Phil Sheridan | Dark clouds closing in on Paterno

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, October, 2007 | by Phil Sheridan Inquirer Columnist

It is easier to clean up a stadium than the image of the football team that plays in it, especially when that team continues to make the wrong kind of news.

The Penn State football program took another hit yesterday when suspended running back Austin Scott was arraigned on charges of rape, sexual assault, and aggravated indecent assault. While it is important to remember that Scott is innocent until proven otherwise, and that these charges are not related to other recent incidents involving the Nittany Lions, the net effect is a cloud of smoke around Joe Paterno's program.

And where there is smoke, there is an 80-year-old coach who wants reporters to stop asking about the fire. During a news conference this week, Paterno pleaded with them to focus on today's Big Ten...