http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/5232056

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - A leader from the women's rights group NOW has asked Joe Paterno to resign over comments the Penn State football coach made about an alleged sexual assault.

Joanne Tosti-Vasey, president of the National Organization for Women in Pennsylvania, said Sunday that she was "appalled" by Paterno's comments last week and that they represent an institutional insensitivity that endangers women.

Paterno's remarks came a day before the Orange Bowl, when a reporter asked about Florida State linebacker A.J. Nicholson, who was accused of sexual assault and sent home before Tuesday's game.

Paterno replied by talking about past suspensions of Penn State players. He then added: "There's some tough - there's so many people gravitating to these kids. He may not have even known what he was getting into, Nicholson. They knock on the door; somebody may knock on the door; a cute girl knocks on the door. What do you do?"

"Geez. I hope - thank God they don't knock on my door because I'd refer them to a couple of other rooms," Paterno continued. "But that's too bad. You hate to see that. I really do. You like to see a kid end up his football career. He's a heck of a football player, by the way; he's a really good football player. And it's just too bad."

Tosti-Vasey issued a news release calling for Paterno to apologize and step down from the post he has held for 40 years. She sent an e-mail to Paterno and the university president the next day, but said Sunday she has not heard back from either.

"Allegations of sexual assault should never be taken lightly," the statement reads. "Making light of sexual assault sends the message that rape is something to be expected and accepted."

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said Sunday that Paterno's comments were taken out of context. A spokeswoman at the NOW headquarters in Washington said the organization's president, Kim Gandy, supports the call for Paterno's resignation.

Guido D'Elia, communications director for Penn State football, said Paterno made his remarks in the larger context of distractions in the bowl-game environment. Nor, he said, did Paterno intend to make light of the assault allegations.

"I think if you were present, you understood he meant no malice," D'Elia said Saturday. "If you heard his tone, he really thought it was too bad for everybody. He was concerned for everybody."

No charges have been filed against Nicholson, although police in Florida said the matter remains open.

Tosti-Vasey said Sunday that Paterno's comments are the latest in a series of insensitive actions by the university's athletic department. The Pennsylvania NOW branch criticized the university in 2003 after a football player accused of sexual assault was allowed to play in a bowl game.

Last year, former Penn State women's basketball player Jennifer Harris started a discrimination complaint against coach Rene Portland, claiming that she was harassed by the coach to change her appearance because she was not "feminine enough."

Sorry, all I can think is:

this lady's a fuckin idiot. was anyone here offended about what mr. paterno said?

he's not gonna resign over this, give me a break

I have a feeling that this guy will be a lot more sucessful in getting Joe Pa to resign:

i just really cannot stand NOW.

hahaha

With all the evil shit going on in the world today, this group has chosen a geriatric college football coach as evil incarnate? Give me a fucking break.

NOW or PETA, who is worse?

That is pretty much the stupidest fucking thing I have heard all day. Is NOW fucking serious? What kind of idiot agrees with that shit?

If you mix up NOW and PETA, you get Powneta.

Incidentally, Powneta is the name of the girl who was sexually assaulted.

Way to be sensitive, Joanne Tosti-Vasey!

NOW is an embarassment to women

i may go rape a female animal, just to spite them both

the school and all the PSU boosters in the world couldnt get him fired, what makes these idiots think they can?

where the fuck is NOMAAM when you need them

These are the same brillant people who "protested" the Masters, never mind that there were 300 reporters and maybe 3 protestors including Martha Burke out in front of the main gate on Washington Rd.

hahhaha. stupid lesbians. JoePa aint leavin till they wheel his dead body out of the coaches office.

POWNeta'd!