Penn Governor: Joe Paterno Should Not Have Been Fired

Pennsylvania Governor: Joe Paterno Should Not Have Been Fired

Nov 16, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; A sign hangs inside of Beaver Stadium in honor of former head coach Joe Paterno prior to the game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State defeated Purdue 45-21. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett believes that Joe Paterno should not have been fired in 2011.

Penn State fired legendary coach Joe Paterno three years ago in wake of the child sex-abuse scandal involving former Nittany Lions coach Jerry Sandusky.

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Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett is now saying Paterno’s firing was a mistake, according to philly.com.

"In his most expansive comments since the child sex-abuse scandal erupted at Pennsylvania State University three years ago, the outgoing governor said Paterno “technically complied with the law” in his dealings with pedophile Jerry Sandusky and should have been allowed to end his career on the field.“They probably shouldn’t have fired him, they probably should have suspended him,” Corbett said in an exclusive interview at his residence with The Inquirer. “He probably should have been given the last three games, not on the sideline.”"

Paterno died less than three months after he was fired.

Some Paterno supporters have partially placed blame on Corbett for Paterno’s death. The governor launched the investigation into Sandusky’s actions.

"As to people who hold him responsible for Paterno’s death, he said: “I feel sad for the people who believe that. It’s not the case. Obviously cancer killed Joe Paterno.”He went on: “When people say that, they are obviously looking for someone to blame. They’re angry. And I understand being angry. But the person they should be angry at is Sandusky. He’s the one who betrayed Paterno, the administration, the football team, the university and all the fans.”"

Paterno coached Penn State from 1966-2011. Paterno went 298-136 as the Nittany Lions head coach; however, 111 of those wins were vacated as a part of the NCAA’s sanctions imposed on Penn State for the school’s handling of the Sandusky scandal.

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