Before I start this, I want to say that I am sorry. This post was hard to write, because I couldn't find the words to express what I was trying to say. It doesn't give Joe Paterno or his memory justice. But still, I am going to try...
We all took part in saying goodbye to Joe Paterno, in one way or another. Whether it was in going to his viewing, his procession, or his memorial service, all of Penn State participated. Going to his memorial service, I saw thousands of people who paid their respects to the man with the rolled up pants. I think that there is a lot of rhetoric in that.
Thousands of people came to mourn the death Joe Paterno. Despite the allegations, despite the recent bad press, it showed the world that he was still a hero. The community of Penn State, which encompasses the decades of students who have attended the school, stood in unity to honor his memory. It showed the sheer number of people he impacted, and the true nature of people's feelings for him. Joe Paterno once said, "Losing a game is heartbreaking. Losing your sense of excellence or worth is a tragedy." He never lost the latter though. He believed in himself as much as he believed in others. He truly had a clear conscious. And obviously, many people agreed with that statement, as the amount of support shows.
Joe Paterno, despite the fame he got, was a humble man. The fact that he made as big of an impact that he did speaks volumes. It shows that you can still be a genuine, every day guy, and still touch thousands. At the memorial, many of the men who spoke talked about how Joe befriended their parents. But most importantly, he kept in contact with the players long after they left his team. There are countless stories that display his sincere care for the people. He remembered all of his players, from the team of 1969 all the way to 2011. He never took credit for accomplishments, always giving the boys the glory.
Many ask what Joe Paterno's legacy will be. I think it is the rhetoric that his life assumed. He believed in teamwork. He pushed everyone to their limits. He strived for academic excellence. He brought together an entire world into a small community - Penn State. His example affects us all.
So in the end, what do I think all of this rhetoric shows? I think that you don't have to be a Kim Kardashian or a Brad Pitt to be famous. All you have to do is work hard, believe in others, and live with the motto: Success with Honor.
It always amazes how so many different people can take and describe their own feelings and connections in regards to Joe Paterno. Whenever I consider rhetoric it always seems to lie in how one presents themselves or their speech. Yet you opened my mind to the idea of how a person's life can also be an expression of rhetoric. And in the way Paterno held particular morals and his success over the years, certainly speak wonders to this idea of rhetoric throughout one's life. I also loved how you summed up your ending to compare the means in which rhetoric holds value.
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