Coach Paterno's fall from grace was so sudden, so complete, so far, and apparently so self-inflicted that the pain at times was almost unbearable. After the debacle at Ohio State, I had commented to friends and family alike that my loyalties in college football were reduced to Columbia University and Penn State University, as the last two programs I could support as having the requisite integrity to truly run "clean" programs. So disillusioned was I that I watched nary a single college football game this Fall. My thoughts today are both sadness and relief, because the pain I felt vicariously for the Paterno family and for the probably dozens of abuse children had to be nothing compared to the hurt, regret, shame and destroyed childhoods that all directly involved felt and will suffer the rest of their lives.
In my view, Joe Paterno was a good man, and in some respects a great man. Even were those not to be my opinions, I would not tell you otherwise now, pursuant to my strong belief that to speak ill of the departed is in poor taste at best and cowardly at worst. What I will share with you is my conclusion that Coach Paterno was not just corrupted by power, indeed, he was fatally corrupted by having absolute power in Happy Valley. When any employee holds a press conference to tell the entire world that he, and he alone, will decide when to retire - as only he knows what's best for his employer - that person has become unaccountable to everyone and everything but his own conscience. As Lord Acton proclaimed so astutely more than 200 years ago: "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
When excessive power ruins the life of a once great and moral man, I fear and distrust all others, certainly of lesser stature, holding high political office, as they are not nearly as worthy as Joe Paterno. Yet despite his many virtues, Joe Paterno's vainglorious administration of the Penn State football program ruined too many innocent lives, and I am convinced shortened his own. What a needless shame, as well as a life lesson on bestowing ever more power to the Office of the President - be it Barry Obama or god forbid Newt Gingrich.
