Sports Then and Now

Franco Harris has been one of the staunchest defenders of his former coach.

While most of the sports world has moved on from the all-consuming story of Jerry Sandusky, Joe Paterno and Penn State football that dominated the sports media for more than half a year, one former Penn State player is not ready for the story to fade away.

Former Penn State running back and Pro Football Hall of Famer Franco Harris has been among the staunchest supporters of Coach Paterno and is now leading a discussion into the legacy of Penn State football and the Freeh Report that led to unprecedented sanctions from the NCAA.

Harris is hosting a pair of town hall meetings with the title of Upon Further Review: Penn State One Year Later. The first session is being held this Friday, January 25th, from 7:00-9:30 p.m. at the Radisson Casino Hotel in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The second is set for Sunday, January 27th, from 1:00-3:30 p.m. at The Sunset Room at National Harbor in Washington, DC. Both sessions are free and open to the public.

“From the charges of the Freeh Report to the sanctions of the NCAA and the decisions of the Penn State Board of Trustees, the ongoing debate over Coach Paterno has had a dramatic effect on Joe’s legacy and the Penn State football program,” said Harris. “I’m eager to host a panel of experts – both pro and con – hear the views of community members, and offer a presentation that gives new information and analysis as well as a new perspective.”

When the Freeh Report was released last July, many were shocked by revelations that Paterno allegedly knew about allegations against Sandusky as long ago as 1998.

What was also shocking was the swiftness that the Freeh Report was taken as gospel by the NCAA, an organization that usually spends years investigating allegations and that has recently come under question for some of its own practices. Read the rest of this entry →

Archie Griffin

The December Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is the only football player ever to capture college football’s top individual award twice.

As a star running back for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Archie Griffin claimed the Heisman Trophy during his junior season in 1974 and then was able to repeat the honor the following season. Read the rest of this entry →

Freshman Johnny Manziel claimed the 2012 Heisman Trophy.

The selection of Texas A&M freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel as the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner showed us quite a lot about the evolution of college football.

Freshman Rising – Some may not realize that it was just 40 years ago when freshmen were first allowed to compete on varsity teams. Prior to that, all freshmen competed on what were then known as “freshmen teams” to get accustomed to college life and college athletics. They then had three years of varsity eligibility. Of course, once freshmen were given varsity eligibility in 1972 it started the trend of “redshirting” which has some of the same benefits of the old system in allowing the new student-athlete to get accustomed to college, but does not include the freshman team competition that utilized a year of eligibility. Johnny Manziel is a beneficiary of the redshirt program as he did not walk right off a high school campus this past spring and suddenly develop into the Heisman Trophy winner. Instead, he had a year of seasoning at Texas A&M before being thrust into the spotlight.

Still, that he was able to post such strong numbers playing in the toughest conference in college football as a freshman is a testament to his abilities and the ability of the new coaching staff that came to College Station this season to put him in immediate position to succeed. Read the rest of this entry →

Finally the SEC was dethroned from atop the BCS rankings in Week 11. Kansas State and Oregon ascended to No.1 and No. 2 respectively.

But then Week 12 found both toppled after reigning one short week. Those SEC football gurus are determined to own the gridiron. They stop at nothing.

Can they do the same to the Big Irish One? Zultan believes, Notre Dame has a direct conduit to the powers that be—the BCS power computers in 2012.

For his part Zultan went 8-2 last week missing on Northwestern’s win and on Oregon’s loss. Only one of you did better than the All-Seeing Seer in Week 12—Kent Gleichman  of West Des Moines, IA—who tipped the board at 9-1.  Congrats, Ken!

This is the final week of the regular season for most conferences. This will also be Zultan’s last column for 2012 as we all prepare to say adieu to college football for another season—waiting for teams to begin bowling in December.

So make your final picks of the season and hope you finally are able to outguess the Mighty Zultan in Week 13.  Zultan will only be highlighting Saturday games so he does not have to forecast Nebraska versus Iowa on Friday—whew. Mom is on the warpath again.

Zultan has enjoyed this conference season picking games. Sayonara, fellow soothsayers.

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A seismic shift in the gridiron status quo occurred in Week 11. Alabama awoke from football nirvana, their dreams of repeat glory squelched by “Johnny Football” and the Texas A&M Aggies last Saturday.

In the meantime outside SEC Land, the cream of the crop in the Big East, Louisville crashed and burned at Syracuse.

Another undefeated went belly up.

Plus, in Iowa City, the hometown Hawkeyes had their wings clipped by the Purdue Boilermakers 27-24. Can the Hawks get any lower?  No, they are officially in the basement of the Big Ten sitting beside Illinois, waiting for this season to blow over.

Ultimately Zultan went 7-3, losing those three contests last Saturday. Some of you equaled—but none surpassed Zultan in Week 11.

With only two weeks left in the regular season, this week’s contests become exponentially crucial as teams pray for bowl bids. The final BCS standings await the next two rounds of upsets.

Here is your next to last chance to outshine the premiere Pigskin Prognosticator.

Make your picks for Week 12 to try to outguess Zultan and see your name up in lights—figuratively speaking, of course.

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Another bleak week for the Mighty Zultan whose Big Ten teams waited until the very end to lose, making the agony that much greater.  Zultan went 6-4. Hordes did better.

Mom’s beloved Hawkeyes waited until the fourth quarter to give up the ghost. She has taken up volleyball.

Michigan State looked great, right up until the end when Nebraska rose up and stole the game in the blink of an eye. Those Cornhuskers give the All-Seeing Seer an unending headache, blurring his vision at critical junctures.

Outside the Big Ten, wouldn’t you just know Texas would show up with a complete game on both sides of the ball?? Plus, Zultan heard that the Mississippi State Bulldogs forgot to show up for the game, filling in with locals from the stands.

Now heading down the final stretch, the picks get harder deep into conference competition. Zultan seems to be teetering—not quite as cocky as he was during his “hot streak.”  Now is the time to make your picks and grab a little glory of your own.

Those who outguessed Zultan last week will be listed at the end of this article with tons of kudos for those souls bright enough to surpass the Mighty Zultan.

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