Penn State Scandal: Joe Paterno Must Hold Off-Campus Press Conference

Penn State University officials cancelled Joe Paterno's weekly press conference today citing the legal circumstance involved with former coach Jerry Sandusky's sex scandal.

Now, according to the New York Times, the university officials are planning the departure of Paterno.

The speed and rapidity of which these things are happening is absolutely astounding.

Lost in all of this is the fact the Penn State still has three football games to play this season including a home game against Nebraska this week.

ESPN's Tom Rinaldi reported on Sportscenter that Paterno was prepared to answer questions about Sandusky today at the press conference. Instead of letting that happen, university president Graham Spanier cancelled it 40 minutes before it was supposed to start.

The move left Paterno in a tough spot and slightly defenseless.

But not for long.

According to Penn State reporter Ben Jones, there is a chance Paterno will speak today off-campus:

UPDATE: Tuesday, Nov. 8th at 1:49 p.m. EST

Reports now indicate that the coach will not hold a press conference, but will be at practice, according to the New York Times:

It is not surprising that Paterno will be at practice, but there is a bit of surprise that he won't speak.

His son did, tweet, however, that the initial New York Times report was premature in saying anything about his father's possible departure from the program:

Expect things to continue heating up as the day, and week, moves on.

INITIAL UPDATE

Paterno has to get in front of a microphone at some point today.

If there is any truth to the rumors of his possible departure from the program he deserves to come out and saying something in his defense.

Again, nobody has been convicted or found guilty on any charges so far in this ever-growing sex scandal.

Paterno, who so far has been absolved of any wrongdoing by acting as he was legally supposed to, has been the coach at Penn State for 46 years.

Things are quickly spiraling out control from the top down.

Paterno, who has been in control for so many years at one of the most prestigious programs in the entire country, deserves to have his voice heard for more than one reason today.

The university might be able to limit Paterno's access on campus to anything resembling a microphone, but if he needs to be heard he's going to find a way.