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Christensen: The Paterno Legacy? Safe and Assured

By Todd Christensen, The Mtn. Insider
January 24, 2012

With the passing of Joe Paterno this past Sunday, there has been a deluge of questions as to how he will be remembered and what his imprint upon college football and, for that matter, the nation will be.  The pundits nationwide have posed this as some sort of conundrum insomuch that his career ended on an ignominious note, having to step down from his long-time position as the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions despite the plethora of good will that he has proffered through the years.

While I believe it is important to acknowledge the heinous nature of the allegations being focused upon his former assistant, Jerry Sandusky, and be sensitive to the victims and their families, this episode will only imbrue the stature of Paterno in the short term.  Conjecture has been rampant about what should have been done and what could have been done, but the reality is that he did what was required.   In short, like the rest of humanity, he conceded that he did not do enough.

The same cannot be said for him as a coach, citizen, philanthropist, mentor and representative of college football.  With more wins than any major college football coach in history, thousands of young people under his tutelage living quality lives and contributing to society, and millions of dollars donated to the community, university and a variety of charities, it is impossible to quantify the contribution he has made.

But why bother?  Maybe the biggest compliment to his character is that no one referred to him as Mr. Paterno.  It was Joe, Joe Pa or Coach.  Everyone felt like they knew him, a true everyman in every sense of the word. He personified substance over style as witnessed by his high water pants on the sidelines and the basic uniforms his teams wore.  

Jude 22 states: "And of some have compassion, making a difference."  Did anyone in the history of the sport represent this concept more?  

Rest in peace, Joseph Vincent Paterno.
See all of Todd Christensen's blog entries HERE.