All the sporting world, and even those beyond the sports world, such was the measure of the man, mourn the death yesterday of Joe Paterno. His record as a football coach is well known, so there is no need to restate it here. Also well known are the sad circumstances of his departure from his post as Head Coach at Penn State, and this is not the time to go over that story either.
Much of the talk yesterday was of the "legacy" that Paterno will leave behind. Again, his role as coach and benefactor to his University is indisputable. A question that does come to mind is, does one error of omission, albeit a serious one, negate a life of 1,000 (10,000? 100,000?..you decide how many zeros to add) wonderful acts? Everyone can answer this question in their own hearts and minds. I tend to believe that Joe Paterno will be remembered for the great coach and benefactor and molder of young people that he was at Penn State for over 60 years.
I will close with my own Joe Paterno story, one that I had almost forgotten. Back in the early 1970's, I know I was still a student at Robert Morris at the time, Penn State played Pitt in Pittsburgh on Thanksgiving Day. On the following day, I was walking through downtown by the William Penn Hotel (although why I was in town on the day after Thanksgiving, I have no idea), and I see Joe Paterno walking along William Penn Place, all by himself, no bodyguard, no entourage. He was wearing khakis, perhaps even the same pair he wore during the game the day before. I can't even recall if I said "Hi" to him or not. In retrospect, I hope that I did.
RIP Joe Paterno.
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