The rule of 72 is a financial equation which tells you how long it takes your money to double.
I think the sordid saga at Penn State which led to Joe Paterno’s justifiable firing means there should be a rule of 72 in college sports. When you turn 72, it should be time to retire. Despite his obvious failure in this case, I still want to believe that Joe Paterno is a good man.
I can’t help but think that when he was told point blank about a sexual assault going on in a Penn State shower back in 2002, his 70-something instincts just didn’t click in. He passed the buck, and as we know the unspeakable acts of child sex abuse allegedly continued for years.
Penn State propped up Joe Pa for years just like Florida State did Bobby Bowden. Both icons, they were surrounded by a slew of assistants who were doing the heavy lifting because they no longer could.
Bowden had to be pushed out in Tallahassee. It took this epic scandal to shove Paterno to the curb, and even then he tried to manage his own exit until the school’s Board of Trustees wisely gave him the immediate boot.
These old coaches should take a cue from the late CBS Newsman Walter Cronkite. Mr. “that’s the way it is ” retired and lived out his life sailing and chillin’ out. The same should apply to these coaches.
Make it a college rule of 72. Happy Birthday….and See ya’ later.
Filed under: Articles, Football Tagged: | College Football, College Sports, jim berry, Joe Paterno, Penn State, retirement
