HBO seems to be in the revisionist history business with “Paterno”

I watched Paterno on HBO. I thought that they did an excellent job, though it deserved more than 2 hours. IMO, this is a story that required 4-6 hours to tell.

For those who felt that HBO might be trying to cover for anyone in this movie - watch it. They pulled no punches. They closed the movie with a phone call in which a victim called the reporter who broke the story. The victim tells the reporter that he told Paterno about being abused by Sandusky in 1976 and Paterno shut him down, telling him that Sandusky was a good man and that he shouldn't say things like that about such a good man.

The movie left me with a lot of questions about our society. The fans at PSU (as portrayed in the film) acted exactly as we see them - with no regard for the victims at all.

Worth your time if you are interested in this sort of thing, but it isn't about football. They spend almost no time on the game.

I watched as well and agree with your opinion on the movie completely. That last scene indicating Paterno knew about Sandusky as early as 1976 was a pretty strong ending statement. HBO did not do the Paterno family or Penn State any favors in the way this story was portrayed.

B1GTide said:

I watched Paterno on HBO. I thought that they did an excellent job, though it deserved more than 2 hours. IMO, this is a story that required 4-6 hours to tell.

For those who felt that HBO might be trying to cover for anyone in this movie - watch it. They pulled no punches. They closed the movie with a phone call in which a victim called the reporter who broke the story. The victim tells the reporter that he told Paterno about being abused by Sanduski in 1976 and Paterno shut him down, telling him that Sanduski was a good man and that he shouldn't say things like that about such a good man.

The movie left me with a lot of questions about our society. The fans at PSU (as portrayed in the film) acted exactly as we see them - with no regard for the victims at all.

Worth your time if you are interested in this sort of thing, but it isn't about football. They spend almost no time on the game.

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If Joe Pa knew about Jerry and what he did, then why didn’t he fire him??? I mean does loyalty mean that much to people?! Was there any talk of this back in the 80’s, 90’s or even 00’s?

BamaJama17 said:

If Joe Pa knew about Jerry and what he did, then why didn’t he fire him??? I mean does loyalty mean that much to people?! Was there any talk of this back in the 80’s, 90’s or even 00’s?

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One of many questions that will never be answered.

CrimsonTheory said:

One of many questions that will never be answered.

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Or better yet, how did NOBODY come forward...

BamaJama17 said:

Or better yet, how did NOBODY come forward...

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I think that had everything to do with who he preyed upon and the decade that it seemed to have started. This is a sad story and Penn State should be ashamed of it.


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Con said:

I think that had everything to do with who he preyed upon and the decade that it seemed to have started. This is a sad story and Penn State should be ashamed of it.

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But instead of doing that they are gonna get the guy from Key and Peele to be part of some sob story segment on gameday about how much adversity THEY had to overcome.

STONECOLDSABAN said:

But instead of doing that they are gonna get the guy from Key and Peele to be part of some sob story segment on gameday about how much adversity THEY had to overcome.

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He’s a Penn State alum. Just another circling wagon I suppose.

That’s what’s so disgusting about the fan base’s response. Rather than the disgust, anger, and remorse that just about everyone else had, they chose to circle the wagons to protect the PSU and Paterno brands. There’s absolutely nothing defensable about the two brands with regard to how either handled decades of known and, at the time, ongoing child molestation.

Talk about “tone-deaf”. Absolute and unqualified contrition was what was called for. They went 180 in the wrong direction by circling the wagons.

I have a hard time believing that a man who worked at a place that long did not know what was happening. I truly believe that this was not a story of loyalty, though. I think it was self-interest. Joe Pa knew a scandal like this would derail his chance to catch CPB and the record for wins. THIS is why he didn't report it.

I have little respect for a school and coach who let these atrocities happen.

Paterno failed to report it many times, dating all the way back to 1976. I am much younger than he, but I understand that things were done much differently back then. There is a reason that most child and spousal abuse goes unreported in the world, even today. But back then - you just didn't.

Not making excuses for the man or the school - you guys know what I have come to think of both - but we have to remember that when we consider his motivation. His crime was probably in not giving the allegations any credence at all, not in recognizing the child abuser in his midst and allowing him to go unpunished.

What is clear, however, is that the school administration knew exactly what Sandusky was. What they did deserved their imprisonment.

B1GTide said:

Paterno failed to report it many times, dating all the way back to 1976. I am much younger than he, but I understand that things were done much differently back then. There is a reason that most child and spousal abuse goes unreported in the world, even today. But back then - you just didn't.

Not making excuses for the man or the school - you guys know what I have come to think of both - but we have to remember that when we consider his motivation. His crime was probably in not giving the allegations any credence at all, not in recognizing the child abuser in his midst and allowing him to go unpunished.

What is clear, however, is that the school administration knew exactly what Sandusky was. What they did deserved their imprisonment.

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Well, all I know is that there are more than a couple of people who had better hope that asking for forgiveness of the Man upstairs is all that`s necessary. If not, more than one soul is in deep kimchi.

I watched this last night and I thought it was a boring movie. I'm not talking about the facts and whether or not they are accurate, just that I found the movie rather dull and uninteresting. I thought the script was poor and slow and the acting just okay (even disappointed in Pacino's performance). Just not a very good movie IMO.

A whole bunch of former players have, predictably, come out and condemned the movie. PSU fans and former players are disgusting in their willingness to willfully ignore the facts of this case in a effort to preserve the image of Paterno and their school.

I think it looked really, really bad for Joe Pa and his legacy that he hung around as long as he did. It was a bad situation all around.


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I have no horse in this race..but agree with BIG. Pretty good movie and fair with the facts...and I followed the scandal pretty closely, knowing lots of Penn State alum up here in DC. It did not go easy on JoePa.

tlockwood said:

I have a hard time believing that a man who worked at a place that long did not know what was happening. I truly believe that this was not a story of loyalty, though. I think it was self-interest. Joe Pa knew a scandal like this would derail his chance to catch CPB and the record for wins. THIS is why he didn't report it.

I have little respect for a school and coach who let these atrocities happen.

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A scandal like this - had he reported Sandusky at least in 1998 - would have made him that embodiment of all that was right & likely kept him around without serious challenge at PSU. This is the problem a lot of us have: he could have been what his reputation was. But now we find out after his disparaging of Jackie Sherrill that Paterno himself was a problem.

selmaborntidefan said:

A scandal like this - had he reported Sandusky at least in 1998 - would have made him that embodiment of all that was right & likely kept him around without serious challenge at PSU. This is the problem a lot of us have: he could have been what his reputation was. But now we find out after his disparaging of Jackie Sherrill that Paterno himself was a problem.

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He simply didn't want to tarnish his legacy. He knew what Sandusky done and was simply too deep. Like in the movie, he was called as far back as '76 and he defended the sicko. As for PSU fans, they want to be Bama so bad it's killing them. They could care less "how" they get there. If I knew Coach Saban did something like this, I wouldn't care how many titles we won. I'd be sick. But not PSU fans, as long as they got the winningest (or was) coach in America they had/have something to brag about. They're ALL sick!

230kv_barehand said:

He simply didn't want to tarnish his legacy. He knew what Sandusky done and was simply too deep. Like in the movie, he was called as far back as '76 and he defended the sicko. As for PSU fans, they want to be Bama so bad it's killing them. They could care less "how" they get there. If I knew Coach Saban did something like this, I wouldn't care how many titles we won. I'd be sick. But not PSU fans, as long as they got the winningest (or was) coach in America they had/have something to brag about. They're ALL sick!

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The same basic scenario plays out in almost every sport (USA Gymnastics/Swimming), every country, across nearly all businesses (Hollywood, Restaurant Industry, Fox News, Me Too movement), and in nearly every place where you have high successful people in charge of or supported by large groups.

I agree there's a sickness to humanity that so many otherwise good people are willing to root for their "team" almost no matter what and ignore the heinous actions of their leaders when they are personally invested/personally gaining.

We humans seriously need to grow up and stop 1. ignoring or not seriously investigating people accused of harming others, 2. stop protecting/holding in high esteem those who are clearly guilty of crimes/harm to other people. This goes across sports, business, entertainment, and of course politics.

I won't hold my breathe though, especially not for our beloved sports fans or political junkies. :0)

I can’t wait for their next college coach film, “Pitino.” It will send chills down your leg.