Nike's decision Thursday to remove football coach Joe Paterno's name from its largest childcare center amid a sex-abuse scandal at Pennsylvania State University illustrates one of the hazards for a sports equipment company --for any company -- in hitching its marketing fortunes to real people.

When The Joe Paterno Child Development Center was named in 1990, the longtime coach was a revered figure. Few, if any, figures in Nike's stable of endorsers would have been a safer choice for the name on a child-development center than the quiet, grandfatherly man with oversized glasses who just happened to be the winningest major-college football coach in history.

In his memorial eulogy for Paterno, who died Jan. 22 of cancer, Nike co-founder and chairman Phil Knight made clear that his friendship and loyalty for the by-then tarnished Paterno had not wavered.

Nike athletes in turmoil

Lance Armstrong

Cyclist, 7-time Tour de France winner

Scandal: Accusations of performance-enhancing drug use.

Nike status: Company decries use of performance-enhancing drugs, but backs Armstrong and his Livestrong line of footwear and apparel. The Lance Armstrong Sports & Fitness Center remains at Nike headquarters.

Kobe Bryant

National Basketball Association

Scandal: Accused of sexual assault in 2003; charges were dropped.

Nike status: Centerpiece of Nike Basketball marketing

Marion Jones

Olympian, track and field star

Scandal: Suspicions arose in 2005 she'd used performance-enhancing drugs.

Nike: Endorsement contract not renewed in 2006.

Ben Roethlisberger

National Football League

Scandal: Accused of sexual assault in 2008 and 2010; no criminal charges.

Nike status: Sponsored athlete who represented Steelers at a Nike event to introduce NFL uniforms in 2012.

Michael Vick

National Football League

Scandal: Vick pleaded guilty in 2007 to dog-fighting charges.

Nike status: After his plea, Nike dropped Vick as a sponsored athlete. Vick, who served time in a federal prison and then rejoined the NFL, has been reinstated as a Nike athlete.

Tiger Woods

Professional golfer

Scandal: Took leave from the sport from December 2009 to April 2010 because of admitted infidelities while he was married.

Nike status: Marketing centerpiece of Nike Golf. Namesake of the Tiger Woods Center at Nike headquarters.

But Thursday, the game changed. After the release of a report critical of both Penn State and Paterno for allegedly covering up for a child abuser rather than risk embarrassment to the football program, Nike said a name would be removed from one of the buildings on its sprawling headquarters campus near Beaverton for the first time.

It was rare move for a company that has shown great patience for the misbehaviors of its athletes over the years.

"When children are involved," said

and Columbia University professor, "it really is a game changer."

After allegations surfaced in November against former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, and even after news reports indicated Paterno interceded to keep secret an incident of child abuse, Nike steadfastly said the name of the childcare center would not change.

But on Thursday, three hours after former FBI director and U.S. District Court judge Louis Freeh announced the results of a Penn State-funded investigation into the university's handling of the scandal,

.

"I have been deeply saddened by the news coming out of this investigation at Penn State," said Chief Executive Mark Parker, a Penn State graduate. "It is a terrible tragedy that children were unprotected from such abhorrent crimes. With the findings released today, I have decided to change the name of our child care center at our World Headquarters. My thoughts are with the victims and the Penn State community."

As it has grown to be the biggest sporting goods company in the world over the past 40 years, Nike has built its brand largely around iconic sports figures who wear Nike gear -- most often, famous athletes. From Kobe Bryant to Ben Roethlisberger to Tiger Woods to Brett Favre to Michael Vick to Lance Armstrong, scratch the surface and those larger-than-life Nike athletes have proven themselves to be abundantly fallible.

"Nike athletes compete at the highest levels with great personality," said

. "And Nike is not always worried about backing away from troubled athletes they have under contract."

Far from it. When he was the target of British tabloid speculation about sexual escapades involving women other than his wife in 2010, popular English Premier League soccer player Wayne Rooney found refuge at the Nike World Headquarters to work with its sports performance specialists.

from its advertising.

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong is the latest athlete to get the Nike got-your-back treatment. It's been that way since the seven-time Tour de France winner was diagnosed with cancer in 1996.

While other sponsors were abandoning the cyclist -- including an infamous visit to the Texan by representatives for his former team as he recuperated in a hospital bed -- Nike stuck with him.

In June, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs throughout much of his career. Armstrong insists he is innocent, is fighting the charges and says he never failed a drug test.

In retirement (or semi-retirement -- the 40-year-old still rides the occasional mountain bike race and wants to compete in triathlons), Armstrong is a large part of the Nike family with his Livestrong Brand of footwear and clothing, with its distinctive yellow hue. Livestrong is the brand name attached to Armstrong's organization that raises cancer awareness.

Nike has shown no signs it is reconsidering its support for Armstrong, perhaps perceiving that public perception is on their side, said

.

"Consumers' sentiment may be, whether he did anything wrong or not, give the guy a break," Swangard said. "He basically came back from his death bed and did remarkable things."

With Paterno, it was a different story.

Knight, who forcefully defended his friend in January, acknowledged as much in the statement Thursday morning.

"It appears Joe made missteps that led to heartbreaking consequences," Knight said. "I missed that Joe missed it, and I am extremely saddened on this day. My love for Joe and his family remains."