Sunday night, as part of our study of the third chapter of James, we discussed how one statement or act can ruin a ca-reer.  We also talked about how a career can be ruined not because of what one does or says, but because of what one doesn’t do or say.  Either way, one of the saddest things we can witness is the destruction of the career and reputation of someone who has been successful and has even done a lot of good by one act of commission or omission.

Of course the discussion inevitably turned to legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno who died Sunday morning.  While you can debate the way the school handled the firing of Coach Paterno, I don’t think the school had any choice but to fire him.  Even Paterno, himself, said that, in retrospect, he wished he had done more.  He realized that he had erred.

Paterno’s long-time assistant, Jerry Sandusky has been indicted on 40 counts of sex crimes against young boys.  The charges stem from an investigation that began in 2009 and was completed this past year.  Sandusky retired from Penn State in 1999, but had still been allowed access to the school’s facilities.  In fact, the school banned him from the campus only after he had been indicted.

The problem, as it relates to Paterno, is that in 2002 an assistant coach informed Paterno that he had witnessed Sandusky involved in a sexual act with a 10 year old boy in the Penn State locker room shower.   The next day Paterno passed the information along to athletic department officials.  Two of those officials have been fired and charged with perjury and failure to report suspected child abuse to law enforcement authorities.  Charges were not brought against Paterno because it was determined that by reporting what he was told to those in the athletic department he fulfilled his legal responsibilities.  While some may question that ruling, what cannot be denied is that Pateno failed his moral responsibilities and it is that failure that damaged his reputation and justified his dismissal.

As Paterno himself wondered, “Why didn’t he do more?”  He said, in the aftermath, that the assistant coach was somewhat vague in describing what he had witnessed.  If that was the case, why didn’t Paterno ask for more specifics?  He said he had never heard of “rape and a man.”  That begs credulity in today’s society, plus this victim was not a man but a 10 year old boy.  Why was Paterno so quick to wash his hands of the incident?  Why didn’t he follow up with athletic department officials?  Why didn’t he go to his former colleague and (supposedly) friend and ask him about the allegations?  If the allegations had proven to be false, his former staff member deserved to know what had been said about him.  If they were true, Paterno could have urged him to seek help and, possibly reduced the number of victims.

 A man for whom I hold a great deal of respect suggested that Paterno has been driven by the ambition to achieve the most wins for a college football coach. This would certainly explain his choice to continue coaching long after most would have retired and after the vagaries of age prevented him from remaining on the sidelines during games.  There is nothing wrong with ambition, but if it caused Paterno to decide he didn’t want to know more about the allegations against his former colleague, then ambition was his downfall.

Whatever the case, I grieve for the Paterno family in their loss and in the media attention surrounding it.  Joe Paterno was, undoubtedly, one of the greatest coaches in the game.  I have no doubt he was a positive influence on the lives of many who played for him and others who admired him.

I’ve already seen heartless people write that Paterno was doomed to hell.  I believe in a God who is loving and full of grace.  I also believe, regardless of what his ambitions or failures may have been, Paterno genuinely regretted the incidents that took place and his reluctance to do more about them.  I am confident that, if he sought forgiveness from God, he received it.  I also think, like any great coach (or teacher for that matter) he would hope that others could at least learn from his mistakes.  His legend has undoubtedly been tarnished, but even tarnished legends have something to teach us.

Paterno’s lesson to us is this, sometimes it’s what you don’t do or say that can be your downfall.  James teaches us that the tongue is a dangerous part of the body, particularly when it is not kept under control.  Keeping it under control, however, doesn’t always mean keeping it quiet.  Instead it means using it in the way God intended for us to use it.  I think God wanted Joe to speak up; to say more and do more.  Like Joe, I regret that he didn’t.  May God have mercy on him and on us as well.

Carlton

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