Senators Yank Paterno Medal of Freedom Request

Ouch. In a measure of how far Joe Paterno's stock has fallen, Pennsylvania's two senators today withdrew their nomination of him to get a Presidential Medal of Freedom, reports the Penn State Daily Collegian. Pat Toomey and Bob Casey made the original request in a letter to President Obama only two months ago, citing his long record of producing scholar-athletes.

In the wake of the child rape scandal involving a former Paterno coach, they've changed their tune. "We hope the proper authorities will move forward with their investigation without delay," they write. "Penn State is an important institution in our commonwealth. We should turn our attention to the victims of these atrocious crimes and ensure they get the help they need. Our hearts and prayers go out to them and their families." School trustees fired Paterno yesterday. (More Joe Paterno stories.)