NOW Official Says Paterno Should Resign
Monday, January 9, 2006; Page E03
A leader from the National Organization for Women has asked Joe Paterno to resign over comments the Penn State football coach made about an alleged sexual assault.
Joanne Tosti-Vasey , president of the National Organization for Women in Pennsylvania, said yesterday that she was "appalled" by Paterno's comments last week and that they represent an institutional insensitivity that endangers women.
  "Talk about a hard challenge right there. . . . If you ever tried to ski when you're wasted, it's not easy," U.S. skier Bode Miller told "60 Minutes." (By Alex Trovati -- Associated Press) |
Paterno's remarks came a day before the Orange Bowl, when a reporter asked about Florida State linebacker A.J. Nicholson , who was accused of sexual assault and sent home before Tuesday's game.
Paterno replied by talking about past suspensions of Penn State players. He then added: "There's some tough -- there's so many people gravitating to these kids. He may not have even known what he was getting into, Nicholson. They knock on the door; somebody may knock on the door; a cute girl knocks on the door. What do you do?
"Geez. I hope -- thank God they don't knock on my door because I'd refer them to a couple of other rooms," Paterno continued. "But that's too bad. You hate to see that. I really do. You like to see a kid end up his football career. He's a heck of a football player, by the way; he's a really good football player. And it's just too bad."
Tosti-Vasey issued a news release calling for Paterno to apologize and step down from the post he has held for 40 years. She sent an e-mail to Paterno and the university president the next day, but said yesterday she has not heard back from either.
ALPINE SKIING: The International Ski Federation wants the U.S. ski team to address the latest controversy surrounding Bode Miller , the outspoken reigning overall World Cup champion.
Bill Marolt , the president and chief executive of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association, is expected to fly to next week's World Cup races in Switzerland to speak to Miller, who said in a "60 Minutes" interview last night that partying affected his performance in the past.
U.S. Alpine director Jesse Hunt , who was scheduled to join the team in Europe tomorrow, moved his flight up a day.
"It's up to his own federation to take action," FIS secretary-general Sarah Lewis said. "We have talked to the U.S. federation about it, whether what he is saying is good for the image of the sport and good for the image of the U.S. ski team.
"They say they are dealing with it. But with Bode they are on thin ice."
