A significant age in college sports, in particular
college football has ended. An ICON of a coach,
Joe Paterno, head of Penn State's football program,
has passed away at the age of 85. Sad.
To say that he'll be missed is an understatement.
For decades "JoePa", as he was affectionately
referred to by many, was the "face" of not only
the "Nittany Lions", but of the entire NCAA
football season and program.
With hundreds of wins to his credit, and many
graduates going on into the National Football League,
and to other significant successes in their lives,
Paterno was an inspiration both on and off of the
field of endeavor. He was a good citizen, an
ambassador for the institution that employed him,
and a great "father" figure to hundreds of his former
pigskinners. He was also an excellent example of a
father-figure with his own progeny, and a loving
husband.
With many of us who were (and still are) FANS of
Joe Paterno, we felt that he needed to retire, while
still basking in the sunlight of his "glory days", and
before he lacked the abilities to continue coaching
with his usual aplomb and successes. JoePa felt
differently, obviously, loving the sport, loving the
young men he was privileged to coach, and being
loved by them in return - plenty of incentive to
want to stay close to the game, and to be as involved
as life and good health would allow him.
SADLY, his commitment to his career choice seems
to have "run its course" as he was "found guilty" by
a jury of administrators who made a WRONG decision
without having gathered all of the facts. Being more
worried or concerned about "saving the face of the
institution" known as Penn State, Mr. Paterno was
"fired" from their employ, seemingly without regard
to "the face or reputation" of one of the finest
ambassadors or representatives their school or any
school could have hoped for!
They and we will probably never know all the facts
about "what Joe knew", and maybe that would have
been the case had he not passed away a couple of
days ago. Could this "American Icon" have been
involved in a coverup because of a long-standing
friendship? Would Joe have disregarded all of his
lifelong principles in order to protect a man that
he and we all agree HAD DONE WRONG?!
My take on the situation is that there were others
whose responsibility it was to "see the matter through
to the end", and JoePa trusted them to do so. Were
these others fearful for their jobs? Were they "too
busy" to bother with what some might term "trivial
matters"? Was their liberal bent or philosophy so
twisted that they felt "to each his own", without
due regard of the emotional, spiritual, and physcological
injuries that the young boys would likely suffer?
Some of the "truth" will no doubt come out in the
hearings and trial proceedings, and the perpetrator of
these heinous acts will be duly punished. BUT WHAT
OF THE BOYS WHO WERE UNJUSTLY ABUSED?
They need our love and prayers, for certain, but we
also need to assure them that God does not hold them
accountable for being victims. God forgives and
heals, even the guilty if they repent.
HOW MUCH "GUILT" should we assign to "Coach"?
HOW MUCH GUILT should those who punished him,
unduly, accept?
Many of us who were JoePa fans believe that the
rigors of these last few weeks took a heavy toll on the
already-waning health of "the face of Penn State",
Coach Joe Paterno. Emotionally and physically, Joe
no doubt suffered from the hasty, false accusations and the
damage that had been levied on his reputation, not
to mention that which his family and friends endured,
and will continue to endure.
WE LOVE YOU, COACH PATERNO, and in our
eyes and minds, you will always be one of our "heroes"!
If there was anything that you may have been guilty of,
it was that of being deeply immersed in the lives of
those young men that were like "family" to you, and to
those assistant coaches and staff who "believed in you",
not only as an extremely successful coach, but as a
MAN WHO WE ALL ADMIRED AND STILL DO,
both on and off the gridiron!
"Rest in Peace", Joe Paterno. You've probably got
more "friends" in Heaven than you had/have down
here, and I'm sure they're glad to "welcome you home"!
Your memories and example will live on.
college football has ended. An ICON of a coach,
Joe Paterno, head of Penn State's football program,
has passed away at the age of 85. Sad.
To say that he'll be missed is an understatement.
For decades "JoePa", as he was affectionately
referred to by many, was the "face" of not only
the "Nittany Lions", but of the entire NCAA
football season and program.
With hundreds of wins to his credit, and many
graduates going on into the National Football League,
and to other significant successes in their lives,
Paterno was an inspiration both on and off of the
field of endeavor. He was a good citizen, an
ambassador for the institution that employed him,
and a great "father" figure to hundreds of his former
pigskinners. He was also an excellent example of a
father-figure with his own progeny, and a loving
husband.
With many of us who were (and still are) FANS of
Joe Paterno, we felt that he needed to retire, while
still basking in the sunlight of his "glory days", and
before he lacked the abilities to continue coaching
with his usual aplomb and successes. JoePa felt
differently, obviously, loving the sport, loving the
young men he was privileged to coach, and being
loved by them in return - plenty of incentive to
want to stay close to the game, and to be as involved
as life and good health would allow him.
SADLY, his commitment to his career choice seems
to have "run its course" as he was "found guilty" by
a jury of administrators who made a WRONG decision
without having gathered all of the facts. Being more
worried or concerned about "saving the face of the
institution" known as Penn State, Mr. Paterno was
"fired" from their employ, seemingly without regard
to "the face or reputation" of one of the finest
ambassadors or representatives their school or any
school could have hoped for!
They and we will probably never know all the facts
about "what Joe knew", and maybe that would have
been the case had he not passed away a couple of
days ago. Could this "American Icon" have been
involved in a coverup because of a long-standing
friendship? Would Joe have disregarded all of his
lifelong principles in order to protect a man that
he and we all agree HAD DONE WRONG?!
My take on the situation is that there were others
whose responsibility it was to "see the matter through
to the end", and JoePa trusted them to do so. Were
these others fearful for their jobs? Were they "too
busy" to bother with what some might term "trivial
matters"? Was their liberal bent or philosophy so
twisted that they felt "to each his own", without
due regard of the emotional, spiritual, and physcological
injuries that the young boys would likely suffer?
Some of the "truth" will no doubt come out in the
hearings and trial proceedings, and the perpetrator of
these heinous acts will be duly punished. BUT WHAT
OF THE BOYS WHO WERE UNJUSTLY ABUSED?
They need our love and prayers, for certain, but we
also need to assure them that God does not hold them
accountable for being victims. God forgives and
heals, even the guilty if they repent.
HOW MUCH "GUILT" should we assign to "Coach"?
HOW MUCH GUILT should those who punished him,
unduly, accept?
Many of us who were JoePa fans believe that the
rigors of these last few weeks took a heavy toll on the
already-waning health of "the face of Penn State",
Coach Joe Paterno. Emotionally and physically, Joe
no doubt suffered from the hasty, false accusations and the
damage that had been levied on his reputation, not
to mention that which his family and friends endured,
and will continue to endure.
WE LOVE YOU, COACH PATERNO, and in our
eyes and minds, you will always be one of our "heroes"!
If there was anything that you may have been guilty of,
it was that of being deeply immersed in the lives of
those young men that were like "family" to you, and to
those assistant coaches and staff who "believed in you",
not only as an extremely successful coach, but as a
MAN WHO WE ALL ADMIRED AND STILL DO,
both on and off the gridiron!
"Rest in Peace", Joe Paterno. You've probably got
more "friends" in Heaven than you had/have down
here, and I'm sure they're glad to "welcome you home"!
Your memories and example will live on.
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