Thank you, Joe.

As a Penn Stater, I feel a strong connection to Joe Paterno. His passing is a loss for his family, the fans and football. But his passing is also a great loss for all of us. It's hard in these times to find someone with the character that Joe embodied. He gave so much of himself to helping others. I'm hardpressed to find someone that more perfectly exemplifies the ideas of dedication, loyalty and humility.

Joe was the head coach of Penn State for 46 seasons, an assistant coach years before that. It's a career that's hard to match in any field. He was a loyal supporter of the University, even til the very end. All the money and all the fame never got to him. He stayed loyal to the values he started with. He never took praise that the players deserved. Though I'm sure there were many offers, he stayed loyal to his team and his fans.

Joe was a man of great character, an example for us all to live by - an example that was rare in his time and is sadly rarer now. If everyone had a fraction of the character that Joe did, the world would be a much better place.

"Losing a game is heartbreaking. Losing your sense of excellence or worth is a tragedy." - Joe Paterno