Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Detroit Free Press Takes Cheap Shot At Paterno

Howie Beardsley wrote a piece for the Detroit Free Press in which he slams paterno for being too old, criticizing him for how he is coaching through a hip injury, and attempts to hint that Joe will be fired after the 2008 season.

What is odd is that this article comes out after Penn State but a 29 point whooping on Michigan. That seems like an odd time to go after Paterno and the program that just hosed the Wolverines. I would think this could be a better time to criticize Rodriguez for his early struggles than to throw the coach of a top 3 team under the bus.

Howie's premise that Paterno is getting too much credit for the team's success:

What bothers me about Penn State's current success is that Paterno's not the sole reason for it. Rather, it's his staff and the tradition of the program that have the Nittany Lions in the running for another national title, and Paterno seeking his eighth undefeated season since 1966.

For example, when Penn State rolled over Purdue, Wisconsin and Michigan without Paterno on the sideline, that told me his assistants are doing the actual coaching.

Really? Too much credit? For the man who is literally the head of the team and the face of the program? Really?

This notion that Joe is due less credit because he has assembled a reliable and skilled staff is just moronic. By this logic, we should give Tommy Tubberville all the credit in the world for a middling Auburn team. After all, Tubberville had to fire a coordinator so he is clearly getting things done down there.

Joe is coaching from the press box. Are offensive coordinators not coaching when they are up there? All coaching takes place on the field? Really? Why do I keep seeing QBs putting on head sets as soon as they come off the field? Phone sex? No, they are talking with coaches in the box. The are, in fact, being COACHED.

Howie is quick to point out that Penn State struggled in the early part of the decade. This is true, PSU did struggle then. That, however, is a moot argument for why Paterno should've been fired after 2004. It is not an argument to fire Paterno NOW.

Howie closes this schlock festival down with this:

But it has become obvious to me that Penn State's football past and Paterno's capable assistants now run the show on the sideline and with regard to recruiting for their elderly boss, and they're the real reasons for the Nittany Lions' return to the national championship marathon.

Would it interest you to know, Howie, that most of Paterno's assistants are long-time assistants and they were on the staff when it struggled in the early part of the decade just like Joe was. For example:

Dick Anderson Asst. Coach & OL: 31 years on staff.

Tom Bradley Asst. Coach Defense: 30 years on staff.

Galen Hall Asst. Coach Offense: 5 years on staff

Larry Johnson Asst. Coach D-line: 13 years on staff

Jay Paterno Ass. Coach QBs: 14 years on staff.

John Thomas Strength Coach: 17 years on staff.

Ron Vanderlinden Asst. Coach LBs: 8 years on staff.

Kermit Buggs Asst. Coach Safeties: 8 years on staff.

Bill Kenney Tackles & TEs: 21 Years on staff.

Mike McQueary WRs & recruiting: 5 years on staff.

Not seeing a lot of "new blood" which completely turned Penn State around despite Joe's incompetence

The assistant coaches do deserve a lot of credit, but the idea that this credit makes Joe a bad coach is patently absurd.

This article is poorly thought out.

GO STATE! BEAT OHIO STATE!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree completely. For some reason there are people out there with nothing more than a hair-brained opinion and a keyboard that think Penn State is succeeding in SPITE of its coach and not with help from its coach. This drives me crazy. Surely Joe Paterno can't do the things he used to do physically. But is he losing his mind? How much of a football coach's wisdom really comes from his right hip?! Leave the man alone!!!

Anonymous said...

All of our sports columnists in Michigan are ass holes, and the Freep is the worst. Ignore them, because honestly we all ready do.

JB said...

I couldn't imagine having this bumbling fool write about Penn State football on a regular basis.

My condolences to the entire state of Michigan for being subjected to his foolishness on a regular basis.

Anonymous said...

I sent that motherfucker an email and posted a comment.

Anonymous said...

Even if Joe does absolutely nothing, he is still the rock that holds it all together. In the end, the value of that is immeasurable.

P.S. It seems to me that in the post game press conferences he is very aware of the specifics of adjustments that occurred during the game. The only thing that he is ever not fully aware of is the specifics of injuries.

Anonymous said...

OK, so let me get this straight: he's complaining that a big part of the reason we are doing so well is tradition & that shouldn't count, but the two teams in front of us are Alabama & Texas. Yeah, not much tradition involved in either of those teams. Who else is up there: Oklahoma, USC. Seems like the 70's all over again.