Joe Paterno

They have the blueprint already. Within the words of the Board of Trustees and the president of the school that fired him, within the mixed and tortured emotions of students and alumni who saw in Joe Paterno the human embodiment of all that made their school special -- in his own words even -- this one is an easy call.

"We grieve for the loss of Joe Paterno, a great man who made us a greater university," read the statement released by Penn State president Rodney Erickson Sunday night. "His dedication to ensuring his players were successful both on the field and in life is legendary and his commitment to education is unmatched in college football. His life, work and generosity will be remembered always."

Rest in peace, Joe Paterno. You will indeed be missed.

However ...

When I heard the beloved former Penn State coach died Sunday, I felt a great deal of sadness, not just for the man affectionately known as JoePa and his family, but also for the man's legacy.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Happy Valley was perfect for Joe Paterno, a place where "JoePa" knew best, where he not only won more football games than any other major college coach, but won them the right way: with integrity and sportsmanship. A place where character came first, championships second.

Behind it all, however, was an ugly secret that ran counter to everything the revered coach stood for.

Paterno, a sainted figure at Penn State for almost half a century but scarred forever by the child sex abuse scandal that brought his career to a stunning end, died Sunday at age 85.

It has been 2 1/2 months since the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal incited national passions, embroiled Penn State in a controversy that isn't going away any time soon and, oh, yeah, tarred and feathered the previously pristine image of Sandusky's former boss, Joe Paterno, the iconic, octogenarian football coach of the Nittany Lions whom so many were quick to chastise as an enabler to a pedophile and so many others were equally quick to defend as a blameless victim of circumstance.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- A Penn State administrator responsible for overseeing student discipline said former coach Joe Paterno did not have the authority to change his office's decisions when football players were sanctioned.

Joe Puzycki said Tuesday night in an email to The Associated Press that "we adjudicated athlete cases the same as we did any other student" -- though Paterno was vocal in sharing his opinions.

A half-century in the making, Joe Paterno’s impeccable reputation was shattered in a matter of days.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- After nearly a half-century on the job, Joe Paterno says he is still getting used to the idea of not being Penn State's football coach. So is the rest of the shaken campus, after one of the most tumultuous days in its history.