If you would have asked anybody who Joe Paterno was or what he stands for before Nov. 5, 2011, the responses most likely would have been very encouraging. There would be celebrations of his improvements to the Nittnay Lions and the University of Penn State as a whole. They would praise him for his dedication to all aspects of Penn State. No one can deny that Paterno has done more than anybody to make Penn State University what it is today. He was one of the few coaches who were put in the light of greatness in people’s minds without those same people knowing his football accomplishments. They did not know that he coached Penn State to five undefeated seasons, 409 wins, and was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame. They know him for something better than that. They know him for his strive of making everyone he could a better person. He was compassionate, hardworking, modest, and lastly, a great football coach. Paterno, in his last year of coaching, and in his last month of his life, would have been known to all as a fallen hero to be remembered. This all changed on Nov. 4, 2011.

On Nov. 4, 2011, Jerry Sandusky was indicted on forty charges of sex crimes against boys while he was an assistant coach to Paterno at Penn State. During the investigation, it was found that Paterno, as well as the Athletic Director Tim Curley, interim Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz, assistant coach Mike McQueary, knew about these charges. When this was found, Paterno was fired as the Penn State University football coach in the middle of his forty-sixth year of coaching.

Paterno was rashly and irresponsibly fired by the Penn State Board of Trustees on Nov. 9, 2011, only five days after the indictment was made. As the story came out it showed that McQueary was the one who saw the acts of Sandusky and reported them to Paterno. Paterno, the very next day, reported these allegations to the Curley. McQueary told Paterno no details other than he had seen Sandusky in the shower with a young boy, and Paterno relayed the message to Curley. Telling your boss of these actions would seem to everyone like the right thing to do in any situation that is too big to handle, but for some reason this isn’t acceptable for most. Shouldn’t it be the one who witnessed these acts to pursue the case? Paterno is a football coach and did his job when it came to legal issues. He went to the man who is paid to deal with such issues. Curley, who although he no longer works at Penn State, had the option of stepping down from his position, whereas Paterno was fired on the spot, without any meeting with Penn State officials. He was given no warning about the firing and never had the opportunity to honorably step down from his position. Through all his great deeds and all the lives he changed at Penn State, he was given no chance to explanation, nor did the Board allow the trial to continue the investigation to find Paterno’s innocence. As the investigation shows, Paterno did nothing illegal and fully reported the incident to his Athletic Director. It was the Director who did not act further on this case.

It was not Paterno, but Sandusky, who tainted Paterno’s status with his sick acts. Paterno has done many great things throughout his life and he should be remembered as such. He was a great coach, but more than that a great man. Twelve thousand people attended Paterno’s memorial in the Penn State basketball arena who would agree. Paterno is, and will always be, a hero.