It Shouldn't Have Ended This Way for JoePa
Written by Bob Whalon, Wednesday November 09 2011
This is a sad day for college athletics. Iconic Penn State football coach Joe Paterno announced that he will retire at the end of this football season as a result of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
Paterno read a statement on Wednesday, without the consent of the university, because it was the right thing to do.
"I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season," Paterno said. "At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can. I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief. I have come to work every day for the last 61 years with one clear goal in mind: To serve the best interests of this university and the young men who have been entrusted to my care. I have the same goal today. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I could have done more. My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this university."
I may be biased since I am an alumni of Penn State(Class of 1990), but I think this was a classy move, by a classy individual. Really though, there was no chance that this story would have a happy ending, so at least Paterno took responsibility and ended the speculation once and for all. It's what great men do. We may find out exactly how great or not-so-great a man he is once more details emerge, but this is all he could do at this point.
I can't bring myself to rehash the sordid details of the scandal, so here I want to pay tribute to the greatest coach in the history of college football. Whatever he failed to do in the scandal may never fully be known. What we do know is that the man they called JoePa was the best.
Paterno holds several NCAA football records, including most victories (409), most bowl appearances (37), most bowl wins (24) and more undefeated seasons (5) than any other coach in college football history. He has a lifetime record of 409-136-3 and has won two National Championships (1982 and 1986). And in his 45 years as head coach, Paterno had more winning seasons (38) than any other coach. The legendary Bear Bryant had 37.
Paterno, 84, will be retiring at the end of his 46th season as head coach and his 62 season overall at Penn State. While all of his accomplishments on the football field are impressive, his players and fans believe what he does off the football field is just as important.
Paterno insists that his players be student-athletes. His teams' graduation rates consistently ranked among the best in the nation. In 2010, Penn State's 84 percent graduation rate trailed only Northwestern's 95 in the Big Ten, according to the NCAA.
He has donated millions to the school and they even named a wing of library after him for his contributions. He lived right in State College and he walked to home games. He was a no-nonsense guy, who told you exactly what was on his mind at all times. He was a true gentleman in the shark-infested waters of college athletics.
The best way to describe JoePa's legacy is what it meant to his players and peers. He sent 250 players to the NFL and every one of them has nothing but praise for their old college coach.
"He teaches us about really just growing up and being a man," former Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, once said. "Besides the football, he's teaching us to be good men in life." That's why so many parents wanted their sons to play for Paterno.
Paterno even received unparalleled praise from other coaches throughout the years.
"He will go down as the greatest football coach in the history of the game. Every young coach, in my opinion, can take a lesson from him," former Florida coach Urban Meyer said after his Gators beat Penn State in the 2011 Outback Bowl, which was also Meyer's last game.
Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski said in June for an ESPN special on Paterno that, "Values are never compromised. That's the bottom line." While some may now be questioning that, those people should think again.
Paterno has always acted with integrity and honor. None of us know exactly what he knew about the incident with Sandusky and a young boy in the Penn State locker room showers in 2002. He said that he was not given the full details that were in the grand jury report. Knowing the man, or at least the public persona of Joe Paterno, I believe him. I just don't think there is an evil bone in the man's body. I don't think he's even capable of lying. Heck, thinking up a lie would seem like wasted energy to JoePa.
"Deep down, I feel I've had an impact," Paterno once said in one of the biggest understatements ever.
Yes, Joe Paterno has made an impact on college football, Penn State University, his players, fellow coaches, friends, family, the entire student body and anyone else whose life he ever touched. I am proud to say I am Penn State and I always will be. Mostly because of JoePa.
It is a shame that his legacy will be tainted by something that was not of his own doing. Sure, maybe he should have done more, but apparently the same could be said of countless others who found out Jerry Sandusky's disgusting secret.
Joe did something by reporting the incident to his superior, but it wasn't enough. For that he is sorry. I for one am disappointed, but I will not let it overshadow a lifetime of good deeds. The world is a better place because of Joe Paterno. We should never lose sight of that fact.
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3 comments
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Joe Pa deserves everything he has coming his way B-Dub. He did not act with integrity and honor, that is why he got fired. Yes, no send off, no flowers or awards, just good riddance. Division 1 college coaches like Paterno know everything that goes on in the locker room. Coaches are control freaks and JoePa was a control freak. He will not go down as one of the best coaches in college history. How about the kids? You Penn State alumni and students are a JOKE in my opinion. Your new chant should be: WE ARE----THE ENABLERS!
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CC, there are so many unanswered questions hereit boggles the mind. It seems like nobody did the right thing as far back as 1998. The police, DA, university, victim's families....none of them followed up. why? We may never know. There are no winners here. So sad for everyone, especially the victims. But let's be clear, they are victims of Jerry Sandusky, NOT JoePa. The media keeps posting headline like Joe Paterno fired in sex scandal. Sensationalist journalism at its worst.
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I knew you were an alum and I was waiting for you to weigh in. I don't understand the timing of this - if everyone knew about this for years, why did they wait until after Joe Pa broke the record? It does not change my opinion of Penn St., I want to know why the DA did not do more in 1998!
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I wrote this before the Board of Trustees fired Paterno, but it doesn't change the way I think. JoePa did more good for Penn State and all of college football than any other single person ever has or ever will do.