Penn State responds to petition for Joe Paterno statue’s return

On Tuesday, a petition with signatures from 200 former Penn State football players surfaced, asking for the statue of former head coach Joe Paterno to return to its old home in front of Beaver Stadium.

The statue was removed from campus following the sexual abuse scandal involving former Nittany Lions assistant Jerry Sandusky.

Now that five years have passed, the alumni was hoping the university would do what supporters of the petition feel is the rightful thing to do in order to restore the legacy of their beloved JoePa. They were also urging the university to issue a public apology to Sue Paterno.

However, it doesn’t look like the university will budge on their decision until there is an appropriate “time and place.”

“We appreciate the passion of our former Penn State lettermen for Coach Joe Paterno and the football program, and thank them for their input and many contributions/achievements,” the university responded in a statement.

“We recognize that this is emotional for many in the Penn State community, many of whom differ, yet feel strongly about this issue. The University’s leadership has clearly indicated that there will be a time and place to acknowledge Coach Joe Paterno’s many contributions. Any plans by the president to reach out to the Paterno family will be done privately.”

So while the Penn State/Joe Paterno supporters are making their voice heard loud and clear, it doesn’t look like they’ll be getting their wish anytime soon.

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Miami asks fans if they should return to classic logo deal on helmets
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