Just a few minutes ago, Penn State removed the statue of Joe "Big Nose" Paterno from outside it's football stadium and hauled it to an undisclosed and secure location. In about one hour, the jackhammers had loosened the 900 pound statue and then a forklift wrestled it from its resting spot. As a sparse crowd gathered to watch a chant of "We Are, Penn State" filled the air as the statue disappeared from sight. It will be interesting to see what happens when the students come back to campus to start the fall semester. In a statement, PSU President Rodney Erickson announced, "I now believe that, contrary to is original intention, Coach Paterno's
statue has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing in our
university and beyond," Erickson said in his 592-word statement. "For
that reason, I have decided that it is in the best interest of our
university and public safety to remove the statue and store it in a
secure location." He also announced that Joe Paterno's name will stay on the library. He said, "The library remains a tribute to Joe and Sue Paterno's commitment to
Penn State's student body and academic success," Erickson said, "and it
highlights the positive impacts Coach Paterno had on the university.
Thus I feel strongly that the library's name should remain unchanged."
On a another related story, the NCAA will announce "corrective and punitive measures" for Penn
State on Monday morning, it said in a statement, with CBS News reporting
the penalties to be "unprecedented," affecting the football program and
the school. NCAA president Mark Emmert will reveal the sanctions
Monday at 9 a.m. ET in Indianapolis at the organization's headquarters,
the news release said.
"I've never seen anything like it," CBSNews.com reported an unnamed source as saying Sunday morning. It appears that the NCAA IS going to slam the sledge hammer down onto the heads of Penn State. If the sanctions are unprecedented it will most likely include the dreaded "Death Penalty" which includes the suspension of football for a year or more. This may be the end of Nittany Lion football as we know it. Next on the agenda will be the Big 10 and their decision to toss Penn State out of the conference. I would guess that this decision will come shortly after the NCAA decision on Monday.
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