If you think Joe did the "minimum letter of the law", but COULD have done more, you don't understand anything about the law.
Joe had ZERO involvement in ANYTHING. He had no direct knowledge of anything. He was told about something non-specific 2nd hand about a former employee and he reported it to his superiors as he was required. Beyond that, he had ZERO ability or standing to even get an update on where things stood.
This entire narrative you are trying to sell is BS and you are as ignorant on the topic as the rating-whores up in Bristol.
Finally, the logic that Joe wasn't on the top of his game during the 2000s, so he is less "extraordinary" is even more ridiculous.
The counter point, of course, is that despite your assertion that Joe was average and did the bare minimum, he didn't recruit, his assistants were average, and he was extremely arrogant, from 2000-2011, PSU was Big10 champs and finished #3 overall in 2005, were Big Ten Champs in 2008, had 3 top 10 finishes. If Joe was doing the bare minimum and his assistants were average, then 3 top 10 finishes coming out of the dark years is pretty damn extraordinary.
I agree with you that Paterno should have retired after George died in 02. By his own admission, he lost his drive after that. But the rest of your assertions are patently absurd.