>>> state football coach joe paterno is said to be in serious condition after experiencing complications battling lung cancer . nbc's michelle franzen is in state college , pennsylvania, with the latest. good morning, michelle.
>> well, jenna, good morning. joe paterno is said to be surrounded by family here at the nittany medical center . that after false reports circulated that the legendary coach had passed away . his son jay paterno responded in his own message on twitter saying not only was his father alive and fighting, but inspired by the outpouring of support from this community. holding vigil. penn state students and supporters surrounded the campus statue of legendary football coach joe paterno saturday night. leaving flowers, and praying for the man they affectionately call joe pa . they gathered after word came from the paterno family he was in the hospital, fighting for his life. doctors say his condition is serious, due to complications from lung cancer . paterno , who led the nittany lions for 46 seasons, was fired last fall, in the wake of the jerry sandusky sex abuse scandal. criticized for not going to police and following up on the allegations. just over a week ago, he granted "the washington post " an interview, explaining in a frail voice how he reacted in 2002 , when then graduate assistant mike mcqueary reported seeing jerry sandusky fondling a boy in a penn state locker room.
>> and then i called, you know, my superiors, and i said, hey, we got a problem, i think. would you guys look into it. cause i didn't know, you know, i had never had to deal with something like that. and i didn't feel -- i didn't feel adequate.
>> reporter: paterno also expressed regret for not doing more to follow-up. but believed he did the right thing at the time. reporter salary jenkins said paterno seemed determined to tell his story, even though the cancer treatment was taking its toll.
>> he's pretty lucid. he does wander a bit. he's hard of hearing now. the chemotherapy has made him a little bit foggy at times. and so, you know, we doesn't talk for very long periods.
>> reporter: paterno has been part of penn state 's football program for six decades, and has the most wins of any major u.s. college football coach in history. in november, his firing was so controversial, some students rioted. with paterno himself calling for calm. despite being forced out, paterno told jenkins, he still loves the place he worked and called home for most of his life.
>> i've had a wonderful experience here at penn state . i don't want to walk away from this thing bitter.
>> reporter: the family has also asked for privacy during this difficult time. meanwhile, onward state, the news agency serving penn state and the community here first made the mistake of reporting paterno had died after it -- after initially saying that he had died, they also came back and issued an apology, the managing editor also announced he was stepping down. jenna?
>> michelle franzen . michelle, thank you.
>>> doug flutie was the 1984 heisman trophy winner . he's currently a college football analyst for nbc sports and nbc sports network. doug, good morning. thanks for being with us.
>> my pleasure.
>> so, doug, you've covered joe pat earno for so many years. yeah, you know him as a man. you know him as a coach. what will his legacy be?
>> there's no doubt that his legacy on the field stands as it is with all the winning football teams. but his biggest legacy is to that university. he's built that university. all the young people he has nurtured and molded over the years. the young people that he has helped lead successful lives, that is his legacy.
>> the question has to be asked, how much of his reputation or this legacy that you talk about might be tainted because of the recent penn state sex abuse scandal?
>> well, i think that when it's all said and done, and we look back, that will be very dim as a part of his legacy. i think it's right at the tail end, which was a bad time for it to happen, but when it comes to remembering joe paterno , i mean, he is synonymous with penn state and penn state football and that university. his generosity, his loyalty to that university over the years, that is what will be remembered.
Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/46090277/
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