UPDATED: Nov. 10, 2011, 7:38 p.m.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. Despite a sign one block away indicating the road is closed except for local traffic, Joe Paterno’s modest ranch house was surrounded by media the morning following his dismissal from Pennsylvania State University.

Multiple television crews and other media waited patiently outside Paterno’s home at 830 McKee St.

The legendary head football coach of the Nittany Lions was fired late Wednesday night after the Penn State Board of Trustees voted unanimously to terminate Paterno’s 46-year career. Penn State President Graham Spanier was also fired Wednesday night, and the Board of Trustees felt both moves were in the best interest of the university.

The moves were made in response to the sex abuse scandal involving former PSU assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Paterno’s lack of action following an initial meeting with Athletic Director Tim Curley to report his knowledge of an alleged molestation by Sandusky contributed to his firing.

In the early morning on Thursday, media waited outside his home in hopes that the winningest coach in college football history would comment.

Paterno received multiple visitors this morning, including most of his former assistant coaches. Dick Anderson, Kermit Buggs, Galen Hall, Larry Johnson, Bill Kenney and Jay Paterno all paid their respects.

Two of the assistants who did not to stop by the house as of 12:15 p.m. were Tom Bradley, who was preparing for his initial press conference as interim head coach of the Nittany Lions, and Mike McQueary.

McQueary witnessed an alleged molestation by Sandusky of a 10-year old boy in a shower at the Penn State athletic facility in 2002 when he was a graduate assisstant. He is the one who first reported any such actions by Sandusky to Paterno, who in turn told Curley.

Paterno was informed via phone call shortly before 10 p.m. on Wednesday informing him of his termination. Thousands of students responded by rioting on College Avenue on the PSU campus.

Two street lamps were toppled, rocks were thrown at police officers and chants of ‘F*** Sandusky’ rang out. Police officers were forced to use pepper spray to subdue the crowd.

Paterno, 84, issued a statement last night after the news broke.

‘Right now, I’m not the football coach, and that’s something I have to get used to,’ Paterno said according to the Associated Press.

While the media waited for Paterno Thursday morning, the new interim head coach for the program Paterno built held his first press conference as the leader of the Nittany Lions. Tom Bradley, who was in charge of the defense and took over for Sandusky, will lead PSU for the remainder of the season.

‘I take this job with very mixed emotions, due to the situation,’ Bradley said. ‘I grieve for the victims. I grieve for the families. … Our thoughts and prayers are with them.’

Members of the McKee Street neighborhood echoed similar sentiments. A woman who lived across the street from Paterno at 815 McKee St. repeatedly asked all of the media to go home and allow the community to heal.

She didn’t want her name published, but was very outspoken in front of the media about how she felt the press put unnecessary pressure on Penn State to fire Paterno.

Other residents and PSU students passing through the neighborhood shook their heads in disapproval of the group of 20-30 media standing for more than five hours outside Paterno’s home. One man gave the media the middle finger as he drove by in his car, yelling ‘F*** you guys!’

But after more than five hours this morning, Paterno still did not make an appearance in front of the media. He remained inside his house, and it is unclear whether he will offer a statement.

The former head coach has made it very clear he wishes to clarify several things to the media, but the legality of the situation may prevent him from doing so.

mjcohe02@syr.edu

 

Published on November 9, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Michael: mjcohe02@syr.edu | @Michael_Cohen13