Remembering A Legend

Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno died on Sunday
after losing a battle with lung cancer. Paterno may be
gone, but the legacy he left at Penn State will live on
for years to come.

What keeps you going in life? For some, it's the desire to be successful. For others, it's the love of family that gets us through each day.

For Joe Paterno, it was his love of college football and Penn State.

Paterno died Sunday morning after a battle with lung cancer. He was 85.

When it comes to coaches, few have had a bigger impact than Paterno. From the 409 wins, 37 bowl games and two national championships in 46 seasons as coach of the Nittany Lions to the thousands of young men he influenced, it's safe to say that there will never be another coach like Joe Paterno.

The past two months have been trying on Paterno — especially for a man who built the Penn State program in the right way. But even in the midst of the scandal involving former assistant Jerry Sandusky, Paterno held his head high.

It wasn't just football. Paterno loved everything about Penn State. He was a crucial part of getting a library at Penn State. Which is why is firing in November came as such a crushing blow to the legendary coach.

While the Sandusky scandal was a stain on the coach's career, most people will remember Paterno for the good things he did at Penn State. He falls in the same category as Paul "Bear" Bryant, Eddie Robinson and Bobby Bowden — both in terms of wins and the things he did for his university.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said Paterno will go down as the greatest coach in the history of them game, and I can't agree more.

No disrespect to Meyer, Alabama's Nick Saban or any of the other coaches in college football, but they just don't have what JoePa had. His ability to win in a classy style was as strong as his Brooklyn accent.

When the season kicks off, it will be odd not seeing Paterno stalking the sidelines in his traditional garb of a windbreaker and a tie. But I think I can speak for all college football fans when I say, thank you for showing us how to live life the right way, Coach.