Joe Paterno/Penn State Defenders: Here's Your Chance To Make Your Case

As tends to happen now whenever we write about Penn State, the discussion below our post Wednesday about Graham Spanier and the Freeh report quickly filled up with Penn State supporters responding with varying degrees of anger. (Some exchanges were ultimately reasonable; others were not.)

We now want to open the floor for a more rational discussion. No snark. No bullshit. No whining about media bias. You are hereby encouraged to present an argument on behalf of Penn State and Joe Paterno. Why do you think they've been unfairly maligned? Cite evidence. Provide an alternative explanation. We will moderate the discussion to the best of our abilities. Dumbassery will get buried. Nastiness will be sent to the quiet corner. Make your case, and let others make theirs in response, and let's have ourselves a lively, intelligent debate.

Update (9:20 a.m.): I have other work to do, so I'm not replying to any more comments. Feel free to keep the discussion going. Thanks to all who participated.