PAGE TEN
Paterno
By PAUL LEVINE
Collegian Sports Editor
Joe Paterno believes that playing football should be' fun.
The Nittany Lion .coach has believed it. all his life, and he
makes certain to impart this special philosophy to his team.
Beginning last April in Spring drills and continuing
throughout the entire season, Paterno has emphasized that
there is no use playing if you don't enjoy the practices, the
games, and everything that accompanies college football.
That's why Penn State's second year head coach made
certain that his players had plenty of time for fun and re
laxation on last month's Gator Bowl trip. To Joe, a bowl
game is more than just 60 minutes of football. In the two
weeks prior to the Dec. 30 game in Jacksonville, he allowed
his troops plenty of time off from practice to enjoy some
Florida sightseeing, swimming, surfing and relaxing. It's the
only way Joe would have done it . . . with 'his players'
welfare in mind.
Great Challenge and Fun
' "II I was a kid," Paterno has often said, "there's nothing
more in the world I would rather do than play. in a bowl
game. It's a great challenge and it's a lot of fun, too. That's
what it's all about and that's what I tell the kids. They've
got to have fun or there's no use playing."
Joe Paterno's brand of football leaves the game where
it should be . . . with the kids. This is a partial explanation of
why Penn State attempted the unbelievable play in the Gator
Bowl. Leading 17.0 in the third quarter, Paterno ordered the
Lions to go for the first down on " a fourth and inches play
from State's 15• yard line. Tom Sherman's quarterback sneak
fell short, and Florida State was on its way. The Seminoles
quickly scored their first touchdown, scored again a minute
later, and charged back in the fourth quarter to tie the
same, 17-17 on a field goal with 15 seconds remaining.
Coach Takes the Blame
Afterwards, for the benefit of the press, Paterno
shouldered all the blame for State's blowing the 17-point lead.
Among other things, he called the fourth-down failure the
"turning point of the ball game."
"I blew it," Paterno said outside !lie Lions' locker room.
"I've been around long enough to know better. The kids
wanted to go for it, and I got caught up in the emotions."
It may very well be kids' football to go for a first down
deep in your own territory, but this is only part of the answer.
There was some very sound reasoning behind Paterno's de
cision, and after heaping abuse on himself while the mass
media looked on, he explained the principles behind the
move.
"I looked at it frOm the sidelines and saw we had about
six inches to go," Paterno said. "Nobody has stopped us short
of six inches on a sneak all year long. We have a big strong
center in sill Lenkaitis, and the chances were 99 to I that
Peterson Let
South Down
By PAUL LEVINE
Collegian Sports Editor
Signs of the Old South were everywhere in
Jacksonville last week.
From the moment the Penn State football
team hit town and was greeted by a Dixieland
band clothed in replicas of Confederate flags, it
was evident that the Confederacy had not died
in 1865.
Later in the week,
at the Gator Bowl
Basketball T o urn a- •
ment, the same band
wasted no time in
treating the Coliseum
audience to the spirit
ed tunes of "Dixie."
"Y'all stand up,"
a Floridian told some
Northern visitors as .
the band began. "That/'
there's th e National ; :`, ; " A - ‘ - • \ 0- 741 4 / '!'
Anthem of the South 1) :x 1r4
they're playin'."
•
However, the
southern fans had
their pride hurt a bit
when the University of Florida basketball team
lost in the tourney's opening round. And, to make
matters worse, it was the "damn Yankees" in the
form of St. Joseph's of Philadelphia who showed
Florida's finest how the game meant to be
played.
But the locals had renewed enthusiasm by
Saturday when the football extravaganza
Florida State vs. Penn State unfolded before a
record crowd in the Gator Bowl. They stomped
and screamed , as the Florida State band hoisted
a •Confederate flag to signal the South's revival
in the second half.
But the game's ending cast a gloom over
the whole affair. While Florida State's game
tying field goal with 15 seconds left may have
appeared to be a fine ending for the South, it was
actually embarrasing to those who don't buy the
theory that both teams won the game by scoring
the same number of points. In fact, the southern
philosophy is summed up nicely in an engraving
which is etched into a monument in downtown
Jacksonville.
Resting in the center of a small park lush with
bright poinsettas, the monument is emblazoned:
Confederate Memorial 1861-1865
'To the Soldiers of Florida •
This shaft is by a comrade raised in testimony of his
love, recalling deeds immortal, heroism unsurpassed.
With ranks unbroken, ragged, starved, the southern
soldier for duty's sake, undaunted, stood to the front of
battle, until no light remained to illumine the field of
carnage save the lustre of his chivalry and courage.
Nor shall your glory be forgot while fame her
record keeps or honor points the hallowed spot where
valor proudly sleeps.
This is the talk of the Old South. The words
(Continued on page fifteen)
3-V $ t-, , 1::‘:.:4;.•%,:f1 0 nkot z
LEVINE
Belicivv - i,‘ in'Fuh' 'G . dr:6"fl; ling
,
Emotion,
In Gator
we'd make it. In fact, I'm still not sure that we didn't make
it. Not that it matters now, but I'll take a look at it on the
game films."
_
Sherman joined his coach in agreement that the first down
had been made.
"I saw how much I needed before the play," Sherman
said. "It wasn't more than six inches past the 15-yard line.
After I dived across the line, I looked down again. I was
a good two feet over the line. Then somebody started pulling
PENN STATE tailback Charlie Pittman (24) scampers around left end in the Gator Bowl at Jacksonville, Fla. The
sophomore speedster was the Lions' leading ground gainer in the game, picking up 124 yards on 19 carries. Penn State's
All-American tight end—turned wingback Ted Kwalick (82) throws a block on the play. Penn State led 17-0 at halftime
but was unable to mount a threat in the second half, as Florida State charged back to a 17-17 tie.
Coeds Run
Just For The
Fun of It
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP)
Four coeds at the University of
Kansas are running just for the
fun of it.
Members of the unofficial
women's track team, they run
on their own. The university
has no official team and no
.plans for one.
fhe four are Jan Pappas,
Prairie Village, Kan., Margaret
(Peg) Grinvalsky, Jamaica,
N.Y.; Janice Miller, Hutchin
son, Kan.; and Judy Clary,
Kansas City, Kan.
During the outdoor season
each day they run on the NCAA
cross-country course west of
lowa, street. On a typical after
noon they v'ill do four to six
150-yard springs, two 400- or
600-yard fast runs, and three
miles at a steady pace.
They have done well in meets
they have entered.
Stats and Facts from the 1967 Gator Bowl
PENN STATE
Rushing
I Lucyk
a ZlTlfes
w k
:..:_,
Passing
Att. Comp. Yds. Int. TDs
....19 6 69 3 2
Pass Receiving
Kwalick
Curry .
Lucyk
Kickoff Riiturns
Lucyk
A Pittman
=EI
Punt Returns
LOCAL AD STAFF NOTICE
IMPORTANT MEETING
• TUESDAY
• 6:30
• COLLEGIAN OFFICE
To be considered on the
Local Ad Staff this meeting
must be attended.
, THE DAILY COLLEGIAN, UNIVERSITY PARK, PENNSYLVANIA
Reasoning Both Had Part
Bowl First Down Attempt
Lions Move on the Ground
Story of a Gator Bowl Tie
Tom Sherman kicks 27-yard field goal with 2:32
remaining in first quarter. Key plays on the drive:
back-to-back 13-yard passes to Ted Kwalick and Dan
Lucyk.
PSU 3, FSU 0
Jack Curry -catches 19-yard touchdown pass with
4:42 remaining in second quarter. The fourth-down TD
play caps a 53-yard drive. ,
FS Sherma 0 n PAT is good.
PSU 10U
Tom Sherman connects with Ted Kwalick on a
12-yard scoring toss- with 50 seconds remaining in the
first half. Key play on the 81-yard drive: a 35-yard
run by Charlie Pittman. Sherman PAT is good.
Halftime Score
PSU 17, FSU 0
Florida State's Kim Hammond passes to Ron Sellers
for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 3:50 remaining in
the third quarter. The pass comes three plays after
Penn State turned the ball over on downs at its own
15-yard line. Guthrie PAT is good.
PSU 17, FSU 7
Hammond scores on one-yard quarterback sneak
with 2:49 left in third quarter. The score comes four
plays after Charlie Pittman fumbled the kickoff at
the Lions' 22-yard line. Guthrie PAT is good.
PSU 17, FSU 14
Grant Guthrie kicks a 26-yard field goal with 15
seconds remaining in the game. FSU began the drive
at its own 31-yard line with 1:38 remaining in the game.
Final Score
PSU 17, FSU 17
Att. Yds. Montgomery
.19 124 smith
. 6 24 Pa. Johnson
~7 12 FLORIDA STATE
Green
MOTeMIITI
Gunter
Hammond
Passing
Att. Comp. Yds. Int. TDs
... 53 37 362 4 1 Eason
•••• 1 1 1 0 0 Warren
0 0 page
Pan Receiving
No. Yds. TDs
2 25 1
2 22 1 Hammond
2 22 0 Cheshire
Moremen
No. Yds.
1 0
..2 42
..1 6
Sellers .
Moremen
No. Yds.
1 4
me backwards by the seat of my pants. The officials grabbed
the ball and spotted it where I ended up after they finished
pulling me back."
And, there were those members of the press box who
thought that Charlie Pittman had made the first down on the
play before. On that run, Pittman sliced around left end and
was brought down with his shoulders resting slightly past the
15-yat d marker.
But the mere making or missing of the first down was
Intereeptjons
No. Yds.
•• 2 42 Moremen
..1 0 Green .
..1 13
AN. Yds.
.12 27 Sumner
„3 • 22 Warren
..2 IS Crowe
..9 -9
No. Yds. TDs
.14 145 1
.12 106 0
.8 87 0
.1 11 0
.3 11 0
..2 3 0
First Downs Rushing
First Downs Passing „..
First Downs by Penalties
TOTAL FIRST DOWNS .
Semi-Annual Clearance
. NOW IN PROGRESS AT
Levine Bros.
All merchandise for our regular stock of fine
men's suits, sport coats and furnishings are
reduced greatly for this special sales event.
Choose -from sweaters by Bernard Altman,
jackets and winter coats by Mighty-Mac and
McGregor. suits and sport coats by Madisonaire,
College Hall, and Louis Goldsmith.
For great- savings in men's clothing and fur
nishings shop now and save at Levine Bros. semi
,. annual clearance.
135 S. ALLEN ST.
STATE COLLEGE, PA.
Collegian Photo by Dick Weissman
Kickoff Returns
Punt Returns
Yds.
10
16
9
Interceptions
Seminoles Lions
. 7 7
,16 5
0 0
23 12
Pittsburgh
Soccer Club ; 1
To Disband
PITTSBURGH (AP) The :1
Pittsburgh Phantoms profes
sional
soccer club will riot field
a team next season. -
John Pollock, vice president
and treasurer, said Thursday
the team is being disbanded,
but might be revived after 1
Pittsburgh's new sports sta
dium is built.
He said the Phantoms lost ?:1
about $700,000 last year, the
first full season of the National 0„
Professional Soccer League. 1i
Pollock said the club was un
able
: I
to attract ne investors <2l
because Forbes Field is un
suitable for soccer spectators. 1:1
After the new stadium is
built, he said, the club will :4
have the right of first choic
for a franchise with the new
league formed by the merger §!
of the National Professional
League and the United Soccer
Association.
Number Attempts Rushing
Yards Gained Rushing ..
Yards Last Rushing
NET YARDS Gained Rushing . SS
Number Passes Attempted ....SS
Number Passes Completed ....98
Number Passes Had Intercepted 4
NET YARDS Gained Passing 363
No. Plays Rushing & Passing 81
TOTAL OFENSE YARDAGE 418
YDS. INTERCEPTIONS RET, 13
Number Times Punted 4
PUNTING AVERAGE, YARDS n
Number Punts Returned ....
YARDS PUNTS RETURNED ..35
Number Kickoffs Returned ... A
YDS. KICKOFFS RETURNED 61
Number Times Penalized 4
TOTAL YARDS PENALIZED _4O
Number Times Fumbled 1
NUMBER FUMBLES LOST ....0
not the most important thing to Joe Paterno. Also behind the
manuever was the basic Paterno doctrine of confidence in
himself and his team. Although it may sound corny in the
grunt-and-groan world of football, it was a matter of prin
ciple, and after a few days to think about it, Joe says he
would do it again
Always Took Chances
"It's the way we played football this season," Paterno
said earlier in the week. "We took chances and enjoyed
playing the game.' I tell my kids, when the game starts we
will have practiced hard. And when that whistle blows, I
want to see reckless people out there, not afraid to make
mistakes. If I had to do it again, I'd do it again, even
though it's still not the right call."
However, there are some observers who believe the call
should be made again because it was the right move. (See
Sandy Padwe's column, Page 11).
Besides the obvious fact, that the odds were strongly in
Penn State's favor of making - the first down, there was an
other factor contributing to a Lion gamble.
Three Plays Before
Three plays before the controversial call, Penn State had
taken possession on downs as FSU's most serious threat of
the game was smothered at the Lion five-yard line. The
Seminoles had faltered on four running plays after they had
moved to a first and goal at the three. It was one of the
finest defensive efforts of the year, much like the goal-line
stand against North Carolina State.
The Lions had recovered some momentum after the turn
over, and Paterno didn't want to give the ball back after
only three plays. The third quarter was nearly over, Penn
State had failed to mount any offensive attack since inter
mission, and thoughts of the past must have crept into
Paterno's mind. In two of the toughest regular season games
—Syracuse and North Carolina State—the Lions' offense
mysteriously disappeared in the second half, and the defense
had to scratch and claw its way to save the victories.
Seminoles Could Come Back
Against the Seminoles, It wouldn't have been as simple
a task. The Southerners high-powered passing attack was
''taylor-made for comeback efforts. To keep the ball, to get
Penn State's initial first down of the half, and to regain some
offensive momentum were utmost in Paterno's mind.
"When we get ahead, the kids get a little bit cautious,"
Paterno said after the game. "They don't want to make any
mistakes and lose it. Our kicking had been going poorly, and
I thought that if we punted, they'd be right back down there
anyway. I couldn't see- what we'd gain except for a couple
minutes of time."
For the kids' sake, Joe Paterno was playing for fun; for
victory's sake, he was taking a gamble. After a season of
winning the gambles, he lost the big one. But it's a safe bet
that next year, those 99 to 1 shots will start paying off again.
r i1...,..,:i.,0xiiaff10 From , Florida whatmagauma g
::1..
c„ Gator Bowl
1
„..,
[
: ,$
Notes, Quotes 1 , 1
~, .
...,.;
At the Gator Bowl Banquet last Saturday night both
i
L ! teams' quarterbacks were honored as the game's out-
,
lis'i standing players. Florida State's field general, Kim k:'
s.i
Hammond established new Gator Bowl records for
passes completed, passes attempted, and total passing
~, -::
N yardage (37-53, 362 yards) and led the Seminoles to z.:
their comeback tie. Although Penn State ' s Tom Sherman
,••
played what is considered a below-par game (6-19, 69
yards), he did figure in all the Nittany Lion scoring, to
3 '";•
.i.
gain the honor. Sherman
;14
fired tw o touchdown
passes and kicked a 27- ,'
yard field goal. •,,
p
* * * :A
Also in t 6 running
for most valuable player
honors for Penn State
were Tim Montgomery
an d Charlie Pittman.
Montgomery turned in a
sparkling defensive ef
fort at his safety posi
tion. The second team
All-American intercepted
TOM SHERMAN tw o Hammond passes
. . . Lions' MVP (Neal Smith and Pete
Johnson picked off one each), batted away numerous
others and was in on a number of key tackles.
Pittman was the game's leading rusher, carrying
19 times for 124 yards. His longest was a 35 yard
scamper on a draw play on which the Lion tailback
nearly went all the way.
* * *
Florida State's Al-American flanker Roo Sellers
broke the Gator Bowl record for pass receptions. The
speedy junior from Jacksonville snared 14 of Ham
mond's tosses for 145 yards and one touchdown. He
broke the record of 13 receptions held by another FSU
great, Fred Biletnikoff.
But Sellers was still not satisfied with his perform
ance. After the game he complained that he had troubles
in the first half because his hands were cold. In the
second half, Sellers explained that he kept his hands
warm by wrapping them in hot towels while on the
sidelines.
As the 58-degree temperatures didn't seem to bother
anyone else, one press box wit wondered alound, 'What's
going to happen to Sellers if the Green Bay Packers'
draft him?" In the NFL championship game. at Green
Bay last Sunday, the mercury never climbed above
degrees.
Many of the Southern sportswriters were surprised
that Joe Paterno kept his Florida practice sessions closed
to the press, but once the game started it didn't take
long to figure out why. Florida State coach Bill Peterson
was likewise surprised and offered this comment early
lait week:
7 $ "I don't see how they could put in much else new.
40 4 They've already run every formation in the book. If
4 Paterno comes out with a lot of new stuff Saturday,
48 he ' ll revolutionize football. It'll have to be something
, A
(Continued on page thirteen)
2 V7WaagiiP°T,l'Y'ff•WrZtatM4.X.::.tFtV: .":kzaMASlT'AtaigNKElEW
1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111ifilin
=
ARONSON-SAAB
The home of the
exciting new SAAB
for 1968
1931 N. ATHERTON ST.
' STATE COLLEGE
:1!II!11!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIU IUIIIIIJI!IIIIIUhIlllllllrr
IIIIIPIIIIIIIIIIgIIII1111111Illllll11111!IIII!Illlllllfllllllgllllllllllllllllllill
a'NAI B'RITH HILLEL FOUNDATION
SAT. NIGHT MOVIE 8;00 P.M.
"THE SPY WHO CAME IN
FROM THE COLD"
Starring Richard Burton
:i111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111IIIIHMIIT:
FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1968
* * *
* * *