Joe Paterno

This is one of those moments where you'll remember exactly where you were when you heard the news.

Joe Paterno passed away at the age of 85 today.

I've heard so many saying he died of a broken heart. A terrible tragedy.

Much like when Bear Bryant quit being around football. He too died soon after.

It's a shame it had to end the way it did. I've never given my opinion on the Jerry Sandusky case, and now is certainly not the time, but it's tragic that Joe Pa's legacy will be forever tainted by this situation.

When Bob Ley broke the news on SportsCenter this morning, I was not watching the program but rather listening.

As soon as they came back for the segment, the solemn music was playing and my heart dropped.

I knew immediately Joe Pa had passed away.

I quickly got to the TV to watch the rest of the segment. ESPN went commercial-free for an hour covering every aspect of this story. I haven't had the chance to watch all of it yet, but I'm not too proud to admit, I set my DVR to record the rest of SportsCenter this morning.

One statement that stood out to me was something Mike Ditka said on SportsCenter this morning. He was talking about when Joe Paterno came to visit him before Ditka chose Pittsburgh over Penn State.

He said, "class is the hardest thing to define, but once you see it you never forget it."

A classy man who certainly will not be forgotten anytime soon.

One closing thought from the mouth of Joe Paterno himself.

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

And so is his death.