As difficult as this was, the Board of Trustees handled it using the "Exxon Valdez" response when they could have been the "Tylenol" example.
Not getting out in front of this when the news broke Saturday, Nov. 5 and allowing a runaway media to establish the message and story line, was a monumental blunder.
For the new president, Rodney Erickson, to be spending the past month playing defense instead of telling the world all that is good about Penn State and our model football program is very disturbing.
And now he says he wants to "rethink" the football program? He is playing right into the lousy message that was allowed to be established and one he apparently does not want to change. This makes me and thousands of other alumni sick.
These are two - or should be two - different issues. An alleged pedophile (and possibly others who were compliant) who should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and a quality university and football program.
If the Board of Trustees got out in front of this mess from Day 1, these could have been separated and Penn State would have regained control and/or changed the message the media was in a rush to establish. Not to mention the fact that a true legend, Joe Paterno, would have been spared an unjust and cowardly firing without due process.
This could have been done showing Penn State's utmost compassion for the victims. Instead, we have allowed a blanket indictment of the entire university and football program and have perhaps caused irreparable damage, most of which I argue is self inflicted.
Tim Muri
Naperville, Ill.
PSU will be stronger
Penn State University will come out of this as a much better university and set the new standard for ethics by doing things the right way.
It will become the torch bearer for other institutions of higher learning to learn from this school's mistakes. And I believe this is only the tip of the iceberg.
What has happened at Penn State and Syracuse is only the beginning where other scandals will come out involving other universities and colleges.
Les Hart
Duncansville
At Penn State, business as usual
I learned three things today:
1. Fighting in the locker room is an "activity."
2. Shoplifting Gatorade is a "prank."
3. Nothing has changed at Penn State. It's business as usual.
Rick Plack
Martinsburg
