To: Jim Delany, Big Ten commissioner
Restore Paterno's name to Big Ten trophy
Mr. Delany,
Please restore Joe Paterno's name to the Big Ten Championship trophy. Coach Paterno met his legal responsibility and has not been charged with a crime. Legacies should not be destroyed because of peer pressure and mob rule. Until there is evidence of wrongdoing on his part, Coach Paterno deserves to be honored for his contributions to Penn State, college football and the Big Ten.
Why is this important?
Last year, the Big Ten Conference decided to honor Coach Joe Paterno by partially naming the conference championship trophy after him. After Coach Paterno was fired, Commissioner Jim Delany decided to remove his name from the trophy. However, Coach Paterno met his legal responsibility and has not been charged with a crime. None of us can fairly judge what he should or should not have done in a situation which we ourselves did not experience. People are upset and want justice, but our country does not run on mob rule. Unless legal authorities find Coach Paterno to be complicit in the alleged abuse, his name should be restored to the trophy.
This petition will be sent to Commissioner Delany on November 30th, a few days before the inaugural Big Ten Championship game.