—The Daily Collegian Tuesday, September 4, 1973
When Joe talks football, he walks a straight line
Amidst interviewers ipterviewing. TV crews filming.
football players sleeping and celluloid grinding. Penn State
football coach Joe Pa terno renewed his great task.
That task consists of keeping the lid on the Lion football
program nailed down good and tight. Among his players
clad in fresh gear. the warm sunshine and the bustle of
inspiration this press day Joe toed a straight line. being
ever-careful to avoid walking out on any limbs.
Trying to remain noncommital and trying to keep the
brakes on an ambitious group of writers. Joe had a pretty
tough egg to hatch. He made it this time. again. but the
whole season still lies ahead and there is vet time for even a
watered-down dose of unbounded optimism.
But with no major changes on the planning board. the task
of remaining calm, cool and objective won't be getting any
easier. The tendency Joe must feel is to turn his back on
better judgment for a few moments and come out into the
lights and face the camera.
Did Joe really say his people were going to bean newlook
Pitt. bulldoze mushy Maryland, bop awful Army. bite
—nothing Navy and blister wobbly West Virginia?
No chance. although that is more or less the script the
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"Headquarters
Shop early
selection of fall term 8: 1 :ed books
ART & ENGINEERING SUPPLIES
Sept. 6 -Thursday
Sept. 7 - Friday
STUDENT BOOK STORE
"The Store with the Student in Mind"
-Lions have been reading for the last seven years.
Paterno won't buy that. which is both good and bad
depending on whether you wish for the rise or demise of
Lion football fortunes.
Quickly rejecting down-trodden suggestions, Paterno
maintained the Lions would be repeatedly tested during
their 11-gaine schedule which starts unwinding September
15 at Stanford.
Again this year the Lion offense will be lining up in the
Wing-T and the Power-I. On defense. Penn State's stopping
ability could get a hefty boost from tackle Randy Crowder.
As has happened in the past. when it comes to the subject
of certain individual players, Paterno has been, known to
shed some of his conservatism for a show of firm confidence
in a player's abilities. He has done so repeatedly in recent
weeks in discussing Crowder, calling him the best tackle to
get into a Lion uniform since a guy by the name of Mike
Reid earned his degree and moved on to take a position in
Cincinnati.
Crowder was kept busy for most of the afternoon as he
Popular IM's back
By BILL GUTHLEIN
Collegian Senior Reporter
Rec Hall will be serving up
its usual fare of 17 intramural
sports again this year.
although in a slightly
different order because of
classes' beginning two weeks
earlier than in the past. -
The expanded fall outdoor
season has allowed moving
the tennis_ singles and -team
golf. formerly spring term
sports, into the fall term.
COMPLETE FALL TERM
Medal play golf has made the
reverse move, from fall to
spring, to round out the
schedule.
The IM office begins
organizing the tennis and golf
competition. as well as a
traditional favorite touch
football during the first week
of classes. A week later
bowling and basketball teams
are recruited. Competition in
these two sportkcontinue into
winter term.
9 A.M.
Rick Starr
posed for snapshots and answered questions, many of which
were directed at his knee.
If his knee holds up under an offensive tackle's block as
well as it held up under questioning. more than one question
mark in the defensive line would be answered. •
The 6-3. 240 pound senior said the knee felt OK and did
such a good job of minimizing the seriousness of the
operation that most prophets of doom have been silenced.
The IM program is a
popular form of!reereation at
the University Park campus.
Over 5,000 participated in the
touch football competition
last year and nearly 4,000 in
basketball. Actually the
intramural program is four
separate programs called
divisions: dormitories.
fraternities, independents.
and graduates.
The idea of interdivisional
playoffs has been considered
and rejected by IM officials
because of several problems,
chiefly the time factor and
fear of independents and
fraternities recruiting to
dominate one sport.
"Generally there is no
great pressure fdr playoffs
everyone is satisfied." said
Clarence "Dutch" Sykes,
director of intramurals. "The
idea scares me a little bit.
Independents and fraternities
could organize super teams
and ruin competition in the
division."
Other IM offerings include
handball singles and doubles,
swimming and wrestling in
the winter. Spring term
offers a bonanza of choices
with racketball, badminton,
volleyball, tennis doubles.
soccer, horseshoes, medal
play golf, and track all on the
IM agenda.
The major gap in the
intramural program is the
lack of softball competition.
Although Sykes admits
for
for
9 P.M.
EAST
assistant sports editor
with revised slate
softball would challenge the
supremacy of basketball and
football, there are other
factors, namely the
abbreviated season and the
lack of diamonds, especially
lighted facilities for the early
months.
"We couldn't start till April
because of the atrocious, cold
weather, not unless you want
to play in the snow. Besides
there is not enough time for
students to eat and play in
daylight before• daylight
savings time, "he said.
:Intramural sports offer all
the pleasures of formal
competition, including a
chance to complain about the
officiating. Sykes admits he
gets "nothing but
complaints"• about his refs
who are generally undergrads
with familiarity with the
sport. BefOre the season
begins the prospective
officials are put through a
general clinic to help them at
their new job.
Long range plans for the
intramural program include
expansion into a new building
in October. 1975. The facility
will include six basketball
courts, four badminton and
two volleyball courts, a
jogging track similar to the
one in Rec Hall. 12 handball
racketball courts. wrestling
room, weight training room.
locker rooms, and a suite of
offices for the IM department
and the various sport clubs.
used books"
the best
soo►cusr
COLLEGE AVE.
If the knee proves sound. and all indications say that it
will, the way, would then be open to move Dave Graf- back
over to defensive end. a move that would add a considerable -
measure of stability and solidarity to the line.
Most of the Lions spent the afternoon sitting on the Beaver
Stadium grass, taking in all the activity and groaning
approval as halfback John Cappelletti .nade a futile dive for
a Crowder wounded-duck pass.
The best summary of the afternoon was made hr•
sophomore linebacker Rich Kriston who has the task of
playing bellind outside linebacker Ed O'Neil. a possible All-
America choice this year. '
"We don't start practice until tomorrow and even then it
will be a few days before we get into pads." Kriston said
"You can't say much right now. Wait and see. —
Said Paterno: "Sure well make a few changes. but we're
going to basically keep on playing football just as we have in
the past."
For Penn State foes this fall. they amount to simple iyords
with a conservative tone and an ominous prophecy.
Sept. 10 • Monday
Sept. 11 —Tuesday