Truth & Rumors > NCAAF
Is Paterno confused or lying?
It's no secret -- at least among people close to the Penn State football program -- that coach Joe Paterno and university president Graham Spanier have not had the greatest relationship over the last several years or so. Neither has publicly stated his displeasure for the other, but there is tension there, nevertheless. So it was with great interest that I e-mailed Spanier on Saturday to get his take on the way Paterno handled the latest off-the-field incident. Spanier's response, already posted here and in Sunday's paper, was: "I support Coach Paterno's disciplinary actions with the members of the football team who not only broke team rules but also violated the expectations that Penn State has for its student athlete. Character and social responsibility are important values at Penn State that we will continue to emphasize. We continue to emphasize to our student athletes the importance of their citizenship and I regret very much behaviors that could cast our program in a negative light." OK. Fine. So I asked Paterno after Saturday's game if he had seen Spanier's vote of confidence and if he had spoken to the president since the incident occurred. Here is his edgy response: "I'm pleased, but I haven't seen that. Dr. Spanier has been very supportive of me all the time. There's been some stuff going around -- this and that and all the other stuff -- which is really unfair to him, unfair to me and unfair to the program. Honest to God, I have not been in to see him. I haven't heard about it. I haven't read about it. I'm sure if he didn't approve, he'd call me in. But I'm glad he thinks I did the right thing." OK. Fine. But when Paterno was asked during his Big Ten conference call on Tuesday if he had spoken to Spanier, he admitted that he had. "We have a Quarterback Club luncheon every Wednesday," Paterno said. "And last Wednesday, Dr. Spanier came to it and as we were walking out with other people, he said, 'Are you OK with everything?' and I said, 'Yeah.' "He said, 'That's a shame [the incident].' I said, 'Oh, I think we'll be OK.' "That was it. I mean, that's what I recollect." When I asked Penn State Football Branding Director Guido D'Elia if Paterno had flat-out lied to me, D'Elia said Paterno must have thought I was asking if he had seen Spanier since his public statement. Which is a fair enough response. Paterno has been known to give two completely different answers to the same question before.
Joe Paterno, AP
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Comments (38) Add A Comment
Is the writer "confuse" or just an idiot. Im CONFUSED
BUCKGUY
Marshville , NC
Total Comments (514)
"Paterno has been known to give two completely different answers to the same question before."
That's because he is senile. He has a smile on his face in the above picture because he believes he sees the Lone Ranger and Tonto ciming into the room.
LGP: Stanley Cup…
Six Burgh, PA
Total Comments (9095)
Ahhh me sink you try to confuse!
Weapon X
Total Comments (27133)
By the way, he's neither confused nor lying. He's old.
Weapon X
Total Comments (27133)
It looks like JoePa wrote the title. "Confuse"?????
davep
Phila, PA
Total Comments (456)
Joe remembered that he hadn't spoken with Dr. Spanier, the conversation he had was actually with this mornings bran muffin.
MrMiyagiJr
Total Comments (2662)
"This and that, and the other stuff"? You are one DUMB EYETAL!!!!!!!!!
The TRUTH
Someplacein, OH
Total Comments (14272)
He's 100 years old!! How does he know who he talked to or not?
Sexton
Total Comments (809)
My question: So what?
What am I missing that makes this a story? It looks like nothing more than the writer's chance to cheap shot JoePa in a headline.
PSLou
Walnutport , PA
Total Comments (1)
This is story??!! No, just another sports writer trying to slant something his way against JOEPA. Since the writer is from Philly he should be writing about the Temple Owls...now THAT'S headline news eh?? whatsamattauuuuuuahhhhhh!!
PSU1
Total Comments (361)
You can put lipstick on an Inquirer reporter and he's still confused.....
Nittaly Lion
Rio Rico , AZ
Total Comments (7)
I am still left wondering why this is news....
misdreavus79
Bronx, NY
Total Comments (78)
This could be JoPa's last year. With all of the incidents starting to mount, and the incoherence, you wonder if the players respect him anymore.
billburaz
Phoenix , AZ
Total Comments (30)
Boy are we getting desparate for a story!
sportsfan58
Mansfield , OH
Total Comments (73)
I fell asleep twice trying to read all that.
zzzzzzz
Hammered_everynight
Las Vegas, NV
Total Comments (3101)
The idea that JoePa is still alive...now THATS news
runaway06
Gainesville , FL
Total Comments (337)
Why do sports writers feel like they need to bring down a college football icon like Joe Paterno. Why is it that they feel it just isn't possible to run a clean (as reasonably possible with young unpreditable athletes) program and still be a winner. Joe's team is back this year and underrated, so start stirring up the dirt!
kiserws
Knoxville, TN
Total Comments (1)
So Joepa and the President have some miscommunication happening? No big deal.
I think what is far more important in the story is that JoePa dumped some on the president:...
"I'm pleased, but I haven't seen that. Dr. Spanier has been very supportive of me all the time. "
...Sounds like an employee who wants a few more pats on the back, or a few less kicks to the groin.
PileOfCrepes
Total Comments (326)
Non-story. Writer is really grasping at straws.
noydb
Total Comments (1)
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