Joe Paterno, the longtime Penn State coach who won more games than anyone in major college football, died Sunday (01-22-2012) morning. Paterno, 85, built his program on the credo “Success with Honor” en route to winning 409 games. He took Penn State to 37 bowl games and two national championships, while More than 250 of the players he coached went on to the NFL. Furthermore, more than 80% of his players actually graduated college within 6 years, tossing the “jock” stereotype our of Penn State.
Despite the accomplishments of Mr. Paterno, it seems that the end of his life will be marred by his firing amid a child sex abuse scandal that upended his reputation for integrity. It took a mere few days in early November for him to be forced from his job because he failed to notify authorities in 2002 when told a young boy was molested by former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky in the football team’s locker room showers. Eleven others have come forward to say they also were molested, while Sandusky has maintained his innocence.
“As the last 61 years have shown, Joe made an incredible impact,” said the statement from the family. “That impact has been felt and appreciated by our family in the form of thousands of letters and well wishes along with countless acts of kindness from people whose lives he touched. It is evident also in the thousands of successful student athletes who have gone on to multiply that impact as they spread out across the country.”
Paterno’s death is a tragedy in that it cuts short what could have been a process of education and seeking forgiveness. If Paterno had lived, and had been lucid enough to come to terms with his abdication of responsibility; if he had sought forgiveness for it and worked to help other programs become safer, more responsible and responsive organizations, he could have made a contribution to coaching far beyond his work elevating the Nittany Lions into a nationally competitive program.
No matter what may have happened. My heart goes out to his family. Did he make mistakes, yes. Did he do some good in this world? Yes. Which one created the greatest impact? Only time will tell.