Guest View: Joe Paterno deserved better

With the passing of Joe Paterno I felt it necessary to write this letter in the hopes that people here in Hollister might choose to rise above the muck and mire and remember Joe for what he accomplished in his career and lifetime.
First of all he was the head coach at Penn State University for most of 45 seasons, but many people may not know he was an assistant there before he took over the program. Basically for more than many people’s lifetimes he devoted his life to a school, a town, a team and the greater good of mankind. I will in no way attempt to say that he, his program, every player whoever played for him, his coaches or anyone else associated with Penn State University is or ever was perfect, but let’s take a look at the preponderance of evidence.
Penn State was never on NCAA probation on Joe Paterno’s tenure. The vast majority of student athletes did go on to be successful members of society. Many of his former players never left the university, becoming coaches, professors, workers or in some way shape or form contributors to PSU. I read in Time Magazine that Penn State has the largest alumni association of any university boasting over 165,000 living alumni in the organization who actually contribute money to the school. Joe and his family have donated millions of dollars to the school including the money for the school library. Many people may not ever know that when he took over, PSU was an agricultural extension university and through the recognition and financial resources his program generated he helped build it into a major university. Penn State last year (2010-2011) had the second highest profit margin of any NCAA University’s football program trailing only the university of Texas. All these things are amazing enough but it really deserves note that even at 84 years old last year he is able to continue to recruit student athletes from all over the U.S. with all kinds of backgrounds and they want to go there and play for him. However, like all men Joe Paterno is not perfect. It may or may not be true that he helped an alleged child molester to stay out of jail and continue an association with the school. I think there are three keys to remember here.
First, by all accounts in no way shape or form is Joe Paterno alleged to have participated in or was ever present at any of the alleged incidents. Second, By all testimony released so far he did actually report what the assistant coach Mike McQueery reported to him, (whether or not you believe he should have done more, he did at least do this), and third and what really bothers me is that right now no trial has actually occurred, no one is actually convicted of a crime, Jerry Sandusky may actually be guilty of a horrible, unspeakable things, but I am pretty sure that in the United States you are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty.
So without trial, Joe Paterno was dishonorably discharged from his position. He offered to coach the three more games and step down, but the court of public opinion said no. So in disgrace of a lifetime of service he is fired. Shortly after he breaks his hip, then it is found out he has lung cancer, and now he is dead. Joe Paterno did not die of whatever is on his death certificate. He died of a broken heart. He probably hung on until the season was over, and a new coach had been hired before he said to his soul enough is enough. All of you people who so self righteously insisted that he go (and many of you are far younger than the 45 years he was head coach) contributed to the broken heart. Once again another American icon has to be destroyed. I wholeheartedly agree that the ends do not justify the means, but I do believe that the sum total of one’s life should be what the final judgment is based upon. If you believe in such things, weren’t Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jonah, King David, John the Baptist and every other man besides one flawed?
Randy Logue is a Hollister resident.