The minute that Mike McQueary informed former Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno of what he had seen in the locker room involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky in 2002 was the beginning of the end for one of the most revered coaches in college football history.

The end could not have come soon enough.

Joe Paterno deserved to be fired from Penn State as did the school President Graham Spanier. Their negligence caused as many as 20 young boys to be sodomized as nothing was done to stop Sandusky.

Paterno has not only been praised for his work on the field but for the way he goes about his business. Paterno was known for always doing things the right way, from coaching to recruiting, and was seen as a figure of morality in the world of college football.

This is why it was so surprising to hear that he did so little when informed about inappropriate contact involving Sandusky and a young boy. Instead of alerting the authorities like he should have, he left the responsibility of handling the situation to Spanier, who dropped the ball.

Paterno knew he was in the wrong the minute he announced he planned on retiring at season. He wanted to try to go out on his own terms. He even admitted that looking back he wished he had done more with that situation.

Penn State was left with no choice but to fire Paterno and they were right in doing so. The media scrutiny that the university was receiving was more than they needed at the time.

With this ugly chapter finally closed the school can move forward by cleaning house. That included firing those who shirked their responsibility and allowed the behavior to occur by not taking action against Sandusky.

Paterno knew he was the face of Penn State and by failing to do what he was known his entire career for, doing the right thing, he not only failed the university, but he also failed the victims of the sick actions by Sandusky.