As you have probably seen, long-time Penn State football coach Joe Paterno passed away on Sunday. Joe was the head coach at Penn St. for 46 years but was recently fired due to his involvement in the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal. He was known for so much of his career as coach who not only won but did it the “right way”–with integrity, character, and hard work. Yet, the last few months of his life he was known as the guy who did too little to stop Jerry Sandusky.
Here are some excerpts from articles offering their take on Joe’s legacy:
Many do not know how to respond to his legacy and ask, “Will one mistake define him?”
Yes, in a sense, it will. Every story written will include three words: “coach,” “fired,” and “abuse.” It is a terrible but unavoidable thing.
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Should that one mistake define Joe Paterno? Perhaps not “define,” but it will always mar his legacy. The fact that he did not do more will always tarnish his reputation.
Coach Paterno is more than that one great failure, but for the sake of future generations, we must not forget that failure. We must not forget that several boys were allegedly molested and no one risked reputation to protect them.
A great many Americans are unmoved by Paterno’s passing, having soured on the man for his insufficient response at a time when children were in danger. But a great many of us also have failed when our character was called upon. Like JoePa, we wish we would have done more, and done the right thing more often. Like JoePa, we will take those regrets with us to the grave.
When asked years ago what his epitaph should be, Paterno said, “I hope they write I made Penn State a better place, not just that I was a good football coach.” We will write that because it’s true. But we cannot leave it at that.
Joe Paterno’s life cannot be viewed in black and white anymore. It ends with a sad shroud of gray placed over the prism of our perspective.
Every hero returns home — some to fanfare and others to ruin. Some of this we can control, and much of it we cannot. As Paterno noted, there is a fate involved in the life of anyone who endeavors to leave an impact on this world. It’s ironic that his journey took place entirely at home and ends as he leaves. Only days after losing his job, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, the disease that killed him months later.
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Although it seems cruel to rush to what we can learn from the loss of life, this may be part of the legacy our heroes leave us. Their lives — both the victories and the failures — can teach us how to make our own stories matter. The mistake this hero made can only be described as tragic. But it can also be instructive.
May we honor Joe Paterno’s memory by grieving his loss and appreciating the mistakes he made — and how precarious influence can be. This is important, necessary even, to leaving our own legacies. Yes, it may be crass, but perhaps he would prefer it that way.
Ivan Maisel and Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com:
While the Sandusky scandal left an indelible stain on his career and legacy at Penn State, Paterno insisted that he shouldn’t have been the focus in the fallout. Instead, people should have been concerned about Sandusky’s alleged victims.
“You know, I’m not as concerned about me,” Paterno told the Washington Post’s Sally Jenkins earlier this month. “What’s happened to me has been great. I got five great kids. Seventeen great grandchildren. I’ve had a wonderful experience here at Penn State. I don’t want to walk away from this thing bitter. I want to be helpful.”
How long the close of his career will overshadow the preceding six decades is a question only time will answer. Paterno spoke correctly about one issue. His imprint on the game, on his players and on his university will last long after his victory total is surpassed. Records are made to be broken. Legacies are not so fragile.
