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Doyel: If Alive, Would Paterno Be Joining Penn State Officials Now On Trial?

By Gregg Doyel-
CBSSports.com

(CBS) Joe Paterno wasn't in the Dauphin County Courthouse this week in Harrisburg, Pa. He wasn't in Courtroom No. 1 this week, facing accusations of endangering the welfare of children. But would he have been?

We'll never know if the state of Pennsylvania was going to find the evidence -- or spine -- to go after the kindly old man conducting the grand experiment of no-frills football at Penn State, but I suspect so. Had Paterno lived long enough, he may have been watching through thick glasses as District Judge William Wenner wrapped up days of testimony by taking about one second, literally, to determine that there was enough evidence to send him and three of his former Penn State cronies -- president Graham Spanier, vice president Gary Schultz and athletic director Tim Curley -- to trial.

The arc of this case, and the indictments sought by the state, were heading in Paterno's direction.

For the rest of Doyel's column from CBSSports.com, please click here. 

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