Joe Paterno passed away after a battle with lung cancer. Thursday night, the college football legend and former coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions was laid to rest.
Only time will tell how people will remember the coach once affectionately known as JoePa, but anyone that respects the game shouldn’t dwell upon the scandal that cost him his job, but honor him as the greatest college football coach ever.
Indeed Paterno made a mistake, but it was just a mistake.
He was fired for essentially not making a phone call to police, and most of the fingers should have been pointed at the university instead. He didn’t turn a blind eye to the allegations nor was he involved in an elaborate cover-up.
He told campus officials what Mike McQueary saw, and the university took no further action. Paterno had integrity and his teams played like the coach they admired. Yes, Paterno could have and should have done more, but one lapse in judgment should not tarnish an entire legacy.
Mighty Joe made Penn State football his passion.
He never intended to be a football coach, but fate intervened when Penn State coach Rip Engle asked him to join the staff in 1950. From that point on, football would be the focus of his life.
Paterno became head coach and won two national championships to go along with 24 bowl victories.
He, along with former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, fought neck and neck to see who could win more games before retirement, and Joe ultimately prevailed.
He won 406 games and became the greatest college football coach in history. That’s something that will not and should not be forgotten.
Paterno was loyal to his campus and fans. Despite all of his offers to coach numerous NFL teams, Joe made Penn State his home.
Many coaches today like Nick Saban treat their coaching positions as more of a launching pad to the NFL rather than a chance to build a program. Because of this, the feat of winning that many games may never be matched again, and he deserves to be remembered for it.
Paterno was the Penn State campus hero and legend, and he deserves to be remembered that way.
