Penn State University has been in contact with Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements about the Nittany Lions’ newly open coaching position.
How much actual legitimacy there is to his candidacy depends on how much you believe of what you hear and how much you believe those sources.
A source close to Clements told ESPN’S Chris Mortensen on Friday:
“There is no telephone interview or conversation that is scheduled between Tom and Penn State, there never has been one scheduled, nor is there anything scheduled in the foreseeable future.”
However, the source conceded there had been “minimal dialogue” between the two sides and that Clements had notified the Packers about the contact, but “everyone agreed to stay focused on the task at hand with the (Packers).”
But there’s more:
A USA Today report said Clements was being interviewed as a “leading candidate” to replace Joe Paterno, fired and utterly disgraced last month as collateral damage from the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. And I only use the term “child sex abuse scandal,” because right now I’m coming up short on words strong enough to describe institutional cover-up of serial child rape.
Sources told ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach that Penn State interim coach and defensive coordinator Tom Bradley, the man who succeeded Sandusky, interviewed with PSU’s search committee on Friday. To the outsider that would truly seem like a BONEHEAD decision- keeping the insider, at a time when “scorched earth” is really the only way they can go. That is if they want to save their college football brand, PSU needs to wipe the slate clean.
Of course, they’ve royally screwed up crisis management at every turn of this saga, so why should they be entrusted to get this right?
USA Today reported that Clements, who both coached and played at Notre Dame but has never been a head coach, was scheduled to be interviewed by Penn State athletic director David Joyner by telephone. Clements happens to be a native of Western Pennsylvania.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Friday he was unaware of any interview that Clements had scheduled with Penn State, but talked up Clements as a possible replacement for Paterno. “I think it’s a great opportunity, (and) I think Tom would be an outstanding candidate,” McCarthy said.
At this stage of the game, those quotes about Clements’ standing are pretty standard. It’s protocol for this type of situation, and neither confirms nor denies much about his chances of taking the gig.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
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