Since 1966, Joe Paterno has ruled the roost at Penn State. Behind the glasses and the grandfatherly demeanor, there beat the heart of a football coach that taught integrity, honesty, character, and winning. For whatever inexplicable reason in 2002 (and in the years following that horrific incident), Joe Paterno appears to have fallen woefully short on the first three, even as he continued to amass the most wins of any college football coach.
On Wednesday night, a unanimous Trustee Board summarily dismissed Joe Paterno as the Head Football Coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions. They did what was required to restore integrity, honesty, and character to a football program and university in shambles. In life, there are more important things than winning football games. Only time will tell whether or not Joe Paterno ever comes to grips with his moral failure to act in 2002.
It has been said that evil triumphs when good men do nothing. There are many who are shedding tears for a good man, one Joe Paterno. Not me. My tears are for the boys (nine and counting) who were brutally assaulted while good men — including Joe Paterno — did next to nothing. That’s why Coach Paterno had to go. (“Why Joe Paterno Had to Go!”)
When I published the above post last November, who knew that I would be wrong on at least three counts? It happens to the best of us, but only with the advantage of 20-20 hindsight can I now see how off I truly was. At the time, I thought that inside Joe Paterno “beat the heart of a football coach who taught integrity, honesty, character, and winning.” Following the release of the Freeh Report, I realized that whatever heart was in “Joe Pa,” it was one that not just fell short in the integrity, honesty, and character department, but one which evinced a complete and utter disregard for the innocent victims of a sexual predator that Paterno allegedly knew about and ignored (his family’s self-serving protestations to the contrary notwithstanding).
What at the time seemed to be an “inexplicable reason” for Joe Paterno’s failure to act can now be explained — he wanted to keep winning football games, no matter the cost. Behind his grandfatherly demeanor laid the heart of a man who not only turned a blind eye to the horrific sexual crimes being committed by one of his coaches, but who actively participated in the coverup and whitewash of the whole, sordid affair. And, for what? To become the all-time winningest football coach in NCAA football history, which is how I described him back in November. Count me wrong on that, as well. After yesterday’s unprecedented punishment that the NCAA meted out to Penn State, Joe Paterno (posthumously) and the Nittany Lions have seen 111 of their wins between 1998 (the date when the first victim became known to Paterno and other University officials who could have put a stop to Jerry Sandusky’s heinous acts) and 2011 erased from the record books. While there is no joy in the Bowden household over this sad turn of events, it is perhaps fitting that Bobby Bowden now becomes the FBS coach with the most wins while Paterno dropped to 5th. Were all those wins during those 13 years really worth the untold agony and lifelong scars that were inflicted upon those boys by a suspected (now convicted) sexual predator that continued to have unfettered access to the University facilities?
Lastly, I was wrong to think that evil triumphed when a good man — Joe Paterno — did next to nothing. As it turns out, Joe Paterno did NOTHING! For 13 years. In my book, that does not come close to being good. How could a “good” man — particularly following the 2002 allegations by Mike McQueary — keep Sandusky as a football coach, much less allow him to use the Penn State football facilities to lure boys into criminally sexual situations? It is completely unfathomable to me as the father of three boys.
If I was wrong about Joe Paterno, I am not alone. So were many others who looked to this legendary coach as the epitome of great moral character and integrity. That charade has been exposed. We now know that the coach had to go. The statue had to go. The wins had to go. The legend had to go. Jerry Sandusky committed the crimes for which he has now been convicted. He will get what he deserves. Apparently, so will Joe Paterno!
This whole thing makes me really sad. At first, I wanted to defend JoePa – my dad is a grad of Penn State and I’ve been a fan. And one of the distinctives of PSU was the “we-do-it-right” and “JoePa-is-a-good-man” storyline.
It has been sad to watch that all go up in flames.
But you are right. At this point, there is simply NO defending Paterno, Penn State or any of it. They played bowl games while evil brewed at the campus.
Dave,
The Freeh Report was scathing (and comprehensive) in its analysis of what Joe Paterno (and others) knew and when they knew it. The cover-up is often worse than the underlying crime, although in this case, the crime was horrific. And, Joe Paterno knew enough that he could have and should have acted, but he did not only next to nothing — he did nothing. It is completely unfathomable that someone in his position would allow this to continue, especially after the 2002 incident that McQueary reported and which was consistent with what he (Paterno) already knew from 1998. As an F.S.U. grad, I am not celebrating Bobby Bowden’s new status as the all-time winningest coach, but it is certainly a well-deserved honor for an outstanding Christian role model. Hope things are going well with you in Taiwan. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment all the way from over there. God bless,
Howell
Howell, this was so sad. So sad for the victims who could have been protected had this been handled properly. Horribly sad for the way Paterno goes down in history. Praying he was ready to meet the Lord. selahV
p.s. glad to see you back.
Hariette,
Glad to be back! The whole Penn State fiasco makes one both sad and mad at the same time. Sad for the boys who were brutalized by Sandusky and who went unprotected by Paterno and other men (fathers and grandfathers) who should have known better. Mad at the utter disregard for these boys and for the all-consuming pursuit of winning at all costs. Paterno, for all his wins, will always be remembered as the man who enabled a sexual predator to commit evil acts. Hope you are doing well. Looking forward to getting back to writing and blogging. God bless,
Howell
I don’t know if Joe-Pa was saved. It should not surprise us when the un-saved act un-saved though. If he was, it should not surprise us when seemingly good people (nobody’s good except Jesus) fail us. Even on-fire-for-God believers! How can we talk bad about anyone, when we look at how sinful we are! It took so much for us to be forgiven! Our (my) sins nailed Him to the cross!
It is definately a tradgedy that all these lives have been affected so negatively by these horrific events. I am not diminishing that one bit. However, even a white lie should be just as sad to all Christians. We should be sad at all sin.
Remember John 8:7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”
With brotherly love,
Tibor
Tibor3,
Sorry I didn’t respond to this comment yesterday. You are exactly right in that Christians should be sad at all sin. When I look at this whole, sorry situation at Penn State, it reminds me of the lostness and depravity of mankind. The only solution to our sin problem is Jesus. We are all sinners who fall short of God’s glory. But for God’s grace and forgiveness in and through Jesus Christ alone, we would be undone. Only God is the ultimate judge. As to Joe Paterno, I think that his legacy here on earth is so tainted because of his failures to act. His eternal legacy is based on what he did with Jesus. That is the only one that really matters for Joe Pa or for any of us. Thanks again for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts. Have a great day and God bless,
Howell