Peggy obviously had no idea who she, er, he, was dealing with while jacking around with hidden charges on Bobby Bowden’s credit card account. After all, he has won more games now than any coach in big time college football (FBS programs) history.
In the wake of the aftermath of the NCAA’s wrecking ball that has essentially wiped Joe Paterno and Penn State’s once proud history from the record books, Bowden, the former Florida State head coach (with short stints at West Virginia and Samford), bolts to number one.
The program that gave us greats like Franco Harris and Jack Ham could be scheduling the likes of Albright College, Allegheny College, Lycoming College and Carnegie Mellon University, in-state Division III programs, after the dust settles. I mean, why play a Big Ten schedule when you will have no chance whatsoever of competing in the foreseeable future.
The arguments will lasts probably a lifetime or so on whether or not the NCAA should have been involved in such a situation. I don’t know, but for those arguing against the penalties, I ask you this: Is $60 million, the loss of scholarships for four years and a television ban enough punishment for all of the lives damaged physically and emotionally by what went on right under the noses of Penn State leaders? Would any punishment to Penn State have eased anyone’s pain?
I like the fact that it has the deplorable acts in daily water cooler discussions. Talking about the wrong led to the punishment of the Penn State football program. Had it remained an unspeakable wrong as Paterno and other Penn State leaders had hoped, Jerry Sandusky’s acts likely would have continued.
Paterno’s family said the penalties imposed against Penn State and the defamation of Joe Paterno was a “panicked response.” Someone needs to tell Jay Paterno, that while fighting for your father’s reputation is admirable, it’s time to shut up and let the dust begin to settle. (Yes, I realize that these are boulders, not dust.) The facts – even JoePa’s own emails – are about as solid proof as the NCAA and the rest of the country needed to pass judgment on Paterno’s involvement, or lack thereof. Each time the family cries foul, it just rekindles the flames from the umpires coast to coast that are calling it as they see it.
Joe Paterno defamed Joe Paterno’s legacy. No one else, not even Jerry Sandusky. Had JoePa done the right thing, his legacy would have been intact. As it is, his legacy is where it should be.
The family argues that it was never interviewed for the Freeh Report. I wonder if Ted Bundy’s family interviewed by the FBI? Was John Wayne Gacy’s family interviewed? If not, what really could they have added to a case?
The scary part here is that in most cases we never know the full extent of how bad things were. More often than not, there is much more to the story.
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With the subtraction of 111 victories, Paterno drops back to No. 5 with 298 wins. Bowden retired with 377 wins. Arkansas native Bear Bryant is second with 323 and former Arkansas coach Lou Holtz is eighth with 249.
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No. 11 on the all-time wins list in FBS history is the late Woody Hayes of Ohio State.
Hayes was once asked why he instructed his Buckeyes to go for two despite leading rival Michigan 48-16 in the fourth quarter. His answer? “Because I couldn’t go for three.”
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ESPN Baseball Tonight Insider Jayson Stark said former Arkansas Traveler Mike Trout “may be headed toward the greatest rookie season in Major League history.” As of July 23, Trout is batting .356 with 31 stolen bases (in 34 attempts), 16 home runs, five triples, 20 doubles and 49 RBI in his first 77 games played with the Los Angeles Angels this season. While 19-year-old Washington rookie Bryce Harper is receiving more attention, the 20-year-old Trout is having a much better season.