Joe Paterno: The Passing of a Legionary College Football Coach
A Lesson in Civility
On November 9, 2011, after 61 years at Penn State and 46 years as head football coach, Joe Paterno announced his retirement at the end of the 2011 Penn State football season. Later that day, Coach Joe Paterno and college president Graham Spanier, were fired by the Board of Trustees due to the horrific sex abuse scandal. That investigation has resulted in 52 counts of child molestation against former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.
On November 9, 2011 with the announcement that Coach Joe Paterno had been fired as the head coach for the at Penn State football program, I said to my husband Terry, “Coach Paterno will be dead within one year.” Terry said, “Do you really believe that?” I said, “Yes, this is going to do him in.” To say the firing was not handled well would be an understatement. Coach Paterno was fired over the phone, with no notice, and no hearings of any kind.
What has happened to civility in our society? To imagine, someone would give 61 years of his life to better Penn State University only to be fired by a phone call. This is such a lack of civility, caring, compassion, and empathy by university officials. Last I knew, we do have the golden rule of civility in this country, “do onto others as you would want them to do onto you.” I knew Joe Paterno would die long before it became public knowledge that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer.
On November 9, 2011, Coach Joe Paterno stated, “one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.” Twelve hours later, the Trustees fired Coach Joe Paterno. Later Coach Joe Paterno would recount, he was handed a note at his home by the assistant athletic director with the name of the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Penn State, John Surma and a phone number. Coach Paterno called the number and was told, “In the best interest of the University, you are terminated.” Coach Paterno restated the message to his wife Sue. Sue Paterno redialed the phone number and stated, “After 61 years he deserved better,” Sue Paterno said, “he deserved better.”
“In addition, Penn State athletic director Tim Curley, and vice president, Gary Schultz, who is on leave, face trial for charges of perjury and failing to report suspected child abuse and have left the school.” (1)
Nine days after the firing on November 18, 2011, Joe Paterno’s lung cancer diagnosis was revealed to the public.
Two months after the firing, on Sunday January 22, 2012 the larger-than-life Joe Paterno is gone for good, a sad and bitter ending to the life of an American Icon. My only hope is that as a society we can learn from this experience a lesson in civility and try to treat other people the way we would like to be treated. Only then will we have begun to have a more civil society. Coach Joe Paterno taught too many, coached too many, inspired too many to be remembered as anything else but a true American Icon. JoePa Rest In Peace.
