This week we lost one of the most iconic figures in sports history, Joe Paterno.
Paterno, 85, passed away after a fight with lung cancer. In November, the long time coach of the Nittany Lions was fired in wake of a detrimental scandal. It was a scandal that cost Paterno his job, but will not cost him his legacy.
Say what you want about Paterno not doing “enough” when he first heard about the scandal, the fact remains that Paterno did exactly what he was supposed to do. He later admitted that he should have done more and that he wishes he would have done more. But that is a mistake, let’s not pretend that we don’t make mistakes daily ourselves.
Paterno was an honest man and a man of integrity. He is still the same Joe Paterno that changed Penn State University forever.
In 10 years you might remember the scandal that took place, but you will still always remember Joe Paterno above all else.
He is, and forever will be, Penn State University. When he was fired, thousands of students rioted the streets in protest of the board of trustees’ decision.
That is not the response that Paterno encouraged, in fact, he even asked the students to stop rioting and go back to studying. He was a very humble man.
While 409 career victories is nice, what is even better is the example that Paterno left behind. And it is the same example that he has portrayed all these years at Penn State.
People won’t remember Paterno for being the guy that denied knowledge about the Sandusky scandal and then was upset with the board’s decision, because Paterno was not that guy.
No, he admitted that he made a mistake and in hindsight, wished that he could go back in time and change what happened. And when he got fired he did not grow upset with the decision, he took it for what it was and moved on.
Because we all know that it hurt Paterno. Joe has spent so much time, money, and effort into making Penn State University one of the most prestigious colleges in the country, and to see it all come crashing down thanks to the sick actions of one man, must have been tough to take.
All of a sudden his world is being turned upside down. His job ripped from under him, wondering what is next. Paterno deserved to be carried off the field on the shoulders of his players, unfortunately that is not what happened.
Now not only is Paterno not on the sideline, but he is no longer with us. And it will be a strange sight to see Penn State without its legendary coach.
At Penn State, Paterno is worshipped like a God. There is no man more respected in the university, and maybe in the entire state.
A Paterno-less campus will be tough to swallow, but this is something that people have been seeing for a long time now.
The time has come, Paterno has passed and he leaves behind a legacy that will live on.
This scandal will have its time in the light, but the legacy of Paterno will live on forever. Not just at Penn State, but across the country.
Paterno will surely be missed, R.I.P Coach.
Tyler Rollason is a Winder-Barrow High School graduate and mass communications major at the University of West Georgia. You can e-mail comments about this column to
tyrollason@yahoo.com.
