Press Release
STATE COLLEGE, PA - College football legend Joe Paterno passed away on Sunday at the age of 85 due to complications from lung cancer, amid the ongoing scandal that has turned Penn State upside down.
Paterno's impressive career spanned 61 years, 45 of which were as head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions. Under his guidance, the Nittany Lions brought home 24 NCAA bowl victories and 409 collegiate wins, and Paterno holding the all-time record for NCAA Division 1 victories.
Paterno's legacy in the Penn State community was shaken, however, when it was revealed in November 2011 that he was aware of Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky's sexual abuse of at least eight young boys between 1994 and 2009. While not formally charged with any criminal wrongdoing, the revelation of Paterno's complicit knowledge and cover-up of Sandusky's conduct resulted in his immediate, mid-season dismissal from Penn State, along with several other Penn State Administrators.
State College has plunged into uneasy tension following Paterno's dismissal and the resulting scandal that has brought a different kind of national attention on the small college town.
After revealing his lung cancer in November, Paterno remained secluded until his January 13th hospitalization. Services have yet to be organized, but an outpouring of support from Nittany fans, including Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, who ordered state flags to be flown at half-staff on Monday, seems to indicate that the Penn State community is ready to rally behind their beloved "JoePa" one last time.
Facebook Post
Joe Paterno, 85, passed away on Sunday just a few short months after being dismissed as head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions amid the sex abuse scandal that has turned the small college town upside down.
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteA press release would avoid the mention of the scandal and the win record. Well written.