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Joe Paterno, the man who for decades was synonymous with Penn State football and was known by the...

Joe Paterno, the man who for decades was synonymous with Penn State football and was known by the college football world as just "JoePa", has died. Paterno, 85, had been receiving chemotherapy as part of his treatment for lung cancer, and complications from that treatment claimed the longtime Penn State coach's life on Saturday.

Paterno was the head coach of Penn State for 46 seasons before being fired in November as his role in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal came under greater scrutiny. Combined with the time he spent as an assistant, Paterno spent a total of 61 years on the Penn State sidelines. He left behind a legacy that, on the field of play, was unparalleled in Division I football. Paterno holds the all-time Division I record for football coaching wins with a 409-136-3 record, and he won two national championships while going undefeated in five different seasons.

Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno dies at 85 - CBSSports.com Strange to think we gave Paterno a standing ovation when Penn State came to Tuscaloosa last season, and roughly one year later his legacy was completely destroyed in one of the worst scandals in college football history. Its always hard to separate a man's professional accomplishments from his personal failings, though millions of gallons of ink will be spilled over the next few days trying to do so. All I can say is sympathies to the Paterno family over the loss of a loved one. UPDATE: Or maybe not? Paterno family spokesperson Dan McGinn is refuting the earlier reports of Paterno's death, though @onwardstate claims Penn State football players were e-mailed the news of his passing. Not sure what's going on, honestly, but follow them for any new developments.

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