It was only a matter of time and assembling a game plan...
So now, officially, taking issue with the Freeh Report the Paternos, trustees, and former players are taking on the NCAA in court. The university itself is not a party in the suit since they agreed to the sanctions set forth by the NCAA which included a four-year bowl ban, wiping 111 wins off the books from Joe Paterno's record, a $60-million fine, and a serious amount of scholarship cuts.
Here's the excerpt from the show involving Bob Costas and Paterno family attorney, Wick Sollers...
The NCAA hasn't received any information involving the Paterno interest and was not in a position to comment on the lawsuit itself. And neither is Penn State: "Despite our request, the Paterno family has not shared any information about its planned legal action," chief legal officer Donald Remy said in a statement. "We remain committed to working with Penn State toward the continued successful completion of our voluntary agreement with the university and to working" with the NCAA's independent monitor, former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell.
The issue the HQ has with the Paternos and all involved in the lawsuit- the university signed off on the whole thing.
Give it up, pack it in, and otherwise stop...
The decisions made by those in power reflected an inherent desire to hide the facts and hide the hideous acts of a warped individual who is, thankfully, serving the remainder of his days in jail.
You don't see the Sandusky family chasing this rainbow...
All this reflects is the amount of hubris and ego that the Paternos have in a vain attempt at revisionist history...
The HQ considers Jacksonville sports director Dan Hicken to be a part of the FOSG fraternity... one we consider as friend, confidant, and source for everything First Coast...
Brother Phil has even been threatened that Hicken would re-hire him at the drop of a hat... something the HQ will fight with all the resources we have...
Hick has been Sports Director since 1991, so he has seen the shenanigans that happen when network broadcasts go over their allotted time...
Doesn't mean he's happy about it...
Before we go, the HQ gives a tip-of-the-hat to main adult table sitter Donna Deegan as she heads into news retirement and will devote her time fully to her Foundation...
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Or so it seemed to go in the 3rd day of testimony in the trial of former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.
Fresh off of Tuesday, where testimony from witnesses and a revelation about a "Secret File" made for theatrics, Wednesday was not nearly as dramatic.
Though it did feature the infamous Sandusky/Bob Costas interview and more importantly, the testimony of a Janitor who allegedly saw Sandusky having sex with a child in a shower at the Penn State athletic facility.
There was some question as to whether Jim Calhoun was going to be allowed as a witness. Calhoun, who worked at the school for many years, now suffers from dementia.
But the judge allowed his testimony, and a co-worker at that time, Ronald Petrosky, detailed--graphically, the account Calhoun gave him on that long night, some 12-years ago.
Read a full story on the testimony from Yahoo Sports RIGHT HERE
Okay, between the janitor and the Bob Costas interview, several things seem to be standing out here.
The biggest.
This is totally a case based on semantics. At least in the eyes of Sandusky and his lawyer Joe Amendola.
Through all the publicity, all the hype, the interviews and testimony there is one thing that stands out here.
Sandusky has yet to totally or vehemently deny any of this.
Yeah, sure he's claimed to not have had "Sex" with the boys. But he all but admits to doing inappropriate acts with them. On multiple occasions he's said "He may have touched their leg" etc. But never has he denied doing even some of the things he is accused of.
Wrapping things up, Judge John Cleland said in court today that he anticipates the prosecution wrapping up their case by the end of this week. Amendola would start next week. And considering what he has to work with, we don't anticipate that taking long either.
An interview with Bob Costas on the "Dan Patrick Show" alluded to an advancement of the Jerry Sandusky story. Costas didn't want to jinx or go into any kind of further detail on the advancement and what it could be if it happened...
He admitted that, if it didn't, he and "RockCenter" host Brian Williams would be just two guys chatting in chairs on a set- not advancing much of anything...
Instead, this is part of what we got...
((HT: MSNBC.com/NBC and "RockCenter"))
But the biggest goof on the day comes from Sandusky's attorney, Joe Amendola, who actually went head-to-head with CNN's Jason Carroll...
((HT: CNN))
Really...
Really...???
An old man showering with a young kid and it's "horsing around..."
Seriously...
And the defense in the media begins...
In the first segment on "RockCenter," Costas asked Sandusky why Mike McQueary would say what he did in the grand jury presentment. Sandusky told Costas that what McQueary said was false...
Costas: "What, then, would his motive to be to lie?"
Sandusky: "You'd have to ask him."
Sandusky's recollection was that the child turned on all the showers himself and was sliding across the floor- and that they were possibly snapping towels and may have been involved in "horseplay." He could also could not "exactly recall" the conversation he had with the one victim's mother where the presentment relayed that Sandusky told the mother that "he wished he were dead."
Sandusky, when asked about the 2000 incident where the Penn State janitor allegedly saw Sandusky giving oral sex in the shower, said that did not happen.
Joe Amendola was asked by Costas about their case. Amendola said that he expects that a number of kids will come forward and say the events portrayed never happened. Amendola also thinks that he and his legal team have identified the victim McQueary says he saw in the shower. Amendola is confident that the victim will say the incident never happened...
Costas then asked Amendola is he would leave his own children alone with Sandusky.
Amendola replied, "Absolutely."
It was also revealed by Sandusky, under questioning by Costas, that Joe Paterno never spoke directly to him about alleged behavior. Sandusky's only regret seems to be that he "showered with those kids."
Costas asked Sandusky if he was sexually attracted to young boys. He denied any interest. Costas also asked Sandusky if he thought he was a "monster."
Sandusky: "Let's just say if somehow they could hang on... that's about all I could ask right now."
