This is a very nuanced, complicated, and ultimately, it is a situation with no winners and no glory for anyone involved. I feel very conflicted about this, if I'm honest.
We all knew that Pat was never going to be able to continue coaching. That is the one unequivocal truth in all this. However, I don't like Hart making the decision (if he in fact, did tell Pat to step down at the end of the season, which is still not clear). That should be something that her family, doctors, and she should have made in their own time.
However, I do understand where Hart would be coming from in all this. You do not want to trot someone out there as some sort of trophy, especially when they cannot do what they used to be able to.
I doubt that Hart's input was the one that pushed Pat over the top, but that's not to say that it can be ruled out completely. Too often, message boards and their posters deal in terms of absolutes, with this forum, that is definitely the case. There's nothing wrong with that, but I feel that what we're dealing with here is a case that people need to step back, and let things play out.