Joe Paterno's death feels like my misunderstood grandfather just passed away. You know, the grandpa that's kinda racist because he's a product of a backwards generation that meant well, but never fully understood how archaic their beliefs had become. You can—and probably should—blame Paterno for not doing more to stop Jerry Sandusky, but when the winningest college football coach of all time recently said he didn't understand a man could rape another man, that "aww, shucks" naïveté spoke volumes about why Paterno ultimately failed Sandusky's victims.
I suppose Paterno should have been fired, but it was sad watching the only Penn State head football coach I had ever known being disgraced on national television. It was even sadder learning of his death Sunday morning. As former Penn State linebacker, Matt Millen, said, "Joe Paterno died of a broken heart."
What has me rattled more than anything else is this idea: One mistake can ruin a legacy. If it can destroy Joe Paterno, it can destroy anyone. By all accounts, JoePa lived an exemplary life. He and his wife, Susan, would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2012. I remember the confused look on her face when the scandal broke back in November and wonder what she must be feeling today. I wonder how long she'll last without him. I'm sure their time together went by in the blink of an eye, and these last two months have been an emotional blur for the entire family.
His players loved him. The Penn State community worshiped him. To my recollection, there were never any recruiting violations in Paterno's 46 years as head coach. There were lots of wins, a couple of national championships, and an untarnished legacy. Until Jerry Sandusky.
One mistake. Partly made because Paterno didn't fully understand what was happening. Partly made because Paterno felt loyalty toward a friend. (By the way, enough with the judging. How many people would call the cops on a spouse, family member, or best friend in a similar situation? Before you raise your hand in a condescending huff, would you really? Or would you try a hundred different ways to help someone you love without sentencing that person to spend years in prison?) One mistake shattered the foundation of a man's reputation and ultimately took his life.
The stake's are equally high for all of us.
I pray Paterno's new legacy becomes this: I hope fewer children are sexually abused because this story saw the light of day. I hope more people speak up when they witness child abuse. I hope more of the real predators (Sandusky himself) are punished. I hope the naive among us become educated about sex crimes. And I hope that thousands of children are protected, that they go on to live relatively normal lives without ever realizing there could have been a much darker alternative timeline, all because the world witnessed this sad, awful story.
Rest in peace, JoePa. You deserve a little of that right now.
2 comments:
Well said.
I too am saddened by this for MANY reasons. But I feel a sense of anger about how Joe was treated. May I try to express that here?
FACT: Joe Paterno coached at Penn State for decades. His program was rightly noted for its high graduation rates and a lack of scandal.
FACT: Joe Paterno profoundly inspired hundreds of athletes and thousands of students by his example.
FACT: Joe donated several million dollars of his own money to make Penn State a better university.
FACT: After all his years of loyal, dedicated service, Joe Paterno was fired by telephone. (Did 2 wrongs make a right?)
FACT: Joe Paterno was not given his “day in court.” His termination was handled without even a face-to-face discussion.
UNPROVEN ALLEGATION (to be determined by a court): One of Joe’s coaches has been accused of a very heinous crime.
FACT: Joe Paterno has not been accused of any crime.
FACT: The termination of Joe Paterno was done because of the pressure exerted by the howling hordes of the media.
FACT: He reported what he knew to his superiors.
FACT: Joe admitted that, in retrospect, he wished he would have done more.
FACT: There are no Monday morning quarterbacks in anyone’s Hall of Fame.
EXPERT OPINION (voiced my several): Joe Paterno died of a broken heart.
Three wrongs don’t make a right either.
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