DAVID JONES – Paterno tells players to clean up – Patriot-News
Cleaning stadium after games part of coach’s discipline plan
Joe Paterno has revealed how he will discipline players for the alleged brawl that resulted grand jury charges Anthony Scriotto and Chris Baker:
He said he will have his entire team help clean up Beaver Stadium every Sunday after home games this season — a task usually taken on for pay by PSU club sport athletes who use the money to fund their teams.
This fall, according to Paterno, they won’t have to do it; his guys will. And the money will still funnel to club sport coffers:
“We’re all going to do it. Everybody. Not just the kids that were involved. ‘Cause we’re all in it together. This is a team embarrassment. I wouldn’t call it anything much other than that.”
What was the genesis of this brainstorm, I asked.
“I just thought that, hey, we had 14, 15 kids — I don’t even know how many — that were involved in something embarrassing, and I think that we need to prove to people that we’re not a bunch of hoodlums.”
That’s not all. The team will also take part, as some have in years past on their own time, in the massive Pennsylvania Special Olympics Summer Games June 7-9 in State College. Some will act as volunteers during the events; others will be involved in the opening ceremonies.
Also, the team will help build a house in Centre County as part of Sue Paterno’s involvement with Habitat For Humanity.
I’d rather run laps than pick up trash after the game.
It will be quite interesting to see how this plays out. It could bring the team together or tear them apart. If it is the later, they’ll come together because they hate Paterno for making them pick up trash on their recovery day. This season’s team captains are really going to have to lead and keep the team together. The best strategy will is the “us against the old man” method.
Jones suggests again that Scriotto and Baker might have to worry about Judicial Affairs more than the criminal justice system. That would not surprise me at all.
Lastly, Jones doesn’t think Paterno’s salary is very high either:
In such context, I’ll make a prediction: I would not at all be surprised if this 57-year PSU employee has a six-figure salary. Quite possibly the lowest of all Big Ten football coaches.
If we do once and for all win this case, it probably won’t be decided for months. But, if the records are opened, I think we’ll all see Paterno has not exactly been haggling about his state salary.
And why would he? PSU inside sources say he’s been very well taken care of not just by Nike but much more by his good friend and former Merrill Lynch CEO and PSU trustee emeritus Bill Schreyer, who has advised him on several successful investments.
Good points.
