Please Joe, Don't Go! College Football Needs You, Not Just Penn State

Please, Joe, Don't Go! I know I'm being selfish in wanting you to stay. I know there's supposed to be a time to relax and enjoy your golden years, but there's not another Joe Paterno out there waiting to attempt to fill your shoes.

The NCAA needs a Joe Paterno. We need a man of your character who makes a team work as a team, be punished as a team and win as a team. When you had some players last season get out of line and you made the whole team clean the stadium, you made my heart pound with pride. 

You've never molly coddled dissenters, never been one to settle for mediocrity, never been one to offer up excuses and always was one to take the blame. 

We never heard about your team being out of control, behavior wise or football wise.  You graduate your players and the ones who leave your program leave better men than when you took them in.

You don't bend the rules. When times are tough, you simply worked harder rather than attempting to take an easy shortcut. You are the example your boys should try to emulate. 

You are the epitome of loyalty. Most modern sports fans will never know how much money you've turned down to take other jobs. They may not know that the NFL came to lure you away many times, but you were loyal to Penn State and your boys. That just doesn't happen anymore, Joe. We need you to remind us that this CAN happen and should happen.

No real knock on Bobby Bowden, Coach, I know that's not your style, and since this is an article about you, I'll respect that. But when they judge Division I coaches, there is no competition between you and Bowden. All your wins were in Division I. They should have never counted Bowden's wins at a Div. II school. I am so happy you regained the lead over him on your own anyway, and I want you to keep it forever.

I am an Alabama fan who loved Coach "Bear" Bryant and was standing there clapping at the television when you broke his record. I remember him once being asked if there was anybody he considered his equal in the coaching ranks. 

After humbly saying he was lucky to have been at Alabama for much of his career and that alone added to his legacy and saying there were lots of coaches he considered his equal, he said, "If I was a young man starting all over, I'd play for Joe Paterno. That's a man who I admire."

So do I, Coach.

Don't go yet. Your lessons, your humbleness, your perseverance needs to be ingrained on this trash talking, chest pounding all about me generation. School administrators need to be taught that you don't let a coach go at the first sign of a bad season.

I admire how you guided that team back to BCS prominence after being told just a few years ago that you were over the hill, all used up and that the game had passed you by. 

I won't trash them now or name names, Coach, because like I said, that's not your style.  Thank you for showing the world that wisdom never gets old, that class always rises back to the top and loyalty given is loyalty paid back.

Please, Joe! Don't go. There are men, women and children in jerseys of every color wishing you wouldn't. No other coach is so widely admired, respected and loved. We need you now more than ever.

And if and when you do, could you retire in Florida? I'm due some grand kids soon and would love to have you down the street to influence them, but no hurry, they're not due for a few years yet. 

In fact I'll make sure they wait for you, they're young and have plenty of years.