Joe Paterno: Should He Stay or Should He Go?

ESPN.com published a story the other day about Joe Paterno, and whether he should remain at Penn State or not following this season. The ESPN article is pretty good. It gets to some key points and gives some pretty fun facts. To read the ESPN article click here.

I am a student at Penn State. I witness the football team on the field in person every year and get to see JoePa roam the sidelines.

Some say Joe should go, some say Joe should stay. I can see both sides of the controversy. Depending on who you are, I think both arguments are valid.

Before I came to Penn State, I wasn’t a big fan of Joe Paterno. I always thought he was being selfish and was sticking around just to beat Bobby Bowden’s record of wins. I thought the game was passing him by and that it was time for Joe to go.

Then I came to Penn State.

I quickly learned that Joe Paterno means more to this University than anything else. Paterno put Penn State on the map. He built the football program to what it is now, won two National Championships, and shows what Penn State tradition is all about.

For current students at Penn State, before you rush to any conclusions, think about this: Joe Paterno is a living legend. How lucky are we to be able to attend Penn State at the same time as a coach who will go down as one of the most well known people in football history? Maybe the game has passed Joe by, maybe recruiting is lacking, and maybe we don’t win as many games as we could. But think about our time here in perspective. Looking back on our college years when WE are 80, we can tell our grandchildren how we were at Penn State when the great Joe Paterno coached, and those 60 years later they will still know who he was. We should be in no hurry to push Joe out the door.

For alumni and fans that do not attend Penn State and want Joe gone, however, I can see why you would want Penn State not to renew Paterno’s contract. Your time here is past, and you have much pride in your school. Rightfully so, you want the very best for Penn State football. Recently it seems as though the times have passed JoePa by. Recruiting is down, players get in trouble all the time anymore, and the Nittany Lions are not exactly the stellar team you expect to see from this University. Some fans see Joe as selfish, hurting the school.

Whatever your view on Paterno, it is probably based on the fact that you want to see Penn State excel. Will Paterno decide to stay or to hang it up and pass on the reigns?

Only time will tell.