NCAA Football: Joe Paterno's Legacy Makes Him the Best Coach in NFL and NCAA

Joseph Vincent Paterno had no clue he would be where he is now, not on December 21, 1926, not on October 29, 2011 and not in any other point in his life.

The events that have unfolded in the past week or so are tragic. One of the greatest college football coaches ever was dismissed and his legacy is clouded, not ruined. 

Once those who do not follow football closely forget about this incident, and the media circus moves on to the next flavor-of-the-week, those in the college football community will remember him as the best football coach ever.

I did not misspeak. He is the greatest football coach ever. That includes the NFL, NCAA, even high school football.

Over Paterno's 44 years as head coach of Pennsylvania State University, he amassed 409 wins. Most coaches don't even get to coach 409 games. Longevity is the most important part of Paterno's Legacy.

Over his head coaching career, he has a .74 winning percentage. He has only lost 136 games as a coach!

Naysayers will bring up the fact that his morals are clouded and that he didn't do the right thing when he heard about the wrongdoings of Gerald Sandusky. Those people don't truly know what Paterno was told.

The accusations against Sandusky are atrocious. However, we shouldn't place the blame on Paterno.

The reason Paterno and Dr. Graham Spanier were fired is because they didn't do the right thing in most people's eyes. In reality, this is not the reason they were let go. Penn State had to do something, anything to make the public believe the university was deeply sorry for what happened.

The best thing to do was to let those in power go.

Paterno's legacy on the field can never be doubted. I am sure there are coaches who come close to Paterno's legacy, but longevity sets him apart.

To those that question his character, you should ask Paterno's $4 million in charitable contributions to Penn State, his efforts to raise 13.5 million to renovate Pattee library and Penn State's four-year Graduation Success Rate of 78 percent for athletes according to the NCAA's 2008 Graduation Report if he has integrity.