DAVID JONES – Paterno will be test of Spanier’s clout – Patriot-News
Jones thinks Graham Spainer, Penn State’s president, finally has the clout to stand up to Joe Paterno, if deemed necessary.
I’ve always been under the impression until recently that certain of Penn State’s trustee emeriti — such as, say, Paterno’s good friend and business partner, Bill Schreyer — could exert significant force upon Spanier to make certain the school’s football coach gets pretty much what he wants. Like maybe a couple of more years on his contract.
I don’t think that’s the case anymore.
A canvassing of a few of the school’s 30-some trustees and other significant influence peddlers in the State hierarchy indicates Spanier finally has enough power to make this Paterno’s last season in Happy Valley should he so choose, and whether the coach likes it or not.
Contrary to recent rumors that have been raging around the state and beyond, Spanier and Paterno have not yet met to talk about the future and, no, Joe did not up and quit when he was supposedly informed by Spanier that there would be no extension after 2008. None of that has happened.
Jones and Bob Flounders talked to some trustees about the Paterno situation and the sense they were getting was that Spainer, not the board, would make the decision on Paterno and if that decision is “thanks Joe, we’re getting someone else” the board would not object.
The column is a must-read.
