It was bound to happen eventually, but it was not supposed to end like this. According to this New York Times article that cites two anonymous sources, the Board of Trustees has already begun discussion on how to approach Joe Paterno’s departure. At the moment, there is no precise timing set in stone with the article speculating that it could happen within days or weeks, but something appears to be imminent:

The board of trustees has yet to determine the precise timing of Paterno’s exit, but it is clear that the man who has more victories than any other coach at college football’s top level and who made Penn State a prestigious national brand will not survive to coach another season. Discussions about how to manage his departure have begun, according to the two people.

With this information coming out, one has to wonder if Paterno will still be the coach of Penn State for Saturday’s contest against Nebraska. About two hours ago, his weekly press conference was cancelled, setting off mass chaos at Beaver Stadium.

On the ESPN Bottom Line, Joe Paterno’s son, Scott claimed that his father was prepared to talk before the university called off the press conference. Scott Paterno has denied these New Times rumors, and there are reports that he is attempting to set up his own press conference for JoePa to answer questions.

Stay tuned as more details are released.