How Will Penn State's Board of Regents Sleep After Joe Paterno's Passing?

A legend passed this weekend and along with his demise, a void is left on the landscape of college football.

The death certificate will say that Joe Paterno's death came as a result of complications from the lung cancer he was being treated for.

Hogwash.

Anyone who has any knowledge of the path that Paterno's life took in the last six months will know that cancer only had a small part in his passing.

In reality, "Joe Pa" died of a broken heart.

When the news of former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky's alleged child abuse hit the wires, Paterno felt the horror of the reality of the situation.

Because deep down, he knew that he probably could have done more to prevent Sandusky from further abusing those kids after learning about it from another one of his assistant coaches.

And that knowledge shook him to the core.

But Paterno did what he felt was best at the time.

He turned the matter over to his superiors, people he felt were better qualified to handle the situation.

Something that you and I may very well have done.

Still, after looking back, Paterno thought he should have done more. Perhaps he was right.

After 46 years as a head coach, I'm sure there were a few things that Paterno would have done over if he could have.

Now I wonder if the same can be said for Penn State's Board of Regents?

After such a long and distinguished tenure, would it have been such a crime to let Joe Pa finish his career on his terms?

Especially when those terms only included letting him coach a handful games.

After all, that was all Paterno was asking for.

A handful of games.

Paterno had already announced that he would step down after the 2011 season in response to the outrage that broke after news of Sandusky came out.

Instead, the board decided in their infinite wisdom to "send a message" and force Paterno to leave immediately in humiliation.

A sad ending to an incredible career and one that saw Paterno affect more change than any one man at a university.

As his reward, John Surma and the board of Regents at Penn State showed Paterno the door.

And the crack in Joe's heart widened until it finally gave out on Sunday.

Sleep well Penn State's board of Regents, now you will be in my prayers along with Joe's family.

Because It didn't have to that way.

It didn't have to be that way.