<p>yup, I was going to say the same thing ^^^ college coach grouped with national and Olympic athletes?</p>
<p>Paterno’s teams won national titles in 1982 and 1986 and recorded four other undefeated seasons, including consecutively in 1968 and 1969, according to Yahoo Sports. Nothing remarkable in the last 25 years. I can see where someone who doesn’t follow football from way back would not be familiar with the Paterno name.</p>
<p>A quote from Paterno from the Yahoo article, entitled “Paterno Legacy Damaged by Scandal, But Not Erased” (which article seems pretty balanced in tone):</p>
<p>"He tried to explain how he hadn’t done more to stop Sandusky, how he hadn’t followed up thoroughly, how he hadn’t pressed university administrators for answers.</p>
<p>“I didn’t exactly know how to handle it … I backed away and turned it over to some other people, people I thought would have a little more expertise than I did. It didn’t work out that way.”</p>
<p>A cautionary tale for us all–when we come upon a situation that we don’t exactly know how to handle, think carefully before turning it over to someone and backing away.</p>
<p>Joe Paterno isn’t just some coach – he’s the winningest coach in college football. Scandal aside, his death would be a big deal and would get national news coverage. And in order to merit that coverage, there would have been the expectation that most people would know who he is.</p>
<p>“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” </p>
<p>R.I.P., Joe</p>
<p>In addition to the “Man in the Arena” quote by Teddy Roosevelt, I thought of these words from the bible to commemorate Joe today.</p>
<p>Dancin’ on the grave of my enemy
Dancin’ on the trouble that was troublin’ me
I did not know what else to do
But Jesus Christ has brought me through
I’ve come through the fire, through the flood
Through nothing else but the blood
And if you’re wonderin what I’m dancin’ about
Hallelujah He brought me out</p>
<p>I live in PA, am married to a die hard Penn State fan, and had heard of JoePa. But until the scandal broke, I didn’t care very much. Keep in mind I don’t follow, or understand, football. Since then, I have followed the story and learned a lot more about him as a coach. Today, my heart aches much more than it would have if Sandusky had not hit the news. I actually told my husband I want to attend the services, not that we will, but I want to.</p>
<p>The irony of course is that Joe Paterno’s timidity in addressing the Sandusky situation is what has tarnished his legacy as a “Man in the Arena.”</p>
<p>[Lopresti:</a> Joe Paterno belongs to the ages now ? USATODAY.com](<a href=“http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/lopresti/story/2012-01-22/joe-paterno-dies-penn-state-column/52740928/1?csp=ipadinapp]Lopresti:”>http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/lopresti/story/2012-01-22/joe-paterno-dies-penn-state-column/52740928/1?csp=ipadinapp)</p>
<p>Great article…not a fan here, just an observer over the years…</p>
<p>I grew up in the 50s. I guarantee you that this crime would never have come to light during that time. Normal people simply could not wrap their heads around the horrific nature of it. People didn’t talk openly about sex and child abuse incessantly like they do now.</p>
<p>The scandals in the Catholic Church, as tragic and awful as they are, have brought this crime into the light of day in a way it never was before. The public now has a clear understanding about the existence of, and the wrongness and criminality of child sexual abuse. This is good.</p>
<p>However, in some slight defense of Mr. Paterno, who was 85 years old, the man may not have made it as far as the rest of society in recognizing this crime. He may have still lived somewhat in a Beaver Cleaver world in his mind.</p>
<p>Not an excuse, but maybe part of an explanation.</p>
<p>I can guarantee you that most people in my neighborhood have not heard of Paterno. </p>
<p>But unlike many Americans (not on this forum) they know what TARP is, who the Governor of their State is, where Afghanistan is, the names of Repub. candidates, the national debt, etc. etc. Good enough for me!!!</p>
<p>I agree with Skyhook. I myself am totally appalled with this whole ‘Sandusky’ nastiness and know how I would have reacted. That’s my generation. Then I look at my father who is of Mr. Paterno’s generation, and wonder how he’d have reacted. I’m not sure if he’d have done differently than JoePa. That sort of sick behavior on Sandusky’s part is just not something my father could have absorbed or processed. Again, not defending the guy, but just another effort at explanation.
My sincere condolences to his family at this time.</p>
<br>
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<p>Bible? Which Bible? What’s the chapter and verse on that passage? I don’t recall any words to that effect in the KJV.</p>
<p>I would like to know that too. I’m not a Bible scholar, but I don’t remember
“Dancin’ on the grave…”
in any part I have read (re post 4045)</p>
<p>Well, knock me over with a feather. I’m a woman from Texas who grew up in the 60’s who has known who Joe Paterno was since I was a teenager, if not younger. I can’t imagine living in the USA and not being at least familiar with the name.</p>
<p>I’ve always loved football, though, so maybe that explains it.</p>
<p>A year ago I could have told you that Joe Paterno had something to do with football, but not whether it was professional or college, and certainly not which college. There are many of us in the world who don’t have a football game of any type on our TV’s ever and don’t have the slightest interest in college sports. In any case, I won’t say RIP–may Paterno get such peace he deserves, whatever that may be.</p>
<p>How does the Roosevelt quote refer to paterno? He wasn’t in the trenches…that’s the ppint of the quote…he lead those that fought didn’t get dirty or hurt or risk injury</p>
<p>Using that quote is a travesty</p>
<p>Seahorserock, read the passage again. It fits the situation perfectly.</p>
<p>It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better… who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. </p>
<p>Roosevelt was suggesting it is the critics who have never risked anything and have neither experienced victory or defeat who are the timid. I will translate it for you: it is easy to criticize others from the comfort of your couch, but let’s see how you would do if you were actually in the arena.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Which are these risks that Paterno took that his critics were too timid to?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Those are the lyrics of a modern song, not a quote from the Bible. It’s the song of a righteous man who was wrongfully accused and persecuted by evil men. Seriously, you think that describes JoePa?</p>
<p>You don’t see the difference between Paterno putting himself in a situation (a leader of a nationally recognized football program) where failure is out there for everyone to see and people here from the comfort of their living rooms pummeling him anonymously.</p>