The Legacy of Joe Paterno
Just heard the news update of Joe Paterno’s health status and it isn’t good. His status is being characterized as serious and the Paterno Family isn’t commenting on it further.
Leaves me to think of the legacy that Joe Paterno could leave behind. I think of the unanswered questions that so many people want to know and about the thoughts that must run through JoePa’s mind as he lays there.
As a Buckeye Fan, I extend my hand out in sympathy to him and his family for his own personal health situation. What I dread is hearing or watching the ESPN so called experts glorifying him everyday for weeks on weeks should he pass on.
I think of what Paterno built at Penn State University. The Football program will always be indebted to him for what he did in molding it into what it became, Linebacker U. I think of all the great players who played for Paterno, helped him beat our own Ohio State Buckeyes and even now still stand firmly behind him. Some of these same players took the hardline stance of opposing the hire of Bill O’Brien as the new head coach.
Some of it makes me cringe, but I have to say he was a legend.
The sad part is that when many think of him, the past few months will be what everyone remembers and for that beloved JoePa has only himself, Mr. Jerry Sandusky and other men around both of them to thank. Turning his eye so that he could build a legacy has proven to be his biggest undoing.
JoePa preached about instilling character, building young men and not just football players and above all accountability. Many of these that in his own waning hours, I can imagine he thinks of himself.
What if he would have held his own staff accountable? What if he would have built men instead of just coaches and where was the accountability?
If he would have followed his own preaching, we’d all be talking about what a great man JoePa was and what a dandy program he built. Instead while PSU and its faithful remain in denial, dismissing the actions of JoePa and Mr. Sandusky as nothing, the rest of this country remains appalled. Sickened to the core that so many young boys were left out dry and no one cared to help. All for the sake of a legacy.
Category: Ohio St. Football, Ohio State Buckeyes
