More Tragedy at State College-JoePa Dead At 85

thesportbank.net

I think for many of us we expected no less than a quick end for Joe Paterno once the Penn State sex abuse scandal unfolded and he was separated from his love, Penn State University.  Much like what happens when mates lose their best friend and life-long love, death often times soon follows.  The Penn State story and Joe Paterno's story is not over by any means.  For Joe Paterno, the pain and suffering of cancer, had to pale in comparison to what he felt about his separation from the school he loved and served all these years. 

Arguably, the greatest college football coach of all time, is now gone at 85 years of age.  His players are truly a testament to his greatness.  Not just the ones who ended up playing on Sundays in the NFL but the ones who live in communities across the nation.  These men learned many of the lessons of life, of character, of good will from the consummate teacher on the gridiron.  Joe Paterno's contribution to these men will live on and continue to influence both academics and athletics at Penn State University. 

Many believe that Joe's reputation as the shining light of college football was forever tarnished with the allegations and arrest of Jerry Sandusky, his long-time assistant coach and defensive coordinator.  That would be a shame.  There is no question that Joe Paterno made a mistake when his graduate assistant reported what he saw in the shower that day.  He should have followed up with his superiors, no question.  Why didn't he?  He trusted others to perform their duties and they failed.  Joe failed. 

I am sure that it hurt him immensely that he was fired in the fashion he was.  I am more convinced that failing to follow-up is what hurt him the most.  What robbed him of his will to fight the dreaded disease he contracted.  Fortunately for Joe, he will not have to suffer through what will certainly be an ugly and messy ordeal in the courtroom in the years ahead.  He will no longer have to hear everyone's commentary on what he should have or could have done to stop this dreadful and despicable experience at Penn State University. 

For me, I will remember the black hair, the thick glasses and white socks that roamed the sidelines at State College every Saturday in the fall.  I will remember the 409 wins at a Division I football school.  I will remember how happy I was when Joe and his Penn State Nittany Lions entered the Big Ten.  I will remember his signature wins bringing championships home to Penn State.  I will remember Linebacker U and all the special players who won them that reputation.  I will remember the man who I respected as the best of the best. 

I am thankful this Sunday in January that Joe will not have to suffer through the agony and pain of the Sandusky court hearings.  I am thankful for Joe Paterno and all he did for Penn State University, his players, the students and the community of State College.  His legacy will live on at Penn State and his contributions to his university and to the college game will forever be remembered and cherished.  Go with God Joe. 

More To Come At Penn State

It seems impossible to believe that the Penn State story of alleged sexual abuse by Jerry Sandusky could get worse but I'm afraid we're only at the beginning of this terrible tragedy.  So far, Penn State's President has been fired, Joe Paterno has been fired as well as several others.  There will be more names that we won't be as familiar with getting gone in the days, weeks and perhaps months ahead.  There are so many unanswered questions and only a thorough, transparent investigation will reveal them

How many more victims will come forward?  How many more folks on staff at Happy Valley will be found to be part of the group that stood idly by while young boys were being violated.  Questions around the football team and Joe Paterno are many and answers will be found out.  Why did Jerry Sandusky, one of the most successful defensive coordinators in the nation,  resign from the program in 1998?  Was there a coverup with his resignation?  Was there an agreement?  Did the university settle any kind of issue with a family of an abused child? 

Was there any complicity on the part of the administration?  Questions abound and as each one gets an aswerd, there will be ten more. That's how these stories unfold.  We are only at the beginning of the process and State College is now filled with reporters, investigative reporters who know how to ask questions, solicit answers and dig for the truth. 

One must also ask why Jerry Sandusky was allowed to continue to use Penn State facilities and be involved with a youth program that utilized Penn State facilities when there were questions about his pedophia-type behavior all the way back to 1998?  None of it makes any sense. 

I suspect that the soon to be had answers to all of these questions and many more will become apparent in the days ahead.  The trustees obviously hope to kill the story or at least get it off the front page with the firings of the key administrative staff and coaching legend.  This story will not go away and will be reported on day in and day out going forward.  It's being reported the FBI is now involved on some level and they bring a whole new level of investigating to this terrible crime. 

This tragedy will overshadow all the other storylines of 2011 college football.  As it should.  Not reporting this type of criminal behavior when you are in a position of authority and respect is indeed a serious matter and needs to be brought forth in a significant fashion. It isn't hard to believe that more criminal charges will be filed against Jerry Sandusky and just maybe some other Penn State faculty. 

Penn State University needs to wrap it's arms around this in a big fashion and be forthwright, transparent and communicative.  Ultimately, how they respond to the issue now is largely going to determine how quickly the university can regain some of its credibility with the people of the nation.  They do not want to fail this part of the process.  It will determine how much long term damage the university will suffer.  Not so much even with athletics but also with academics.

The university needs to make sure that their internal investigation is as independent as possible.  A statewide well-respected leader would be a great starting point.  Maybe even a few former Penn State football players to help restore the football program through the creation of some type of charitable foundation that supports and helps sexually abused children.  All of this of course will be caught-up in the university trying to protect its flank as well.  Civil suits will certainly be coming their way.  Penn State needs to get in front of this story and work it hard. 

For now, we only have questions that we expect answers to.  How could this go on for all these years and no one took it seriously enough to stop it.     

No Joy At State College

 No one will forget the 2011 College Football season now.  One can fondly remember how College Football not all that long ago was about the games, the kids playing them, the rivalries and the great coaches.  This year has revealed that College Football is subject to the same deep, dark and ugly realities of life in the 21st Century.  The weekend revelations of Jerry Sandusky and his alleged sexual abuse of young boys is as troubling as it gets.  The game's most revered coach, Joe Paterno, finds himself in the incredibly unsustainable position of having to explain away why he didn't take one, two or three additional steps to protect these young boys.  Clearly, he reported as required under the law.  However, this is Joe Paterno, a man beyond reproach and undeniably holder of the highest ground that any man can stand on.

Later this morning, Joe Paterno will take center stage at Penn State University and have to explain to a world watching why he felt it was enough to report the potential abuse to his employer.  Why, when no actions were taken on Jerry Sandusky, he did not follow-up with other reporting to additional university leaders or the legal authorities.  The 84-year old iconic coach won't be answering questions about spreads, linebacker play or how he feels about coaching from the sky box.  These will be questions unlike any he has ever been asked in his 47-year coaching career. 

What does Joe Paterno say to those young men who were victims of these crimes.  To their families.  These stories of our leaders falling and failing have happened throughout all of time.  It should never come as a surprise as each and every person is but a moment away from making a right or wrong decision.  This year has seen two great leaders of our young men in College Football make bad decisions.  Joe Paterno of Penn State and Jim Tressel of Ohio State, two leaders at great universities with storied football programs.  It is true, they are held to much higher standards than the likes of you and me. 

We expect only the best from our leaders.  We expect them to win and win with honor always.  When they fail us, for some of us, it feels like we have failed.  We placed our belief and loyalty in these individuals of honor.  We use words like character, integrity and class to describe them.  Others chime in with ugly words of joy that these respected men have fallen from their pedestals and places of high-standing.  There is no joy for me in this.  There is no joy in State College, Pennsylvania in this.  There is no joy for Joe Paterno in this. 

Hopefully, we learn from this.  We learn to be balanced in our respect and love of our leaders.  We recognize the human condition for what it is.  Fragile and unforgiving.  This will be the end of Joe Paterno's career at Penn State University.  There are no words that he can communicate to recover the moment.  There are no trick plays, no Hail Mary's  and no review flags to throw.  His career at Penn State is now over. 

He will be remembered as one of true champions of College Football.  His fans, the alumni of Penn State and many of us throughout the nation will remember him as a truly great leader of young men.  Unfortunately, like the great Woody Hayes of Ohio State who made one wrong decision, there will always be an asterisk to his accomplishments.  The fanfare, the celebration and all the accolades for an incredible career will forever be tarnished by this one failure on his part.   Watching Joe Paterno for 45 years now, being the man of character that he is, he would not wish for the anonymity of his players and their nameless jerseys when he steps on stage this morning.