Save the seat for JoePa
by Lovethosefreakinnittanylions on Jan 27, 2012 4:57 PM EST
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PrintIt is my hope that Coach Bill O'Brien will show the same reverence for Coach Paterno by making this a permanent tradition. To simply "Save the front seat for Joe." Since 1966, the only other person to sit in that seat on the bus was Sue Paterno, and that was on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 as the bus followed JoePa's hearse in the funeral procession.
Joe said "if you take care of the little things, the big things will take care of themselves." While other debate big things like renaming a street or stadium, lets get this little thing done. This "little thing" would be a "big thing" to so many alumni, fans and friends who loved and respected the man.
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I duuno
We can’t micromanage everything this guy does. He needs to be the Head Football Coach. We’re going to have to live with some changes.
...may we compete with fierce intensity, with the gifts that we have been given...
by jesse. on Jan 27, 2012 6:51 PM EST reply actions 5 recs
No. We don't.
We are Penn State.
Not Bill O’Brien. We are. If we want certain things to remain the same, they will. If he can’t handle that, we hired the wrong man.
by Bleed Blue 'n White on Feb 4, 2012 11:14 PM EST up reply actions
certain things should remain the same
ie, graduation rates, uniforms, no names on the jersey.
I don’t feel that keeping the one seat empty is one of those things. That doesn’t help our football program move forward. Joe will always be felt at Penn State—keeping that seat empty is, IMO, unnecessary because we don’t need that seat to remind us that we had the greatest coach in college football for so many years.
Fire Dan Snyder
We ahve to face it
Joe is unfortunately gone. We can not keep everything exactly the way it was when Joe was coaching, it just doesn’t happen, ever, unless we shut the football team down. BoB has to be his own man, we cannot start telling him what seat he can or cannot sit in. Once we start doing that, just look at Michigan under Rich Rod, how many times did that fan base say, well he isn’t a Michigan man. Are we going to start that here? No. Joe also would not approve of this one bit, IMO, he would have wanted all of us to support BoB no matter what.
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose - Janis Joplin
BOB is going to be reminded of Joe every day.
I doubt he needs reminded on game day too. Most likely he will be playing at Paterno field, that will be reminder enough. Bradley was right to do what he did under the circumstances but I doubt if he would have been hired as HC he would have left that seat open next year. We have a new leader and if he is half the man Joe was he will be a hall of famer.
I could see doing it for the first game.
Beyond that, he shouldn’t. He has to be allowed to be the coach and sink or swim on his own merits.
I've been downhearted baby, I've been downhearted baby, ever since the day we met . . .
by Joe 96alum on Jan 27, 2012 8:16 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
And remember when Joe said
“Right now, I’m not the coach. And I’ve got to get used to that”
We’ve got to get used to that, too.
I've been downhearted baby, I've been downhearted baby, ever since the day we met . . .
by Joe 96alum on Jan 27, 2012 8:20 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Pass the Torch
Joepa stayed true to Penn State down the stretch even when they turned their back on him. He did this because of the bigger picture, the grand experiment. Developing a program that can be successful both on and off the field. He would want the next coach to be able to carry on the legacy without looking over his shoulder at the shadow of Joepa. Though I don’t see how this is going to be possible with all the crap that has gone down at PSU. We owe it to JoePa and the PSU football team to focus on our future. We need to carry on the traditions that have made us great, honor those that got us there, and at the same time respect who is leading the ship at this current time. Joe would want that because the players, students, faculty and alum are Penn State…..We Are…..
by BeaverGardens95 on Jan 27, 2012 8:38 PM EST reply actions
Time for closure
For all of us.
"You did all you could do. You've done enough. We all love you. We won. You can go home now."
Joseph Vincent Paterno, Jr.
January 26, 2012
I think the sentiment is nice...
and I would respect if he did that the first game as well.
But, I’m in agreement with a few others on here. He’s got to be able to do his own thing. I think, especially given he’s an outsider and may not be one of those that completely “gets it” when it comes to our love of Joe, that he’s been very sensitive to the situation he’s coming into and very gracious to Joe and his memory.
But he does have to be his own man. And I think Joe would understand that.
In fact, I think Joe would be a little disappointed in all of us not just getting on with things and making such a big deal out of him. I’m not going to apologize for that, but I am ready to look forward rather than back.
Not that it matters.....
but, Sue did NOT sit in Joe’s seat, but got off the bus first….not being critical, but that she got off of the bus first shows she’s now running the show and we all know, only Joe sits in the first seat…..WE really do have to let BOB do his “thing” and I am sure we want success as I’m sure he does….Joe’s image will be around for a long time whether tBOT likes it or not….I can’t even imagine what the B/W game will be like, let alone the 1st home game this season…it will be Joe Paterno Field no matter whats happens and ain’t nobody gonna stop us(apologies to my late Mom and all English teachers out in the wind).
" The Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the TRUTH, so help me God."
Sorry to say
But despite even being at UP for 5 years, I never attended a B/W game. Derry, thanks for reminding me that this should be the season for me to fix that.
I kind of feel bad
for Bill O’Brien. I can almost believe that it might have been difficult to fill the coaching vacancy. After what we witnessed the past week, who would want to have to try and follow Joe Paterno? I wish him all the best, but I hope Coach O’Brien has big feet.
When you put those black shoes on tomorrow, and you put on that jersey without your name on the back, and you put that plain helmet on, that's tradition. Penn State tradition!
--Who else?
BoB, our new leader, will need:
-large black shoes
-strong shoulders
-extra good listening skills
-new wall paper with JoePa sayings
-to be sharp witted
-of course to ‘know football’ the right way
….
add on BSD Family
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'.
Erma Bombeck
by ComfortHePuHuTh on Jan 28, 2012 10:01 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
No no no...
BoB, our new leader, will need:
1) to win
2) graduate players or not play those who can’t make grades
3) keep players out of the police blotter
I honestly think anything else is negotiable.
I mean, I know PSU is known for our linebackers (and I suspect we will continue to be), but nobody will care if we turn into offensive U as long as our players continue to be respectable and graduate.
Just being real…
by BNittsDeMilo on Jan 29, 2012 2:17 AM EST up reply actions
I disagree
I agree that those things are non-negotiable, but I would add the uniforms and no names on the jersey on that list. Those should be non-negotiable (except for perhaps slight tweaks, like elements that were on previous incarnations of our uniforms).
Fire Dan Snyder
blue-white
Usually my attendance is weather-dependent. This year I’m going regardless. I don’t care if it’s raining fire. I want to remember Joe and show full support for the new guys.
by reedjohnmiller on Jan 29, 2012 8:51 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I heard they changed the name
to the White-Blue game.
I'm more or less just echoing the sentiments of others, but...
Joe isn’t the coach anymore, Bill O’Brien is. And we have to let him fill that role himself, not as a secondary figure underneath Joe’s legacy.
Bradley’s gesture was fantastic, and it fit the circumstances perfectly to leave Joe’s seat open. But even if Bradley had become the coach this year, I wouldn’t expect him to keep doing that. It’s hard enough as it is to follow a legend. BoB doesn’t need to create any additional ways for JoePa’s shadow to hang over him.
Joe was great man who did amazing things for our program. For most of us, he’s the only head coach of PSU that we can remember, and his impact on the identify of Penn State football (and Penn State itself) is undeniable. But we need to attempt to separate Joe’s way from the Penn State way – even if this is nearly impossible.
For instance, some things I identify with Penn State:
- Creating well rounded, articulate student athletes.
- Along the same lines, graduating players and enforcing rules
- Excellent fundamentals
- Doing things the right way (e.g,no recruiting violations)
- The simple uniforms
These traditions can be continued without BoB becoming a clone of Joe. As long as BoB continues these traditions, I’m ok with him making his own mark on the program. I for one, plan to give him the opportunity to make an impact on our program, just like Joe was given the chance to do so.
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