Throw It All Away

By now you have heard that Joe Paterno died. Hell you probably heard about it before it actually happened, since there were reports of his death as early as Saturday afternoon.  I don't have to explain who he was, and what he accomplished. I don't have to point out the number of wins under his belt (how many of which he actually deserved or not, is another column for another time), his National Championships, his good standing among millions of college football fans, nor his ICON status among the college football elite.

I certainly won't bother recounting the "Winning With Integrity" and "The Grand Experiment" - expressions and terms that Paterno himself coined - that Paterno stood for. I won't mention all of this because of the simple fact that NONE of it applies anymore, nor should they be what Paterno is remembered for.

The only thing Paterno should be remembered for, is that he fostered an environment that allowed a serial child-rapist to operate unfettered, and when Paterno was put in a position to stop it, he did nothing.

The closest example I can liken this to is O.J. Simpson. Like Paterno, O.J. was a legend among football circles. He electrified fans, terrorized defenses, and became an elite running back by which all future running backs would be measured against. Then O.J. had that little "Double-Murder" thing and suddenly O.J.'s football legacy wasn't so bright. The fundamental difference between O.J. and Paterno is, O.J. didn't kill his wife and Ron Goldman while he was playing. Paterno on the other hand, was still reaping the rewards while Sandusky was sexually abusing children, and Paterno found out there's no money in morality.

Paterno was the grand patriarch of Penn State University. He took pride - and a tremendous salary - in being so. Paterno ran that University from his bully pulpit, to the point when the Board Of Trustees tried to coax Paterno into retirement time and time again, he repeatedly said "no" and remained head coach just because he damn well felt like it.

What's that you say? Paterno reported the 2002 incident to his superiors Tim Curley and Gary Schultz? Well see that's the thing....Paterno didn't have superiors. If Paterno was really interested in stopping Sandusky, he could have had Sandusky arrested immediately, no questions asked. That's what's possible when you are the most powerful man at Penn State University. That's also why Paterno himself said "I wish I would have done more".

That statement alone is the admission of guilt by which all other memories of Paterno should be tabled. Whether he fully knew what that statement meant, or whether or not he actually meant it, is inconsequential. Paterno said it, and he was correct in his wishes. He could have stopped these horrific acts from being committed if he really did live by his "integrity above all else" marketing slogan.

That is why Paterno doesn't deserved to be remembered for his accomplishments on the football field. It's also why his off the field charity now rings hollow. The great example of morality that Paterno fancied himself as, was only used it to suit his own purposes.

When it came time for Paterno to use his precious integrity to protect children, Paterno looked the other way, and now so should we.