This has been written by PBW, please check out his blog http://billsimmonsjr.blogspot.com/2012/01/joe-pa.html its like mine, but better written and more informative!
I just wanted to reflect on the death of Joe Paterno, who's memorial services just wrapped up this week in State College, PA.
He is the best on-field coach in the history of college football, bar none. There is no doubt about that. Regarding the scandal, I think he is not a bad person, merely an unfortunate one who happened to make the wrong decision when something greater than football was at stake. It is a shame that his final 3 months were spent with a cloud hanging over his head. Despite the grievances against him, I do think that he was wronged by the trustees of Penn State and I believe that he deserved better. With his death, it must be remembered, however, that child sexual abuse took place under his watch at Penn State. While he certainly did not condone it, he did not fully prevent it, and therein lies his legacy. To see the outpouring of support from the Penn State community is indicative of how much he was loved. It is a classic comparison, but John F. Kennedy's White House was compared to Camelot. In retrospect, it was flawed in several ways, and that is what we see with Happy Valley. Joe built a sort of Camelot that was also tumbling from within. It is sad that the structure collapsed before he was at peace, because I think that if the Sandusky scandal had unraveled after Paterno's death, he would have suffered far less. Remember him as you will, but for me, when I think Paterno, I will think of the fact that he could not quite achieve perfection. Not quite.
He is the best on-field coach in the history of college football, bar none. There is no doubt about that. Regarding the scandal, I think he is not a bad person, merely an unfortunate one who happened to make the wrong decision when something greater than football was at stake. It is a shame that his final 3 months were spent with a cloud hanging over his head. Despite the grievances against him, I do think that he was wronged by the trustees of Penn State and I believe that he deserved better. With his death, it must be remembered, however, that child sexual abuse took place under his watch at Penn State. While he certainly did not condone it, he did not fully prevent it, and therein lies his legacy. To see the outpouring of support from the Penn State community is indicative of how much he was loved. It is a classic comparison, but John F. Kennedy's White House was compared to Camelot. In retrospect, it was flawed in several ways, and that is what we see with Happy Valley. Joe built a sort of Camelot that was also tumbling from within. It is sad that the structure collapsed before he was at peace, because I think that if the Sandusky scandal had unraveled after Paterno's death, he would have suffered far less. Remember him as you will, but for me, when I think Paterno, I will think of the fact that he could not quite achieve perfection. Not quite.
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