For the first time in almost a half-century, someone other than Joe Paterno is calling the shots at Penn State.
Once considered Joe Paterno's heir apparent, Jerry Sandusky instead became the man who brought him down.
He was a Brooklyn kid, an Ivy League graduate, a young man with designs on becoming a lawyer. Joe Paterno reluctantly went to Penn State to coach football and stayed 61 years.
Once the question no longer was if Joe must go, but when, someone had to have the guts to make the call. Paterno did. He said he wanted to see this through to the bitter end _ of the season, anyway _ and dared the Penn State board of trustees to stop him.
Scandals of all kinds have tarnished college sports for decades, though what is unfolding at Penn State is hard to compare to any of them.
Penn State trustees fired football coach Joe Paterno and university president Graham Spanier amid the growing furor over how the school handled sex abuse allegations against an assistant coach.
Penn State trustees fired football coach Joe Paterno and university president Graham Spanier (SPAN-yer) amid the growing furor over how the school handled sex abuse allegations against an assistant coach.
The day was always coming. The old coach was 84, and each new season brought questions whether it would be his last. No one, though, expected it to happen quite like this.
Once the question no longer was if Joe must go, but when, someone had to have the guts to make the call. Because nobody else would, Paterno did. He said he wanted to see this through to the bitter end _ of the season, anyway _ and dared the Penn State board of trustees to stop him.
