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View Full Version : OT - Joe Paterno In "Serious" Condition



superman7515
January 21st, 2012, 06:51 PM
I know this is an FCS board, but considering the guy is the all-time winningest coach in D1 football, thought I'd post it here where everyone can see. Feel free to move it if you choose to.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7487597/spokesman-says-joe-paterno-condition-serious-further-complications


Joe Paterno, Division I's all-time winningest coach who was fired by Penn State in November, has experienced further complications from treatment from lung cancer and is in "serious" condition, a family spokesman said in a statement Saturday.

"Over the last few days Joe Paterno has experienced further health complications," a Paterno family spokesman said Saturday. "His doctors have now characterized his status as serious. His family will have no comment on the situation and asks that their privacy be respected during this difficult time."

The 85-year old Paterno has been battling lung cancer.

A source told The Citizens' Voice on Saturday that the Paterno family has asked close friends and former staff members to come to the Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College where Paterno has been undergoing treatment.

Not getting into the situation at Penn State at all and certainly not making light of cancer, but you always hear about those guys who hang around forever and right after they're forced into retirement, they pass on because they were basically hanging on for the job. Sounds like JoePa might be headed in that direction.

superman7515
January 21st, 2012, 09:15 PM
I just got an email message saying that Joe Paterno just passed away. I hate to speculate on something like that, but I'm not seeing anything on ESPN tv or web or other news agencies. Anyone hearing that?

BisonFan02
January 21st, 2012, 09:21 PM
I just got an email message saying that Joe Paterno just passed away. I hate to speculate on something like that, but I'm not seeing anything on ESPN tv or web or other news agencies. Anyone hearing that?

As reported by CBSsports.com, yes, Paterno passed away this evening (taken off of respirator). Sandusky and that nightmare aside, Paterno was a legend, and college football lost a legend tonight. My prayers are with his family.

Going to look for more confirmation

"However, Paterno family spokesperson Dan McGinn told a New York Times reporter that the report is "absolutely not true."

Go Lehigh TU Owl
January 21st, 2012, 09:22 PM
Our local NBC affiliate in Wilkes-Barre has confirmed it and did a little 20 minutes special on his passing.

superman7515
January 21st, 2012, 09:27 PM
OnwardState Onward State
Our sources can now confirm: Joseph Vincent Paterno has passed away tonight at the age of 85. http://yfrog.com/hwhkwpj

OnwardState Onward State
Football players received an email minutes ago informing them of Paterno's passing.

OnwardState Onward State
RT @KevinHornePSU: "Here's the scene at the statue with dozens of candles at the feet. http://twitpic.com/8a4if7”

OnwardState Onward State
Students quietly sing the Alma mater as hundereds gather at the Joe Paterno statue. Tears, candles, and prayer -- but mostly silence.

OnwardState Onward State
A Paterno family spokesman has denied our initial report, which was corroborated by multiple sources. We're working on finding out more.

OnwardState Onward State
An assortment of candles and memorabillia has been placed at the base of the statue. http://twitpic.com/8a4upp

Lehigh Football Nation
January 21st, 2012, 09:37 PM
Jay Paterno and Scott Paterno have gone to the Twittersphere to say that their father is still alive and battling.

seantaylor
January 21st, 2012, 09:52 PM
2nd best college coach of all time behind Erk Russell. Pouring out some liquor.

BisonFan02
January 22nd, 2012, 12:43 AM
Death a hoax....let the media frenzy begin.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/16960572

VT Wildcat Fan53
January 22nd, 2012, 12:46 AM
2nd best college coach of all time behind Erk Russell. Pouring out some liquor.

We will forgive your remark, knowing quite well just how passionate (rightfully so, I might add) GSU fans, players, and alums are about your special former legendary leader, Coach Russell. However, quite frankly, on a national platform, the two men are not in the same discussion.


God Bless Joe Paterno in spite of the recent sad, devastating, and intolerable developments at Penn State.

seantaylor
January 22nd, 2012, 06:10 AM
We will forgive your remark, knowing quite well just how passionate (rightfully so, I might add) GSU fans, players, and alums are about your special former legendary leader, Coach Russell. However, quite frankly, on a national platform, the two men are not in the same discussion.


God Bless Joe Paterno in spite of the recent sad, devastating, and intolerable developments at Penn State.

Erk did more with less than Joe. You need to educate yourself, because I would say the majority on this board would agree with my statement if put to it.

NoDak 4 Ever
January 22nd, 2012, 08:36 AM
Erk did more with less than Joe. You need to educate yourself, because I would say the majority on this board would agree with my statement if put to it.

Clearly not what this thread is for but I think those "educated" ones would put John Gagliardi ahead of most.

seantaylor
January 22nd, 2012, 10:10 AM
Ummm< noo

Cocky
January 22nd, 2012, 10:24 AM
Neither would be near the top of my list. Paterno wouldnt be on it either.

seantaylor
January 22nd, 2012, 10:34 AM
Shaq is a total douche with no game.

superman7515
January 22nd, 2012, 10:57 AM
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7489238/joe-paterno-ex-penn-state-nittany-lions-coach-dies-85-2-month-cancer-fight?eleven=twelve


STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Joe Paterno, the longtime Penn State coach who won more games than anyone in major college football but was fired amid a child sex abuse scandal that scarred his reputation for winning with integrity, died Sunday. He was 85.

His family released a statement Sunday morning to announce his death: "His loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled."

"He died as he lived," the statement said. "He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community."

Paterno built his program on the credo "Success with Honor," and he found both. The man known as "JoePa" won 409 games and took the Nittany Lions to 37 bowl games and two national championships. More than 250 of the players he coached went on to the NFL.

"He will go down as the greatest football coach in the history of the game," Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said after his former team, the Florida Gators, beat Penn State 37-24 in the 2011 Outback Bowl.

TheRevSFA
January 22nd, 2012, 11:30 AM
JoePa's death doesn't need a pissing contest on who was the greater coach. Take that somewhere else as it is highly disrespectful.

RIP JoePa

Professor Chaos
January 22nd, 2012, 11:44 AM
You'll never be able to justify the mis-steps he made that ultimately led to his dismissal at Penn State but that doesn't change the indelibly positive effect he had on so many during his lifetime. We lost a great man today. RIP JoePa.

NoDak 4 Ever
January 22nd, 2012, 11:47 AM
JoePa's death doesn't need a pissing contest on who was the greater coach. Take that somewhere else as it is highly disrespectful.

RIP JoePa

Any comments were made prior to the announcement. Relax.

TheRevSFA
January 22nd, 2012, 12:20 PM
Any comments were made pr pluior to the announcement. Relax.

Yes but psuedo death reports plus reports of him being in the hospital prompted it

carney2
January 22nd, 2012, 12:24 PM
Ironic, even eerie, that, just like Bear Bryant, he lasted only a short time after leaving the game.

HailSzczur
January 22nd, 2012, 01:24 PM
Ironic, even eerie, that, just like Bear Bryant, he lasted only a short time after leaving the game.

I'm amazed Bowden's made it so long

DJKyR0
January 22nd, 2012, 04:14 PM
Possibly the most offensive-yet-facepalmingly-funny thing I've ever read from the Onion:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/joe-paterno-dies-in-hospital-doctors-promise-to-te,27125/

College football, and the sports world, lost a legend today. RIP JoePa.

HailSzczur
January 22nd, 2012, 04:50 PM
Possibly the most offensive-yet-facepalmingly-funny thing I've ever read from the Onion:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/joe-paterno-dies-in-hospital-doctors-promise-to-te,27125/

College football, and the sports world, lost a legend today. RIP JoePa.

Unfortunately theres a lot of that kind of stuff going around. Plain and simple the guy did a ton of good, especially for Penn State. He essentially put them on the map, and has been the face of the university for years. While he may have made 1 or 2 questionable decisions, he has also done more good with his life than most others. It's quite a trade off with the immensity of the of the situation though.

VT Wildcat Fan53
January 22nd, 2012, 10:57 PM
Erk did more with less than Joe. You need to educate yourself, because I would say the majority on this board would agree with my statement if put to it.

Once again, God Bless Joe Paterno and his family. As noted in a previous post, let's simply mourn the loss of someone who loved what we love: the game of college football.

When the time is right, when the severity of the loss is behind us, by all means, ask your fellow AGS'ers, ... little bit like arguing between Washington and Lincoln in some respects.

This board is all about opinion and discussion. I would love to see the overall tenor of the responses, irrespective of which way they lean. If we all agreed on everything, then AGS would certainly be quite a boring experience! xthumbsupx

ngineer
January 23rd, 2012, 09:19 AM
Once again, God Bless Joe Paterno and his family. As noted in a previous post, let's simply mourn the loss of someone who loved what we love: the game of college football.

When the time is right, when the severity of the loss is behind us, by all means, ask your fellow AGS'ers, ... little bit like arguing between Washington and Lincoln in some respects.

This board is all about opinion and discussion. I would love to see the overall tenor of the responses, irrespective of which way they lean. If we all agreed on everything, then AGS would certainly be quite a boring experience! xthumbsupx

Agreed. I would be willing to bet Joe did more for Penn State than Russell ever did for Georgia Southern. Russell may have been a very good coach and won a lot of games, but Paterno made it his mission, and to some whiney obsession, that the players are supposed to be in school for a quality education, first. Paterno's insistence on education came from his background in the humanities,but it never left the top of his agenda. What he gave back to the University and to others is immeasurable. A former star player for Michigan State said that when recruited, Paterno was the only coach who spoke to him about matters other than football. JoePa was a class person and ends up on the Rushmore of coaches, as opposed to others who can be found in the souvenier shop.

Lehigh Football Nation
January 23rd, 2012, 10:05 AM
Agreed. I would be willing to bet Joe did more for Penn State than Russell ever did for Georgia Southern. Russell may have been a very good coach and won a lot of games, but Paterno made it his mission, and to some whiney obsession, that the players are supposed to be in school for a quality education, first. Paterno's insistence on education came from his background in the humanities,but it never left the top of his agenda. What he gave back to the University and to others is immeasurable. A former star player for Michigan State said that when recruited, Paterno was the only coach who spoke to him about matters other than football. JoePa was a class person and ends up on the Rushmore of coaches, as opposed to others who can be found in the souvenier shop.

He may be on the Rushmore of college football coaches, but the Sandusky thing will never leave his legacy.

I-16Bandit
January 23rd, 2012, 10:17 AM
Erk did more with less than Joe. You need to educate yourself, because I would say the majority on this board would agree with my statement if put to it.

C'mon man. This thread is about Joe Paterno. It isn't an argument about the greatest coach.

blueballs
January 23rd, 2012, 01:58 PM
He may be on the Rushmore of college football coaches, but the Sandusky thing will never leave his legacy.

That's it in a nutshell... there will always be the BUT in the conversation about Paterno. He won the most games BUT was forced out in a scandal, he gave money to the school and they named the library for him BUT his most trusted assistant *** raped a boy and he did nothing, he put the college on the map BUT his right hand man is a child molester.

The BUT will define his legacy every bit as much as all of his good works... it sucks BUT that's the way it is.

DetroitFlyer
January 23rd, 2012, 03:54 PM
That's it in a nutshell... there will always be the BUT in the conversation about Paterno. He won the most games BUT was forced out in a scandal, he gave money to the school and they named the library for him BUT his most trusted assistant *** raped a boy and he did nothing, he put the college on the map BUT his right hand man is a child molester.

The BUT will define his legacy every bit as much as all of his good works... it sucks BUT that's the way it is.

To say "he did nothing" is not correct. He may not have done "enough" is some folks eyes, but to say he did "nothing" is simply not accurate.

blueballs
January 23rd, 2012, 04:49 PM
To say "he did nothing" is not correct. He may not have done "enough" is some folks eyes, but to say he did "nothing" is simply not accurate.

I respectfully disagree Flyer... in the case of *** raping children you either do all you can to stop the rapist and put him behind bars or you have done nothing. Passing the buck don't cut it when it comes to protecting children IMO.

My question to any of you is this: If it was your son who got *** raped in the shower would you be cool with what Paterno did?

TheRevSFA
January 23rd, 2012, 07:29 PM
Sad

superman7515
January 23rd, 2012, 10:25 PM
BUT his most trusted assistant *** raped a boy and he did nothing, he put the college on the map BUT his right hand man is a child molester.

I wouldn't call him his most trusted assitant. He hadn't spoken to the man since Sandusky was forced out in 1999 and he wasn't made aware of any sexual assualt allegations until years after Sandusky had left the program.

MR. CHICKEN
January 23rd, 2012, 10:28 PM
NOT TRYIN' TA CHANGE MINDS........WHAT YA'S BELIEVE..YA BELIEVE........BUT........FO' DUH CHICKEN
FROM NEWS REPORTS....AN' NEWS REPORTS OWN-LAH:

1. MCCREARY WALKS IN ON ABUSE......SLAMS UH LOCKER.......LEAVES.
2. MCCREARY TELLS JOE PA......IN VERAH UNCLEAR TERMS.....AS TA WHAT HE WITNESSED.
3. JOE WRESTLES WHIFF YOUNG ASSISTANT'S STORY AGIN'......ARCHITECT O' LINEBACKER U.
4. PATERNO DOES RIGHT THING...TELLIN' AD...AD SITS ON STORY.
5. AT SOME POINT....HAPPY VALLEY POLICE DEPT......B/COME AWARE.......DO NOTHIN'....(DUE TA PENN STATES ISOLATED...LOCATION....POLICE DEPT. IS MADE UP OF REAL...PA...STATE TROOPERS...NOT TYPICAL UNIVERSITY SQWAD)
6. AT SOME POINT....STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL...TOM CORBETT...DROPS INVESTIGATION.
7. TOM CORBETT IS ELECTED GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA.
8. TOM CORBETT WON'T ANSWER ???'s.....UNDER CLOAK..."OF ON-GOIN' INVESTIGATION".
9. DUE TA JOE PA'S FAME.......HE IS VILLIFIED...MO' SEVERELAH....DEN.....ACTUAL PERP....AN' MCCREARY WHO...OWN-LAH SLAMMED UH LOCKER!
10. NOW IN DUH CHICKEN'S...TWISTED LOGIC.....DEY'RE...BIGGER FISH TA FRY.....DAN OL' JOE.
11. YES....JOE ADMITTED MISTAKES IN FOLL-AH-UP...AH'D AGREE..HE DID......BUT COMMON SENSE......JES' SAYIN'!

AH LOVED JOE......AH LOVE THREE FOOTBALL TEAMS...DELAWARE/PENN STATE/PHILADELPHIA EAGLES....AH'VE BEEN TA HAPPY VALLEY....TA SEE 'EM PLAY VIRGINIA....A FEW YEARS AGO...AH SAW 'EM PLAY....GEORGIA TECH......IN DUH KICK-OFF CLASSIC @ GIANTS STADIUM...MANY MOONS AGO.....THERE'S NUFFIN'...LEFT TA SAY...'BOUT DUH CRANKY OL' COACH...DAT FORMER PLAYERS/FAMOUS COACHES/FRIENDS/FAMILY... HAVEN'T ALREADY SAID...AH LOVED JOE.

ngineer
January 23rd, 2012, 11:47 PM
NOT TRYIN' TA CHANGE MINDS........WHAT YA'S BELIEVE..YA BELIEVE........BUT........FO' DUH CHICKEN
FROM NEWS REPORTS....AN' NEWS REPORTS OWN-LAH:

1. MCCREARY WALKS IN ON ABUSE......SLAMS UH LOCKER.......LEAVES.
2. MCCREARY TELLS JOE PA......IN VERAH UNCLEAR TERMS.....AS TA WHAT HE WITNESSED.
3. JOE WRESTLES WHIFF YOUNG ASSISTANT'S STORY AGIN'......ARCHITECT O' LINEBACKER U.
4. PATERNO DOES RIGHT THING...TELLIN' AD...AD SITS ON STORY.
5. AT SOME POINT....HAPPY VALLEY POLICE DEPT......B/COME AWARE.......DO NOTHIN'....(DUE TA PENN STATES ISOLATED...LOCATION....POLICE DEPT. IS MADE UP OF REAL...PA...STATE TROOPERS...NOT TYPICAL UNIVERSITY SQWAD)
6. AT SOME POINT....STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL...TOM CORBETT...DROPS INVESTIGATION.
7. TOM CORBETT IS ELECTED GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA.
8. TOM CORBETT WON'T ANSWER ???'s.....UNDER CLOAK..."OF ON-GOIN' INVESTIGATION".
9. DUE TA JOE PA'S FAME.......HE IS VILLIFIED...MO' SEVERELAH....DEN.....ACTUAL PERP....AN' MCCREARY WHO...OWN-LAH SLAMMED UH LOCKER!
10. NOW IN DUH CHICKEN'S...TWISTED LOGIC.....DEY'RE...BIGGER FISH TA FRY.....DAN OL' JOE.
11. YES....JOE ADMITTED MISTAKES IN FOLL-AH-UP...AH'D AGREE..HE DID......BUT COMMON SENSE......JES' SAYIN'!

AH LOVED JOE......AH LOVE THREE FOOTBALL TEAMS...DELAWARE/PENN STATE/PHILADELPHIA EAGLES....AH'VE BEEN TA HAPPY VALLEY....TA SEE 'EM PLAY VIRGINIA....A FEW YEARS AGO...AH SAW 'EM PLAY....GEORGIA TECH......IN DUH KICK-OFF CLASSIC @ GIANTS STADIUM...MANY MOONS AGO.....THERE'S NUFFIN'...LEFT TA SAY...'BOUT DUH CRANKY OL' COACH...DAT FORMER PLAYERS/FAMOUS COACHES/FRIENDS/FAMILY... HAVEN'T ALREADY SAID...AH LOVED JOE.

Well said.

Franks Tanks
January 24th, 2012, 10:43 AM
NOT TRYIN' TA CHANGE MINDS........WHAT YA'S BELIEVE..YA BELIEVE........BUT........FO' DUH CHICKEN
FROM NEWS REPORTS....AN' NEWS REPORTS OWN-LAH:

1. MCCREARY WALKS IN ON ABUSE......SLAMS UH LOCKER.......LEAVES.
2. MCCREARY TELLS JOE PA......IN VERAH UNCLEAR TERMS.....AS TA WHAT HE WITNESSED.
3. JOE WRESTLES WHIFF YOUNG ASSISTANT'S STORY AGIN'......ARCHITECT O' LINEBACKER U.
4. PATERNO DOES RIGHT THING...TELLIN' AD...AD SITS ON STORY.
5. AT SOME POINT....HAPPY VALLEY POLICE DEPT......B/COME AWARE.......DO NOTHIN'....(DUE TA PENN STATES ISOLATED...LOCATION....POLICE DEPT. IS MADE UP OF REAL...PA...STATE TROOPERS...NOT TYPICAL UNIVERSITY SQWAD)
6. AT SOME POINT....STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL...TOM CORBETT...DROPS INVESTIGATION.
7. TOM CORBETT IS ELECTED GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA.
8. TOM CORBETT WON'T ANSWER ???'s.....UNDER CLOAK..."OF ON-GOIN' INVESTIGATION".
9. DUE TA JOE PA'S FAME.......HE IS VILLIFIED...MO' SEVERELAH....DEN.....ACTUAL PERP....AN' MCCREARY WHO...OWN-LAH SLAMMED UH LOCKER!
10. NOW IN DUH CHICKEN'S...TWISTED LOGIC.....DEY'RE...BIGGER FISH TA FRY.....DAN OL' JOE.
11. YES....JOE ADMITTED MISTAKES IN FOLL-AH-UP...AH'D AGREE..HE DID......BUT COMMON SENSE......JES' SAYIN'!

AH LOVED JOE......AH LOVE THREE FOOTBALL TEAMS...DELAWARE/PENN STATE/PHILADELPHIA EAGLES....AH'VE BEEN TA HAPPY VALLEY....TA SEE 'EM PLAY VIRGINIA....A FEW YEARS AGO...AH SAW 'EM PLAY....GEORGIA TECH......IN DUH KICK-OFF CLASSIC @ GIANTS STADIUM...MANY MOONS AGO.....THERE'S NUFFIN'...LEFT TA SAY...'BOUT DUH CRANKY OL' COACH...DAT FORMER PLAYERS/FAMOUS COACHES/FRIENDS/FAMILY... HAVEN'T ALREADY SAID...AH LOVED JOE.

Yes

-No evidence has surfaced that Joe knew about the 1998 case. The timing of Sandusky's retirement is curious, but I understand Joe and Jerry weren't exactly best buddies by that point and it is possible Joe asked him to retire due to personality conflicts and Jerry's commitments with the 2nd Mile.

-Contrary to media reports Jerry's on campus office was not in the Lasch Building. It is unclear if Joe knew Jerry was around campus, but they certainly did not interact with each other on a regular basis after Jerry retired

-Mike McQueary told Joe he saw something with Jerry and a boy in the shower. Per MM's testimony in the Curley/Shultz perjury case he "sanitized" the story for Joe out of respect, and the awkward nature of the situation. Joe arranged for MM to meet with Curley and Shultz, who was head of campus police and involved in investigations of serious crimes committed on the PSU campus.

-MM meets with Shultz and Curley. Curley tells PSU President Spanier about the situation. MM said Joe asked him about the meeting, but Joe was not present at the meeting.

- At this point tragically nothing else happens. Joe could and should have pushed the parties involved to take matters to authorities, but it is possible he didn't fully understand what MM witnessed and/or felt it was looked into.

Joe's involvement in this whole mess is much less cut and dry than the average person believes. Joe's actions were a bit passive and go against the way he did business for 6 decades.

Joe impacted the lives of 1,000's and PSU players, students, and just regular people. It is sad his limited action in the 2002 incident will be brought up whenever Joe's name is mentioned. The people that support Joe aren't in denial or clouded by his presence, they simply want people to understand who Joe was and why his actions may be explained logically.

bluehenbillk
January 24th, 2012, 11:02 AM
I live in PA & like most PA residents I practically trip over PSU alums anywhere I walk.

There are a lot of people that are way too far overboard on both sides.

Joe is no saint - Joe created an incredible football program & for that he should be applauded. Joe took the right kind of players too - those that would graduate and you wouldn't be embarassed about putting them in front of a TV camera - job very well done. Joe won a lot of games - more than any other coach - job very well done. Joe helped move PSU from an Eastern football power into the Big Ten. Yea, the Big East having PSU would've helped that league out a ton in terms of football but both sides could've done better there. Regardless I enjoy PSU as part of the Big Ten.

At the same point in time in growing the football program into a power many can argue that the football team became too powerful. There is no doubt that the most powerful man in State College over the past 30+ years has been Joe Paterno. Yea, you can blame Paterno partly for that & for being unweilding but a football coach should never have any kind of power, period, anywhere.

I grew up and the PSU alums & fans would point to programs like Oklahoma & Miami & SMU & the old Big Eight & then USC & other schools that cheated and were plagued with scandals. PSU was supposed to be different than that - old school - old school uniforms, black cleats, old school offense & old school defense. What happened however is the biggest scandal in the history of college sports - and it happened with guys in the football program & within the confines of the football facilities. Just like Barry Switzer & the like were held responsible for the actions of their programs, Joe Paterno is/was no different.

If you ask me did the BOT at Penn State do the right thing - I say it was the only choice they had. Letting him finish the season would have been a travesty.

I know that this week is all about Joe Paterno and that is fine, but it also has to be about the dozen to two dozen to hopefully no more than that - kids & families whose lives have been ruined because of the sexual abuse that took part at Penn State and was allowed to go on for a minimum of 8 years longer because multiple people, including the most powerful person in State College, failed to do enough to stop it.

Franks Tanks
January 24th, 2012, 01:26 PM
I live in PA & like most PA residents I practically trip over PSU alums anywhere I walk.

There are a lot of people that are way too far overboard on both sides.

Joe is no saint - Joe created an incredible football program & for that he should be applauded. Joe took the right kind of players too - those that would graduate and you wouldn't be embarassed about putting them in front of a TV camera - job very well done. Joe won a lot of games - more than any other coach - job very well done. Joe helped move PSU from an Eastern football power into the Big Ten. Yea, the Big East having PSU would've helped that league out a ton in terms of football but both sides could've done better there. Regardless I enjoy PSU as part of the Big Ten.

At the same point in time in growing the football program into a power many can argue that the football team became too powerful. There is no doubt that the most powerful man in State College over the past 30+ years has been Joe Paterno. Yea, you can blame Paterno partly for that & for being unweilding but a football coach should never have any kind of power, period, anywhere.

I grew up and the PSU alums & fans would point to programs like Oklahoma & Miami & SMU & the old Big Eight & then USC & other schools that cheated and were plagued with scandals. PSU was supposed to be different than that - old school - old school uniforms, black cleats, old school offense & old school defense. What happened however is the biggest scandal in the history of college sports - and it happened with guys in the football program & within the confines of the football facilities. Just like Barry Switzer & the like were held responsible for the actions of their programs, Joe Paterno is/was no different.

If you ask me did the BOT at Penn State do the right thing - I say it was the only choice they had. Letting him finish the season would have been a travesty.

I know that this week is all about Joe Paterno and that is fine, but it also has to be about the dozen to two dozen to hopefully no more than that - kids & families whose lives have been ruined because of the sexual abuse that took part at Penn State and was allowed to go on for a minimum of 8 years longer because multiple people, including the most powerful person in State College, failed to do enough to stop it.

Well said. Joe's legacy will include the recent events, and of course his football expoits. I hope that his lasting legacy will be that he dared people to be be better. Better players, students, fathers, etc. He asked his football players to be more than just football players. He challenged them to be good students, and to be better people. He often stopped to chat with regular students- he asked them their major and goals and encouraged them to do their best and live out their dreams. He dared Penn State university to be better, and gave his money to help the cause.

Today his family, friends, players, and strangers gather to pay their respects to a man who was not perfect, but strived to do his best for himself, his family, and others. Joe said "Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things" and I hope he is remembered for this basic sentiment.

Cocky
January 24th, 2012, 01:43 PM
Everyone should remember dignity can be loss in a second. You cant take money or assets with you but your dignity (if you keep it) will be with you forever and beyond.

Sam_Kats
January 24th, 2012, 03:11 PM
Very well said, Mr. Chicken.