by Travis Normand

I was reminded today of an article I wrote and published over at BleacherReport.com.  The article was posted 25 January 2012, and concerned the passing of Joe Paterno.  More specifically, I was reminded that I would never get the chance to meet one of my “college football idols.”  Here is an excerpt from that article:

JoPa was the last “great one” and there will never be another like him.  With his death, we enter a new world of college football.  Our connection to the past is gone, and with it another college football experience is forever unattainable.

I once told a friend of mine that I was going to get on a plane and fly to State College, Pa.  My whole purpose in going was merely to shake Joe Paterno’s hand.  I did not want to take up his time or bother him for an autograph.  I simply wanted to say that I had the honor of meeting Joe Paterno.

I never did catch that flight to Pennsylvania.

Click HERE to see the entire article.