Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Paterno

[feltdizz]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

I love Franco Harris. As a child he was my favorite player and a big reason I became a Steeler fan...however...if the following is true...

A source told ESPN's Schad that Paterno hopes to clarify what he was told by McQueary as soon as Thursday. According to the source, Paterno recalls McQueary "vaguely" referencing "fondling" or "touching" or "horsing around" by Sandusky and a youth. But Paterno never had the understanding that McQueary had witnessed a "sodomy" or "rape."

[url="http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto"]http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto[/url] ... penn-state

...then Franco is wrong in his support of Joe Paterno. And that means that Paterno lied and covered up the scandal. And basically what Franco is doing is just what everyone else has done. Ignore a horrible thing because it involves Penn State and the legendary Joe Paterno.

I remember hearing a few reports that said Joe stopped McQueary from going into the details...

Joe knew.... PSU knew... trustees knew... and I'm sure coaches around the NCAA knew. There is no way a coach goes from JoePa's heir apparent to never coaching again in the NCAA.

[aggiebones]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

First, I guarantee that Joe knew nothing about rape. But for legal reasons he took himself out of the loop. Frankly, it is not Joe's place to be at the epicenter of such a thing. Even though he ended up there.

This whole thing was handled by POLICE back in 1998 or 2000, sometime around there, I don't remember the timeline. They had Sandusky on phone conversations and conversations with parents. How is Joe Paterno above local police?
He wasn't on Joe's staff in 1999 and if people all knew about it, INCLUDING the police, why didn't the police follow up and take care of it?

Joe was fired immediately and the situation was not and should not have been in his hands. There is not video tape of anything that Joe saw. He got hearsay that he passed on to those that handle such things. The police department needs their arse handed to them.

Joe Paterno is not the law in Happy Valley. The law is the law and they failed those kids, not Joe Paterno, who was probably already half senile then in his mid 70s!

[Dee Dub]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

First, I guarantee that Joe knew nothing about rape. But for legal reasons he took himself out of the loop. Frankly, it is not Joe's place to be at the epicenter of such a thing. Even though he ended up there.

This whole thing was handled by POLICE back in 1998 or 2000, sometime around there, I don't remember the timeline. They had Sandusky on phone conversations and conversations with parents. How is Joe Paterno above local police?
He wasn't on Joe's staff in 1999 and if people all knew about it, INCLUDING the police, why didn't the police follow up and take care of it?

Joe was fired immediately and the situation was not and should not have been in his hands. There is not video tape of anything that Joe saw. He got hearsay that he passed on to those that handle such things. The police department needs their arse handed to them.

Joe Paterno is not the law in Happy Valley. The law is the law and they failed those kids, not Joe Paterno, who was probably already half senile then in his mid 70s!

Wow...seriously? You guarantee Paterno knew nothing about a child being raped in the Penn State Locker room shower?

How do you do that?

So let me get this straight.....McQueary along with his father both felt it necessary to go to Paterno's home to tell him that they saw Sandusky horse playing around in the shower with a 10 year child? McQueary, knowing how powerful and how much his community looks up to Paterno tells a grand jury that he informed Paterno of the rape he witnessed...but you say this isnt true?

Ok......

[grotonsteel]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

What strikes me as odd is where the focus lies with this situation. If I am infurated about anything it's that innocent children were likely raped.

That's why Franc needs to STFU! He can't answer any question without the blind love for Paterno. Dude actually said they should rehire Joe!

Really Franco? In your mind you really think they need to rehire Joe right now to set things straight? Franco is delusional...

I would also add Penn State Students who were rioting need to STFU.

BTW i hope Joe Pa has big backyard so that he can put his statue there once Penn State removes it from their campus.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

What strikes me as odd is where the focus lies with this situation. If I am infurated about anything it's that innocent children were likely raped.

That's why Franc needs to STFU! He can't answer any question without the blind love for Paterno. Dude actually said they should rehire Joe!

Really Franco? In your mind you really think they need to rehire Joe right now to set things straight? Franco is delusional...

I would also add Penn State Students who were rioting need to STFU.

BTW i hope Joe Pa has big backyard so that he can put his statue there once Penn State removes it from their campus.

The number of Penn State students who held a candlelight vigil for the victims of abuse on campus (nearly 10,000) dwarf the few who overturned a TV van on campus.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

Mayor calls on former Steelers great to step down as chairman

Pittsburgh Promise defends Franco Harris

Thursday, November 17, 2011
By Eleanor Chute and Bill Schackner, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



The executive director of the Pittsburgh Promise today defended ex-Steeler Franco Harris after Mayor Luke Ravenstahl demanded Mr. Harris resign as board chairman because of statements regarding the Penn State sex abuse scandal.

Saleem Ghubril, the executive director of the Pittsburgh Promise, said Mr. Harris is a "dedicated and respected" leader of the scholarship program.

Mr. Harris, who played football at Penn State under Joe Paterno decades ago, said Penn State was wrong to fire the famed coach because Mr. Paterno did what he was legally required to do in 2002 by informing a superior about allegations that an assistant coach had sexually assaulted a boy in a campus shower.

Mr. Harris issued a statement later today, saying he was greatly saddened that his personal opinions about a friend and mentor had been interpreted as a disregard for the victims of the alleged abuse.

"Nothing could be further from the truth," he said. "My heart aches for those young people and their families who were violated in the deplorable events at Penn State.

"Those who know me will be aware that during my many years of public service to the Pittsburgh regional community I have held steadfastly to the conviction that the protection and well-being of our children are paramount," he said.

He said he has attempted to "place the victims and their families at the forefront of my concerns while questioning the seeming rush to judgment in the treatment of Joe, who I know is deeply pained and distraught by events now under investigation at Penn State."

Mr. Harris indicated he has no intention of stepping down, saying the Promise's greatest potential lies ahead and as chairman "my misssion is far from complete ... I aim to see the Promise's potential fulfilled."

Neither the mayor nor his spokeswoman, Joanna Doven, could be reachd for comment today.

But in an email to Promise board members Wednesday evening, the mayor pointed to what he said was Mr. Harris' statement sayng saying Penn State trustees failed to give Mr. Paterno the backing he needed.

"I had to re-read it several times to fully comprehend the callous disregard and indifference for the victims of sexual abuse at Penn State," Mr. Ravenstahl stated in the email.

"To so adamantly and vocally defend one man while maintaining silence for those powerless to defend themselves, shows me that you are the wrong man to represent the Pittsburgh Promise and the ideals it embodies.

"When I personally asked you to join the Board of the Pittsburgh Promise, I had every confidence that you would exercise sound judgment in your public life. Sadly, these statements show no regard whatsoever for the well-being of the young victims of sexual abuse and have led me to question your position of trust with the Pittsburgh Promise as Board Chairman.

"It is my ethical and moral responsibility to recognize that you are no longer a suitable representative for any organization, let alone ours, and demand that you resign immediately from the Board of the Pittsburgh Promise."

The Promise board of directors is expected to discuss the matter at its meeting tonight, and Mr. Ghubril said the organization would have no further comment about the mayor's remarks until after that session.

Mr. Ghubril said today that Mr. Harris has shown "compassionate and dedicated mentorship to our students, and (worked) as a tireless advocate of the program within our region and beyond.

"His integrity in all aspects of his service to The Promise is unquestionable," Mr. Ghubril said.

Penn State officials including Mr. Paterno and Penn State President Graham Spanier, who stepped down by mutual agreement, faced growing criticism over Penn State's failure to alert law enforcement to allegations that former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually assaulted a boy in a campus shower in 2002.

[url="http://post-gazette.com/pg/11321/1190672-100-0.stm#ixzz1dzihDX1r"]http://post-gazette.com/pg/11321/119067 ... z1dzihDX1r[/url]

[phillyesq]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

Joe sold his house to his wife for $1 and love and affection this summer. I think he knew this was going to come out. Why else would he do it? Joe knew and he paid the price.

Means nothing. Lots of people do it for various tax and estate purposes.

Philly, I know you're an attorney, but on Colin Cowherd's show yesterday he was talking about this very thing. He indicated that several tax attorneys and attorneys specializing in Elder law looked into this and said that there is virtually Zero tax benefit to doing such a thing.

They said that the only benefit is as a shield against litigation.

FWIW, I'm not an attorney, just relaying what was discussed yesterday.

I know very little about tax law or elder law, but I know a lot of attorneys who have their homes in their spouses name after selling the home for $1. And not sole practitioners or people that would have liability concenrs.

I don't know what the specific benefits are, but I believe that there are benefits other than avoiding litigation exposure. I'm also not sure how much litigation protection such a transfer would offer, if any.

Well, I would think that if civil lawsuits start to become all the rage against Joe Paterno that the only assets that can be used for remuneration are assets that have Joe's name on them. So, by moving the house into his wife's name only, the house couldn't be part of a civil law suit. I could be wrong, but that would be my thoughts on why to transfer the house.

Pappy

Again, this is outside my area of expertise, but a transfer to avoid liability would not seem to offer much protection. It could easily be challenged as a fraudulent conveyance.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

franco has always been a different type cat.

can't agree with him on this issue, though.

[NorthCoast]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

Franco's comments were plain wrong. If he chooses to support Paterno as a friend, then state it. But he was wrong in vilifying the university.
Let due process take its course, then you can place blame where it belongs.

The fact is, anyone associated with Sandusky is now tainted, at least in the public eye, until proven otherwise. Innocence until proven guilty.... ask Roethlisberger how that works.

[feltdizz]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

Franco's comments were plain wrong. If he chooses to support Paterno as a friend, then state it. But he was wrong in vilifying the university.
Let due process take its course, then you can place blame where it belongs.

The fact is, anyone associated with Sandusky is now tainted, at least in the public eye, until proven otherwise. Innocence until proven guilty.... ask Roethlisberger how that works.

Franco never said a word about the victims and he had tons of opportunities do so on National TV last Sunday

When asked about the victims Franco was so wrapped up in Joe he continued to talk about the trustees treatment of Joe. Everytime they tried to move on to the rest of the story Franco kept going back to Joe.

Franco is doing the same thing PSU did 15 years ago when they heard about Sandusky. He is focusing on football instead of the victims.

[ColumbusSteelerFan]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

Franco Harris steps down as Promise chairman

[url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11322/1190817-455.stm"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11322/1190817-455.stm[/url]

Franco Harris steps down as Promise chairman
Friday, November 18, 2011
By Bill Schackner and Eleanor Chute, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Franco Harris stepped aside temporarily as chairman of the Pittsburgh Promise board Thursday while expressing sadness that defending his former coach and mentor at Penn State University, Joe Paterno, was seen by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl as disregard for child sex abuse victims.


Franco Harris"Nothing could be further from the truth," Mr. Harris said, defending recent comments he made in the Penn State sex abuse scandal. "My heart aches for those young people and their families who were violated in the deplorable events at Penn State.

"Those who know me will be aware that during my many years of public service to the Pittsburgh regional community I have held steadfastly to the conviction that the protection and well-being of our children are paramount," he said.

Saleem Ghubril, executive director of the Pittsburgh Promise, which provides college scholarships to graduates of Pittsburgh Public Schools, said Mr. Harris will remain on the board as a full voting member. The Promise board, meeting for several hours Thursday night, will meet again in the next few days to further discuss the matter.

"However, we did affirm without hesitation Franco's integrity, Franco's character and his clear and evident lifetime of service to children," Mr. Ghubril said.

Mr. Harris, who played football under Mr. Paterno decades ago, said university trustees were wrong to fire the famed coach last week because Mr. Paterno did what he was legally required to do in 2002 by informing a superior about allegations that assistant coach Jerry Sandusky had sexually assaulted a boy in a campus shower.

Mr. Ravenstahl apparently chafed at that opinion.

"I had to re-read it several times to fully comprehend the callous disregard and indifference for the victims of sexual abuse at Penn State," he stated in the email sent Wednesday evening to the Promise board.

"To so adamantly and vocally defend one man while maintaining silence for those powerless to defend themselves, shows me that you are the wrong man to represent the Pittsburgh Promise and the ideals it embodies.

"When I personally asked you to join the Board of the Pittsburgh Promise, I had every confidence that you would exercise sound judgment in your public life. Sadly, these statements show no regard whatsoever for the well-being of the young victims of sexual abuse and have led me to question your position of trust with the Pittsburgh Promise as Board Chairman.

"It is my ethical and moral responsibility to recognize that you are no longer a suitable representative for any organization, let alone ours."

Mr. Harris said neither the mayor nor his staff contacted him before sending the email.

Mr. Harris said he has attempted to "place the victims and their families at the forefront of my concerns while questioning the seeming rush to judgment in the treatment of Joe, who I know is deeply pained and distraught by events now under investigation at Penn State."

Earlier Thursday, Mr. Ghubril defended Mr. Harris, calling him a "dedicated and respected" leader of the scholarship program.

Mr. Ghubril said Mr. Harris has shown "compassionate and dedicated mentorship to our students, and [worked] as a tireless advocate of the program within our region and beyond.

"His integrity in all aspects of his service to The Promise is unquestionable," Mr. Ghubril said.

Penn State officials, including Mr. Paterno and Penn State President Graham Spanier, who stepped down by mutual agreement, faced growing criticism over the university's failure to alert law enforcement to allegations that Mr. Sandusky sexually assaulted a boy in a campus shower in 2002.

Staff writer Molly Born contributed. Bill Schackner: 412-263-1977. Eleanor Chute: 412-263-1955

[flippy]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

Franco started getting on my nerves when he started running out of bounds on every carry.

[feltdizz]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

Franco started getting on my nerves when he started running out of bounds on every carry.

so he was always on your nerves.

[pfelix73]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

Well, just watched the Dr. Phil show on this scandal. Franco Harris was on and explained that Paterno is getting the raw deal and that a great man is gonna be destoyed and he should be reinstated as coach. Franco says that this all went up the chain of command and the police WERE contacted. The DA's office said there was not enough to go on and therefore no charges were filed- back in 1998-1999. Then Dr. Phil asked OK- but why was Sandusky allowed back in the buildings afterwards? Franco said that the UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS allowed him access to the buildings, etc.

Franco says everyone just assumes that because Paterno runs the entire school and that this is just absurd. The school still has a Board of Trustees, AD, etc.

He said that this should be about the victims first and foremost- yes, but it wasn't a few weeks ago when they brought the those 1st two guys up on purgury charges....

I was never a JoePa fan or a fan of Penn State even though I'm from PA, but even I can see that a great coach who has devoted over 60 years of his life to that school has gotten a raw deal....

I applaud Franco's loyalty and remarks...Way to go #32...



Oh sheet- I just admitted I watch the Dr. Phil Show,,,OMG

[pfelix73]

Re: Franco Harris loses job for comments supporting Joe Pate

Now CNN reporting Paterno has Lung Cancer...Treatable....

Ok- enough of PSU stuff-