# Joe Paterno very ill - may be dying soon \[Update: RIP Joe Paterno\] **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 22, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259 "2012-01-22T00:21:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/21 "2012-01-22T02:58:48Z")
[Breaking News with song](http://youtu.be/HLgQMtquS6Y?t=1m18s) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/22 "2012-01-22T03:36:10Z")
Glad to hear that he’s still fighting. It doesn’t sound good at all. I was very surprised they even tried chemo on a 85 year old man. I choose to remember the forty plus years that he lead a very clean football program. Kids that played for JoePa went to class and the program had one of the country’s highest graduation rates. He won the right way by emphasizing academics first. He was human and made mistakes. But, for me what he did for all those students athletes is what I’ll choose to remember. YMMV and that’s ok too. Everyone has to decide for themselves how to remember people. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/23 "2012-01-22T03:38:42Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > But, for me what he did for all those students athletes is what I’ll choose to remember. What he _didn’t_ do for victims of child molestation is what I’ll remember, whether I choose to or not. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/24 "2012-01-22T04:07:28Z")
Here’s a[facebook page](http://www.facebook.com/OnwardState/posts/10150599666855663) that is taking ‘credit’ for prematurely reporting JoePa’s death. Comments are a fun read. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/25 "2012-01-22T04:34:31Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Doctor’s won’t know for certain until they’ve flipped the coin best 5 out of 9. Or they are keeping him in a box and he’ll be both alive and dead until they open the box and look inside. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/26 "2012-01-22T04:59:28Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > But, the name ‘Sandusky’ is going to mean the child-raping son-of-a-gun for a few weeks if not months. And that is very unfortunate for the folks of that town. At least (for those who remember serial killer Ted Bundy) there won’t be a [“Bundy Village”](http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/08/west_las_bundy_village_project_dies_a_quiet_death.php).\* \*the language in that article is really, really unfortunate. “West LA’s Bundy Village Project Dies a Quiet Death” “in effect killing the project as proposed.” “West LA’s Bundy Village Project Wounded, Maybe Mortally” ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/27 "2012-01-22T06:04:24Z")
Well for those who are Christians, I guess they can take consolation in the notion that Paterno is going to be reporting to the REAL supervisor very soon now, who will not be accepting any excuses or prevarications. As an atheist, I only wish that the evil that Paterno enabled could die with him. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/28 "2012-01-22T07:18:11Z")
Sounds like he is critical regardless. Interesting though, the report always was that he was afraid to stop coaching because he thought he might die right after he did like Bear Bryant. I guess he may have been right ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/29 "2012-01-22T07:21:01Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Interesting though, the report always was that he was afraid to stop coaching because he thought he might die right after he did like Bear Bryant. I guess he may have been right I don’t think retiring gave him lung cancer, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the stress of the last few months made things worse. It sounds like he’ll be gone very soon, and it won’t be any easier to get an unbiased view on what happened at Penn State. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/30 "2012-01-22T07:52:24Z")
Most likely, the reason he was going to retire was that he knew he wouldn’t have the strength to fight the accusations. I knew there had to be some reason he wasn’t fighting back. I still don’t get why all the ire is directed towards Paterno, and not those people he told who sat on it for years, and then fired him as if that would solve the problem. I also don’t get why Sandusky’s name hardly ever comes up: since I no longer actively search for news, it took days before I knew who the child molester was. Surely the headlines should have been “Sandusky rapes kid, Paterno may have kept mum” instead of “Paterno is the most evil person in the world, here’s why.” I can only guess that it’s because Paterno was so respected that finding out that he effectively covered for pedophilia (whether intentionally or not) was such a huge blow. I have to say, I don’t have the visceral reaction that others do. And it’s not as if I don’t have a visceral reaction to child molestation: I recently stumbled onto a site when looking for non-nude models that was all pictures of kids dressed and acting sexy, and it freaked me out–but apparently it doesn’t qualify as child porn, as I reported it multiple places. But this situation? I know what happened is wrong, but I can’t help feeling sorry for Paterno–and I did before I learned about this, and I’m not a sports fan and had never heard of the guy before this crap happened. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/31 "2012-01-22T07:56:48Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Most likely, the reason he was going to retire was that he knew he wouldn’t have the strength to fight the accusations. I think he realized too much damage had been done (although if he thought he could coach the rest of the season, he still didn’t really get it). It wasn’t a strength issue. > [@](#): > > I also don’t get why Sandusky’s name hardly ever comes up: since I no longer actively search for news, it took days before I knew who the child molester was. That’s more a reflection on what you were reading than anything else. The story began with reports that Sandusky was being accused of molesting children. The involvement of Paterno and the university officials became a story later on. And frankly, there’s not much to argue about with regard to Sandusky and the PSU brass. Everybody knows they did something wrong. Paterno’s actions, motives, and guilt or innocence are more debatable, so they’ve been debate topics ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/32 "2012-01-22T08:03:36Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I still don’t get why all the ire is directed towards Paterno, and not those people he told who sat on it for years, and then fired him as if that would solve the problem. I also don’t get why Sandusky’s name hardly ever comes up: since I no longer actively search for news, it took days before I knew who the child molester was. Surely the headlines should have been “Sandusky rapes kid, Paterno may have kept mum” instead of “Paterno is the most evil person in the world, here’s why.” > > I can only guess that it’s because Paterno was so respected that finding out that he effectively covered for pedophilia (whether intentionally or not) was such a huge blow. It’s because he’s _still_ respected. If his fans had dropped him like a ton of bricks instead of white knighting for his part in this scandal, he wouldn’t piss everyone off as much as he does. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/33 "2012-01-22T09:09:23Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > I’m sorry but you people are horrible celebrating the death of a person. > > His participation (or lack thereof) in this whole scandal is so much more minimal that is being broadcast and you’re crucifying him like he’s Sandusky himself. > > I have absolutely no connection to him or Penn State other than the fact I live in a Big Ten state, but it’s tragic that this event literally killed him and it’s more tragic that you guys are celebrating it. Thanks for misunderstanding things. He was informed about a **possible** situation where a young boy **might** in danger. He reacted (a day later) by informing businessmen at the university. How do you expect you’d be perceived after such dumbassery? People die every day. Please don’t expect me to give up more emotional energy for his death than someone who didn’t neglect to inform law enforcement after hearing the words “young boy” and “rape.” ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/34 "2012-01-22T15:35:36Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I don’t see how that can be interpreted as meaning anything but, “Any time now.” [Yep.](http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/22/us/pennsylvania-obit-paterno/index.html?hpt=hp_t1) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/35 "2012-01-22T16:51:56Z")
This time all the news sources say he died. Another icon from my childhood is gone. ☹ I would have given anything in the world to play for JoePa. I just wasn’t big enough to play for a big school like that. Rest in Peace JoePa. > **[Legendary Penn State coach Paterno dead at 85 | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2012/01/22/us/pennsylvania-obit-paterno/index.html?hpt=hp_t1)** > > Joe Paterno, the legendary former coach at Penn State, died Sunday, his family said. He was 85. I reported this thread and asked the mods to update the title to “died”. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/36 "2012-01-22T17:17:27Z")
Since this is the game room. I can’t imagine any football coach beating this record. > [@](#): > > The storied career of ‘JoePa’ included 409 wins in 46 seasons and two national championships. > > In all, Paterno guided five teams to unbeaten, untied seasons - and more than 250 of the players he coached later went on to the NFL. > **['This is a sad day': Jerry Sandusky - the man who ended Joe Paterno's career...](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2090054/Joe-Paterno-dead-Jerry-Sandusky-praises-Penn-State-coach-thousands-pay-tribute.html)** > > The 45-minute vigil concluded with students singing the alma mater to the beloved former Penn State football coach, who died on Sunday, aged 85. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/37 "2012-01-22T19:03:45Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I still don’t get why all the ire is directed towards Paterno, and not those people he told who sat on it for years Because he was one of the people who sat on it for years. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/38 "2012-01-22T19:48:28Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Because he was one of the people who sat on it for years. And because he is the only one being defended. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/39 "2012-01-22T22:22:56Z")
NPR just had a “primrose path” sentence when they reported the hospitals release of the cause of death. “A Pennsylvania hospital said that it was spreading cancer that killed Joe Paterno.” For a tenth of a second I thought “there was some cancer virus that was spread throughout a hospital? Yikes!” ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259/40 "2012-01-22T22:44:29Z")
That’s a “garden path sentence.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-paterno-very-ill-may-be-dying-soon-update-rip-joe-paterno/610259.md?page=3)