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MOUNT NITTANY - Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, recovering from surgery after breaking three bones in his leg in a freak sideline collision last Saturday afternoon, may have to be put down.
Dean Richardson, Chief of Surgery of Mount Nittany Medical Center, made the announcement this morning. "It's about as bad as it could be,"said Richardson, who described the delicate operation. "Joe's cannon bone, sesamoid, and long pastern bone were fractured, and he also dislocated his ankle joint." Richardson provided heretofore unknown details to reporters concerning the anesthetization process, and how the surgical team had to lower the crippled coach onto the table using a giant sling. Richardson said that several hours later, Paterno regained consciousness floating on a raft in a recovery pool. "The Coach was feeling good. He practically jogged back to his stall." However, Richardson warned, "I've been doing this too long to think we're out of the woods yet."
Richardson said Paterno would have to be carefully monitored over the next three months to guard against infections and other complications.
Penn State University President Graham Spanier said no decision on the legendary coach's future would be made for at least a week. "Our main concern, at this point, is to ensure that Joe is comfortable," he said. "We just don't want to him to suffer." Spanier said if Paterno does make a full recovery, he will never compete again. “We're just going to cut him loose on campus and put him out to stud."
