Joe Paterno retiring as Penn State's head football coach at the end of the 2011 season was his own decision, according to Sara Ganim of The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Penn., who cites a source close to Paterno.
If that much is true, then the rest of Ganim's report, which is that Paterno has had no contact with the Penn State Board of Trustees thus far, Paterno may not be entirely out of danger of being fired. The Board of Trustees promised an investigation and "swift, decisive action" after a Tuesday meeting, and Paterno independently making the decision to retire after the 2011 season and finish out his career as the Nittany Lions' head coach could rankle the Board further.
Paterno's comment on the Board of Trustees in a statement he released announcing his retirement suggests he is making this decision for their benefit:
At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can.
But that could well embolden a Board that could be interested in making the ultimate call on Paterno to consider firing a man who has become ingrained in American sports as the leader of Penn State over a career that spans more than 60 years at the school.
For more on the Nittany Lions, visit Penn State blog Black Shoe Diaries. Follow all of SB Nation's coverage of the Jerry Sandusky investigation in our StoryStream.
2 comments
1
Comments
Who will fire him?
The Board itself is in this up to their eyeballs. The same is true of the AD and Pres, as well as much of the coaching staff. His claims he knew nothing or little are simply not credible. This is a small community within a small town, and anyone who has lived in a small town knows they are gossip factories. Even if he knew Sandusky had done some inappropriate things with children without knowing the severity of the activities, he should have cut him off from the program no later than 2002, and certainly not 2009. Sandusky “retired” in 1999 when he was the heir-apparent. JoePa is a gregarious guy, yet I read he barely spoke for a minute at the retirement party of a man he once considered a close friend and successor. This does not sound like the actions of someone who knew little or nothing. That said, the truth will out.
One thing I don’t get is why the GA didn’t just call the cops when he allegedly saw Sandusky anally raping a 10 year old boy. The proper sequence of events would be: 1) Stop the assault to protect the child; 2) call the cops; 3) call Athletic Department officials. If he was not confident in his ability to stop the assault, he should have proceeded directly to step 2. If any good comes of this, I hope universities around the country review their procedures for dealing with this type of situation. Predators have all sorts of jobs and come from all walks of life. Even if they can’t be prevented before the fact, the damage they cause can, at the very least, be mitigated.
I will put an asterisk next to an Alabama Crimson Tide "fake national title" the second one is given. That day has not and will never come. But to be fair, I'll give you 1941 if you give me 1945 and the Missing Ring of 1966.
by NewAnachronism on Nov 9, 2011 11:03 AM EST reply actions
Penn State can't allow Paterno or Mike McQueary
to coach after this weekend. They’re safe at home in the friendly confines of Beaver Stadium. But can you imagine the circus in Columbus and Madison, Wisc.? It would get really ugly, really fast.
The school can’t let ANYONE with knowledge of this incident go on the road to represent it.
"There's only one god, and his name is Death. And what do we say to Death? Not today!" --- Syrio Forel, Game of Thrones
by cesarhernandez on Nov 9, 2011 12:00 PM EST reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed