Screen Shot 2011-11-10 at 12.13.45 PMPhoto: Penn Live

Tom Bradley handled himself extraordinarily well. He just took over the job of his mentor, who, only 12 hours earlier, completed one of the greatest three-day fall from graces in modern history.

Bradley told reporters that he hadn’t slept and is filled with mixed emotions– perhaps the understatement of the year. 

Through all of that, however, he handled himself better than any Penn Stater of authority has all week.

Here’s a summary of what he had to say. Comments in italics.

– Mike McQueary, the then graduate assistant who says he saw Jerry Sandusky having sex with a boy in the showers, will coach on Saturday. It hasn’t been decided yet if he’ll be on the sidelines or in the booth. The booth might be safer.

– Bradley hasn’t slept but he has talked to Joe Paterno. He said about Joe Pa: "Joe Paterno will go down in history as one of the greatest men. Most of u know him as football coach. I've had tremendous honor work for him. To spend time with him. He’s had such a dynamic impact on so many, so many, I’ll say it again, so many people and players’ lives."

He also said that Paterno meant more to him than anyone except his father. Both times he held down a lump in his throat.

– He wouldn’t speak about any of the specific allegations against Sandusky or his (former) superiors, but he did address the question of responsibility is such situations: "We all have responsibility to take care of children. All of us.” Handled perfectly.

– He said rumors of seniors boycotting Saturday’s game were completely false and that he has turned to the team’s captains to address and lead the team.

 

That was it. Some football questions and some about how tough the situation is, but he wouldn’t speak directly about Sandusky, other than to say he “worked beneath him" at one time.