Joe Paterno Fired As Penn State Head Coach [NoeBrainer]

The Penn State board of Trustees has fired Joe Paterno as the head football coach at Pennsylvania State University.

After 46 years as Penn State's head football coach, Joe Paterno has been fired.  Joe Paterno was let go by Penn State's board of Trustees on Wednesday evening.  Earlier in the day, Paterno let it be known that he would be retiring at the end of the season.  He planned to coach during this weekend's game against Nebraska.  The board of Trustees had other ideas.

Joe Paterno is being fired for what he didn't do.  Paterno was alerted in 2002 that his former defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, had taken a shower with a 10-year old boy.  Paterno alerted his athletic director.  That was it.  He didn't alert the police.  He failed to be proactive with his knowledge of Sandusky's involvement.  He didn't do enough to help prevent Sandusky from committing similar acts in the future.

Not allowing Paterno to coach another game at Penn State is the correct decision.  The university needs to distance themselves from the heinous actions of Jerry Sandusky and the lack of action of its employees (now former employees) as quickly as possible.  Allowing Paterno to walk the sidelines on Saturday would imply that the university was completely comfortable with Paterno's actions, or lack of action in this case.  This would have only added another chapter to a horrible saga.  This was the proper step.

*Note - This NoeBrainer was recorded just before the news broke of Joe Paterno's firing.  Obviously, I agree with the decision of the board of Trustees.  The question now becomes; do you?

Brian Noe is the Program Director at 104.5 The Team, ESPN Radio in Albany, NY.  Brian also hosts "The Noe Show" weekdays from 1-3pm ET on WTMM.