Joe Paterno is Penn State, make no mistake about it.
Those sansabelt pants—always riding a bit too high on the waist—and those thick, eerily yellowed, rimmed glasses are comfort food for college football fans of any team.
He's in his 80s and has already proven he can take a hit to the leg and break it without screaming and writhing in pain. He's a tough old bird.
Joe Pa is like an old friend. You expect him to be on the sidelines forever—it seems like he has been there forever.
But there comes a time when you need to exit gracefully—when your achievements are on a high note, not a low one.
Ali retired too late—he lost in a 10-round unanimous decision to Trevor Berbick in his last fight. Mike Tyson was another fighter who just didn't want to throw in the towel when it was obvious his heart was not in it, but his mouth was.
While both fighters had great records, and no one will ever question their prowess in the ring during their peak, they stayed too long.
What about Joe Pa?
The emotional part of his impending retirement is that, like Bear Bryant, football is his life. It has kept him young and given his life a purpose. Retiring may speed up the circle of life. But right now, everybody still loves Joe Paterno, and this is why this year should be his last.
While Joe Paterno's ability to coach looks to be top-notch as usual, the ability to relate to the younger generation may have started to take its toll.
Today's recruits aren't interested in having a "nice little team this year." They want huge exposure, gaudy numbers, and that crystal trophy to kiss in early January. The Rose Bowl is no longer the ultimate goal. They want it all.
It is here where Joe Pa's stock drops off a bit. While Paterno is charming and intelligent, and has a wicked Brooklyn-accented humor, he can't hold a candle to the energy level of a Les Miles, Pete Carroll, or Urban Meyer.
While Paterno is talking in quaint terms about schemes, Carroll is taking high dives off swimming platforms and watching beach volleyball games with his team. Miles is selling his team's tough road in the SEC and firing up Baton Rouge, and Meyer is almost caffeined-out-of-his-mind talking about Harvin or Tebow.
The energy is palpable. The players feel it, react to it, and want to be a part of it. Energy.
Paterno has certainly been one of the greatest coaches of all time, and depending how Bowden does at Florida State, could be the greatest—he's one win behind Bowden.
Paterno has taken a sleepy area of central Pennsylvania and brought football prestige to the state. He has made Happy Valley the place to be every Saturday. Unfortunately, those highly-touted kids who once dreamed of playing for Joe Pa are now bypassing Penn State and choosing other Big Ten schools—or SEC schools.
While some coaches now have private helicopters to visit highly-touted recruits and hold their hands during their high school senior years, Paterno elected to personally visit only one high school recruit in the last year—Terrelle Pryor.
Some may argue it's hard for him to travel, that he doesn't need to make home visits, or that the school should sell itself. That used to be true, but not anymore.
When Rutgers coach Greg Schiano lands his private helicopter on a high school football field to recruit a football player, the "wow" factor is there. Just how many teenagers are going to be impressed by that? In this age of "You're lucky to get me, Coach," rather than "Gee, coach, can I play for your team?", Paterno loses out.
While we don't ever want him to change, Penn State football does need to change.
Times have changed. The era of Rudy is gone.
It is no longer a privilege to get recruited by a Michigan, Ohio State, USC, or LSU. If you are one of the best players in the nation, you hold all the cards in the recruiting game, and the coaches are falling over themselves to convince you that their team is the one you should commit to. It used to be the other way around.
Values are gone. What once was a commitment is now a "hold your breath until after signing day and see if his verbal holds up."
Paterno is old school. Values, ethics, character, and discipline are all qualities that he holds close to the vest. Paterno's country-like atmosphere around State College may bode well for some coal miners' sons' dreams, but the reality is that it isn't reaching into a lot of five-star prepsters' hearts. They are leaving the state.
In this day of high-tech communication, instant gratification, and questionable recruiting tactics, Paterno won't play that game. He would rather sit down with a recruit over a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs at the kitchen table and talk Penn State.
It's a shame how this football world has changed—Joe Pa has been squeezed out by big money, glitzy helicopters, and yes, younger coaches.
When Paterno started coaching at Penn State, there were no swag bags for each player when they went to the Rose Bowl. Wasn't the prospect of playing in the "Granddaddy of them All" enough of a prize?
Now it's a bag full of iPods, laptops, GPS devices, and Blackberrys. Heart to heart talks don't mean anything anymore—texting is the way to communicate.
While coaching has never escaped Joe Pa—his mind is sharp as a tack—progress in recruiting has. And while no one will ever ask Paterno to step down, the rumors have started that this will be his final year. No contract extension.
And then there is this:
''Mr. Paterno told me himself that his replacement is already within the staff, so he'll just bring one new guy in and bump everybody up in the ranks,'' Nittany Lion LB recruit Mike Yancich said. ''Coaching stability is not going to be any big deal at Penn State."
Joe Pa, you are a legend. You are loved by all, and no one wants you to go out on anything but your own terms. But all great legends eventually retire.
Retirement is like finding your first gray hair—you can pluck it out, color your hair, or wear a hat to cover it up, but the bottom line is that it's still there. And it's not going away. It's multiplying. Eventually, you just have to give in.
It will be hard, but your love of Penn State will overcome your desire to continue coaching. It's time to pass the torch.
Make this season your legacy. No one is giving Penn State much of a chance to win the Big Ten, so make it count. The thought of seeing your players carry you off the field on their shoulders after a stellar season will give us shudders.
Give us a National Championship.
And when it's all over, I'll have a plate of pasta and cannolis waiting for ya.
I can't think of anything more special than sitting down with one of the greatest coaches of all time and sharing some good-old fashioned football talk. I'll even sit on your porch with a glass of lemonade while you mow your lawn, and soak up that "too country" Pennsylvania air.
I'll leave my Blackberry at home.
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3 months ago
I have always respected JoePa, but I agree that this year should be his last. I do think PSU could be a dark horse in the Big Ten should OSU stumble.
When Penn State does bring a new coach to Happy Valley, they will back at the top of college football because once a hot new coach is established (I would think that's who PSU would bring in), that new coach will put a recruiting lock on the great talent of western and central Pennsylvania that have been escaping over the years.
3 months ago
Michael-
I dread the day he retires....he is just such a class act, and a great mentor. But I too, think it's time for him to retire. Reality bites, sometimes. The recruiting is taking a toll on the Nits.
3 months ago
I agree with everything you said, Lisa. It probably is time for JoPa to go. I just hope he gets to go out on his own terms. It would be a shame if he were forced out by the university.
Alabama and Penn State had some great games back in the 70's, and I was sorry to see that home and home series end. I was priviledged to get to see JoPa and coach Paul "Bear" Bryant on the same field. Joe Paterno is a class act, and he and coach Bryant were great friends who respected each other. When those two were made God broke the mold.
Good luck coach Paterno. Like coach Bryant, you are a winner, and there will never be another to be your equal.
from 3 months ago
Actually our recruiting is doing very well...especially this year. I agree with you but the recruiting is not an issue at this point. Its more of the "coaching" that hurts, especially in big road games. Way to old school at times.
3 months ago
Very intreguing artical, the one thing you mentioned that I do not fully agree with is that it seems like values are gone in recruiting. If you ever listen to a kid that has visited Ohio State whether he commits or not, the one thing they always bring up above all else is the family atomsphere that Jim Tressel and his staff have created. Above all else what a kid who is coming long distaces to go to school is to be in anenvorment where then are accepted, loved, and appriceated. That is one of the things Tressel and his staff put inot practice the most. The idea of winning a national title and bounding to figure out how to have the continuity to get them for comes 2nd.
That said recruting is a very advanced thing these days's you have to be willing to go yourself and watch a kid perfrom to build his intrest, you have to then bewilling to constantly be in contact with him, and lastly you have to get together wiht the school to figure out ways to get resources that will attract a recruit to your school, that fact that Ohio State just opened a beautiful new athlectic center helps sell the school quite a bit.
Joe Pa is an amazing coach but I agree with you, it's time for him to turn the head ranks over to someone younger who has more inovative ways of recruiting.
from 3 months ago
Ohio State, I am sure, has a very friendly family atmosphere, no arguement there, but you hear that about every institution. They all say they create a family atmosphere. The botton line is who's in your family...I want winners in my family. Anyone can have a family-friendly atmosphere, it takes a special program to actually WIN the National Championship.
3 months ago
great article.
i especially liked your recruiting angle.
from 3 months ago
Justin-
Unfortunately, I hate the way recruiting has gone. I miss the old days...when a kid was actually thrilled and honored to get a letter. Now it's "so what are you going to do for me?" attitude. Ugh.
from 3 months ago
But I still have to admit that... Joe Paterno is a better recruiter than Ty Willingham, lolz :)
3 months ago
love your opinion of coaches who should go .....when will u do some real journalistic work into the numerous recruiting and ncaa violations of schools ...especially the one in the the city you love
from 3 months ago
I'll do it as soon as those schools are charged with something. Please cite for me any recruiting violations USC is currently charged with. In the meantime, Cuba sounds like the perfect place for you to reside.....they convict first, ask questions later.
3 months ago
By the way PSU is located in State College, PA...not College Station..that would be Texas A&M. Might want to fix that.
from 3 months ago
I sure did mean State College.....looks like someone already edited it for me. Thanks! :)
3 months ago
Great read here Lisa. As a Penn State grad, this is a story that I think about and discuss with fellow graduates all the time.
My only slight disagreement is the fire and energy. Being around the school and him, believe it or not, he still does have that for his age. He is all over the field during practice, pregame, and so on. That's still there, but as for as younger students relating to him, you could be right. If you were to ask them, they wouldn't admit it, but that could just be respect. That I guess we'll never know without being a "fly on the wall".
3 months ago
Kev-
I didn't mean he doesn't have energy. But seriously, he isn't as energetic as some other coaches, otherwise, I do believe he would be doing more in-house recruiting. Being around the school, why do you think he doesn't travel to other recruits' homes? I would think that's a necessary tool these days.
from 3 months ago
I don't know, but I honestly don't think it involves health. I just think that has been his approach. Bradley has always been his best recruiter and he ends up doing most of the traveling. I guess Paterno acts as that "wow factor", that if they feel they need something to get them over the hump in recruiting, they bring him out. I honestly don't know, but would love to find out. I'll have to work on that.
3 months ago
I have felt for some time that Joe Pa should have left 10 years ago, maybe even earlier. I thought it was a terrible move, at least from a football point of view, to join the Big Ten. There were quite a few tremendous rivalries that went down the tubes with that move - the traditional games against Pitt, West Virginia, Syracuse, and in the later years Rutgers. West Virginia and Rutgers have been exceptional in recent years and Pitt came through with a huge upset last year. PSU used to regularly schedule Ohio State, which is really the only true rivalry the Lions have in the Big Ten. The others don't have those decades of games behind them. Maybe they will some day.
But, as for the recruiting and the coaching, does downhill mean anything? After the SEC, the ACC, the PAC-10, and the Big 12 make their blitz through the recruiting world, the Big-10 basically has to delve through what's left.
They need speed on defense especially and need better coaching schemes all around. The problem with Joe Pa leaving is THIS - They won't go outside of their system like they need to. You wait. When he does give up the ghost, he will hand pick his successor. Any bets?
from 3 months ago
And what is the problem with that? Although I would also love to see us in a BCS title game, I would not sacrifice ANY of the reputation he has built with his program. I can't stand today's great athlete who is all about "ME". I don't want to cater to them, and I don't want to see them dancing around in Beaver Stadium behaving with a ME first, TEAM last attitude.
Joe has been successful and done it with class. Very few have maintained that. High academic standards. Discipline the idiots who can't control their actions. Notre Dame has also suffered for similar reasons. Don't get me wrong, I'm not rooting for ND, but they have similar values in their program. Let's not stoop to the levels of Miami, V Tech, FSU, etc. who just don't care about character of recruits, etc.
3 months ago
I think its someone already on the staff, judging by the recruit's quote. They did have some great rivalries....and now they losing recruits to those schools. They'll get back on track...they just have cycled down.
3 months ago
The longer Paterno and PSU keep quiet about succession planning, the more articles criticizing PSU are printed. They are getting angrier and personal attacks are starting to appear(Peter King)
Here's a guy with 59 years on the job, (5) undefeated seasons, a plethora of All-Americans, Academic All-Americans, pro players and Hall of famers and the most D1(not D1a or D2) wins in history. How many wins would Bowden have if Samford, WVU, and FSU used the same academic and character standards for its recruits?
You would think the man who successfully instills discipline, academics, and responsibility in young men along with his football success would be a model for football programs and the NCAA. Do we really want a man like this to go away?
I guess this is payback for the years of Paterno refusing to pander to the media(and the mighty dollar) like most others. He has never backed down from the press or the NCAA and that PISSES THEM OFF.
For quite some time the NCAA's primary motivation is the dollar instead of the athletes who make that dollar possible. When Paterno's salary(measly in comparison to his peers) was announced the press joked and ridiculed him??? (Don't think that announcement didn't send ripples through programs with underachieving overpaid coaches. Think any Presidents got phone calls from important alumni?) And he gives a lot of it back in charity.
Maybe I'm a biased PSU fan, but I think my values are more along the line with Paterno's than with the media and NCAA of today.
Let's start paying respect, study what he has accomplished over six decades and try to duplicate it. He's the last one who gives a sh*! folks.
3 months ago
hmmm....there was actually no disrespect given to Joe Pa here by me. But if your rant was aimed at the other negative blogs, I see your point.
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