Joe Paterno: A Photo Tribute to Joe Pa's Legendary Life

Joe Paterno, Penn State's legendary football coach, has died at the age of 85 after being diagnosed with a form of lung cancer just two months ago.

You can read the family's statement here.

There will be time to evaluate the totality of Paterno's life, to consider both the good and also the bad, as the past few months in Happy Valley most certainly have been.

But for now, let us celebrate the good in his life, his many accomplishments as both a coach and as a man. He deserves that much.

A Coaching Career Begins

Joe Paterno attended Brown University, where he played quarterback and defensive back on the football team.

He joined the Penn State staff in 1950 as the team's quarterback's coach, bypassing prior plans to attend law school after college.

Paterno Becomes Penn State's Head Coach

In 1966, Paterno replaced the retired Rip Engle as Penn State's head coach.

He would remain in that position for 46 years.

Paterno Finds Success Quickly

Penn State was 5-5 in Paterno's first season, but they would embark on a remarkable stretch starting in 1968, winning 31 straight games and finishing 11-0 in both 1968 and 1969.

Penn State Can't Reach the Top

Despite undefeated seasons in 1968, 1969 and 1973, Penn State couldn't secure the nation's top ranking.

In 1978, his unbeaten squad lost to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, a victory that would have assured them the No. 1 ranking.

(Paterno is seen in this photo with Franco Harris, a Penn State grad and Hall of Fame running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.)

The National Championships

Paterno led Penn State to two national championships. In 1983, the team defeated Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, and in 1987, the team defeated Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.

Paterno's Longevity

In 2007—Paterno's 42nd season—he surpassed the University of Chicago's Amos Alonzo Stagg as the longest-tenured head coach at one institution in major-college football history.

He was a head coach for 46 total seasons and coached at Penn State in varying capacities for 61 years.

The Winningest Coach in College Football History

Joe Paterno finished his career with the most victories in major-college football history with a record of 409-136-3.

His 24 bowl wins and 37 bowl appearances with Penn State are also a record.

More Than a Commitment to Football

From Ivan Maisel and Mark Schlabach of ESPN:

"

Paterno believed that academics and athletics could be mixed without emitting toxic fumes.

Over the next four-plus decades, Paterno and his university -- and the two became interchangeable in the minds of the nation -- made the Grand Experiment a success. As late as 2007, the NCAA reported that Penn State football players graduated at a rate of 74 percent, 19 points above the national average.

"

Sixteen Penn State players were named Scholar-Athletes by the National Football Foundation during Paterno's tenure as head coach at Penn State, and the football program never had any sanctions levied against it by the NCAA.

Paterno's Philanthropy

Paterno and his family donated more than $4 million to Penn State throughout the years, and the school's library bears his name.

Trademarks of the Man

Paterno was easily recognizable with his rolled-up pant legs and his thick glasses.

His team was easy to spot as well, marked by their nondescript blue-and-white uniforms and traditionally stout defensive units.

A Shocking End to a Legendary Career

Joe Paterno's story can't accurately be told without including his dismissal by the Penn State Board of Trustees in the wake of the scandal that rocked Happy Valley and the country in November.

Upon his firing (and after an extremely bizarre press conference announcing the Board's decision), the student body took to the campus streets in protest and swarmed Paterno's home, where Paterno and his wife, Sue, urged the students to return home from their front porch.

This photo of the couple, speaking to the crowd, is perhaps the final iconic image of Joe Paterno.

Paterno noted of the scandal, “This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.”

Beloved Until the End

Here, two Penn State students pay their respects at the base of Joe Paterno's statue on campus after news of his death became official.

Paterno remains a beloved figure in the Penn State community even in the wake of November's scandal.

A Family Man

From The New York Times:

"

In addition to his wife and his son Joseph Jr., known as Jay, Paterno is survived by his sons David and Scott; his daughters Diana Giegerich and Mary Kathryn Hort; and many grandchildren. George Paterno died in 2002. Joe Paterno’s wife and his five children were Penn State graduates.

"

Words to Remember Him by

The following quote has been attributed to Paterno. I think it sums up his life in a rather sublime, and perhaps bittersweet, manner:

"Losing a game is heartbreaking. Losing your sense of excellence or worth is a tragedy."

A Final Tribute

As seen on Penn State's athletic page.

Rest in peace, Joe Paterno.