AHN Staff
State College- Penn State administrators reportedly cancelled coach Joe Paterno’s weekly press conference Tuesday as the program deals with a sex-abuse scandal allegedly involving Jerry Sandusky, a former defensive coordinator under Paterno, that has implicated university officials.
“I know you guys have a lot of questions,” Paterno told a throng of reporters as he headed out to lead the Nittany Lions practice Tuesday. “I was hoping to be able to answer them today, but we will try to do it as soon as we can.”
Gary Schultz, the senior vice president for finance and business, and Tim Curley, the athletic director have already been charged with perjury and and failure to report to authorities what they knew of the allegations.
The New York Times is reporting the university halted the press conference about an hour before it was to begin to start the process of greasing the skids for Paterno’s dismissal.
There will reportedly be a meeting of university officials later in the week, in which the state’s governor will also attend, in which it will be discussed how to handle the legend’s departure.
Another report indicated Paterno knew of Sandusky’s activities in recent years but chose to ignore them at least publicly, though word is he told superiors at the university of a 2002 allegation against his assistant.
Sandusky allegedly sexually abused eight boys, and perhaps a ninth according to another source, over a 15-year period.
The possible dismissal of Paterno, one of the most successful coaches in the history of any sport, will make for an emotional and difficult time for the university and the community.