In the recent article, “Joe Paterno Must Retire,” reprinted on NewsLanc from the Daily Beast, the writer suggests that by holding on to his job, Paterno has “lost the meaning of courage.”
What bullshit. The Penn State football program is at this writing ranked 20th in the country in the coaches poll, the poll that matters. Penn State has won almost nine games (8.8) per season for the last five seasons. (Compare Notre Dame [6.4 wins] or Michigan [7.0]for the same period) During the last five seasons, the team went to five post season bowls, going 3-2 in them. The team achieves this — in a super competitive market — because of, not despite, Paterno.
Don’t overlook that the Brown-educated Paterno (himself a former college football star) holds his team to high academic and behavioral standards. His players graduate AND go to the NFL. They call Penn State “Linebacker U,” after the number of great linebackers that still come out of Penn State. Sean Lee and Paul Posluszny are two very recent examples. Paterno put together the coaching staff at all positions, including the linebacker coaches.
One of the follies of the modern age is the lack of value we place in the elderly. They may be slow but they’re far from stupid. As for Paterno, how many 84 year olds do you know who could get crashed into by a speeding division one college football player, and still hobble out to the field and coach your team weeks later?
Keep Paterno as long as he wants to stay. It is in the school’s, and the state’s, best interests.
How many 84 years old would still be hanging on and not letting go??? What an ego…..does he think he is the only one who can be head coach at “Vanilla U”? – those uniforms and hemets are the handsdown blandest in all of college sports. How much actual coaching is he still doing” Is he going to hand-pick his replacement? I sure hope it’s not his son. Joe looks out for Joe first and foremost.