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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- They spoke at Joe Paterno's memorial Thursday the way that his teams played and represented Penn State for the last 46 seasons: simply, with little flash and great focus.

They emphasized academics every bit as much as football. They played fierce defense, as his teams always did, defending Paterno's reputation in the wake of the child abuse scandal that caused the university to fire him in November. They remembered Paterno as a teacher more than a coach, a philanthropist with straightforward values, and a man who prized the competitive instinct.

And at the close of the ceremony at the Bryce Jordan Center, right across the parking lot from Beaver Stadium, Jay Paterno, his son and former assistant coach, spoke for nearly half an hour with an emphasis on Paterno as a husband, father and grandfather.

The heavens provided a typical late-season Saturday of weather for the memorial: rain, leaden skies, temperatures in the mid-30s, pretty much a copy of Oct. 29, the day of Paterno's last game as a head coach.

For Ivan Maisel's full column, click here.

1. “A Memorial for Joe” will honor the late Penn State coach Joe Paterno on Thursday, 29 years to the day that former Alabama coach Bear Bryant died only four weeks after his final game. The fact that both coaching icons died so soon after they left coaching has been noted time and again this week. The coincidences continue to pile up. Both Bryant and Paterno won their last victory against Illinois. Paterno’s last loss ever came to Alabama in September.
2. You can’t quibble with the success of Boise State coach Chris Petersen. The Broncos went 50-3 the last four seasons with Kellen Moore at quarterback, and is 73-6 overall. But now comes Petersen’s biggest test. According to PhilSteele.com, Boise State is dead last among FBS schools in returning starters with six. Depth is usually the last thing that mid-majors can count on. Then again, with the Big East on the horizon, we won’t be able to call Boise State a mid-major for much longer.
3. You know that a head coach has made it when he keeps winning even as his assistants depart. With that in mind, keep an eye on Wisconsin next fall. Head coach Bret Bielema is in the process of replacing six of his nine assistant coaches in this offseason. Offensive coordinator Paul Chryst became head coach at Pitt and took three coaches with him. Bielema may be young – he turned 42 this month – but he’s developing a coaching tree. Dave Doeren left his staff last year to become head coach at Northern Illinois.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The university that fired Joe Paterno over the phone in November after 62 seasons of coaching has had to turn around and recast him as an icon upon his death in January. If there is a historical parallel for a relationship this awkward, it escapes me.

The Harrisburg Patriot-News reported Tuesday that the Paterno family had discouraged the Penn State board of trustees as a group -- but not as individuals -- from attending the memorial Thursday at the Bryce Jordan Center. When Gov. Tom Corbett, an ex-officio member of the board, took that to mean he should not attend, the family issued a statement specifically inviting Corbett.

The outpouring of emotion in the Penn State community since Paterno died Sunday morning has been a source of comfort to his family. Jay Paterno, the son who coached with his dad for the last 17 years, greeted mourners who came to the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center for the viewing of Paterno's casket Tuesday.

The outpouring of emotion in the letters section of the local newspapers since Sunday has been almost universal anger directed at the university and the board of trustees for their treatment of Paterno.

Grief takes many forms. The warmth that has enveloped the Paterno family and the anger that has been directed at Old Main, the building that houses the Penn State administration, may be coming from the same place.

For Ivan Maisel's full column, click here.

To hear Maisel and Beano Cook discuss the life and legacy of Joe Paterno on the ESPNU College Football podcast, click here.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The line of Joe Paterno's former players and managers stretched around the sidewalk on two sides of the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center. Inside, on the stage of the Worship Hall, the body of the former Penn State coach lay in a closed wooden casket, a few dozen white roses splayed across the top.

"There were 17 years of guys I coached," Jay Paterno, an assistant on his dad's Nittany Lion staff, said Tuesday afternoon. "Four years of guys I went to school with. Ten years of guys I watched play."

"And then," his brother Scott chimed in, "there were guys we heard stories about."

Read more from Ivan Maisel.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- They came from across the country and across the decades. They were white-haired and dreadlocked, stiff-kneed linemen from years ago and hard-bodied starters from last fall, pushing strollers and using canes. Joe Paterno’s football family came to a private viewing of the late former Penn State coach’s casket at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on campus Tuesday morning.

“These guys in suits and ties, that’s the identity that Joe started with his teams,” said John Heinze of Boiling Springs, Pa., a manager from 1954-56. “Looking good, lot of class, discipline. These guys with each other are like family. These are so many of the little things that he used to preach, that he demanded, what you see now. You see a lot of young and not-so-young guys who are close, who look good. It’s kind of moving.”

A few feet in line behind Heinze stood DeOn'tae Pannell, a senior guard on the 2011 Nittany Lions. He described the men around him as “the tip of the iceberg of how many lives Joe has touched.” Former players, Pannell said, “would tell us how much of an impact he had on them when they were playing, after they were playing. They kept up a relationship with Joe after they left. He was really an important part of a lot of people’s lives.”

Christian Marrone was one of those players in the mid-1990s. When multiple knee operations could not heal his injured left knee, Paterno called him into his office.

“Joe sat me down,” Marrone said. “And said, ‘You’re done. I don’t want you to play anymore. I want you to have a quality of life. I want you to focus on school now. Not that you weren’t before. I want you to go to law school.'

“When I got hurt, I kind of lost my purpose. I could have gone to school anywhere and done well. I came here to play football. I wanted to be a part of this. He refused to let me do anything but be a part of the team. He made me a part of the staff. I attended coaching meetings. Whether I liked it or not, that’s the way it was going to be.

"His sayings: ‘Do the little things right. Don’t cut corners.’ Every time I wanted to not read, not brief a case, I would always think of him,” Marrone said. “When I was thinking about law school, I didn’t do it right away, he got all over me.”

Marrone went to Temple University Law School at night. He earned a master’s in government administration by going to Penn on Saturdays. Marrone eventually went to work for former Secretary of Defense Williams Gates in the George W. Bush Administration. He was one of four who remained with Gates in the Obama Administration. Last fall, after Gates’ resignation, Marrone went to work for 3M in Washington.

“One of the things Secretary Gates said to me before I left,” Marrone said, “he grabbed me and said, ‘You know, I’ve seen you and your work ethic. It just reinforces all the great things I’ve heard about Joe Paterno. What a wonderful program.’ That kind of encapsulates not just my story. That’s everybody’s story.”

At the public memorial service Thursday at Bryce Jordan Arena, one player from each of five decades in which Paterno coached at Penn State will speak. John Cappelletti, the 1973 Heisman Trophy winner, will represent the 1970s. Seattle Seahawk running back Michael Robinson, the quarterback of Paterno’s Big Ten champion in 2005, is flying from the Pro Bowl in Honolulu to speak.

Marrone, who barely got to wear a uniform, will represent the 1990s.

"Outside the Lines" has the latest reaction to Joe Paterno's death from State College, Pa., along with Tom Rinaldi's interview with Jay Paterno.

Sportswriter Joe Posnanski moved to State College last year to write a book on Joe Paterno. He had no idea what kind of story he was getting himself into.

Posnanski interviewed Paterno and the Penn State coach's family members several times in the past month and writes for SportsIllustrated.com that Paterno showed no bitterness in his final days.

In the moments after Joe Paterno died, it became common for people to write and say that he died of a broken heart. He did not. Joe Paterno died of lung cancer and the complications it caused. He did not die a bitter or broken man.

While Posnanski writes that Paterno did not like the way he was fired by the school's board of trustees or the way he'd been portrayed in the Jerry Sandusky scandal, he did not spend much time complaining about it.

"In every life," he told me, "there have to be some shadows. Look at me. My life has been filled with sunshine. A beautiful and caring wife. Five healthy children. I got to do what I loved. How many people are that lucky?"

"... I made a lot of mistakes in my life," he said. "But I thought people could see that I tried my best to do the right things. I tried to do the right thing with Sandusky, too."

Paterno's children echoed the sentiment that Paterno was not overcome by sadness in his final days.

"My father did not have a broken heart," his daughter Mary Kay says. "His heart was too strong. It couldn't be broken."

Posnanski's book figures to be a very interesting read.

Jay Paterno talks to Tom Rinaldi about his father and the support his family has received.

George Smith reports from Penn State with the schedule of services to honor Joe Paterno.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Jay Paterno, then the Penn State quarterbacks coach, worked for Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign before the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania in 2008. Paterno helped organize a campus rally and introduced Obama to a big crowd on the sloping lawn in front of Old Main, the university administration building. Obama lost the primary to Sen. Hilary Clinton but won Centre County.

Nearly a year ago, on Feb. 2, 2011, President Obama came to Penn State and met Jay’s parents, Nittany Lion head coach Joe Paterno and his wife Sue.

On Monday, the day after Joe Paterno succumbed to cancer, President Obama called Jay and Sue Paterno to offer his condolences.

“Jay, I wanted to call,” Obama said, according to notes that Jay took. “Both Michelle and I wanted to offer our condolences to you and your family.

“Mrs. Paterno, your husband was beloved by so many and he will be missed.

“You both worked so hard to build a great institution.

“I was honored to have a chance to spend some time with him last year.”

The White House characterized the call as follows:

“Earlier today, President Obama spoke with the late Joe Paterno’s wife, Sue, and son, Jay, to offer his condolences for their family’s loss. During their conversation, the President recalled fond memories of when he first met Coach Paterno and said that he and Michelle would keep the Paterno family in their prayers during this difficult time.”

In an election year, it’s tempting to view everything through a political lens. But before you try to figure out whether the White House decided that Paterno is still a beloved figure in Pennsylvania, it’s a safer bet that Obama has a relationship with the family and reached out to friends in mourning.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- When the body of Joe Paterno lies for public viewing Tuesday and Wednesday at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on the Penn State campus, one current and one former player will be there during every minute of the 14 hours to serve as honorary guards.

Quarterback Matt McGloin drew a 45-minute-shift beginning at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

"I thought playing under him would be enough to be a lifetime memory," McGloin said Monday. "Now, to be there at his funeral and to be standing outside along with a former letterman is truly an honor I'll never forget. It's definitely going to be an emotional night."

In the 12 weeks since Penn State fired Paterno, his players have unbuttoned their thoughts. McGloin understands why the board of trustees fired Paterno in his 46th season as head coach. But he said neither he nor many of his teammates liked it.

"What happened with Jerry Sandusky, the way I see it, they had to have somebody take the fall for it," McGloin said. "It's got to be the head coach in that situation. But ... I think it was wrong to do it the way they did it, sending over a piece of paper and have him call a number, having him get fired, not bringing him in, sitting him down and giving him the reasons why he was let go, I think was, unfair for a man who has given more than one-half his life to a university and given millions of dollars and has made State College, Pa., such a special place.

"To do that in that way was wrong," McGloin said. "... I think it was unforgivable to most people. A lot of players feel that way."

The period since McGloin started at quarterback for Paterno's 409th and final victory has been tumultuous for the redshirt junior from Scranton, Pa., as well. He suffered a concussion in a fight in December with teammate Curtis Drake that rendered McGloin unable to play in the TicketCity Bowl on Jan. 2. After that, he contracted a sinus infection. Between the two -- "the sickest I've ever been" -- the 6-foot-1 McGloin lost 17 pounds. He said he hasn't weighed 193 pounds since he arrived on campus in August 2008.

There's one other thing about McGloin that looks different -- he has a beard, a neatly trimmed red one. That breaks one of Paterno's cardinal rules, which may explain why nearly every player in the locker room has one now, too.

Because they can.

"Guys are just excited that they don't have to be clean-cut, clean-shaved every day, so they're just letting things go," McGloin said. "Coach Paterno's rule was make sure you have a nice shave, hair not too long. Obviously I respect that and I liked that when I first got here. But ... college kids tend to let themselves go."

No word yet on whether new head coach Bill O'Brien has a rule regarding facial hair.

"Outside The Lines" examines the legacy of Joe Paterno.

The death of Joe Paterno on Sunday has resonated throughout all of college football, and two ACC coaches -- Miami's Al Golden and Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer -- have issued public statements in Paterno's honor.

Golden was a three-year (1989-91) letterwinner and two-year starter at tight end for Penn State. As a junior in 1990, Golden played a key role in Penn State's nationally televised 24-21 upset of No. 1-ranked Notre Dame at South Bend, Ind. His touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter tied the game at 21 as Penn State rallied from a 21-7 deficit. Golden was a team captain during his senior year and helped lead Penn State to a 42-17 win over Tennessee in the 1992 Fiesta Bowl. Following that victory, Penn State finished with an 11-2 record and ranked third in the nation in the final 1991 AP poll.

Here is what Golden had to say about his former coach:

"Walter Payton once said, 'Always remember that every opportunity you have to meet someone is an opportunity to leave a piece of yourself.'

"Joe Paterno, not only fulfilled a promise he made to his father by making an impact, he left an indelible piece of himself with everyone in his life. The values Coach Paterno instilled in each of us that were fortunate enough to play for or work alongside him will never be diminished.

"They are manifested in our leadership, character, class and dedication to improving the lives of others in the classroom, workforce and community. They are distinctly evident in the way we raise our children and the type of husbands and fathers we have grown to be. I am forever grateful for the impact that Joseph Vincent Paterno has made on my life. I am not ashamed to say to Coach and his family that the way all of your former players will carry your legacy forward is by humbly improving the lives of those around us every day.

Thank you, Joe!"

When Paterno's tenure ended in November, Beamer became the winningest active coach in the FBS with 251 career victories. In 2010, Beamer became the first and only recipient of the Joe Paterno Award. Beamer released the following statement on Sunday:

“We have lost someone with great and special talents. He had great and special talent as far as being a leader, which is very obvious by his winning record. And, he had a great and special talent in how he treated people. In my experience with him, he was always charming, gracious and thoughtful. I think he was a great fighter, and I know he fought this illness to the very end. College football will miss Joe Paterno.”

Earlier today, we presented some of your personal tributes to late Penn State coaching legend Joe Paterno. Well, someone who coached as long as Paterno did had an impact on many lives, so here are a few more of your thoughts and stories:

Kelley from Los Angeles/PSU Nation): I was a dancer for the Penn State Dance MaraTHON (which raises millions of dollars for kids with cancer) in 2009. In the last few hours of the 46-hour dance-a-thon, all of the families that we help were called onto the stage. And then out walked Joe Paterno. I was in the front row of dancers nearest the stage. What he said to us that day says more about him than I could otherwise articulate. His words were "I've been here 58 years at Penn State. I've never been more proud, than right now." It wasn't his achievements on the football field he was proud of, it was the students. Hearing that helped me get through those last few hours. His commitment to academics and to every single student at that school was unrivaled. And I could never thank him enough for doing so much for the school I love.

Lisa M. from Lewistown, Pa.: Having lived my entire life a half hour from Beaver Stadium, I am familiar with the love that was felt for JoePa. This man meant so much to our community for the way he showed us what it was to stand for what you believe in, even when others don't. He set a great example for all, and if my son turns out to be half the man Paterno was, I would be proud! We will miss you Joe, and thanks for letting us all share your life with you. It was the best gift you could have given.

Aaron G. from State College: Dear Coach Paterno: I never had the privilege of meeting you, but you have always had a huge impact on my life. For the longest time, Penn State has been not just a university, but a nurturing place when students and players go to learn not only about math science and writing, but also how to conduct ourselves in the harsh world that we live in. That legacy started with you, coach. You not only molded your football players, but you challenged the rest of the university to do the same. Because of that, Penn State is a place that cares. A place that gives back. You were a father or grandfather figure to so many of us here. Through your influence, you have made every single person at Penn State a better person. I promise you coach, as your Penn State family, that legacy will live on. We will continue to be a family that nurtures those around us. The way we can honor you most is to continue on your life goal: change the lives of those around us for the better.

Caroline M. from Brooklyn, N.Y.: When I followed my Dad's footsteps and went to Penn State, I did so partly because I loved the Classics, and I wanted to major in Latin. I had read an article JoePa had written about how the ancient mythical hero Aeneas has both inspired his love of the classics and helped him learn how to deal with life's travails. I also went because I had grown up watching Penn State football with my father, an alum, and revered Joe, the uniforms, and what the program stood for. As a student, I was lucky enough to receive an award sponsored by JoePa for students majoring in Latin. The fusion of athletics and academics is what inspires me about Joe. The fact that our school's football coach fielded a competitive team of students who graduated, and sponsored the intellectual life of the entire PSU community, is what made him unique. His impact went beyond football players and reached even me, a 5'3" woman who was never going to play linebacker for him. Today is a sad day, but the library and academic scholarships that remain in his name tell JoePa's true legacy.

Paul E. from Baraga, Mich.: One of the best memories I have in my life is getting to watch Joe Paterno coach against my favorite team in Ann Arbor. I got to watch the legend direct his troops to a win against my Wolverines. I was angry at the loss but happy I got to see one of my favorite coaches at his finest. Thanks for the memories and everything you did for the sport I love. We will miss Joe Pa.

Shortly before kickoff at Ohio Stadium, several other reporters and I left our seats in the press box and took positions in the hallway outside the press elevator.

Two top 10 teams with storied histories would play that October night in 2008: No. 3 Penn State and No. 9 Ohio State. The game eventually would decide the Big Ten's BCS bowl tiebreaker and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Penn State came in undefeated and needing four more victories to likely secure a spot in the national title game. Ohio State had only one loss and eyed a third consecutive outright Big Ten championship. The game featured two consensus All-Americans, three national award winners and 12 players who would be selected in the NFL draft the following April.

But rather than watch pregame warm-ups, several national and local media members, along with an ABC cameraman, watched an 81-year-old man on crutches hobble off the elevator, down the hallway and into the visiting coaches' booth.

Joe Paterno seemed surprised to see us, saying, "Geez, what is this?" Assistant Ron Vanderlinden joked to the coach, "They're not waiting for us, right?"

Not you, Ron. Joe.

Paterno's game location (press box or field) became as big a story on fall Saturdays as Penn State's pass rush or quarterback play during the coach's last few seasons. As various ailments forced Paterno to the coaches' booth, the familiar questions surfaced about how much he really coached the team, whether he had any role with in-game planning and, the big one, whether all of this was a precursor to retirement.

Although Paterno's coaching future dominated the discourse around Penn State football, Paterno also made news in other ways. He called for the Big Ten to expand and add a championship game (which it did). He gave candid thoughts about major college football issues that resonated nationally. He made fun of Twitter and then started Skyping with recruits. His Tuesday press gatherings during the season were events, and he was the star.

Paterno might have been genuinely surprised to see us that night in Columbus, but he shouldn't have been. When it came to Penn State, he was the story, even if he didn't want to be.

The Joe Paterno narrative has been much bigger than the Penn State football narrative.

It might not have been that way at the start of Paterno's 46-year run as Lions coach, but it was for most of his tenure. It certainly has been the case since the Big Ten blog launched in 2008. While the blog technically covers 12 teams, it really has covered 11 teams and one coach.

Penn State has had great teams and great players that moved the needle nationally. But Paterno was the constant. He was the newsmaker.

The narrative will change at Penn State following Paterno's death Sunday at age 85. Make no mistake, Paterno's presence will remain with the team, the university and the fans. Penn State will pay tribute to Paterno in the coming days, during the coming season and in ways that will remain with the program forever. He built Penn State football, and his imprint will never be removed from the program.

But at some point, Penn State football will be the story and Joe Paterno will not. It's going to seem odd.

There likely won't be many columns about whether new Penn State coach Bill O'Brien, 42, will coach from the field or the press box. O'Brien's potential retirement won't be discussed nearly as much as whether he can be an effective head coach for a program dealing with a turbulent time. His ability to develop quarterbacks is sure to generate more copy than his thoughts on conference realignment or whether freshmen should be eligible.

The Penn State players themselves also will be bigger parts of the narrative. Paterno was known for being insular with the program and sheltering his players, restricting access to both media members and NFL scouts. While stars like former linebacker LaVar Arrington drew some national attention, Penn State seems to have far fewer players in the spotlight than most programs of its ilk. I've sometimes wondered whether the closed-door policy has hurt Penn State players when it comes to national awards -- the program has produced only one Heisman Trophy winner, John Cappelletti in 1973.

Will things change under O'Brien? Time will tell, but it would be surprising not to hear more and see more from Penn State's players in coming years.

As the tributes roll in, Paterno is the story at Penn State. He'll be mourned and remembered throughout the week. But at some point -- maybe the start of spring practice or the start of the 2013 season -- the narrative will shift.

There won't be an iconic figure on the sideline, at the podium or in the coaches' booth. There will be players and coaches, trying to uphold a legacy and forge their own.

It will become all about the team.

Paterno would like that.