Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Joe Paterno fired by Penn State Board of Trustees

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Joe Paterno, one of most successful coaches in college football history, was fired Wednesday night by the Penn State Board of Trustees amid an ongoing child-abuse scandal involving one of his former assistant coaches.

University president Graham Spanier was also fired.

Paterno, who announced earlier Wednesday his intention to retire at the end of his 46th season with the Nittany Lions, has been the center of criticism for failing to contact authorities in 2002 after being told a graduate assistant saw former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky assaulting a boy in a school shower.

Sandusky was arrested Saturday and has been accused of molesting eight boys over a 15-year period. He has denied the accusations.

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley will serve as interim coach.

In a statement released before his firing on Wednesday, Paterno expressed remorse for the victims and regretted not doing more to stop the alleged incidents.

"This is a tragedy," Paterno said. "It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more."

RELATED:

Full coverage: Penn State scandal

Scandal will ruin Penn State's program for years to come

Bill Plaschke: Forget sympathy, what Joe Paterno deserves is to be fired immediately

-- Austin Knoblauch

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: Penn State President Graham Spanier, left, and Coach Joe Paterno talk prior to a game against Iowa on Oct. 8. Credit: Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press

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