Paterno/PSUBOT/Faculty Senate

Just to set the tone for this blog:
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.

Sandusky (10-10-12)

Ok, Sandusky has been sentenced.
Now, instead of moving on, let's examine this mess.
For instance:

1. PSUBOT vote count.

Based on information from Rumor Central, the "unanimous" vote on Paterno's dismissal is probably misleading and needs a roll call publicized. 32 people did NOT make that call. Secondly, it has been rumored that a "majority" vote is publicized as "unanimous," to show unity. A quorum is 13. A majority of that would be 7. So-o-o-o-o, it is conceivable that 7 people showed JoPa the door. The ONLY way to resolve this, in the interest of transparency, would be to publicize the actual roll call and vote.
Right??? You betcha.

2. Sherburne.

Once again, in the interest of transparency, the reasons for the abrupt dismissal of Mark Sherburne keep falling through the cracks. Inquiring minds want to know what happened.

McQueary

3. McQueary lawsuit.

Legal pundits don't give it much merit. I suppose it's the language. Instead of holding fast to areas of sympathy, his attorneys chose to risk it all on the outcome of the Curley/Schultz trials. Not smart.

4. Victims and alleged victims.

This is getting tricky. We have victims that have testified at the Sandusky trial. We have victims that did not. We have a victim that couldn't be found, but suddenly appeared for civil proceedings. We have have a victim publishing a book. To my knowledge, we have no cooborated evidence of crimes committed on Penn State property (McQueary's testimony failed to convict and the "victim" at the time was unknown)...and, like it or not, insurance companies aren't known for their compassion. We all know this is about money...and Penn State has the most. Erickson and the PSUBOT have made it clear that we are all guilty and please come and get it. I suggested that the Second Mile donate all their assets to a victims' fund, but they won't, because that would be an admission of guilt.
In effect, and grudgingly, doing nothing would make them smarter than Erickson and the PSUBOT. The victims don't seem to be suing the Second Mile, any hotel chains, CWS or even Sandusky. Civil suit attorneys know where to get their 60%.

 5. Matt Sandusky. (follow closely)

Here we have a 33-year-old man, father of 3, with a history of violence and arson. He spent over 2 decades with the Sandusky family. He did not testify to any sexual abuse, but he was placed at the scene(s) by others. At age 18, he chose adoption by the Sanduskys over his biological mother, Debra (Heichel) Long. He was an equipment manager for PSU football and attended PSU on Sandusky money. He brought his children to the Sandusky household.

His real name is Matt Heichel.

Ron Heichel, his brother, is a convicted murderer. He shot a man at point-blank range. Twice. With a shotgun.

I have read interviews where you would tend to think these were the Waltons.

The prevailing theory is Matt reversed his testimony to avoid charges himself, aid the prosecution...and that is why there have been no perjury charges.

Makes you wonder what Dottie and the rest of the Sandusky children think of Matt?

Finally.

- It's interesting that not one person has testified to the possibility of other pedophiles. This really has been all about Sandusky. Perhaps that will change with the feds (Second Mile, CWS, etc.)

- That sound you hear is the Surma family name going down the toilet.

- Freeh owes us $6.5million.

- Corbett won't be the first governor I've seen go behind bars.

- I'm waiting for the judges decision on separate trials for Curley and Schultz (which I prefer). One way or another, the final determination on many of these points rests with those verdicts. It could be an epic example of how due process clears the air and provides an avenue for legal recourse, retroactively, i.e.- NCAA sanctions, civil suits, defamation of character (Paterno, Spanier, Curley, Schultz).

Debra (Heichel) Long

Matt (Heichel) Sandusky



Ron Heichel