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[HillbillyDeluxe]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...h-cancer-fight

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Joe Paterno, the longtime Penn State coach who won more games than anyone in major college football but was fired amid a child sex abuse scandal that scarred his reputation for winning with integrity, died Sunday of lung cancer. He was 85.

His family released a statement Sunday morning to announce his death: "His loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled."

"He died as he lived," the statement said. "He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community."

The Pennsylvania hospital where Paterno died confirmed the cause of death as a spreading lung cancer.

Mount Nittany Medical Center said in a statement that Paterno died at 9:25 a.m. Sunday of "metastatic small cell carcinoma of the lung." Metastatic indicates an illness that has spread from one part of the body to an unrelated area.

The hospital said Paterno was surrounded by family members, who have requested privacy.

Paterno's son had said in November that his father had been diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer during a follow-up visit for a bronchial illness.

More from ESPN.com
The Penn State scandal -- and Joe Paterno's role in it -- should not cancel all that came before it, writes Ivan Maisel. Story


Joe Paterno's life was a series of accomplishments -- and a handful of fatal flaws that fogged his judgment when he needed it most, writes Gene Wojciechowski. Story

• SportsNation: Fans, friends weigh in
Paterno built his program on the credo "Success with Honor," and he found both. The man known as "JoePa" won 409 games and took the Nittany Lions to 37 bowl games and two national championships. More than 250 of the players he coached went on to the NFL.

"He will go down as the greatest football coach in the history of the game," Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said

I am no Penn State fan, but he was legendary. R.I.P Joe Paterno. Forever you will always be Penn State Head Coach in my eyes. JoePa you are Penn State Football.

Roll Tide

[MIZJUDOZOU]

RIP Joe Pa!

So sad how it all ended. Don't know what else to say.

[CRisCO]

Shame he had to see his legacy tarnished before he died.

[Hawkeye]

Very sad.
I had the privillige to meet Joe in the late 90's. He flew to my hometown to recruit me to go to Penn St. If my dad hadn't gone to MSU, i would have gone to Happy Valley to play for this man, thats how much he resonated with even "potential" players.



H.

[rivethead]

Well, I'll be the lone dissenter.

I don't care how many games he won. I don't care how many professional athletes he developed. Because when little boys needed him, he did the bare fucking minimum he possibly could have.

I don't think it's a shame that he had to see his reputation tarnished. At best, I think it's a shame that his action--or utter lack thereof--tarnished his reputation. But that's not even close to the damage that's been done to even one of those kids.

I liked the Onion's take on his passing a bit more than ESPN's.

Joe Paterno Dies In Hospital; Doctors Promise To Tell Their Superiors First Thing Tomorrow | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

rh

[KevoOnTheRadio]

I thought that was a hilarious line.

[Trodden]

sorry for his family

fuck him for what he let happen

I wonder what would have happened if it was to one of Joe's kids?

[beau420]

Does anyone on here think that if non of this Sandusky shit came up.....do you think Joe would still be alive today?

Call it karma or stress related or anything.....that was some quick moving cancer.

If none of this shit came up....and he was still thinking positively, I think he would have at least lasted a month or more trying to fight the cancer.

Then again....there is no way to prove it right or wrong.

[The Return Of......]

i think its safe to say the scandal and losing his team speed up his end.

it sucks how it ended because he could of had a legacy that went down as one of the greatest...end of story. now he goes down with legacy as a guy who sold out little kids for his program.

to still from dennis leary

everyone is forgiven...except you O.J.... and you too Joe Pa

[HillbillyDeluxe]

Originally Posted by beau420

Does anyone on here think that if non of this Sandusky shit came up.....do you think Joe would still be alive today?

Call it karma or stress related or anything.....that was some quick moving cancer.

If none of this shit came up....and he was still thinking positively, I think he would have at least lasted a month or more trying to fight the cancer.

Then again....there is no way to prove it right or wrong.

Joe Paterno died of a broken heart.

Fuck You Jerry Sandusky. Your dead you sick mutherfucker. Ruined lives and a legacy. I wish I could touch you just once.