In Hinsight

A Legend In His Own Time

The death of Paterno clearly marks an end of
an era in college football.

They took his life away and now, he's gone.

Legendary and former Penn State football head coach Joe Paterno passed away Sunday due to complications in his brief battle with lung cancer.

Fired by University Trustees on Nov. 9 amid the child sex abuse scandal involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, Paterno was diagnosed with the life threatening disease just days later. It was first reported Paterno's cancer was curable and that he would make a full recovery.

Obviously that would not be the case.

The 85-year-old Paterno had been in the hospital since Jan. 13 with health complications. But it was reported late Saturday night that he was in serious condition and fighting for his life.

Surrounded by his family and friends, Paterno died peacefully.

Just like Alabama's Bear Bryant, who died just months after retiring from coaching in 1983, Paterno couldn't live without the game he loved.

While many can't help to think of his recent fall from the top and what he didn't do, it's time to look back on one of the most celebrated, influential and remarkable lives in recent memory.

Born in Brooklyn, Paterno served a year in the Army before joining the Ivy League, attending Brown University. In 1950, following his graduation, at age 23, Paterno followed his college football coach Rip Engle to the place he would call home for more than half a century.

There, Paterno was Penn State's assistant coach until Engle's retirement following the 1965 season.

In 1966, Paterno was hired as the Nittany Lion head coach, the beginning of numerous immeasurable contributions and an unfillable legacy. That year, on Sept. 17, Paterno recorded his first of many Division I wins, beating Maryland 15-7.

In only his third and fourth seasons at the helm, Paterno led Penn State to back-to-back undefeated seasons, but both weren't good enough to gain a National Championship.

1973 would be the next time the Paterno-led Nittany Lions would go undefeated. Groomed by the Brooklyn native, running back John Cappelleti became the first and only player in school history to capture college football's most prestigious award, the Heisman Trophy.

Under Paterno's watch, Cappelleti rushed for 1,522 yards that season and finding the end zone 17 times.

Despite not going undefeated in 1982, Paterno claimed his first National Championship in their thrilling 27-23 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs.

In 1986, Paterno capped off his fourth undefeated season with his second National Championship in five years, beating the Jimmy Johnson-led Miami Hurricanes, 14-10, in the battle of good versus evil. Sandusky's defensive schemes confused Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde, causing him to throw five interceptions.

To go along with his two National Championships, Paterno finished the '94 season with his fifth and final undefeated season. One of Paterno's most sigificant victories came in 2006, when his Nittany Lions were opposed by fellow college football legend Bobby Bowden and his Florida State Seminoles in the Orange Bowl.

The game went into a third overtime, where Penn State finally outlasted Bowden and Co. on a Kevin Kelly 29-yard field goal, 26-23.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you
are with me; your rod and your staff,
they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

In his 46 seasons at State College, Paterno, much like his traditional gameday uniform, with his thick-rimmed glasses, highwater pants, that by his own admission were used to save on cleaning bills and white socks, became not only a fixture in college football, but an American icon.

He recorded 10-plus victories in 21 seasons. Only six schools in NCAA history have more than Paterno, alone. Those six programs consist of Oklahoma (32), Alabama (31), Nebraska (27), Michigan (25), USC (24) and Texas (22).

Paterno holds the FBS records for the most wins (409), bowl appearances (37) and bowl victories (24). He is also the only coach with to win all four of the current major bowl games - Fiesta, Orange, Rose and Sugar.

The now-late Paterno saw 244 of his players be selected in the NFL Draft, including 33 in the first-round.

Quickly building a reputation for excellence, Paterno single handedly put Penn State on the map and not only built a one of the most recognizable football programs in the country, but an academic juggernaut. There continue to be many words to describe Paterno, ambassador, educator and class to name a few.

However one wants to remember the life of this iconic yet, now controversial figure, at least remember this. There will never be another JoePa and in light of his passing Happy Valley is and will be anything but happy for a long time.

Fighting For His Life

What Can Brown Do For You?

O'Brien is reportedly the new head coach of
Penn State football.

Filling the shoes of the legendary NCAA head coach Joe Paterno will be a daunting task, but New England Patriots' offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien is up for the challenge.

It is being said that O'Brien has been officially hired as the next and first head coach of the Penn State football program in nearly a half-century, leaving interim head coach Tom Bradley's future with the university uncertain. A proper introduction for O'Brien's arrival to State College is set to come on Saturday.

O'Brien, 42, has never been a head coach, but is no stranger to college football.

Prior to being hired by Bill Belichick in 2007, O'Brien had only coached at the colligate level, making stops at Georgia Tech, Maryland and Duke before jumping at the opportunity to join a NFL coaching staff.

Hired as an offensive assistant in '07, O'Brien was apart of a Patriot team that won their first 18 games of the season before eventually being upset by the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. The following year, O'Brien was promoted to wide receivers coach and helped wideouts Wes Welker, who was second in the NFL in receptions in 2008, and Randy Moss flourish without the services of quarterback Tom Brady, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1.

Following the departure of Josh McDaniels to Denver in 2009, O'Brien got his second promotion in as many years with New England, becoming the quarterbacks coach and offensive play-caller the next two seasons.

Prior to his season, O'Brien was promoted to the team's offensive coordinator. Under his watch the offense shined, leading the AFC in scoring, averaging 32.1 point per game, and scoring a total of 513 points. Brady passed for 5,235 yards, the second most in history, while Rob Gronkowski set the single-season records for receiving touchdowns (17) and yards (1,327) for a tight end.

Many know O'Brien for his sideline scuffle with Brady in New England's 34-27 victory over the Washington Redskins on Dec. 11. The incident occurred after the 2-time Super Bowl MVP threw an interception in the end zone when O'Brien didn't think the receiver was open.

While the event was highly publicized by the media, it showed O'Brien can hold his own with anybody, making him the right man for the job.

O'Brien is now one of the many Belichick-hired coordinators choosing to venture out on their own. Hopefully he is more successful.

Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel were both coordinators on Belichick's staff for all three of New England's Super Bowl victories at the turn of the century, but both also chose to leave after the 2004 season for head coach vacancies.

Weis signed on to become the head coach at Notre Dame, where he accumulated a 35-27 record in five seasons at South Bend, but was fired in Nov. of '09 after the Fightin' Irish finished 16-21 in his last three years at the helm. Weis headed back to the NFL and was hired as the Chief's offensive coordinator for the 2010-11 season. That didn't last long, as Weis made the transition back to the NCAA, being named the offensive coordinator for Florida.

Most recently Weis was named the head football coach of University of Kansas.

As for Crennel, he stayed in the NFL following his '04 departure from New England, taking over as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. In four seasons, Crennel saw his team go 24-40, never making the postseason.

After not coaching in '09, Crennel was hired by the Chiefs on Jan. 13, 2010, where for the time being he was reunited with Weis. This season, Kansas City head coach Todd Haley was fired with three games left in the regular season and Crennel was named the interim head coach. The team went 2-1 under Crennel, including ending the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers' 19-game winning streak and aspirations of a perfect season. Many believe Crennel is the front-runner to land the job for next season.

Eric Mangini, who is currently an NFL analyst for ESPN, had been Crennel's replacement in New England, but after just one season as defensive coordinator, he left. In 2006, Mangini was hired by the division rival New York Jets as the sixteenth head coach in franchise history.

Mangini helped lead the Jets to a playoff berth in his first season, but would not make the postseason each of his next two seasons, ulimatley leading to his termination one day after the '08 season concluded. He would then be Crennel's successor once again, being hired by the Cleveland Browns in '09 only to have see the Browns finish 5-11 back-to-back years and was fired prior to the 2011-012 season.

His head coaching resume stands with a 33-47 record over five years in the NFL.

Most recently, McDaniels bolted to be the head coach of the Denver Broncos, where he failed miserable.  Not even getting through two full season in Mile High, McDaniels was fired after posting a 11-17 record in his first 28 games.

Not to mention the fact he traded away running back Peyton Hillis prior to his first 1,000-yard rushing season and talented receiver Brandon Marshall. McDaniels is currently the offensive coordinator in St. Louis, but with now a door opening in New England, maybe he'll come knocking.

Belichick's coordinators have gone 103-131 without him, causing many to realize, some coordinators are just that.

Hand picked by Penn State's interim athletic director Dave Joyner, O'Brien may not be many people's first, but he is a Brown graduate. The same alma mater of none other than Paterno himself, causing many to ask, what can Brown do for you?

Paterno Fired

Paterno leaves behind an unfillable legacy,
but a tainted one at that.

Just hours after releasing a statement that he would make his retirement effective at the end of the NCAA football season, legendary head coach Joe Paterno, along with university president Graham Spanier, has been fired.

The decision comes from Penn State University's Board of Trustees amid the child sexual abuse scandal that has circled the campus for nearly a week, all thanks to former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

Over the weekend Sandusky was charged on 40 criminal counts of sexual abuse, putting a dark cloud over Happy Valley.

This decision closes a chapter in one of the greatest coaching in sports history. Paterno leaves Penn States as the NCAA's all-time leader in wins (409), bowl appearances (37), bowl victories (24) and would have coached the most games in Division I history Saturday, but instead will remain in a tie for the all-time lead with Amos Alonzo Stagg, coaching 548 games in his career.

He remains the only coach in Division I history to total more than 400-plus victories in a career.

Paterno has been the face of the university for over six decades and coached the Nittany Lions for 46 years. 31 of the current coaches in the FBS had yet to be born when the 84-year-old coach begin his tenure in State College. As for Spanier, his 16-year run as university president has come to an end and, just like Paterno, will have to forever live with the information he did nothing with.

Tom Bradley, who oddly enough replaced Sandusky as the team's defensive coordinator following his retirement, was named Penn State's interim head coach.

For a man that has a statue and preached morals, ethics and integrity for more than half of a century, ultimately fell short of his own principles. For Paterno, it's not just an end of an era, but the end of a lifestyle.

Sad Day In Happy Valley

Paterno has been the face of
Penn State for the last 61
years.

Say it ain't so, Joe.

After six decades of achievement and grace, Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has said he will retire at season's end amid the sexual abuse scandal surrounding a university he has dedicated his life work to.

Paterno first came to Penn State as a 23-year-old kid, being hired as an assistant in 1950. He would serve at that post until 1966, where he was promoted as the head football coach, beginning a 46-year run as the most successful coach in NCAA Division I history.

The 84-year-old coach is the living identify of not only the football program at Penn State, but the university itself, putting State College on the map.

Nearly two week ago, Paterno recorded his 409th win in his illustrious career when his team pulled out an ugly 10-7 victory over conference rival Illinois. The win gave Paterno the most wins in Division I history, surpassing Grambling State legend Eddie Robinson for the all-time mark. Winning the only two national championships in school history in 1982 and '86, Paterno also holds the record for most bowl victories with 24 in his 37 appearances, also a FBS record.

However, all Paterno's victories didn't come on the gridiron.

Penn State has seen 49 academic All-Americans in their history, 47 whom have come under Paterno's tenure, good enough for third all-time among FBS institutions. In 2010, Paterno saw an astonishing 84 percent team graduation rate, second only to Northwestern's 95.

There are so many words to describe Paterno, mentor, educator and pinoeer, but it's what he didn't do that may forever define his legacy in Happy Valley.

Paterno was notified by then-graduate assistant and current receivers coach, Mike McQueary, on an incident he witnessed in the team's football complex in 2002. McQueary saw former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who has been charged with 40 criminal counts of sexual child abuse through his charitable foundation, sodomizing a 10-year-old boy in the shower.

It is unclear what exactly Paterno knew and when he knew it, but nonetheless he failed to follow up on an incident he reportedly discussed with university president Graham Spanier and Athletic Director Tim Curley nearly a decade ago.

Curley, along with vice president Gary Schultz, have stepped down from their respective positions and since have been released on bail after being charged with perjury and failure to report abuse. Curley at one point was Penn State's ball boy, one of the many administrators that have ties to Paterno.

On the other hand, Spanier still remains at his post, but will reportedly resign or be voted out sometime Wednesday, ending his 16 years at the helm.

The Board of Trustees have a meeting scheduled later this week to discuss the future of the university and it's football program. And while Paterno has said he will make his retirement effective at the end of the 2011 football season, the board might not have written the same final chapter in Paterno's tenure.

Paterno addressed his team Wednesday morning in a meeting that saw the iconic coach break into tears and leave the room to a standing ovation after announcing his future plans.

Sandusky was arrested over the weekend after
reportedly abusing 8 boys in a 15-year span.

No. 12 Penn State is scheduled to take on No. 19 Nebraska Saturday in their final home game of the season with all eyes not on the Nittany Lions seniors, but their fatherly head coach know as "JoePa".

If in fact Paterno is allowed to coach Saturday, he will surpass Amos Alonzo Stagg for the most games coached in Division I history with 549. His team is currently in first place in the Big Ten Conference at 8-1 and hope to play in their conference title game, for a shot to play in the Rose Bowl.

Paterno may have fulfilled his legal requirements, but his moral obligation was not. A legendary coaching career that should be celebrated is now forever tainted.

Paterno Furthers His Legacy