Posted on 04/22/2012 7:05:12 AM PDT by Third Person
Penn State officials, in an attempt to get the family of Joe Paterno to sign away its right to sue the school, offered to rename Beaver Stadium after the late coach, The Patriot-News has reported, citing a source close to the family. But the family said no. Paterno had never been keen on the stadium bearing his name, an idea that "has always been a fan-driven matter. It was never important to Joe," the source told the Harrisburg, Pa., newspaper. Joe Paterno had never been keen on Penn State's stadium bearing his name, an idea that "has always been a fan-driven matter," a source told The Patriot-News, a Harrisburg, Pa., newspaper. But it would still be "a tremendous and humbling honor," the source said. Penn State wasn't granted the release, according to a family lawyer. But the school said last week it had agreed to provide millions in payments and benefits to the estate and family members under Paterno's employment contract. Paterno died in January at 85 after a brief bout with lung cancer, two-and-a-half months after he was fired amid the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. Paterno spent six decades at Penn State and 46 seasons as head coach, winning two national championships and becoming the face of the university. The school turned over four checks on Thursday worth more than $3 million for bonuses that covered the season, bowl game and entire career, a university spokeswoman said. While the school said in a news release the total value of the package was "over $5.5 million," added together the various elements are worth about $6.7 million.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.go.com ...
It’s pretty clear they know they kicked him to the curb with little to no investigation — they just had to throw somebody under the bus, and quick.
So Joe Paterno is gone (Rest in Peace) and now talk about naming a stadium in his honor that he always said he didn’t want. What’s the story here? They SHOULD be reporting on Sandusky and all the young lives he ruined...what IS the story? Where IS Sandusky? Is he going to trial??? When???? FORGET THE STADIUM...it’s a place where ball games are played. It’s not important. What IS important is the truth and the trial of Sandusky AND...anyone else who is involved!!!! I’m so sick of the corruption and moral bankruptcy in this world...
Yep - doing this means they have reason to doubt how they treated him. His subsequent death makes it even dicier for them.
As much as I like Paterno’s football history, and as much as he did for the state in general, when he was alive he always said he didnt deserve the name of the stadium. It is named after James Beaver, who was an officer in a Pennsylvania volunteer unit in the Civil War, was injured multiple times in battle, became Governor, then a Superior Court Judge. He was even asked to join Garfield as VP.
As much as a football coach can do, there is no way that Joe’s legacy for Pennsylvania is stronger than James Beaver’s.
Joe turned down a million dollar offer to coach the Patriots in the early 70’s. This was at a time when a million dollars was real money. His reason? Getting a young 18 year-old when he was away from home for the first time and having an influence on his life was worth more than a million dollars. I was 18 at the time and not smart or athletic enough to go to college. He will always be my hero.
And people wonder why a college education costs so much today.
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