Joe paterno near death....

[crash]

Diagnosed with what was described as a treatable form of lung cancer shortly after his firing Nov. 9, the reports since have indicated former Penn State head coach Joe Paterno had been making progress in his battle against the disease.

Sadly, reports coming out of State College Saturday paint a different and decidedly grim picture of the 85-year-old’s health.

BlueWhiteIllustrated, the Rivals.com website dedicated to cover Penn State sports, reports that Paterno is in bad shape and extended family has been called to State College due to his declining health. OnwardState.com tweeted earlier in the evening Paterno was taken off a respirator this morning.

According to a tweet from The Citizen’s Voice of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Paterno is “gravely ill” and “near death“ also confirming BWI‘s report that family and close friends have been summoned to the hospital to say their final goodbyes. A subsequent report on the website, citing a staff member at the hospital in which the coach is being treated, states that Paterno’s wife Sue called in family and friends after her husband said he wanted to say a final goodbye.

Shortly after the initial rumors surfaced, a family spokesperson issued a statement that only confirmed Paterno is in serious condition.

“Over the last few days Joe Paterno has experienced further health complications,” spokesman Dan McGinn said in a brief statement Saturday to the Associated Press. “His doctors have now characterized his status as serious.

“His family will have no comment on the situation and asks that their privacy be respected during this difficult time.”

Jay Paterno, the coach’s son and former PSU quarterbacks coach, abruptly cancelled a scheduled appearance this evening roughly an hour before it was expected to start. The younger Paterno reportedly cited an ill wife as the reason for the cancellation.

Paterno gave his first interview since his dismissal on Jan. 12-13, speaking to the Washington Post on the Jerry Sandusky scandal as well as touching briefly on his health. On the same day the interview was completed, Paterno was admitted to the hospital due to complications from his chemo treatment.

Obviously we’ll be following this story and updating as events warrant.


Very sad news

Reports: Paterno ‘gravely ill’; family summoned to State College | CollegeFootballTalk

 

[MW49ers5]

I haven't read all there is to read about the Sandusky incident but it seems as if the whole mess simply broke his spirit...

 

[Texas9erFan]

God bless you, Joe.

 

[tomikcon1971]

When Bear Bryant retired they asked him what we was going to do.....he said something along the lines of "probably die next week"....he died ~4 weeks after retiring.

Now that being said, they're both old dudes so average life expectancy works against them anyway.

Bottom line sad for his family and fans, but I still want the whole truth (good or bad) to come out so his final legacy is accurate.

 

[MW49ers5]

When Bear Bryant retired they asked him what we was going to do.....he said something along the lines of "probably die next week"....he died ~4 weeks after retiring.

Now that being said, they're both old dudes so average life expectancy works against them anyway.

Bottom line sad for his family and fans, but I still want the whole truth (good or bad) to come out so his final legacy is accurate.

I completely get that...It's the same for the man who is married to the same woman for 50+ years when suddenly she dies - often he will die shortly thereafter.

 

[tallglassofwater007]

Man, it's one of those things where I am in no way happy a man is dieing, yet I don't feel sad about it at all either.

 

[I_am_1z]

R.I.P

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

Damn, I'm havin' a hard time feeling sorry for the guy.

 

[Bracus]

Have absolutely no respect for the guy. I only wish he could've suffered longer like those kids had to. He only had to deal with this a few months, but they have to live with it the rest of their lives. And yes, I know he didn't do it. But the guy knew it was going on and didn't stop it. And no, I don't buy all the Paterno, PSU excuses.

 

[tomikcon1971]

From Twitter....reports of death untrue per family spokesman.

Breaking News @BreakingNews
Update: Paterno family spokesperson Dan McGinn says former Penn State coach remains in serious condition - NBC News

 

[Bracus]

From Twitter....reports of death untrue per family spokesman.

Breaking News @BreakingNews
Update: Paterno family spokesperson Dan McGinn says former Penn State coach remains in serious condition - NBC News

Famous people always do that to buy time to be left alone. I'm sure he's dead.

 

[crash]

Have absolutely no respect for the guy. I only wish he could've suffered longer like those kids had to. He only had to deal with this a few months, but they have to live with it the rest of their lives. And yes, I know he didn't do it. But the guy knew it was going on and didn't stop it. And no, I don't buy all the Paterno, PSU excuses.

It wasn't joe pa fault that douche bag did what he did to those kids...he tried to report it but he didn't know how to handle it!! if anyone is to blame it was the president of the college and the guy who did it!!

 

[crash]

Penn State: Joe Paterno Says He Felt Inadequate to Handle Child Sex Abuse Allegation - KFOR

UNIVERSITY PARK, Penn. --Legendary football coach Joe Paterno, who was ousted from Penn State University over an alleged child sex abuse scandal, told the Washington Post he felt inadequate to deal with the initial allegation of abuse.

Paterno, the all-time winningest football coach in NCAA Division I history, was fired in November amid the outcry over the handling of accusations against former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who faces more than 50 counts involving sexual acts with 10 boys since 1994. He has pleaded not guilty.

"I didn't know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was," Paterno told the Washington Post in an interview published Saturday. "So I backed away and turned it over to some other people, people I thought would have a little more expertise than I did. It didn't work out that way."

The former coach, who is being treated for lung cancer, spoke with a raspy voice during the interview -- Paterno's first extensive sit-down since being fired.

A Penn State graduate assistant, Mike McQueary, told the grand jury late last year that he had seen Sandusky "with a boy in the shower and that it was severe sexual acts going on and that it was wrong and over the line." He said he had gone to Paterno with what he saw.

Paterno said he'd never been told the graphic details revealed in a grand jury report, but that he nevertheless reported the allegations to his boss, then-Athletic Director Tim Curley.

Curley and Gary Schultz, a former university vice president, have been charged with perjury and failure to report the abuse allegations, which law enforcement did not learn about for several years. They have pleaded not guilty.

"You know, he didn't want to get specific," Paterno said about McQueary. "And to be frank with you I don't know that it would have done any good, because I never heard of, of, r*pe and a man. So I just did what I thought was best. I talked to people that I thought would be, if there was a problem, that would be following up on it," he told the Washington Post.

"I called my superiors and I said, 'hey, we got a problem I think. Would you guys look into it? Because I didn't know, you know ... I had never had to deal with something like that. And I didn't feel adequate," Paterno said.

In response to the Washington Post interview, Sandusky's attorney released a statement in which he said the former defensive coordinator was "greatly dismayed by the knee jerk reaction of the Penn State Board of Trustees in summarily dismissing Coach Paterno and President (Graham) Spanier without any evidence being presented against them indicating they acted inappropriately or failed to take appropriate action."

Sandusky and his wife "both admire and respect" Paterno and are "extremely saddened by the events which have occurred," said attorney Joe Amendola.

There are "serious questions" about what McQueary reported, and Sandusky will continue to prepare for his trial, Amendola said.

Paterno declined to offer judgment on Sandusky in his Washington Post interview. He said "we got to wait and see what happens," as the case winds its way through the courts.

Some university students, former players for the Nittany Lions and others were angered by the removal of Paterno, who guided the team for 46 years. Student protesters overturned a news van and vandalized streets around the campus before police dispersed them.

"You know, I'm not as concerned about me," Paterno said. "What's happened to me has been great. I got five great kids. Seventeen great grandchildren. I've had a wonderful experience here at Penn State. I don't want to walk away from this thing bitter. I want to be helpful."

 

[Bracus]

It wasn't joe pa fault that douche bag did what he did to those kids...he tried to report it but he didn't know how to handle it!! if anyone is to blame it was the president of the college and the guy who did it!!

It's a crime, you report it to the police. If you witness a murder do you go tell your boss or do you call the cops? It's common sense, they all did what they did for a reason. And imho every single molestation that happened after he'd been told, he's just as responsible. That goes for the QB coach who caught em, the president, and anybody else who knew.

 

[Bracus]

And just like Crash posted in the article "I didn't know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was."

Sounds like he was more worried about his job then those poor kids.

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

It wasn't joe pa fault that douche bag did what he did to those kids...he tried to report it but he didn't know how to handle it!! if anyone is to blame it was the president of the college and the guy who did it!!

It certainly was Paterno's fault that it went on as long as it did since he covered it up. He's a fuckin' creep who thought he answered to no one..

 

[crash]

how was it his fault he never saw what was going on? it was the qb coach?? he is the one who should of went to the police....lets say your cousin see a crime and tells you about it? you can't report it cause it's consider hear say...What the guy did was wrong but it had nothing to do with paterno its the media trying to make him out to be the bad guy.

 

[Bracus]

If you hear in the office that some dude's banging his boss. Yeah that might be a rumor and who cares anyway. Just dismiss it. But if your told by one of your employees that he caught another raping a boy in the shower YOU CALL THE POLICE. Not your friggin AD. He chose to worry about himself and his program. That's how it's his fault. There are laws for that but unfortunately Penn is so ***backwards for this guy they chose not to file any charges. Had he been Joe Schmoe who works at a local 7-11 you can be damn sure he would be arrested.

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

how was it his fault he never saw what was going on? it was the qb coach?? he is the one who should of went to the police....lets say your cousin see a crime and tells you about it? you can't report it cause it's consider hear say...What the guy did was wrong but it had nothing to do with paterno its the media trying to make him out to be the bad guy.

He knew. That's why they quietly got rid of him in 1999. Yet this bullshit went on for 10 more years at least. Paterno is the most powerful man at that university and he did not want his reputation tarnished so he let that stuff go on.

 

[tomikcon1971]

Might just be me, but I don't think they'd be this elaborate with the ruse....

Scott Paterno @ScottPaterno 38m ago
CBS report is wrong - Dad is alive but in serious condition. We continue to ask for your prayers and privacy during this time.