College Football Looses a Legend

As a football fan that grew up in New Jersey, I loved Penn State football.  I loved how they produced linebackers, how they were always in the mix for conference and national championships, how you never heard about major recruiting violations or a slue of arrest on that campus.  The thing I loved most was Joe Paterno and the loyalty that he showed to the Penn State.

Joe Paterno coached at Penn State for over 60 years.  He owns the record for most years coaching at one institution and it is a record that will never come close to being broken.  During his time as the head coach of Penn State, Paterno has won 2 National Championships and produced countless NFL players.  He preached to young men how to live their lives better and be better people.  He stood up for doing the right thing when college football started to become corrupt and continued that standard up until his last day as the head coach of the Nittany Lions.

Joe Paterno had opportunities to go to the NFL and try his hat at the pro level.  He never took those opportunities and there were 2 reasons why.  First, he has said that he didn't want to leave college football to the Barry Switzers and Jimmy Johnsons of the world.  He felt that coaches needed to set an example for their players and when he saw the up and coming coaches and the way that their programs made the news it upset him and he wanted to make sure that their was always one man dedicated to doing things the right way.  His second reason for staying was his love for Penn State and his players.  You can't stay in one place for 60 years without being in love with it and it loving you back.  The relationship that Joe Paterno had with that campus and that community will never be seen again in college athletics and possibly anywhere ever again.  It is a relationship that I can't understand because I was never a part of it, but like so many others I wish I were.

After 60 years of dedication to Penn State Paterno was fired in the midst of a cover-up scandal that involved  Jerry Sandusky and accusation of child molestation.  Joe Paterno had reported the incident to his superiors and trusted them to handle the situation properly.  That is where Paterno left it and that is ultimately why he was fired unceremoniously.  He expressed remorse for not doing more at the time, but Paterno did testify to a grand jury in order to help investigators with their case.  Paterno didn't do anything wrong.  He followed protocols that were set up by Penn State and the state of Pennsylvania and unfortunately his superiors dropped the ball.  I, like many others, feel that Joe Paterno was wrongly fired and not shown the loyalty or respect from the university that he had shown them for more than 60 years.

Joe Paterno died this weekend due to complications from lung cancer.  He was diagnosed with cancer almost immediately after his firing.  He said once, after being asked why he didn't want to retire, that he was afraid he would end up like Bear Bryant.  He was afraid that not coaching would kill him by not giving him something to live for.  Well, only a few months after leaving coaching Joe Paterno has left this life and I hope that his death will help people remember all the things he did to make the world a better place.  Remember the charitable contributions, the library he built for Penn State, the respect he showed for others, and stories that anyone that was lucky enough to know him have shared.  The likes of Joe Paterno will never be seen in athletics ever again.  Thank you Mr. Paterno for all you did and the role model you were and your legacy can continue to be.