On Sunday – when news broke about Joe Paterno’s death – I first saw it in my news feed for the top sports from the Associated Press. I quickly linked that story and posted it here on the blog and told all of you that I’d have more thoughts on Paterno’s death in the coming days. Well, I thought about it for a day or two before ultimately deciding that I wanted to wait until the viewings and memorial services took place to show proper respect to the situation. Now that has all come and gone and I can now throw in my two cents.
A video of Joe Paterno is played at Bryce Jordan Center during a memorial service for the former Penn State coach Joe Paterno in State College, Pa. (By Andrew Weber, US Presswire)
Turning on the television on Thursday, it was hard to escape the coverage of Joe Paterno’s funeral. In light of the disgrace the former football coach at Penn State University, it was a little odd to see him lifted up like he was. Not that Paterno didn’t deserve it.
His work with students and athletes over five decades as head coach, and farther back before that, was an example to us all. Paterno demanded excellence from his football players on the field, but more importantly in the classroom. Even those who didn’t suit up in pads on his gridiron felt the push for excellence in the classroom. But, alas, those of us outside of Happy Valley or not associated with Penn State athletics will remember him not for how he pushed for excellence, but how he settled for doing the minimum.
Paterno’s epic fall from grace started, unbeknownst to us all, in the early 2000s when he was told that his assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, was allegedly in the shower with a minor in a compromising position. Paterno, who stressed doing more than just what was required of his players and students, did the bare minimum and just told his superiors. Now I will agree that a large extent of the blame does fall on the university officials who knew what was going on with Sandusky and did nothing.
Had they done their jobs, we would remember Paterno as the saint he was for so long. Instead, they did nothing and that’s where Paterno actually failed. He didn’t do more than what was required and call the police, alert the media or even alert the children’s parents. Ultimately that is the sad and tragic lesson in all of this.
When you know a horrible crime is being committed, you cannot accept “I did my job. It was out of my hands.” You scream it on a mountain top and tell someone, anyone, that not only is this happening, but the people who are supposed to stop it are looking the other way. I know Paterno could have found forgiveness from the nation.
Sadly, because of Paterno’s sudden diagnosis of cancer and quick deterioration from it, he didn’t get the chance to make amends. History will one day forgive Paterno. Once the Sandusky trial is over and those who denied justice to children are brought to justice, Paterno’s name will be cleared. But for his family and the family at Penn State, public opinion won’t change soon enough.
I do extend my condolences to his family and hope Paterno will take his rightful place as a champion of education and a legend of football.
For now, however, it’s hard to forget what happened just a few short months ago and the night Paterno’s career ended so shamefully. He was rightfully punished. He was wrongfully denied a chance at redemption in the court of public opinion.
