Monday, August 22, 2011

The "U" Cheating? As the late, great Rich Ashburn used to say, "Hard to believe, Harry!"

I don't know about you, but I'm still in shock that those paragons of virtue at the University Miami were caught cheating. in college football.  If it could happen at a stellar program like Miami, where else could it occur? Florida State? Texas? Oklahoma? Somewhere in the SEC? The mind boggles.

Poor Al Golden, the Penn State grad was brought in, without a whiff of scandal, mind you, to take over what must have seemed a plum job at Miami after performing miracles at Temple.  In recent years Miami had seemed to overcome it's outlaw reputation, well earned under Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Ericsson. It seems the "U" has been under investigation for some time, something for which they must have been aware, yet no hint of this pending thundercloud was leaked to Al as they enticed him south from not quite as sunny North Philadelphia. (Or, maybe he did know and my opinion is clouded by my blue and white colored glasses, but, somehow, I doubt it).

Monday, August 1, 2011

Five more Years!

I just read where Joe Paterno announced he wanted to coach for 5 more years. He’s been saying that since  I arrived at Penn State as a freshman in 1981, and if you ask me, he’s more than earned that right. Aside from being the winningest coach in major college history, Penn State fans can proceed with certainty that no Tressel-like revelations will ever taint their accomplishments as long as Paterno is there. Accusations that the game has passed him by are so much bunk as well. It’s been years since the old joke about the golfer buying Joe Paterno golf balls (guaranteed to go straight up the middle three out four times) was relevant. The offensive powerhouse of non-crowned but true national champion 1994 put the lie to that old saw forever. And the quarterback from that team? Local legend Kerry Collins. He just retired from the NFL where he played 17 seasons!  So no, the game hasn’t passed Joe by.  Despite rumors planted by rival schools trying to steal recruits from Penn State, Joe has no plans of retiring. So, here’s to five more years (and if he wants, five more after that)!