Penn State Scandal: Joe Paterno Wants To Tell His Side Of Story, According To Son Jay

In an interview with Tom Rinaldi of ESPN, the son of legendary former coach Joe Paterno stated that his father is in good spirits and would like to tell his side of the story in the Jerry Sandusky scandal that ultimately caused his firing. Jay Paterno characterized his father as "chomping at the bit."

Via ESPN:

"He's very anxious to get out there soon and start to tell his side of the story and start to express -- get all the facts out," Jay Paterno said. "What that timetable is I don't know exactly. But he definitely is chomping at the bit."

Jay Paterno called the Penn State story a "runaway train," and reiterated that he thought there had been a rush to judgment - invoking the prior scandals and alleged crimes of Duke lacrosse players and Richard Jewel at the Atlanta Olympics.

As for his father's health, Jay said that Joe is "fighting like crazy" as he deals with a treatable form of lung cancer in addition to the Sandusky scandal fallout.

"Anytime you have this kind of fight on your hands, you have to have a fighting spirit, which Joe has always had. And he's fighting like crazy. But it takes some, takes some energy out of him like it does anybody else. I mean, he said to me, 'I get tired from time to time.'

For more on the Nittany Lions, please visit Black Shoe Diaries, SB Nation's Penn State blog.