Joe Paterno Reportedly Retiring After This Season

Like it was really a choice?

None

According to the Associated Press, Joe Paterno will be resigning as head coach of the Nittany Lions at the end of the 2011 season. The well-known coach has been leading Penn State since 1966.

Paterno has become the center of criticism after it was released over the weekend that former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was charged with molesting children from 1994-2009. While Paterno did not partake in any of these horrible events, he reportedly knew about the incidents, particularly one in 2002 when Sandusky molested a 10-year-old in a Penn State sports complex. Athletic Director Tim Curley and Vice President Gary Schultz also knew about the incident and failed to report the events. 

At this point, it is still possible for the board of trustees to force an exit, rather than allowing Joe Pa to leisurely exit at his own pace. It doesn't matter how much his fans love him or that he has been a college football legend for decades or that he looks like a loving grandfather. He should be leaving now. Not tomorrow, not next week, and definitely not until after the season. Imagine if this were at a different university or a different coach; that person would have been out two days ago. We're not saying it's necessary to embarrass Paterno, it's just time for him to go away.  [via Associated Press]

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