Paterno Family Assembling “Group of Experts” to Challenge Freeh Report Conclusions

All, Penn State Scandal Ty Duffy July 16th. 2012, 2:11pm

The Paterno family is firing back. Dismayed by the Freeh Report’s implication Joe Paterno covered up Jerry Sandusky’s sexual abuse, the family has told its lawyer to assemble “a group of experts” to conduct its own investigation. Their experts could spend months if not years mining the Freeh Report’s materials to find evidence of Joe Paterno’s innocence.

“We are dismayed by, and vehemently disagree with, some of the conclusions and assertions and the process by which they were developed by the Freeh Group,” Wick Sollers, the lawyer for the Paterno family, said in a statement Monday. “Mr. Freeh presented his opinions and interpretations as if they were absolute facts. We believe numerous issues in the report, and his commentary, bear further review.”

Surely, a group of clearly biased individuals employed to find a specific conclusion can provide some clarity to the eight-month exhaustive analysis of millions of documents performed by an independent group headed by the former head of the FBI. Perhaps, Bill James will make his expert services available. He has read a lot of crime literature, you guys.

[Photo via Getty]

Previously: Penn State Has No Plans to Take Down Joe Paterno’s Statue
Previously: Bill James Needs to Stop Defending Joe Paterno Because He Sounds Like an Imbecile
Previously: Freeh Report Fallout: Could Penn State Be Shut Down by the Department of Education?
Previously: Freeh Report Implicates Joe Paterno in Active Coverup of Sandusky Scandal

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52 Responses to “Paterno Family Assembling “Group of Experts” to Challenge Freeh Report Conclusions”

1
mizerle06 is sarah phillips Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:15 PM
Surely, a group of clearly biased individuals employed to find a specific conclusion can provide some clarity to the eight-month exhaustive analysis of millions of documents performed by an independent group headed by the former head of the FBI
ha. awesome.
2
A.P. Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:16 PM
I can’t imagine what it is like to live with a myopic, sheltered worldview where common sense and logic is ignored.
3
Roethlishotdog Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:17 PM
Surely, a group of clearly biased individuals employed to find a specific conclusion can provide some clarity to the eight-month exhaustive analysis of millions of documents performed by an independent group headed by the former head of the FBI.
Many people had the same opinion when the PSU BOT hired Freeh.
4
KC Resident Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:18 PM
The best thing they could do is just be done with it.
5
A.P. Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:18 PM
I feel sorry for people like Caribou who works at the university. He’s one of the few sane, wide-eyed people that lives/works there and he has to deal with the continued cult of paterno shitheads. He was talking about that here this weekend
6
Milk Steak To Go Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:19 PM
It’s almost* sad watching the Paterno clan and their supporters at this point.
* almost cause JoePA enabled child rape for at least 11 years.
7
Some Random Old Dude Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:20 PM
What a waste. There are times where I hate the concept of “legacy”. The family is fighting a battle already lost.
Regardless of the findings, public perception of the old, dead coach won’t change.
8
A.P. Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:20 PM
The university will be better off once people realize that they can survive without Paterno. More and more, it seems like Paterno just cared about himself and his team, everyone else be damned.
9
BFFredo Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:21 PM
Wouldn’t have been better to not announce their own “group of experts” but quietly go about doing the investigation? That way, if there’s any mistakes/misconceptions/errors, you can bring them to light when the ire and rancor has died down and people are more willing to listen?
10
mizerle06 is sarah phillips Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:22 PM
I feel sorry for people like Caribou who works at the university. He’s one of the ~~few sane, wide-eyed people that lives/works there and he has to deal with the continued cult of paterno shitheads~~ rapists too. He was talking about that here this weekend
all I could hear.
11
oranjebleeder Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:22 PM
Anybody have any idea when the Feds start working this case? Just seems like Freeh’s group teed it up.
12
JDiddy3000 Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:23 PM
The best thing they could do is just be done with it.
This has little to do with legacy and more to do with sons finding work and estate loosing million$.
13
Some Random Old Dude Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:24 PM
This has little to do with legacy and more to do with sons finding work and estate loosing million$.
In this case, I thought both were directly connected.
14
A.P. Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:24 PM
Miz, unfair characterIzation. He’s never been an apologist for paterno. I do understand your mindset, though
15
Milk Steak To Go Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:25 PM
sons finding work
I find it hard to believe that Jay hasn’t found a job as QB coach or OC at the division I level.
/sarcasm
16
mizerle06 is sarah phillips Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:26 PM
Miz, unfair characterIzation. He’s never been an apologist for paterno. I do understand your mindset, though
dude. it was a joke. I don’t have that mindset.
17
Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez has the highest WAR evah! Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:27 PM
Surely, a group of clearly biased individuals employed to find a specific conclusion can provide some clarity.
sort of like Freeh and PSU? I agree.
18
spencer096 Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:27 PM
your group of experts? “they were just encouraging the development of young sexual prodigies in a maritime environment.”
19
arkbadger Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:28 PM
This has little to do with legacy and more to do with sons finding work and estate loosing million$.
if Jay Paterno wasn’t a shitty coach, he wouldn’t have a hard time finding a job anywhere.
20
spencer096 Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:28 PM
at least pretend like you’ve followed golf before, espn golf writer, gene wojo…wojo…not-gonna-work-here-anymore.
21
KC Resident Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:31 PM
This has little to do with legacy and more to do with sons finding work and estate loosing million$.
This makes it worse, but I see how they think that angle might pan out for them.
22
JDiddy3000 Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:31 PM
if Jay Paterno wasn’t a shitty coach, he wouldn’t have a hard time finding a job anywhere.
Shitty coaching is synonymous with CFB coaching (Exhibit A – Les Miles)
23
JDiddy3000 Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:36 PM
And what got left out after trying to post 3 times…
Coaching skill isn’t as important in CFB coaching, recruiting is, and I don’t see people hiring a recruiting nightmare on their staff.
“Hey, you want to go to Blah Blah State? Watch out for Jay Paterno. Want to know what I heard about him?”
24
GloriousMullet Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:36 PM
at least pretend like you’ve followed golf before, espn golf writer, gene wojo…wojo…not-gonna-work-here-anymore
I told those fudge-packers I liked Michael Bolton’s music.
25
scripty Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:39 PM
Tiger and Sergio in the same pairing. Spencersplosion.
26
Babar 2.0 Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:39 PM
Coaching skill isn’t as important in CFB coaching, recruiting is, and I don’t see people hiring a recruiting nightmare on their staff.
Mack Brown has no idea what you are talking about.
27
arkbadger Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:41 PM
Coaching skill isn’t as important in CFB coaching, recruiting is, and I don’t see people hiring a recruiting nightmare on their staff.
maybe in this case, but Arkansas kept Paul Petrino on staff and that is setting it up on a tee for getting recruited against. it helps he is a good coach and Jay Paterno isn’t, but still.
28
scripty Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:42 PM
Gene Wojo needs a therapist. Good writer, but I’d wager he has some depression. I’d think maybe he just has a terrible disposition all the time but every so often he has a very good piece that displays he either gets good drugs or isn’t depresed 24/7. I’d say he is the ESPN employee who needs to go to a PostSecret forum.
29
arkbadger Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:42 PM
Shitty coaching is synonymous with CFB coaching (Exhibit A – Les Miles)
I’m not a Miles fan, but I would love to have him as Arkansas coach.
30
ohheelyeah Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:42 PM
sort of like Freeh and PSU? I agree.
This this this.
Penn State (the university who wants to cover its ass) hires Freeh
Free does “research”
“Research” pins blame solely on ONLY those who were already implicated of wrong-doing.
Now lets be adults about this: are you seriously telling me that Freeh has overturned every stone and chased every sing lead? There is not the slightest chance that this was a report built to a specific conclusion? There is seriously no one else at all involved in any of this or guilty of any wrong doing? I find that a little hard to believe, and maybe so do JoePa’s relatives.
/not a JoePa homer/fan/supporter/admirer of any sort
//also not a fan of people who take one report for ABSOLUTE FACT and then dismisses anyone else who disagrees or may find fault with it
31
molemaninthemorning Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:45 PM
Top men.
32
molemaninthemorning Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:47 PM
Now lets be adults about this: are you seriously telling me that Freeh has overturned every stone and chased every sing lead?
Considering he didn’t have subpoena power and a lot of people involved refused to talk to him, no. His report wasn’t complete, but anything further that comes out won’t refute the hard evidence he found, it will only expand on it and bring others into the fold of culpability.
33
scripty Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:50 PM
it’s not like Freeh had subpeona power or anything. He talked to most parties invloved for the univeristy.
If a kid that was raped sues the school, then maybe, with somebody that can serve a ton of depositions, then maybe you gets some better info.
34
cleet Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:51 PM
Now lets be adults about this: are you seriously telling me that Freeh has overturned every stone and chased every sing lead? There is not the slightest chance that this was a report built to a specific conclusion? There is seriously no one else at all involved in any of this or guilty of any wrong doing? I find that a little hard to believe, and maybe so do JoePa’s relatives.
How very Truther of you.
35
Roethlishotdog Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:53 PM
The one thing I find amusing in all of this is how quickly public opinion has swayed from: Paterno is a doddering figurehead on the sidelines – look at him – he has no clue what’s going on, etc.
To: He’s the mastermind behind a vast criminal conspiracy to protect the university and the football program. Nothing gets done up there without Joe’s approval, he had to know exactly what was going on.
Obviously, like most things, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
36
spencer096 Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:53 PM
Now lets be adults about this: are you seriously telling me that Freeh has overturned every stone and chased every sing lead? There is not the slightest chance that this was a report built to a specific conclusion? There is seriously no one else at all involved in any of this or guilty of any wrong doing? I find that a little hard to believe, and maybe so do JoePa’s relatives.
counterpoint: they did turn over the stone that proved paterno was covering up for a pederast. not sure there’s a 2nd shooter here brah.
37
ms621 Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:53 PM
Top men.
Nice.
38
ohheelyeah Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:53 PM
mole – I think thats what I was trying to get at, but just couldn’t get it out. This thing may be far more expansive than we originally thought, and there is a small chance that JoePa winds up looking a lot better than others. I do feel, however, that even if they find more people involved or greater levels of deceit, Paterno’s legacy will only continue to decline.
39
spencer096 Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 2:57 PM
The one thing I find amusing in all of this is how quickly public opinion has swayed from: Paterno is a doddering figurehead on the sidelines – look at him – he has no clue what’s going on, etc.
To: He’s the mastermind behind a vast criminal conspiracy to protect the university and the football program. Nothing gets done up there without Joe’s approval, he had to know exactly what was going on.
Obviously, like most things, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
as long as public opinion considers him an overrated california raisin of a coach, im cool with it.
/osu jr.
40
scripty Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:00 PM
This Paterno deal also demonstrates one of the great dangers of sports; not to life and limb, although that does sometimes take place. I’m talking about folklore.
41
vajayjay redick Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:04 PM
The one thing I find amusing in all of this is how quickly public opinion has swayed from: Paterno is a doddering figurehead on the sidelines – look at him – he has no clue what’s going on, etc.
To: He’s the mastermind behind a vast criminal conspiracy to protect the university and the football program. Nothing gets done up there without Joe’s approval, he had to know exactly what was going on.
Obviously, like most things, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
It could be both. He’s been pretty doddering for the past few years – but these events happened more than a decade ago. Having seen it with my grandfather recently, you can lose it pretty quickly.
42
Roethlishotdog Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:07 PM
What really needs to happen ASAP is the Curley or Schultz trial. Rumors are circling that Curley is in bad shape (don’t forget – he has lung cancer as well). Schultz may be able to defend himself by pointing the finger at two deceased individuals if a) the rumor is true and b) this delays much longer.
43
cleet Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:08 PM
He’s the mastermind behind a vast criminal conspiracy to protect the university and the football program. Nothing gets done up there without Joe’s approval, he had to know exactly what was going on.
There was no masterminding or vast criminal conspiracy going on. He had a coach who was raping kids on his watch and he convinced the higher-ups to sweep it under the rug. You don’t have to make it through a whole half of football without shitting your pants to accomplish this.
44
Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez has the highest WAR evah! Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:10 PM
There’s a difference between discovering new evidence and drawing a conclusion based on evidence already out there plus inferring a conclusion on incomplete information. That’s what this is, and thats what Penn State paid for.
45
spencer096 Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:13 PM
What really needs to happen ASAP is the Curley or Schultz trial. Rumors are circling that Curley is in bad shape (don’t forget – he has lung cancer as well). Schultz may be able to defend himself by pointing the finger at two deceased individuals if a) the rumor is true and b) this delays much longer.
hey judas…make room, youve got a new roommate in your circle of hell.
46
ol' scrappy grinder Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:14 PM
To: He’s the mastermind
Not the mastermind, just the figurehead. Repeatedly, Curly, Schultz and Spanier emails refer to “Coach” when deciding what to do about the 2001 incident and how the 98 invistigation was going.
behind a vast criminal conspiracy to protect the university and the football program.
I wouldn’t call 4, maybe 5 people, a vast, but don’t let that strawman stop you. Oh yeah, Schultz changed his mind about going to the police after “talking it over with Joe [Paterno].”
Nothing gets done up there without Joe’s approval, he had to know exactly what was going on.
Another strawman for “nothing”. I’m sure when Matt Millen gives his advice on recruits, any sane coach wouldn’t bring that to Joe. But his former defensive coordinator diddling children might be something that JoePa, paragon of the “Grand Expirment”, might want to be aware of. At least a low-level assistant at the time thought so when he went to Joe’s house on a Saturday.
Obviously, like most things, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
Just like everything in life!
47
jthussler Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:16 PM
Penn State (the university who wants to cover its ass) hires Freeh
Free does “research”
“Research” pins blame solely on ONLY those who were already implicated of wrong-doing.
What doesn’t make sense about this line of thinking is that the Freeh report doesn’t necessarily paint Penn State in a good light. The university hired and employed corrupt people, who enabled a child molester. I don’t think anyone really reads the Freeh report and comes to the conclusion that Penn State “looks okay.”
48
scripty Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:27 PM
Sources close to the Jerry Sandusky case say that three men have come forward and told police that they were abused in the 1970s or 1980s by the convicted pedophile.
49
Sir Spicious Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:33 PM
http://www.businessinsider.com/penn-state-investigator-louis-freeh-accused-of-heading-a-massive-cover-up-as-director-of-fbi-2012-7
50
spencer096 Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:35 PM
http://www.businessinsider.com/penn-state-investigator-louis-freeh-accused-of-heading-a-massive-cover-up-as-director-of-fbi-2012-7
ah business insider…the blog founded buy a guy accused of fraud. i guess if your glass house’s windows are already shattered, you can throw as many rocks as you want.
51
Walking Underwear Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 3:39 PM
Re: 48….so it wasnt just a midlife crisis!
52
Rat Face Krzyzewski Says:
July 16th, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Unless your last name is Paterno, there’s no excuse for continuing to defend JoePa. He’s not a deity. Please find a new, more worthy cause to champion… like victims of sexual abuse.