Penn State Removes Paterno Statue

Penn State's removal of the Joe Paterno statue was all but certain once the Freeh Report revealed that the saintly head coach had attempted to conceal the Sandusky scandal since 1998.

Now, Not Later

It is interesting to note that the president of Penn State will either resign or be fired by the Board of Trustees shortly in the wake of the child sex abuse scandal; meanwhile, Joe Paterno has announced that he will resign at the end of the season and that the Board need not concern itself with his status. In other words, the legendary Joe Pa is saying to the world that he's going out on his own terms. Such a move indicates who wields the power on the campuses of big time collegiate athletics. In a rational world, Paterno would be fired forthwith.

A Disgraceful End

The New York Times reports that discussions are underway for legendary Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno to step down amid the arrest of former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky for sexually abusing boys. When told that Sandusky was involved in inappropriate behavior with a boy in a shower, Paterno only reported the incident to his supervisor the athletic director, an action legally sufficient but far short of the mark morally. This is especially damning for an individual and program long regarded as the exemplars of how to operate an above board, transparent manner.