Joe Paterno's Retirement Statement: What Joe Pa Really Meant

In the wake of the Penn State child sex scandal, Joe Paterno, no doubt encouraged by a team of PR people, came out with a statement today.

The statement informed the world of his intention to retire at the end of the year.

It said that his retirement was done for the benefit of the University and the "young men entrusted" to his care.

I think that the "young men entrusted to his care" would have benefited much more if Paterno would have stood up for what was right years ago. He would have taught those men an important lesson.

A lesson that could not be taught on the football field because it deals with issues far more important than winning a game.

Protecting the weak and vulnerable; standing up to people no matter what their status; doing what is right even when it means sacrificing yourself. These are valuable lessons to teach impressionable young men.

But when Paterno had the chance to truly teach young men, he chose to pass the buck and protect himself and his beloved university.

Too bad he didn’t think protecting a vulnerable young boy was a priority.

Paterno also said that, "the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status....I want to make this as easy for them as possible."

Well Joe, I disagree.

I think your ethical and moral failure to report child abuse should be discussed; and discussed at length. Discussing this issue should never be easy. That would be impossible.

Suggesting it should be, implies that you still don't get it.

What it implies is that you want to call the shots. You still think that you deserve to go out on your own terms. I hope that Penn State does not give you that right.

Paterno does mention that he "grieves for the children and their families" and considers this, "one of the great sorrows of his life."

I'm curious Joe. In the top 10 sorrows of your life, is this like number eight, or more like number five?

If this isn't the greatest tragedy in your life you have either lead a horribly painful life, or once again, you just don't get it.

Paterno does offer his own version of an apology. He said, "with the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more."

Again, I have to respectfully disagree. This type of scenario does not require hindsight to clarify what is right and what is wrong.

Joe Paterno was given information about sexual misconduct between an underage boy and one of his coaches in a Penn State football team shower. Paterno's actions should have been clear. There are laws that say such actions are required to be reported to authorities.

Having spent 60 years coaching, Joe Paterno should have known that. There is no excuse.

Tell the AD, tell the university president, tell the director of finance and tell whoever else you want. Then tell the police. That should have been an important step in the process too.

If someone in that group suggested that the police not be involved Joe Paterno should have punched him in the teeth, then picked up the phone and dialed it himself.

My guess is that Joe Paterno has preached about character once or twice over the years. Well, that is how someone with character is supposed to act.

I guess someone should have told Joe Paterno a long time ago that "the young men entrusted to his care" did not just include those young men on his football team. If that would have been clarified for him perhaps he could have stopped some of these abuses from happening.

If that had happened, then Joe Paterno’s legacy would have really been something special.