A sad, sad time.
The Penn State community reaches far and wide. We have more alumni than any other university in the United States. And every one of those alumni has spread a little bit of what it means to be a Nittany Lion to those around them. This loss is felt by all of them.
To me, Joe Patterno wasn't just a legendary football coach. He was the man who took the time during his afternoon walks around the neighborhood to ask how your classes were going. He was the man who signed a 2005 Ohio State game ball "To Anna, Joe Paterno" as a thank you for tutoring some of his players in Spanish. It was a huge surprise that I was genuinely touched by.
Joe once said, "They ask me what I'd like written about me when I'm gone. I hope they write I made Penn State a better place, not just that I was a good football coach."
He most certainly did make Penn State a better place. I for one am fortunate to have known him. Even if it was just as the neighbor who was more interested in how your classes were going than discussing the football season.
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