A stroll down memory lane
Veteran sports scribe reminisces
If these were the last days of my
4 r- college career at Penn State, I'd get
sentimental and maybe hum a few bars
of "Dear Old State." I'd write about the
times I stayed up most of the night
studying for big exams. I'd get really
philosophical maybe talk about how
scared I was to leave the sheltered,
idyllic Happy Valley life and go out into
the "cold, cruel world" and work for a
living
0.,
1010rr. - 7 41111
Rick
o=o=
Weber II
lit But these aren't my last days at Penn
1 1 State I don't graduate until May so
jlthere's no reason to think and write
= i about those things yet. However, this is
, my,last day as a member of the sports
or staff at The Daily Collegian. That's good
reason to reminisce about a college
. o sportswriting career that has spanned
:; ,,three-and-a-half years starting with
m my first term.
1;; That, first term up here was a unique,
,:f t almost mind-blowing experience for me.
.f ;I came to Penn State fresh off stints as
sa -sports
,editor and editor-in-chief of my
high school newspaper. I had a strong
~cdesire to be a journalist to achieve a
,;sense of accomplishment that I could be
: in put of a communications system that
v o xreaches people directly and informs
1. ,them on the issues affecting them.
f y • Even with those strong career goals, I
ii ichdn't expect to write for the Collegian
;pduring my first year I wasn't even
sure I wanted to. I, hke most of the other
students who had just left the
i irleenybopper" high school life, had to
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make a big adjustment and any time
consuming extracurricular activity
might make the transition period more
difficult.
But when I was told that I could try out
to be on the staff, I eagerly accepted the
challenge and I made it through
candidates' school, which I considered a
step up on my aspirations ladder.
As a rookie reporter, I was totally in
awe of Sports Editor Jeff Young and his
sidekicks, Gordie Blain and Brian
Miller. They were like Red Smith and
Art Spander are to me now. I read, their
articles and columns about Penn State
football and I wished I could be in the
same position. But if I would have stood
next to Joe Paterno or Greg Buttle or
Toin Rafferty then, I would have been in
a semi -daze, saying things like "Gee,
wow," instead of asking questions.
The whole idea of being aggressive in
order to get a story was fairly new to me.
The first event I covered was a cross
country meet. My assignment was to
watch the meet, get a feel for the sport,
and arrange an interview with Paul
Stemmer, the star runner. Well, after
watching the race, I stood on a grassy
hill watching Stemmer put on his
warmup suit: I had to nudge myself to
get up enough courage to wander over
and approach him.
That new experience of gathering a
story was made easier by cross country
coach Harry Groves, who spoke
colorfully and candidly any time he had
something on his mind. Many things he
said were unprintable, but he gave me a
clear understanding of the sport. His
help made the whole year easier, since I
covered indoor track in the winter and
then outdoor track in the spring. With
Groves, the dull moments were few and
far between.
The second year was a period of
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growth and further maturation. It was
also a time of promotion, since I was
"moving up" to bigger sports beats like
soccer and basketball.
I sometimes wonder if the students
here really realize the incredibly
qualified, talented coaches we have at
Penn State. Walt Bahr, the soccer coach,
is one of them. Bahr competed in the
Olympics in his earlier days and he's
been just as successful as a coach. Right
now, he's simply one of the finest
technicians in the nation.
It was easy and enjoyable to write
about soccer not only because Bahr was
so cooperative and polite, but also
because his team was so superior to its
opponents.
The same can't be said for the
basketball team (it was horrible), but
coach John Bach was a gracious man.
Sure, he had some faults as a coach, but
he took the criticism in stride and
always maintained a determined at
titude and positive outlook. I only wish
the people who verbally attacked him
could have known him.
Shortly after the basketball season,
the Collegian sports staff ushered in
"The Pete Dougherty Era," so named
because he was our new sports editor
and George Patton-like leader. It was in
that - era•that I spent my first full season
covering the football team and my first
year covering the wrestling' team.
I still remember walking up to talk to
Keith Dorney, all six feet, five. inches
and 260 pounds of him, after Penn State's
big win over Houston. I shook his hand
and he almost reduced it to a mass of
crumbled bones. Then he looked down at
me and smiled. I didn't try to shake his
hand the rest of the season.
Too bad the wrestling team didn't
have someone like him. The
heavyweight position was the only thing
that separated Penn State's 12-2 team
from being undefeated. The rest of the
team was pretty solid with guys like
Dave Becker and Mike DeAugustino,
who placed fifth and sixth respectively
at the NCAA's. "Sweet Old Bill" Koll,
the Lions' coach, made that year
memorable. Once again, another unique
Penn State coach. Koll never lost a bout
as a college wrestler and he went on to
the Olympics. After going 127-22-7 in 14
seasons at Penn State„ Koll retired. If
ever I met a man with a sense of humor,
it was the tobacco-chewing Mid
westerner.
Shortly after Koll stepped down, I
assumed duties as assistant sports
editor in the new regime headed by the
unflappable Joyce Tomana. To me, I had
reached the minimum goal I had set in
my freshman year. I really felt good.
I didn't think any feeling could be
better until I covered the 1978 football
team, a pretty unique collection of in
dividuals. Sure, they lost the biggest
Penn State game ever. Heck, I must
have been as disappointed about the
outcome as they were. But I think Chuck
Fusina said it best: "I don't think the
world will end because we lost." That,
perhaps, gave me a clearer perspective
in the world of sports. Yes, sports are
_enjoyable 'and they_lirpvide a much
needed diversion, but Biey'l:6 - not -the--
fiber that holds society together. They're
not the end-all.
Excuse my rambling; it's just that the
thoughts and memories come easily
when I think about something that has
hen such a big part of my life.
What does it all mean? I guess if I wish
anything, it would be that I have had an
effect on the way sports at Penn State
have been interpreted. I guess my real
hope is that I have effectively reached
you, the readers.
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