Paterno has cancelled press conference

[ScreamingMeemie]

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/paterno-cancels-news-conference-amid-scandal-14905407

snip-

Penn State administrators have canceled Joe Paterno's weekly news conference in which he was expected to field questions about a sex abuse scandal involving a former assistant coach.

Paterno's son Scott tells The Associated Press on Tuesday that the decision was made by President Graham Spanier's office.

Scott Paterno says his father was disappointed and was prepared to take questions about the scandal as well as the upcoming game against Nebraska.

-snip

[Condem]

1. This boggles my mind...

...http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7207465/penn-state-nittany-lions-sex-abuse-scandal-jerry-sandusky-was-campus-last-week-reports-say

[joeybee12]

2. JoePa is simply a figurehead and has been for several years...

There would have been actual questions at this press conference, and he's no longer capable of answering actual questions.

[fishwax]

3. the New York Times reporting that the school is planning his exit

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/sports/ncaafootball/penn-state-said-to-be-planning-paternos-exit.html?_r=1&hp

"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Joe Paterno’s tenure as coach of the Penn State football team will soon be over, perhaps within days or weeks, in the wake of a sex-abuse scandal that has implicated university officials, according to two people briefed on conversations among the university’s top officials.

"The board of trustees has yet to determine the precise timing of Paterno’s exit, but it is clear that the man who has more victories than any other coach at college football’s top level and who made Penn State a prestigious brand will not survive to coach another season. Discussions about how to manage his departure have begun, according to the two people."

[joeybee12]

4. I bet they announce he resigns at the end of the season and hope

that takes some of the focus/attention off them.

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. I don't often agree with Colin Cowherd, but I do this morning.

It should be an open and shut, "See ya..."

[fishwax]

9. yep -- I agree

[SpiralHawk]

6. Huskers are favored by 2 points

'spose JoPa can't handle the heat?

[hughee99]

7. This whole thing many not have seen the light of day

if the boosters weren't finally fed up with Paterno. Bringing this information out was their way to force him out.

[charlie and algernon]

8. But they're 8-1 with a straight shot to the Big Ten Championship in Indy

Why the hell would the boosters blow that up? If this were a couple years ago, I'd be in agreement that it was the boosters, but this year makes absolutely zero sense.

[hughee99]

11. They're not 8-1 because of Paterno's genius, his coaching, or his

recruiting. They've played 1 ranked opponent so far, at home, and lost and their three toughest games are still to come. It's time to get a new coach (hell, it was time 10 years ago), and no one of any quality will take the job as JoPa's assistant.

[charlie and algernon]

15. but still, say you're a booster sitting on an explosive story that could take out Paterno

why would you wait for when Penn State is actually ranked in the BCS and has the best record in the Big Ten to release it?

Granted, the ideal time it should've come out was in 2002, but it didn't unfortunately. I'm just not buying into your theory that the boosters released it to take out Paterno because THIS year they're finally doing well. If the aim is to take out Paterno, you don't release it at a time when you could destroy the football team that's in the middle of a good run.

[hughee99]

16. See below, the ball started rolling on this years ago.

The EXACT timing of this wasn't completely under a booster's control, this was in the works for years. Besides, Penn State isn't going to the Rose Bowl. They're in the top 10 now for the same reason Michigan was a few weeks ago. They haven't beaten ANYONE, but they've managed to only lose to a high ranked team that they never had a chance against. Personally, I don't even think they'll make be Big 10 championship.

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. I would hope not.

I would hope that others, if they were aware of this, would have taken action sooner.

[hughee99]

13. I'd like to think that, but I don't believe it's true

This is almost a decade old, and I think it was only allowed to come out (or possibly brought out) to get rid of Paterno. If he was winning championships, I unfortunately think this wouldn't have seen the light of day.

[fishwax]

12. the grand jury investigation has been going on for a couple of years now

It started after authorities in another county were contacted by officials at a high school. The mother of one of the victims informed the school that Sandusky had abused her kid, so they banned him from campus and contacted the proper authorities.

[hughee99]

14. I'm aware of that,

I just think this wouldn't have even gotten to the grand jury if the boosters had an interest in keeping Paterno.

[fishwax]

17. Paterno planning his own press conference off campus

At least, according to his son Scott's twitter feed: https://twitter.com/#!/ScottPaterno/status/133964938396975105

[ScreamingMeemie]

18. That should be interesting... I wonder if he will try to beat them to

the punch and retire.