I wish that headline above was false. It's not. Scott Paterno has spoke again, this time with the announcement that his father has treatable lung cancer. A source close to Mount Nittany Medical Center confirms that Joe Paterno watched last Saturday's game against Nebraska at the hospital. Doctors are optimistic that he will make a full recovery, but a source close to the hospital describes the tumor as "the size of a fist" and goes on to say that Coach Paterno was splitting up blood during the game with he and his wife both in tears.
David Joyner, who was named as the new acting athletic director earlier this week, was introduced to the media this morning during an on-campus press conference. Joyner has served on the Board of Trustees for more than a decade, and he was also an All-American football player and wrestler when he was a student at Penn State.
Earlier in the week, Kevin Horne asked students not to transfer from Penn State due to the ongoing crisis. Freshmen have already spent thirteen weeks here, and I believe that this was the most exciting time of their lives. So far, they have seen football games, a canning weekend, concerts in the Bryce Jordan Center and a rich experience in education. But what about the high school students who have applied to Penn State? They have an outsider’s view not only of the university, but also the scandal that has ensnared the attention of the national media. Will the crisis cause them to cross Penn State off of their shortlists?
The Penn State Women's Volleyball team will return home to Rec Hall for two weekend matches. The results, especially against Purdue on Saturday Night, will go a long way in shaping the Big Ten race and NCAA Tournament resume.
Penn State takes on Ohio State on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, in a game that could mean either everything or nothing for the Nittany Lions. Most likely though, this game will mean nothing, but that will be determined by Wisconsin. If the Badgers beat Illinois this Saturday, Penn State's result against the Buckeyes has no bearing on its chances to make the Big Ten Championship Game. However, if Penn State wins and Wisconsin loses, the Nittany Lions will clinch a spot. While chances are Wisconsin will win, the Nittany Lions will still want to beat the Buckeyes heading into the final week of the regular season.