Paterno earned security long ago

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 21, 2004 | by Brad Rock Deseret Morning News

Joe Paterno doesn't win as often as he once did at Penn State. Critics say his recruiting has gone south -- as well as north, east and west. They say he isn't a great game coach anymore.

Football has passed him by, they conclude, and both he and his supporters are living in the past.

That could all be true.

Still, Penn State did the right thing by signing Paterno to a four- year contract extension this week. It went against conventional wisdom, but it also showed a resolve few schools possess these days, in the face of widespread disapproval.

It showed that in special cases, and special places, greatness is still worth honoring.

There has been heated debate this week about the decision to continue with Paterno, who, at 77, entered senior citizenship with the accelerator floored. All the obvious objections have been raised: He's too old to relate to today's players; last year's 3-8 season was the worst since 1931; the Nittany Lions went an embarrassing 1-7 in the Big Ten; the team is 22-26 in the past four years.

Those are all legitimate complaints, especially at Penn State, where winning isn't just a tradition, it's a promise. But it's not legitimate enough to force out one of history's greatest coaches.

Paterno's situation isn't unlike that of BYU's LaVell Edwards, when he retired after the 2000 season. The same complaints arose regarding Edwards. Even former players e-mailed area sports media, saying the longtime BYU coach had lost touch.

It was identical to Paterno's situation in that both took their team to heights they had never experienced, but were drawing to the end of great careers. When is the right time to leave? How do you let go a legend without embarrassing him and/or the university? Is the current situation just a dip or a harbinger?

Edwards saved BYU and its fans further angst by retiring. Whether the administration pressured him to quit is unclear, though Edwards says that wasn't the case.

In both Edwards' and Paterno's cases, the same principal should apply: At some point, a Hall of Fame-bound coach shouldn't have to worry about his job.

That isn't to say disillusioned fans don't appreciate what their coaches accomplished. But true gratitude extends beyond what-have- you-done-for-us-lately. Gratitude is demonstrated after the glory years have passed.

Everyone appreciates a rose in bloom.

Not all coaches earn the right to a free pass, based on longevity. Ron McBride did much to elevate Utah's football program. But he didn't win a national championship or take his team to dozens of bowl games. When he was fired after the 2002 season, he deserved thanks and respect for a job well done, but not an extended stay at taxpayer expense.

On the other hand, Edwards and Paterno were in a different class. They graduated players and ran clean programs, as well as winning prodigiously. Edwards is sixth on the all-time win list, Paterno second. Edwards has one national championship to his credit, Paterno two. Both have been named national coach of the year.

Giving either of them the boot would have been like abandoning a friend who saved your life a few years earlier.

Penn State has an admirable legacy. It graduates its players, avoids scandal and usually produces great football. The school is unaffected by popular whims, right down to its no-nonsense, unadorned uniforms. That was largely due to Paterno's steady influence.

In light of that, his contract extension is only fitting. He knows what he needs to do. He knows how much time he has to do it. If things continue to slip, he'll probably retire before his contract expires, anyway.

He deserves that option.

There needs to be a line drawn that allows a coach to know that nothing short of cheating can undo what he accomplished over nearly four decades.

Paterno passed that line long ago.

In keeping him around, Penn State proved to be every bit as honorable as its tradition.

E-mail: rock@desnews.com