The once perfect reputation of Joe Paterno has taken a hit in recent months — especially outside of Happy Valley.  After the Freeh report was released, several people and organizations made the decision to cut ties with the former coach.

Nike CEO, Phil Knight, who ardently defended the coach at his memorial in January, chose to remove Paterno’s name from a child care center at Nike’s company headquarter. On the Penn State campus, the bronze statue of Paterno has been a hot button for debate, with many people crying for its destruction.  And on Tuesday, Brown University, Paterno’s Alma mater, decided to separate from the former coach by removing his name from a yearly sports award.

However, had it been up to the players on the Brown University football team, Paterno’s name would have remained on the award.

GoLocalProv.com interviewed 20 members of the Brown University football team to see how they felt about removing Paterno’s name from the prestigious athletic award.  Even after the release of the Freeh report, 14 of them thought that keeping his name would be the right thing to do.

While the players acknowledged his shortcomings, they still felt like he should be recognized for all the good that he accomplished on and off the field. “I personally believe that everyone makes mistakes in their lives,” said rising sophomore Abe Dube to GoLocalProv. “That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be recognized for the good things he has done.”

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Tyler Bank

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