Posted on 12/28/2007 2:35:48 PM PST by trumandogz
Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who turned 81 last week, jokingly dismissed the comments of a Texas A&M yell leader Thursday night that Paterno was “on his death bed” and “someone needs to find him a casket.”
But it’s no joking matter to the Aggies, who sent the yell leader home and have issued numerous apologies to various Penn State officials.
The remark came at an Alamo Bowl-sponsored pep rally for fans of both schools. Penn State fans booed loudly after the remark from the yell leader, one of five A&M upperclassmen who fill the high-profile spirit role at the school.
Paterno brushed aside the incident at a press conference today.
“I think everybody’s got to take things with a grain of salt,” he said. “It’s some young guy up there and he’s trying to be funny, and maybe he’s accurate. I don’t know.”
In addition to issuing several apologies, A&M might further discipline the student, who was not identified.
“Further action is being considered, but for now he was simply sent home,” Dean Bresciani, A&M’s vice president for student affairs, said today.
Neither Paterno nor A&M interim coach Gary Darnell actually heard the comments. Darnell said his wife broke into tears when she apologized to Paterno’s wife for the remarks, which Darnell said were highly inappropriate in a public setting in front of fans from both schools.
“That is so demeaning to the Aggie spirit to come across like that,” Darnell said. “That is not representative of what an Aggie is.”
How do you keep an Aggie busy??
(See other side...)
Weak humor... /off
Did you hear about the Aggie that was driving and saw a sign that said Clean Restrooms Ahead - by the time he got to campus he had cleaned 23 of them.
Q: What do you get when you drive through College Station real slowly?
A: A degree from TAMU.
JoePa takes it all in stride.
Joe Pa is a class act. You seldom if ever see him screaming at or berating his players in public. He is intense and competitive, but he earns respect rather than demands it.
He's also a Conservative Republican.
JoePa has more class in his little finger than the entire student body at A&M.
JoePa has more class in his little finger than the entire student body at A&M.
Q: What is the difference between the Aggies and Rice Crispies?
A: Rice Crispies know what to do in a bowl.
Didja hear about the Aggie that stayed up all night studying for his urine test?
Why are you trying to make this about an entire university and 40,000+ students instead of letting it rest on the shoulders of one guilty idiot? It says as much about you as it does about the one guilty idiot.
Paterno is an embarrassment at this point. He should have retired long ago, but his vanity stands in the way.
I’ve hear worse said at a yell practice about the Longhorn coach - usually involving a romantic evening with a cow. Of course, that was 30 years ago.
On the other hand, doing that in front of the coach’s wife is a bit mean-spirited.
Speaking of low class comments in the lead-up to a bowl game, I happened to catch the 1987 Fiesta Bowl on ESPN Classic this afternoon. I love that game...
“JoePa has more class in his little finger than the entire student body at A&M.”
I know you didn’t mean to, but I’m glad you said it twice.
Q. What are the best three years for an Aggie football player?
A. Second grade.
On the third try.
If there’s a more respected coach in this country I don’t know who it could be. He’s loved here in Alabama because he has something many coaches don’t and that’s Class. JoePa wrote the book on being a class act. All the rest are only pretenders.
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