Usually, a story about the all time leader in college football coaching victories breaking his pelvis and/or receiving treatment for lung cancer would be big news.
Especially when that individual will be 85-years-old in ten days. There was plenty of media coverage when it was learned that the disgraced and fired former Penn State coach Joe Paterno developed lung cancer. Everyone and their brother tweeted about how it was karma in action.
But there’s been little media coverage of how Paterno’s treatment/fight against the disease is going.
How will today’s big new development in the world of Paterno health be covered?
According to the AP/Yahoo, Paterno:
fractured his pelvis again following a fall at his home but will not need surgery, a person close to the family told The Associated Press on Sunday.
The former Penn State football coach was expected to make a full recovery after slipping Saturday and was admitted to the hospital the next day, the person added. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
Paterno is also currently undergoing radiation and chemotherapy for what his family says is a treatable form of lung cancer. Son and lawyer/family spokesperson Scott Paterno said doctors are optimistic his father would make a full recovery from the monstrous illness.
Since the Jerry Sandusky pedophilia stories broke, Paterno has also been in the news for a bizarre real estate deal. This maneuver might mean that he saw the alleged Sandusky crimes being made public, and subsequent fallout well ahead of time.
In a situation like this it’s hard not to be macabre and think of legendary Alabama Crimson Tide coach Paul “Bear” Bryant.
His last game was a 21-15 Liberty Bowl win over the Illini. Coincidentally, Paterno beat Illinois in his final game.
After the Liberty Bowl, Bryant was asked what he planned to do now that he was retired. He replied “Probably croak in a week.” That answer would prove to resemble something from the movie “Final Destination.”
Four weeks after making that comment, and just one day after passing a routine medical checkup, Bryant checked into Druid City Hospital in Tuscaloosa after experiencing chest pain. A day later, when being prepared for an electrocardiogram, he died after suffering a massive heart attack.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site that generates millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
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