Thoughts… How Will They Be Remembered?

If I had written this a year ago, Joe Paterno would have been remembered as one of the best college football coaches in history. Pete Rose, as a player, is a similar example. I am from PA and grew up a Penn State and Phillies fan. But please read on, and you will see that I do not allow that to interfere with my honesty.

JoePa is the 3^rd winningest coach in all of college football and number one in Division 1-A or whatever it is called these days.  He also has the most Bowl wins of any college coach.  I know, he coached most of his adult life, so the statistics can be considered skewed.   He was a true idol; the players and people loved him.   From a football perspective, you can’t beat Paterno.  That may be subjective, but he is one of the best all time.

So how will I remember him?  An enabler of some of the most despicable crimes… pedophilia, sexual abuse and rape.  I wish that wasn’t the case, but it is.  The entire university should be sanctioned for letting this go on for so long.  JoePa deserved to be fired.  I feel bad for anyone that is ill, so my prayers are with his family and friends.  But I will remember the last memory the most.

Pete Rose was one of the best baseball players in Major League Baseball.  The statistics are obvious.  They exceed the statistics of most players in the Baseball Hall of Fame.  If you watched him as a Red and Phillie it was his heart, guts and leadership that made him stand out. Rose brought Philadelphia their first World Series Championship.  Being a fan of the team with the most losses of any baseball franchise… that means a lot. Again, another long career, so the statistics could be considered skewed. 

So how will I remember him? A manager that bet on his own team and was banned from the MLB.  I don’t care what he did as a player.  Integrity on and off the field is part of the criteria to enter the HoF.  I know, players in the past benefited by the lack of media coverage.  The same can be said for the players today that succeed because of the diluted base of the MLB. 

On a personal note, I had great love and admiration for my grandparents.  They all provided a great influence and unconditional love.  I don’t remember a single negative experience.  But how will I remember them?  The funerals.  I wish I could forget, but it is the last time I saw them.  Even though I have great memories, unfortunately the end is what I remember most. 

Let me be clear, I am not comparing my grandparents to Paterno and Rose as far as how they lived their lives.  But I am making the point of how I remember the people and influences in my life. It is the last memory that sticks with me.

~ 3Jeeps