Penn State Scandal: Should Joe Paterno Be Removed from the CFB Hall of Fame?

Yesterday, the Big Ten announced that it would remove former Penn State coach Joe Paterno’s name from the conference’s championship trophy, which will be awarded to the winner of the conference’s inaugural championship game at the end of the season.

The trophy, which was initially named for Paterno and coaching pioneer Amos Alonzo Stagg, will now simply be known as the Stagg Championship Trophy.

I said yesterday that I thought the move to remove Paterno’s name was the right one, given all the controversy that’s now surrounding the 84-year-old former coach. But it got me to wondering if any other drastic measures would be taken against Paterno, such as him being possibly removed from the College Football Hall of Fame.

Once considered one of the true legends and icons of college football, the embattled coach has faced a tremendous backlash from the public and the media in the wake of the horrific sex-abuse scandal involving Paterno’s former assistant Jerry Sandusky, which stunned and saddened the Penn State campus and surrounding community this past week.

Paterno has been vehemently criticised for not taking proper action in dealing with the Sandusky situation when he first learned of the allegations years ago, and his inexcusable inaction finally cost him his job this past week.

Paterno’s once great and practically pristine legacy has now forever been tarnished, and for the rest of his life, he’ll now be haunted by what he failed to do.

It was just a few weeks ago when everyone was celebrating Paterno’s record 409th victory, and it’s that type of success and longevity that earned him a place in the College Football Hall of Fame back in 2006.

But now, with all the details that have surfaced about the alleged cover-up surrounding the Sandusky situation, Paterno’s motto “Success with Honor” has proven to be something the coach himself didn’t seem to abide by.

So should all of the current controversy and criticism surrounding Paterno ultimately cost the coach his spot in the College Football Hall of Fame?

I say no.

In 10 years, when we look back at Paterno and his legacy, it’s difficult right now to tell what kind of perspective we’ll have then after we’ve learned about all of the details surrounding the case.

Right now, there is a lot of anger, and it’s easy to overlook that Paterno’s also done a lot of great things for Penn State, the State College community and college football in general.

Paterno belongs in the College Football Hall of Fame for the coaching career he put together.

Living with the guilt of knowing that he put the reputation of his program before the safety of innocent children is already a tough enough punishment for the coach.