, we can get as mad as we like at people like Freeh and Emmert, but the fact is, Freeh could have concluded this was the work of aliens or a band of gypsys...it doesn't matter. Men like Freeh and Emmert have seemingly no redeemable qualities...so, what does that say about the people that seek them out? The Board of Trustees accepted the Freeh Report* and acted upon it, like it was the Holy Grail....and so did Linda Kelly (it was the impetus for more charges against Curley and Schultz, and an indictment against Spanier...and Paterno, had he been alive). But most of all, the media ate it up.
*Look, I don't care if it's "accepted" or "approved" or "after the fact" with regard to Freeh's hire or Erickson's signing of the consent decree. The BOT is the group that grants the power to do so. AND, they are cornered with their "all things unanimous" policy.

Freeh most likely doesn't concern himself with slandering people in public or getting sued...if he is acting as an instrument of and representing Penn State's Board of Trustees. THERE'S a bunch of lawsuits just waiting to happen.

The Paternos.

It's now time for Clash of the Titans. It's not which report came out first. We'll see who gets in the last word. Most importantly, one does not have to be a member of the lettermen's club to have a say, or have a stake in the outcome...that will play out in a much larger venue than Beaver Stadium.
Step away from football for a second: I have had the benefit of 60 years of positive influence from a man, a school and a community. That's a debt I will never be able to repay. People need to go to Paterno.com and actually read the reports written by experts. It's not a question of critiquing their work, it is required for educational purposes. They contain...FACTS.

Can you keep a secret?
Tom Corbett can. He even has a secret handshake. He likes grand juries...they're secret. He likes priveleged relationships...they're secret. He likes ongoing investigations...they're secret. He likes confidential meetings with PSU lettermen...they're secret. He likes civil suits, because non-disclosures are...secret. But, most of all, he REALLY likes being a PSU trustee...because everything they do is a secret.
But unanimously, of course.

This is all you need to know:

PRESENTMENT.    BOT.    FREEH.

Tom Corbett was the major player in all three.

Gricar/Corbett/Kelly
Let's review. This entire saga is predicated on what some people did or did not see, say or did not say, in 1998, 2001, 2002....well, pick a year.
After 13-14 years, 3 AGs and a grand jury, countless investigations and testimony, Tom Corbett would have us believe this was a major victory...45 COUNTS!
Prosecutors just LOVE counts.
The last time I looked, they managed to put away one old man. ONE.
Let's use the County Fair analogy, Tom. If you eat ONE ear of corn, you do not get credit for 247 kernels. Just ONE ear, Tom. ONE.

And, you could have ended this a long time ago.

We'll see what Kane has to say about that.

It's getting ugly over on Twitter...or, as I call it, The Anonymous Fight Club.

This is where people go to throw short jabs and wear masks. The land of RTs and "Favorites."
I have 544 "followers," which is equal to, or less than, the number of people at a grand opening for Ben and Jerry's. Check your I.Q. at the door and hope for the best. My stats:
Total followers: 544...of those, here's the breakdown:

• Salespeople: 365
• Poledancers: 38
• Trolls: 107
• People who use their real name: 29 (not to be confused with @bert vs. @therealbert)

When I post something important, at least 17 people form a wave.
OK, OK, I'm poking fun...but, really. Like any other resource, if you can avoid getting sucked in to the vitriol and passion that can be expressed in 140 keystrokes, there are plenty of good people out there...and they provide links to articles and information of merit on many subjects. If you can locate people like: Zeigler, Slaten, Rubin, Blehar, Morgan, etc., and the groups they are affiliated with, I believe it would be time well spent...they are putting in a lot of time and hard work that is grounded in common sense, logic and facts. You can say you owe it to Twitter...like me. 

SNIPPETS
- Jake Corman is "outraged."
Well, do tell. According to my calendar, he's about 15 months too late and I'm not impressed. It's like taking a swing after the ball is in the catcher's mitt. This is the same guy who sued the NCAA or sponsored a bill "to keep the fine money in PA." Think about that. He accepts the Freeh report and Emmert's sanctions and fines...he just. wants. the. money. And, besides, he was on the board of The Second Mile...so, there's that.

 - If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we make it Louis Freeh?...or Tom Corbett?...or Mark Emmert?...just askin'.

- THON - remember when it was just the right thing to do? Now, we have to brag about it?
- 2nd Mile - I have no compassion for people who profit from charities. On the other hand, over a period of 30 years, I would believe that thousands of kids were helped by thousands of adults who had their hearts in the right place...donating their time and money. It's just sad.
- Sherburne - I always ask...nobody answers.
- Matt Sandusky - someday. someday.
- Mitchell shows up every so often to collect his bag 'o cash and tell us what good little boys and girls we are.
- Kevin Slaten - is back on the radio. He stuck his neck out when it wasn't the thing to do.
- Greg Buttle - a kindred spirit who knows the proper use of the word "cabal."
- Ryan Bagwell - he has been trying to get BOT documentation on contracts, etc., exercising Right to Know options...and getting constantly stonewalled. (I think this is right...correct me if I'm wrong).
- Al Clemens - broke away from the BOT pack. Good for him.
- Phil Knight - sacrificed a friendship for business and PR. As far as I'm concerned, he burned that bridge. He turned his back on Paterno for the greater good of Nike and that's all I need to know about the man.
- McCombie - gets little or no credit for being the first to sue the NCAA (he was asked to put it on hold) and the only trustee to invoke the due process standard to shelve a vote to remove Schultz's name from it's center. Stand-up guy from day one.
- Taliaferro - crossed over. Junior partners in a law firm do what they're told...AND he went to the Corbett compound as part of the confidential lettermen gathering...on the anniversary of Paterno's death. Now, he wants us all to consider the Paterno "rebuttal" and claims the BOT did not actually accept the Freeh Report.
- Lubrano - marches to the beat of his own drummer and he's a calming influence. He says Freeh's bill was/is closer to $12million...but who's counting?
- Victim video - I heard this announcement from one of the attorneys, and once again, I am at a loss for words. - Speaking of victims...other than trotting in a few celebrity speakers every now and then, I never hear much about what's actually being done...for them...and I don't mean civil suits. - Mainstream media has entered the "oops" phase.

- PSU Football - college football will always survive, because, like Wall Street, it's too big to fail.

- There is a disconnect with today's student body because most of the people involved in this fiasco still think Chippendales has something to do with furniture.

FINALLY

1. Based on what we've learned, there seems to be a systematic maze that has reporting procedures, confidentiality issues, minors' rights, agency requirements, legal ramifications and law enforcement restrictions that make these crimes a nightmare to charge, let alone prosecute. Then, there's the victims' ages, "grooming" issues, dysfunctional backgrounds and the insiduous nature of the crimes themselves. We can be as informed as possible and know all the "red flags," but that seems useless if the state and state agencies do not have laws and procedures that are enforcible. Once again, there's no accountability....which brings us to:

UNLESS YOU ARE A FOOTBALL COACH OR ADMINISTRATOR AT PENN STATE.

That smell is not coming from the cow barns.

2. Everyone, including me, is excited to see the Paterno family enter the fray. They have the power and presence to make an impact, where the rest of us cannot. But, I will not hesitate to remind everybody that there are 3 other respected members of the community awaiting trial...and this is not a popularity contest.

SPANIER. CURLEY. SCHULTZ.

They are entitled to the same courtesy and rights.

DUE PROCESS. BILL OF RIGHTS. THE CONSTITUTION.

Once again, these are my rights and these are your rights. Make it work.

I need 10,000 followers and a bigger stick.