Gregg Doyel

Old isn't an insult, by the way. It's an adjective. If he were 35, I'd have titled this thing, "Joe Paterno, selfish young man."

But he's old. And he's selfish. And why? Because he is campaigning for the Big Ten to expand by adding Syracuse, Pittsburgh or Rutgers. "Not in that order," he says.

Like the order matters. What matters is this: Those three schools already have a home -- the Big East. But Paterno doesn't care about that. He's lobbying for his BCS league to grow, at the expense of another BCS league. We've been through this before, when the ACC knocked down fences and screwed up yards with its tractor by taking from the Big East for its big expansion. That was ugly. The ACC was selfish.

And now Paterno wants the Big Ten to be selfish, at the expense -- and possibly the death -- of the Big East.

Classy, JoePa. Hey, wait. Is that a siren? Was another of your players just arrested?

Anyway ...

Obviously the Big East is on shaky ground. No one's saying that league is in solid shape. It's waiting for a hyena to come pick at its struggling body, and Paterno is sharpening his greedy little teeth.

Beautiful.

Retire already.

About time, Penn State.

About time someone there began taking control of a program that has run completely out of control under the blind watch of Joe Paterno.

Two players have been kicked off the team, and it just so happens they were kicked off the team within days of a brutal, but accurate, investigative report by ESPN's Outside the Lines. The report found lawless Penn State has become the new Miami, the new Oklahoma, the new Bengals. The report was incredible. And now two players -- two players Paterno had kept around -- are gone. Coincidence? I don't believe in coincidence.

It looks to me like the media might just be able to accomplish what the gutless Penn State administration and the selfish Penn State head coach cannot: Pressure on Paterno. Progress.

Next up: Paterno's forced resignation.

Time to go, Joe.

 

 

 

Please retire. Please? Before you die right there on the sideline?

I'm serious, and I'm not trying to be a jerk. Maybe I come off as a jerk. Big shock there. But in all sincerity, this latest medical issue is another sign that Penn State football coach Joe Paterno needs to resign before he has the ugliest ending in coaching history.

The guy is 81. He's getting frail of health, as so many people in their 80s do. There's nothing wrong with that.

My problem with Paterno is his hubris, his denial, that he could die right there on a Saturday afternoon, turning Happy Valley into the world's largest wake. Or maybe he's not in denial. Maybe he's very well aware of the possibility, and he doesn't care. Either way it's an ugly thought, a terrible idea, and it's certainly not something I want to happen.

But it could. Paterno needs to realize that, and realize how horrible that would be for everyone involved, and get out before it actually does happen.

Or someone above him -- there is someone above him at Penn State, right? -- needs to realize it for him. And force him out.