Joe Paterno: How Legendary Coach's Demise Will Bolster Other Programs' Integrity

Before the Penn State scandal broke, no active coach could even come close to comparing to the legacy of Joe Paterno. He built a program that defined integrity and if ever there was a coach whose accomplishments in football could overshadow any scandal, it would have been Paterno.

The Penn State board of trustees brought the hammer down on JoePa though, proving that no coach is untouchable and that no matter how long something is kept quiet, eventually, the truth comes out.

Paterno and many within the Penn State program knew of the Sandusky allegations well before this month and as Philly.com points out, they had ample time to do what was right.

They could have easily made this an isolated problem and let Sandusky be the lone face of this scandal, but their unwillingness to speak out makes everyone who allegedly knew a guilty party to some extent.

Paterno's tragic tale is a learning opportunity for every program and university in the entire nation.

Although it may seem difficult and allegiances may get in the way of doing what is right, nothing is more difficult than someone finding out of the wrongdoings years down the line and realizing that nothing was done about it.

Taking action would have prevented Paterno's legacy from being tarnished forever. Though every program is trying to avoid being put in this situation at all, it's safe to say that handling it with integrity would have spared Penn State the embarrassment and headache it's currently experiencing.

It's not just about protecting the jobs and reputations of those in the organization either. Victims could have maintained their innocence if someone had simply done what was right, rather than what was convenient.

If programs encounter this situation and turn the other cheek, thinking that it couldn't happen to them, Paterno is living proof that nobody is immune to the fate he is currently suffering through.