JoePa Was Penn State, and Without Penn State, There Was No JoePa

JoePa was Penn State for over 50 years. He lived, breathed, coached, mentored and thrived at Penn State. For many decades, his name and persona symbolized The Nittany Lions and he left an impact on each of his players.

His quotes are numerous, his memories are plenty and his impact is immeasurable.

For my entire life, JoePa was consistently among the most dedicated and respected men in football. His players adored him, the community looked up to him and young coaches in every sport emulated him. This all came crashing down in November 2011.

This article is a celebration of JoePa and not an inside look into the atrocities of Jerry Sandusky. Likewise, this is not a discussion on JoePa’s legacy because that is cemented in stone as one of the best coaches, mentors and man in the history of college sports.

When someone dedicates their entire life for something, their life is equally impacted by that something. Although the focus over the last three months has been what did JoePa do or not do to Penn State, think about what the Penn State scandal did to JoePa.

JoePa’s passing just three months later signifies the emotional stress and heartache that the Paterno family felt in wake of the scandal. Joe simply could not continue living his life when the dark royal blue and white colors, the University Park campus nor the “We are…Penn State” chants during football games were dramatically stripped from his life.

His passing is yet another life lesson that he teaches us, one that shows never to take things for granted and to always do the best you can.

When former players remember Joe, they never mention his wins total, his national championships or his career statistics. They focus on his fatherly presence and his direct involvement in their maturation. Although the last couple of months are paradoxical in that nature, his sworn dedication and commitment to student athletes over the last 50 years makes Joe the ultimate role model for all of us.

Rest in Peace Joe.