| The Behrend Beacon
As team reels, will
By John Mullin
Chicago Tribune
STATE COLLEGE. Fa. Maybe the people at
Penn State, Joe Paterno among them, knew this was
coming. So they said he was innocent before the
crescendo of cries that he was guilty.
This year's Penn State media guide, a 350-page
report on the football team that also serves as the
program's recruiting booklet, starts its history of
coach Joe Paterno by playing defense.
"In the era of video cell phones," is says, "Joe
Paterno is every bit as relevant as he was when
Harry Truman occupied the Oval Office, the Dodg
ers were in Brooklyn and Paul Bryant was a coach
ing novice at the University of Kentucky."
That seems a curious way to begin a testimonial
that doubles as a 12-page biography of Paterno. It
reads like a defense brief for w'hat Penn State an
ticipated would be a time of assault on the Paterno
legend.
Actually. Paterno might be as relevant now as he
was in the Truman era. But he wasn't a head coach
then, as many are suggesting he shouldn't be now.
Paterno is in his 39th season as head coach and
55th on Penn State's staff. Rip Engle brought him
in as a 23-year-old assistant in 1950, and Paterno
assumed the top job in 1966 when Engle retired.
He turns 78 in December and, in a statement of
endearing optimism, received a four-year contract
extension after a 3-9 record in 2003.
Now. despite the 324 victories, the high gradua
tion rates and other accomplishments, calls are
growing louder with each defeat, most recently the
Nittany Lions' 14-7 loss Saturday against North
western.
"I appreciate the sentiments of people who are
upset," Paterno said. "They have a right to be."
Paterno has made the situation acute by involv-
Penn State football lettermen help fallen brother
By Ron Bracken
Knight Ridder Newspapers
STATE COLLEGE. Pa. They were bonded,
most of them, by the shrill, nasal voice scream
ing at them, by the building roar that thundered
just beyond the Beaver Stadium tunnel, by the
shared pain of the spring drills, the preseason
two-a-days and the Bloody Tuesdays.
Theirs is an exclusive fraternity and the only
path to membership is long and hard, leading
across peaks and valleys high and deep. And
once they've traveled it, once they've received
the distinctive white chenille block "S" letter
that marks their status as a Penn State football
letterman. their place in that proud family is
permanent.
They have a newsletter, which keeps them in
touch with one another. They pay their annual
$4O dues. They come back for home games
some for every game, some once or twice a year.
Some classes have well-organized reunions,
others have more casual get-togethers. For the
most part, it's a happy group that revels in tell
ing war stories from the practice fields and game
days of long-ago autumns. But it's also a group
that is protective of its own, one that rallies to
help one of its brothers who has been chop
blocked by fate.
Be an athletic supporter
Junior Justin Jenning starts the blue’s offense
at fan jam.
Commentary by Kyle Woodside
staff writer
I must say that I am looking forward to the
upcoming men’s and women’s basketball
seasons here at Behrend, especially since, in
a way, I get to be a part of the team.
I am interning with the Sports Information
department here, under the direction of
Coach Paul Benim and graduate student
Keith Cerroni.
For the opening tournament this weekend,
I have the privilege to do the scoreboard and
(KRT)
(KRT)
ing son Jay, with the title of quarterbacks coach, in
running the offense along with Galen Hall, 63, a
veteran of several top national programs. Some in
siders will not be surprised if this is Hall's first and
only year in suddenly Unhappy Valley.
"Hall has run national-championship offenses,"
wrote Mike Gross in the Sunday News of Lancaster,
Pa., "and the party line is that Jay Pa is in over his
head."
Worse, the players "are powerless," wrote David
Jones in the Sunday Patriot-News of Harrisburg,
Pa. "And they are infected by a disease emitted from
the top."
The Penn State football program is reeling, al
though not all believe that should be the end of
Paterno, particularly around town.
"We always abandon our heroes when they fall,"
said Nancy Brassington, an art teacher at Penn State
from Bellefonte, Pa„ and a supporter of Paterno. "I
think it's simply mean to make him quit after all
he's done."
Part of Patemo's difficulties, said Northwestern
coach Randy Walker, stem from changes in the land
scape of college football. Walker cites greater par
ity among schools, which means greater difficulty
in standing above the pack.
"You give them a touchdown every game and
they'd be undefeated," said Walker, a staunch
Paterno supporter.
But Paterno critics suggest that giving Penn State
touchdowns is in fact the only way the Nittany Li
ons' offense will score any.
Talent has been there, even recently. Penn State
had a school-record four first-round selections in
the 2003 draft: Bears defensive end Michael
Haynes, St. Louis defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy,
Arizona wide receiver Bryant Johnson and Kansas
City running back Larry Johnson.
The 2002 team that produced that group, how-
Someone like Kevin Baugh.
Earlier this fall the word arced like ground
lightning through the football family that Baugh,
who had been a wide receiver/ kick returner for
the Nittany Lions from 1980-83, had been
beaten to death in what appeared to be a drug
deal turned bad.
That was shocking enough for those who had
known him as a talented teammate with a sunny
disposition.
Then the word began to circulate that Baugh
was virtually desitute when he was killed, that
he iiad no immediate family to claim his body
and take it back to Deer Park, N.Y., that there
was no money for a burial. This gifted athlete,
who once thrilled hundreds of thousands with
his speed and agility, was headed for a pauper's
grave.
Then his extended football family stepped into
the picture.
Mike Meade was a teammate of Baugh's at
Penn State, a fullback who played from 1979-
81. And when he became aware of the situation
he called Michalene Franzetta, who is a mem
ber of the football staff and is the administra
tive assistant to the Letterman’s Club.
"Mike called and asked what he could do to
help," Franzetta recalled. "This hit home for ev
eryone." Conversations among Meade,
Franzetta, associate athletic director for foot
I did the scorebook for my high school bas
ketball team when I was a sophomore because
I didn’t play that year due to illness.
High school is a time when you are forced
to interact with your peers, whether you liked
them or not. Most of us can say we excelled
in high school (especially in sports) and then
came to the realization that we are just aver
age in college compared to everyone else.
Well, if you can’t perform in front of the
Behrend community like you could in high
school, why not support the ones that are able
to? You are an invaluable asset to the teams.
The coaches and players love the fact that
you have taken the time out of your busy col
lege schedules and come to support them.
That gives them so much more incentive to
play hard.
I admire the groups that come on out to
watch the games, i.e. “TOE”. They cheer as
hard as anyone else in that gymnasium. Bring
a group of friends out and root your Behrend
Lions on. It’s a good time.
Gary Bonanno, a senior who is majoring
in history at Behrend, is one of the members
of the infamous “Front Row” fans.
“We like being in the front row,” said
Bonanno. “It makes us feel like we’re right
amidst the action.”
He also hopes that someday all the Behrend
basketball games will be like the NCAA play
off game was last year.
“That game was insane,” said Bonanno.
“Almost everyone was standing and cheer
ing; what a rush.”
Paterno take fall?
CRAIG HOUTZ/CENTRE DAILY TIMES
Penn State University head coach Joe Paterno watches his team against Indiana.
ever, went a modest 9-4 with a loss to Aubum in
the Capital One Bowl. It was the only team of
Patemo's last five to post a winning record.
Perhaps more tellingly, the NFL has found few
Nittany Lions of even second-round quality in the
other three of the last four drafts. Penn State had
one player drafted in the third round this year and
no one higher than the fourth in 2002, when only
ball operations Fran Ganter, and director of ath
letics Tim Curley solved the issue.
The solution was "Eleven for Kevin". Meade
drafted a heart-wrenching letter that was sent
to every member of the Football Letterman's
Club asking them to send a check for at least
$ll (11 was Baugh's number at Penn State) in
Baugh's memory.
"I remember, when it happened, 1 was talking
to Franny and he was explaining the situation
to me,” Meade said. "It hit us at the same time,
that Kevin was destitute and we both said it was
time that we stood up for him." Almost to a man
these ex-Nittany Lions, going back to those who
played in the 19405, have stood and delivered.
That was no surprise to Meade.
"I expected our guys to stand up," Meade said,
"particularly the guys from our era who played
with him, who knew him. We all went through
the good times together and now we're all suf
fering for what he's gone through. I expected
they would (stand up), knowing the caliber of
guys 1 played with at Penn State." Franzetta,
who Meade described as "the driving force be
hind this," is the liason among all of the
lettermen from the different classes. She opens
the envelopes which arrive daily. She sees the
checks and the hand written notes that accom
pany them.
"The response has been overwhelming," she
if you can’t be an athlete
What I don’t admire is the groups that come
to the games and end up talking on their cell
phones the whole time the game happening.
That is just ridiculous. We’re not in Beverly
Hills. If you aren’t there to at least watch
some of the game, then you are wasting
everyone’s time. Where’s your sense of
school pride?
Why are Behrend basketball games better
than high school basketball games? Simple:
this is college - a place where we can put
our personal discrepancies aside a lot easier
because we are more mature.
This is where your fondest memories are
made and your best friends are solidified. We
remember things like getting painted up for
basketball games more than most other things
done in college.
If you don’t believe me, think of it this
way: do you remember social events from last
year more, or information from lectures you
received in class yesterday?
“Showing your support by cheering at bas
ketball games gives you ownership of the
school and you feel like you are more of a
part of the Behrend community,” said
Bonanno. “Being at the games gives you a
common thread to connect to other Behrend
students.”
How can you create these memories and
friends? Go on out and watch the games. Yell
so your vocal chords are dysfunctional for a
couple days. You’ll have some great stories
to tell your kids someday.
Friday, November 19, 2004
two players were selected.
Patemo has drawn sharp criticism the last two
weeks for using his distinguished history as a shield.
"He's 'been coaching for 55 years,’ he has said
twice; don’t question him,” wrote Penn State re
porter Heather Dinich of the Centre Daily Times in
State College. "Actually, it's all the more reason
to."
said. "There have been over 300, from guys who
just graduated last spring to guys who played
back in the 40s.
"I have a whole folder of notes they've sent.
They say, 'We're his family, we'll take care of
him.' There were guys who sent $ll, guys who
sent $lll. One said his jersey number was 84
so he sent a check for $B4. Another said he had
five members in his family so he sent a check
for $55.
"I feel so blessed to be able to open those en
velopes and see those notes. I have never been
more proud of this group, never ever." The
Lettermen's Club dipped into its emergency fund
to pay the $7,000 bill for Baugh's burial. Al
ready it has recouped that amount and more from
the donations from the members.
It’s evidence of the strength of the bond that
was forged all those years ago.
"When you're there you start forming those
bonds at an age when you are becoming a man,"
Meade said. "You are creating a real brother
hood. You're there for four or five years and
during those times you become bonded. You
played for the same guy, went through the same
system.
"No one is advocating the lifestyle Kevin led.
We don't know the circumstances he was in. But
he's still one of us."
The cheerleaders and dance team performed be
tween games at fan jam.