He’s the leader in both career wins and bowl appearances among college football coaches, his 60-year career as a Penn State coach has spanned the terms of eleven U.S. presidencies and his trademark wire-rimmed glasses even sold for $9,000 at a recent charity auction.
But if you ask those who support Joe Paterno’s recent nomination for the Presidential Medal of Freedom, it’s not just the things he’s known for inside of Beaver Stadium that make him a worthy candidate for the nation’s highest civilian honor.
On Thursday, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., submitted a letter of recommendation to President Barack Obama, asking that the president give “serious consideration” to awarding the medal to Paterno.
The letter received bipartisan support from 17 additional congressional representatives.
Paterno could not be reached for comment, and his wife, Sue Paterno, said she felt it would be best not to offer a statement on the matter on his behalf.
First established in 1945 and revived again in 1963, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded annually to individuals who “make an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors,” according to WhiteHouse.gov.
The number of individuals honored varies from year to year, but recent recipients include Senator Edward Kennedy, Harvey Milk, Muhammad Ali, Pope John Paul II and Nelson Mandela.
In his letter, Thompson cites the athletic accomplishments for which Paterno is often revered, but also points out the coach’s “deep dedication to education” both for his players and the rest of society.
“Rather than raising money for stadium skyboxes as many of his colleagues do, Coach Paterno has personally donated millions and raised hundreds of millions of dollars more for libraries and need-based scholarships for Pennsylvanians,” Thompson wrote.
He also notes, among other accolades, the spotless probation record of Paterno’s football program and his recruiting system, as well as his commitment to a number of charitable causes.
“When you look at the coach, what he has done and continues to do over his lifetime — I think he would make an outstanding candidate,” Thompson said.
The only non-Pennsylvanian supporter of the nomination, Rep. Frank R. Wolf, R-Va., Penn State Class of 1961, said he remembers Paterno as an assistant coach when he was a student at the university. Nearly 50 years later, he said the coach’s longevity and integrity are worthy of presidential honor.
“The guy is a guy of integrity and honesty, and he’s done a great job not only as a coach but as a role model for a lot of people,” Wolf said. “Just the overall contributions he’s made and the kind of person he is… I think he’s been a model for the nation.”
And for another one of Paterno’s biggest fans, Paternoville President Alex Cohen, the nomination is definitely well deserved.
“It’s easy for a coach to just be a football coach, just to measure their successes on wins or bowl victories or national championships,” Cohen (senior-marketing) said. “But he measures himself on a different scale of success and tries to teach not just his players but anyone who comes in contact with him that you have to work hard — that’s his No. 1 message.”
Cohen said he has yet to meet Paterno, but he’s made it a goal for his senior year to shake hands with the coach and thank him for being such a lasting source of inspiration.
“I don’t know who else is up for the award… but I’m sure there are a ton of other people who have similar stories and just as good accomplishments as he does,” Cohen said. “But obviously, I’m pulling for him.”