Goodbye, Joe Pa
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
On the back cover of the paperback version of the 1998 biography "No Ordinary Joe: The Biography of Joe Paterno," written by Michael O'Brien, there is a quote by Paterno which states: "I hope they're not going to judge me on how many games I won or lost … I hope they judge me on some other things, the impact we had on people's lives … I hope the overall picture is that we have done some good for people."
That quote gets to my midst in many ways.
It can humble a person, by either thinking about Paterno or thinking about ourselves as an individual.
I idolized Joe Paterno like I have no other football coach, except maybe Tom Landry, but Landry was basically retired by the time I was old enough to understand football.
Paterno is the reason I started cheering for Penn State in the first place. He's the reason I got interested in college football, and one of his decisions is why I almost gave up hope on society and almost said "forget it" to college football altogether.
I say that because, and you can think about yourself as well … If Joe Paterno can make a choice like he made, intentional or not … what decisions are we capable of making … good or bad? Right or wrong?
If anything, I learned (even more than I already knew) life isn't fair … or easy.
Maybe we as sports fans put those who we watch (coaching or playing a game) on too high of a pedestal.
I'm guilty of that, more so when I was younger than present-day.
I know as a youngster I looked up to the Dallas Cowboys players of the '90s, and as I got older … well, we know more than a few of them were far from being "idols."
But I always had Joe Pa for mostly better (eventually worse) … then one day all that I thought was perfect in the world came crumbling down in a heated and emotional fury.
[[In-content Ad]]I responded by writing a column a couple months ago agreeing with the firing of Coach Paterno, and I still do, but agreeing with that decision almost killed the football fan in me, to say the least. I know it was just one decision (still no excuse for it) that he made in not doing more for those children back in the late '90s and early 2000s, but I can't help but still have this place in my heart for the only coach I've ever known as a fan of Penn State.
Though I already said I agreed with the decision back in November, I can't forget what Paterno meant to me as a person. Even though I never met the man, I did admire him from afar.
It's tough for me to put into words what I felt when I turned on the TV Sunday morning and read on the sports ticker about the death of Paterno. I felt sorrow not only for him, but his family. I felt sad because I thought … Did I turn my back on him in November?
I don't feel that I did.
To put it in perspective, Joe Pa was my Woody Hayes. Joe Pa was my Paul "Bear" Bryant. Joe Pa was my Bobby Bowden. Thinking about all that went down at the end of Joe Pa's career, there were many mixed feelings, and if you look back, those coaches didn't have the "perfect ending," either.
I guess there is no such thing as a fairy tale.
To turn on the TV and see that "my coach" had passed away just saddened me because there are very few people in collegiate or professional athletics I've attached myself to and looked up to, but Joe Pa was one of them.
My favorite team Joe Pa coached won the Alamo Bowl for the 1999 season. That team consisted of my favorite defensive trio in LaVar Arrington, Brandon Short and Courtney Brown. That was "the team" in my eyes as a freshman in high school, though they did lose their last three games of the regular season, as they were ranked No. 2 when they suffered their first loss. I recorded all their games (I still have them in storage somewhere). I had their photos taped on my wall, and I completely believed and followed everything the man with the folded-up pant legs with white socks and black shoes said and did.
I was hooked to Penn State football. I was hooked on the plain white helmet with a single blue stripe perfectly placed down the middle. I was hooked on the plain blue-and-white uniforms. I liked the fact names weren't on the back of the uniforms, and the only thing that mattered was the team. I was hooked on Penn State football … forever.
Now the question I ask myself is … How will I remember Joe Pa?
That's a tougher question than I ever imagined.
I'll remember him as someone who taught not just his players, but thousands and thousands of fans and followers alike, lessons on and off the football field.
I'll remember he was a dedicated man to his team and school for over six decades.
I'll remember for what probably was his darkest moment personally and/or professionally, he taught me a valuable lesson by what he did or didn't do to the fullest extent on that fateful day around a decade ago … and that lesson is care for everyone, stand up for those who can't defend themselves and just be a good overall person. Like he said … "I hope the overall picture is that we have done some good for people."
Goodbye, Joe Pa.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.
That quote gets to my midst in many ways.
It can humble a person, by either thinking about Paterno or thinking about ourselves as an individual.
I idolized Joe Paterno like I have no other football coach, except maybe Tom Landry, but Landry was basically retired by the time I was old enough to understand football.
Paterno is the reason I started cheering for Penn State in the first place. He's the reason I got interested in college football, and one of his decisions is why I almost gave up hope on society and almost said "forget it" to college football altogether.
I say that because, and you can think about yourself as well … If Joe Paterno can make a choice like he made, intentional or not … what decisions are we capable of making … good or bad? Right or wrong?
If anything, I learned (even more than I already knew) life isn't fair … or easy.
Maybe we as sports fans put those who we watch (coaching or playing a game) on too high of a pedestal.
I'm guilty of that, more so when I was younger than present-day.
I know as a youngster I looked up to the Dallas Cowboys players of the '90s, and as I got older … well, we know more than a few of them were far from being "idols."
But I always had Joe Pa for mostly better (eventually worse) … then one day all that I thought was perfect in the world came crumbling down in a heated and emotional fury.
[[In-content Ad]]I responded by writing a column a couple months ago agreeing with the firing of Coach Paterno, and I still do, but agreeing with that decision almost killed the football fan in me, to say the least. I know it was just one decision (still no excuse for it) that he made in not doing more for those children back in the late '90s and early 2000s, but I can't help but still have this place in my heart for the only coach I've ever known as a fan of Penn State.
Though I already said I agreed with the decision back in November, I can't forget what Paterno meant to me as a person. Even though I never met the man, I did admire him from afar.
It's tough for me to put into words what I felt when I turned on the TV Sunday morning and read on the sports ticker about the death of Paterno. I felt sorrow not only for him, but his family. I felt sad because I thought … Did I turn my back on him in November?
I don't feel that I did.
To put it in perspective, Joe Pa was my Woody Hayes. Joe Pa was my Paul "Bear" Bryant. Joe Pa was my Bobby Bowden. Thinking about all that went down at the end of Joe Pa's career, there were many mixed feelings, and if you look back, those coaches didn't have the "perfect ending," either.
I guess there is no such thing as a fairy tale.
To turn on the TV and see that "my coach" had passed away just saddened me because there are very few people in collegiate or professional athletics I've attached myself to and looked up to, but Joe Pa was one of them.
My favorite team Joe Pa coached won the Alamo Bowl for the 1999 season. That team consisted of my favorite defensive trio in LaVar Arrington, Brandon Short and Courtney Brown. That was "the team" in my eyes as a freshman in high school, though they did lose their last three games of the regular season, as they were ranked No. 2 when they suffered their first loss. I recorded all their games (I still have them in storage somewhere). I had their photos taped on my wall, and I completely believed and followed everything the man with the folded-up pant legs with white socks and black shoes said and did.
I was hooked to Penn State football. I was hooked on the plain white helmet with a single blue stripe perfectly placed down the middle. I was hooked on the plain blue-and-white uniforms. I liked the fact names weren't on the back of the uniforms, and the only thing that mattered was the team. I was hooked on Penn State football … forever.
Now the question I ask myself is … How will I remember Joe Pa?
That's a tougher question than I ever imagined.
I'll remember him as someone who taught not just his players, but thousands and thousands of fans and followers alike, lessons on and off the football field.
I'll remember he was a dedicated man to his team and school for over six decades.
I'll remember for what probably was his darkest moment personally and/or professionally, he taught me a valuable lesson by what he did or didn't do to the fullest extent on that fateful day around a decade ago … and that lesson is care for everyone, stand up for those who can't defend themselves and just be a good overall person. Like he said … "I hope the overall picture is that we have done some good for people."
Goodbye, Joe Pa.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.