“No comment.”

It’s as simple as that. Those were the only words Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski needed to say at Monday’s news conference with the media when asked about the Penn State scandal.

Instead, he attempted to back his friend, and former coaching colleague Joe Paterno by offering up this lame excuse:

I think one thing you have to understand is that Coach Paterno is 84 years old. I’m not saying that for an excuse.

When you say that you’re not using it as an excuse…you're using it as an excuse.

He then goes on to ramble about how different things used to be back in the day…you know…when JoePa was still competent:

The cultures that he’s been involved in, both football-wise and socially, there have been immense changes. And how social issues are handled in those generations are quite different, quite different. And I think that has something to do with the situation.

So is Coach K saying that it used to be OK to let something like this slide?

I’m not here to say Coach K agrees with the way JoePa handled the situation, as one would be hard pressed to find a human being who does at this point. Yet, this is a no-win situation to be placed in, and Krzyzewski should have kept repeating the same phrases every other coach has been saying.

“This is very unfortunate.” “I can’t say, I don’t know all the facts.” “Something had to be done.” “No comment.”

It’s as simple as that.

I suppose you can give credit to Coach K for actually giving us his real thoughts on the matter, but this is too soon. The worst scandal in the history of college sports is too fresh in everybody’s minds to be giving anybody involved a pass like that.

Krzyzewski may break the all-time record for wins in college basketball on Tuesday night, but let that be the reason people are talking about you.

Don’t subject yourself to thousands of angry people who are looking for any small reason to explode on this highly volatile situation.

You don’t want your name attached to this scandal in any way, shape or form.