Can you recall your experience of running into Joe Paterno on or off campus and what you said?
- Thread starter Jerademan74
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Fall of 1979 three of us parked in front of Rec Hall after a morning of archery hunting. Piled out of the car dressed in camo with face paint and parked right next to us was Joe getting into his car. He looked at us and said "you guys are going to scare someone walking around like that" My only Joe interaction as a student.
I bet that was scary..I was on duty as a controller on more than one occasion with AF1 (VC25) but, our rwys were in excess of 10k
I am very lucky... I had a few encounters with Joe. These come quickly to mind:
I was at UPark the summer between freshman and sophomore years, mid-70s. My HS friend went away to Texas to go to college and had worked at a football camp run by Darrell Royal and brought me Royal's autograph. In the Findlay area of East Halls, I'm tossing a football with a buddy when I see Joe coming toward us from a distance. I run up to my dorm room to get a piece of paper and a pen in case he comes close enough to us in another minute or so. Sure enough, by the time I get back to the quad area, he is coming through and I say hello and tell him about my friend and ask him if he will sign an autograph for him. Joe said something that brought a chuckle to my buddy and me and signed. I thanked him and my buddy and I were thrilled.... then as Joe was now in the distance, I realized I didn't have Joe sign one for me!
Late 80s, my mother had a serious stroke that changed her physically and psychologically. She was relatively young - early 60s. In a conversation, someone said 'she needs a pep talk'. I got the idea to buy a get well card, self-address and stamp the envelope, and send it to Joe and ask him to sign it and drop it in the mailbox. I sent a personal note telling him what happened, that my folks were big fans of PSU and of him, and that my Mom needs a pep talk. So a couple weeks later, my mother receives the card. When I visit them that next weekend, she is thrilled and they show me the card - Joe signed it from both he and Sue, and wrote a personal note in it as well. She died about 3 years later, and my Dad showed me that she had kept that card. Then when he died about 3 years after that, I found that card again in his belongings!
I was very involved with the Delaware Valley Nittany Lion Club back when the regional NLCs were active. Before and after events, depending on Joe's schedule, sometimes we would have private cocktail parties for our Board and the PSU folks, including the coaches who were there to speak. So at one of these, my wife joins me at the party. I am excited to get a few minutes to talk to Joe, and I do but am quickly interrupted to tend to something. When I come back, Joe is talking one-on-one to my wife for about 5 minutes! I'm so jealous.... I ask what they talked about, and she said he gave her the rundown on most all of his grandkids, asked about what she does, etc. I didn't get any more one-on-one time with him, but it was still great that Joe took that time with her. The next year, same party deal. This time my daughter joins us, and she was maybe about 13 or so at the time. She wants a photo with Joe. Joe was mobbed most of the night and the party time was dwindling. So I asked John Greene, who at that time was with the NLC, if he can get us a minute with Joe for a photo. John walks over, taps Joe, says something to him, and Joe turns around, looks at me and "Sure! I know you!" with a big smile and big handshake. My daughter is in disbelief that Joe says he knows me! Of course, I am certain Joe did not know my name, just that he had recognized my ugly mug from numerous past events, including one or two where I was seated right next to him for dinner(!), but my daughter was on cloud 9 over Joe 'knowing' me. Anyway, Joe was very gracious, and happily posed with us for what turned out to be a great photo that we used for our Christmas card that year. My daughter still has the photo framed and hanging in her room at home She is now finishing her 5th year at PSU and I don't think she is ever going to leave Happy Valley! And she is a lifelong, staunch JoePa admirer, as are her Mom and dad.
I was at UPark the summer between freshman and sophomore years, mid-70s. My HS friend went away to Texas to go to college and had worked at a football camp run by Darrell Royal and brought me Royal's autograph. In the Findlay area of East Halls, I'm tossing a football with a buddy when I see Joe coming toward us from a distance. I run up to my dorm room to get a piece of paper and a pen in case he comes close enough to us in another minute or so. Sure enough, by the time I get back to the quad area, he is coming through and I say hello and tell him about my friend and ask him if he will sign an autograph for him. Joe said something that brought a chuckle to my buddy and me and signed. I thanked him and my buddy and I were thrilled.... then as Joe was now in the distance, I realized I didn't have Joe sign one for me!
Late 80s, my mother had a serious stroke that changed her physically and psychologically. She was relatively young - early 60s. In a conversation, someone said 'she needs a pep talk'. I got the idea to buy a get well card, self-address and stamp the envelope, and send it to Joe and ask him to sign it and drop it in the mailbox. I sent a personal note telling him what happened, that my folks were big fans of PSU and of him, and that my Mom needs a pep talk. So a couple weeks later, my mother receives the card. When I visit them that next weekend, she is thrilled and they show me the card - Joe signed it from both he and Sue, and wrote a personal note in it as well. She died about 3 years later, and my Dad showed me that she had kept that card. Then when he died about 3 years after that, I found that card again in his belongings!
I was very involved with the Delaware Valley Nittany Lion Club back when the regional NLCs were active. Before and after events, depending on Joe's schedule, sometimes we would have private cocktail parties for our Board and the PSU folks, including the coaches who were there to speak. So at one of these, my wife joins me at the party. I am excited to get a few minutes to talk to Joe, and I do but am quickly interrupted to tend to something. When I come back, Joe is talking one-on-one to my wife for about 5 minutes! I'm so jealous.... I ask what they talked about, and she said he gave her the rundown on most all of his grandkids, asked about what she does, etc. I didn't get any more one-on-one time with him, but it was still great that Joe took that time with her. The next year, same party deal. This time my daughter joins us, and she was maybe about 13 or so at the time. She wants a photo with Joe. Joe was mobbed most of the night and the party time was dwindling. So I asked John Greene, who at that time was with the NLC, if he can get us a minute with Joe for a photo. John walks over, taps Joe, says something to him, and Joe turns around, looks at me and "Sure! I know you!" with a big smile and big handshake. My daughter is in disbelief that Joe says he knows me! Of course, I am certain Joe did not know my name, just that he had recognized my ugly mug from numerous past events, including one or two where I was seated right next to him for dinner(!), but my daughter was on cloud 9 over Joe 'knowing' me. Anyway, Joe was very gracious, and happily posed with us for what turned out to be a great photo that we used for our Christmas card that year. My daughter still has the photo framed and hanging in her room at home She is now finishing her 5th year at PSU and I don't think she is ever going to leave Happy Valley! And she is a lifelong, staunch JoePa admirer, as are her Mom and dad.
Great stuff, Anthony. For someone so famous and accomplished, Joe was incredibly selfless.
I never met the guy, but I can tell you that we had the utmost respect for Joe Paterno. McGee always admired Joe and said that he was a good and honest Sicilian. We never did any business with him.
Unlike most of your money grubbing trustees. Our people knew about their vices and their lust for money. The plane trips to the Caymans. The debauchery.
Of course, we got our cut of the pie, but
we have no respect for them. They made us money. It was business.
There are some people that think they are safe from retribution. But they are not.
And they will rue the day that they sold their soul for dinero in your god forsaken happy valley.
Unlike most of your money grubbing trustees. Our people knew about their vices and their lust for money. The plane trips to the Caymans. The debauchery.
Of course, we got our cut of the pie, but
we have no respect for them. They made us money. It was business.
There are some people that think they are safe from retribution. But they are not.
And they will rue the day that they sold their soul for dinero in your god forsaken happy valley.
On a summer day day in 2004 I decided to buy a cardboard stand up Joe for my new apartment. After putting it in my car, I decided to go for a walk on campus. Sure enough I see the man himself alone come walking toward me. No one around but me and Joe. My heart began racing. As we got close he initiated a friendly "Hey how's it goin?". All I could muster was a smile and "Hey coach". I tell myself that I respected his privacy on those walks and that is why I didn't engage him more, but truthfully I totally choked. Oh well, I told that story a few times the week Joe passed as I displayed the stand up Joe in my classroom for about a month. I still can't believe how Penn State treated him in the end.
Nor can I. Our November, 2011 Board of Trustees rushed to judgment and destroyed the reputation and legacy of a good and honorable man. They are a despicable group and we should never forget who they were or what they did.
This was from a friend of mine, so I am relaying the story but I thought I was a funny Joe story. My friend was driving across campus and came to a four way stop. He sort of cut of a small SUV at the intersection. Joe was in the small SUV. Joe gave him a long star and bad look, while shaking his head. I can totally see Joe in that situation. lol. Only wish that I could have met Joe in person.
Funny, Joe encounter from a Pitt fan...
In 1993, just newly married with a new job out of college, I was transferred to State College. My boss thought this was VERY amusing as I was. BIG Pitt fan...
One day while at work, my wife decides to go grocery shopping at Weis Market. As she walked up to the check out line, Joe was standing there right in front of her.
As expected, the check out girl begins to fawn all over Joe. He graciously agreed to sign an autograph for her. He then turns to my wife (who's the only other person in line)... He then very nicely asks if she, too, would like a auttograph...
K smiles at him very politely... "I think my husband would kill me!... He's a BIG Pitt fan!!! We both went to Pitt"...
Joe stops dead in his tracks... Looks at her with a big smile and says: "As long as you're not fans of Jackie Sherrill, you both are fine by me"!!! They both laughed!
Joe was great and I like to say... That's when I knew my wife was a "keeper"...
In 1993, just newly married with a new job out of college, I was transferred to State College. My boss thought this was VERY amusing as I was. BIG Pitt fan...
One day while at work, my wife decides to go grocery shopping at Weis Market. As she walked up to the check out line, Joe was standing there right in front of her.
As expected, the check out girl begins to fawn all over Joe. He graciously agreed to sign an autograph for her. He then turns to my wife (who's the only other person in line)... He then very nicely asks if she, too, would like a auttograph...
K smiles at him very politely... "I think my husband would kill me!... He's a BIG Pitt fan!!! We both went to Pitt"...
Joe stops dead in his tracks... Looks at her with a big smile and says: "As long as you're not fans of Jackie Sherrill, you both are fine by me"!!! They both laughed!
Joe was great and I like to say... That's when I knew my wife was a "keeper"...
I was in the Blue Band. One of my encounters with Joe came after a pep rally we played for the football team and alums at the team's hotel a few days before the Holiday Bowl in December 1989. Just before the pep rally, members of the band were given Holiday Bowl caps. The pep rally was held in a courtyard at the hotel, and we were able to mingle with alums and the players afterwards. There was Joe. Everyone in the band walked up to say hello, shake his hand, and get his autograph. So we all handed him our Holiday Bowl caps for a signature. He kept asking if we were having a good time and saying that he could not sign everyone's cap. He signed everyone's cap. No band member left without an autograph. That man was all class.
I worked at Henny's restaurant in Stone Harbor, NJ every summer from 83-92, my high school and college years. I was a waiter by 1988 and waited on several PSU players. Joe and Sue would come in at least once every summer. People left him alone for the most part, but he would make the rounds, talking to the bartenders and other staff. One of our bartenders was a big Notre Dame fan, and Joe would give him a pair of tickets every year. What a great, personable guy. One other thing I remember is him wearing the white dress shoes (like Uncle Eddie's from the Vacation movies) when he came into the restaurant.
One of the things that most of us here know, and these posts reflect, is what a down to earth guy Joe was. Posters talk about interactions with him under circumstances where it would be easy for a "celebrity" to brush a person off and yet we see, over and over, that Joe took the time, brief though it may have been, to make the other person feel important.
Had a few minor encounters with Joe over the years but the funniest was outside the Corner Room the Sunday after a home game vs. Syracuse in the mid 80s. We were waiting in line to get in for breakfast when Joe turns the corner from Allen St. on to College Ave., stops suddenly to look at the long line, then proclaims "I forgot it was a football weekend!" Not sure if he got in the line or not that day.
This also happened to a friend of mine. She was a grad student and lived in a house near Joe and Sue's place. She is walking to campus on a trail thru the woods over there and she sees Joe walking right toward her. She stops, he stops and they say hello. Our group had this running joke prior to this about who was taller, this girl or JoePa?
So, she stops Joe on the trail in the woods and tells him this story about their height comparison and asks him if they can stand back to back to see who is taller.
Joe just laughed and said "Sure, let's do it". So my friend's only run in with Joe was in the middle of the woods standing back to back to figure out who was taller.
Final verdict, Joe was a smidge taller.
So, she stops Joe on the trail in the woods and tells him this story about their height comparison and asks him if they can stand back to back to see who is taller.
Joe just laughed and said "Sure, let's do it". So my friend's only run in with Joe was in the middle of the woods standing back to back to figure out who was taller.
Final verdict, Joe was a smidge taller.
Danced next to Joe and Sue at the NYE's media party in Arizona before the Miami Fiesta bowl game. I was thinking about tapping him on the shoulder to dance with Sue but it was just a thought. I didn't speak to him as I gave him his privacy.
'Call it what you want, but Joe was a great man........'
My years at Penn State ended in1966, unfortunately I never gained access to him during his assistant coaching years. Much later in the mid '80's while my daughter was at UP, he was jogging toward the stadium on a Friday afternoon before a game day weekend. And I almost ran him down with my car as I called out to him -- 'be careful Coach' -- his reply was -- 'good to see you and take it easy.'
On several football weekends, our last hope for a hotel room was the Ramada where the visiting team stayed. While not the best situation, I had the chance to have breakfast conversations with Glen Mason of Minnesota and Lloyd Carr of Michigan -- both head coaches to a fault had the greatest respect for Joe and complete and honest admiration for his adherence to academic excellence.
Our first grandson died in April, 2007 at 8 years old from an undiagnosed heart disease. While visiting with Tom Bradley, I asked if Joe could sign several items for auctions at American Heart Assoc. events. Tom made an immediate phone call and Joe signed several footballs that raised hundreds for children's heart research.
One could not ask for a better and honorable man.
My years at Penn State ended in1966, unfortunately I never gained access to him during his assistant coaching years. Much later in the mid '80's while my daughter was at UP, he was jogging toward the stadium on a Friday afternoon before a game day weekend. And I almost ran him down with my car as I called out to him -- 'be careful Coach' -- his reply was -- 'good to see you and take it easy.'
On several football weekends, our last hope for a hotel room was the Ramada where the visiting team stayed. While not the best situation, I had the chance to have breakfast conversations with Glen Mason of Minnesota and Lloyd Carr of Michigan -- both head coaches to a fault had the greatest respect for Joe and complete and honest admiration for his adherence to academic excellence.
Our first grandson died in April, 2007 at 8 years old from an undiagnosed heart disease. While visiting with Tom Bradley, I asked if Joe could sign several items for auctions at American Heart Assoc. events. Tom made an immediate phone call and Joe signed several footballs that raised hundreds for children's heart research.
One could not ask for a better and honorable man.
During pre-season camp in 2005 I was showing my 5 year old daughter around campus and we stopped at Lasch. I was showing her the turf practice field. Undoubtedly a gate had been left open by mistake as I'm sure we should not have been there. Joe and Bill Kenny came walking down the stairs. I believe afternon practice must have been getting ready to start. Knowing how Joe felt about having anyone near his practices I was preparing for a quick "hi coach" while getting the heck out of there. Instead he reached out to shake my hand, asked where I was from and what I was doing in State College for the day. Coach Kenny was kind enough to take a great photo of JVP, my daughter and me. It sits proudly on my desk to this day. The encounter made my daughter a PSU and JVP fan for life as she viewed him as an almost iconic figure she saw on TV. Joe could not possibly have been more gracious and kind. What a great man.... I still suspect whoever was in charge of locking that gate got the pink slip later that day!
Lived across from the Forum in '94, I believe Ohio State weekend, was a little blurry. We are on the porch as usual early evening and a guy walks up and asks if we know where Joe lives and if we could show him. As he gets closer we realize its Lydell Mitchell. We do our usual stuttering and wowing. It is the week SI had us on the cover so we all run into the house and got him to sign our SI's. He then reminded us that he was still looking for Joe's house. My roomate had a car and told him he would take him there.
About 30 minutes later my roomate returns to the house, his hands covered in blue ink. As a thank you Lydell asked him to come into Joes and say hello. He went in with him, and Joe signed his SI along with Jack Ham who was at Joes house also. My roomate was so excited he broke the pen in his hand on the way back to the house. Hated him for having the only car, but was a great story we still bring up all the time.
About 30 minutes later my roomate returns to the house, his hands covered in blue ink. As a thank you Lydell asked him to come into Joes and say hello. He went in with him, and Joe signed his SI along with Jack Ham who was at Joes house also. My roomate was so excited he broke the pen in his hand on the way back to the house. Hated him for having the only car, but was a great story we still bring up all the time.
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You are right, retsio, and yet our November, 2011 BOT (Peetz, Myers, Riley, Surma, Lubert,
Alexander, Arnelle, Eckel, Huber, Dambley, Joyner, Deviney, Masser, Suhey, and their cronies) rushed to judgment and threw him out. They knew the kind of man he was and yet they did not give him the benefit of any doubt. They took the most drastic action possible and, in doing so, forever damaged his name and legacy. I will never forget those despicable members of the Board, and I hope no one else does either.
This is not a story about any interactions I had with Joe - but it's by far one of my favorite Joe Paterno stories...
"Hi Paul - this is Joe Paterno calling... sorry about your cat"
"Hi Paul - this is Joe Paterno calling... sorry about your cat"
Numerous times as a student, he always asked about classes and was I studying, etc. On the beach in Avalon in the summer, wasn't too talkative.
It was spring of 1987 Camera Day. People lined up to get autographs and pictures of Joe. I asked a friend if he would take a picture if I ever got close to Joe. Well finally did and asked Joe if he would mind taking his picture with a big nosed Italian. Joe said that makes two of us. Well, the picture was taken, enlarged and hangs in our basement rec room.
to get around on campus. At the time it was street legal like a bicycle because it was 2hp, had to register it like a bike, whatever. I used to go in the morning to UniMart to get a newspaper and strawberry quick milk every day at the location down the street from the stadium. JoePa was going in one morning as I was leaving and he stopped me to ask me about this doohickey (His words) and that saw me zipping around on campus. We chatted for a few minutes he asked me my name, what I was studying, where I was from, etc. It was surreal, like being on air conversing with him, I was stoked. As we parted ways and said goodbye he said, " Hey, where is your helmet?" because I never wore one and I told him I would. Never ever forgot that moment.
Go-Ped? With the benefit of hindsight, I wish they had named it something else.
I had a film class junior year (2005) which required morning shots of Old Main, so three of us went at 6am on a beautiful Saturday. We were over by the walking path that goes parallel with College Ave, south of the flagpoles. There were a few people in the distance at times but while we were setting up we suddenly noticed most of them were looking in one direction. We saw there was a man walking south that had then turned left onto our path heading right towards us. Everybody he passed stopped in their tracks and stared back- we knew it had to be Joe. And surely enough it was JoePa on a morning stroll. As he got close we all said "Morning coach!" and he gave us a "Hey kids, how ya doin?" We were so happy we met Joe that we couldn't do anything but stare until he was out of sight like everybody else. It happened so fast it didn't hit me that Nate hadn't gotten the camera out, if only we could've gotten it on film! But didn't matter, we had smiles on our faces for days. Will never forget it!
My encounter with Joe was brief but exciting.
About 10 years ago my family and I went to a Friday night pregame pep rally at Beaver Stadium. There must have been 40-50K at Beaver Stadium, most wanting to hear Joe speak at the rally. So about a few minutes before the rally was over, we left to get in our car. We wanted leave quickly, to beat the crowd, to avoid the traffic jam that was about to ensue.
It was a pretty good plan because we quickly got into our car and beat most of the traffic getting out of the stadium. Everything was going smoothly according to plan for about 2-3 minutes. We were on University Drive heading toward Park Avenue when suddenly all traffic came to a halt. Whistles were blowing, arms were waving, while security and police traffic controllers stopped all cars on the roadways and intersections.
No problem. We simply thought it was routine and didn't think much else of the situation. Then after about 10 minutes of waiting, and becoming a little perturbed about the situation, we started to wonder and question what the holdup was. There didn't seem to be any accident or emergency happening. So why was this free flowing traffic stopped? By now the rally must be over, and surely everyone would want to leave the parking areas around the stadium.
Suddenly, it became crystal clear why the traffic was being held. While all cars were at a standstill, here comes one car swiftly moving past all of the others on the wrong side of the road. It was Joe of course, with his driver taking him home before anyone else could move. It was pretty cool. It was like a presidential motorcade of one car. LOL
I'm thinking that Joe must have told the University officials that he would love to be at the rally but didn't want to be stuck in traffic for .5 to 1.0 hour afterwards.
That was Joe, and that was the kind of treatment he was used to receiving. He probably had guests at his house for the game the next day and wanted to get back to his house quickly to eat and drink with some friends.
About 10 years ago my family and I went to a Friday night pregame pep rally at Beaver Stadium. There must have been 40-50K at Beaver Stadium, most wanting to hear Joe speak at the rally. So about a few minutes before the rally was over, we left to get in our car. We wanted leave quickly, to beat the crowd, to avoid the traffic jam that was about to ensue.
It was a pretty good plan because we quickly got into our car and beat most of the traffic getting out of the stadium. Everything was going smoothly according to plan for about 2-3 minutes. We were on University Drive heading toward Park Avenue when suddenly all traffic came to a halt. Whistles were blowing, arms were waving, while security and police traffic controllers stopped all cars on the roadways and intersections.
No problem. We simply thought it was routine and didn't think much else of the situation. Then after about 10 minutes of waiting, and becoming a little perturbed about the situation, we started to wonder and question what the holdup was. There didn't seem to be any accident or emergency happening. So why was this free flowing traffic stopped? By now the rally must be over, and surely everyone would want to leave the parking areas around the stadium.
Suddenly, it became crystal clear why the traffic was being held. While all cars were at a standstill, here comes one car swiftly moving past all of the others on the wrong side of the road. It was Joe of course, with his driver taking him home before anyone else could move. It was pretty cool. It was like a presidential motorcade of one car. LOL
I'm thinking that Joe must have told the University officials that he would love to be at the rally but didn't want to be stuck in traffic for .5 to 1.0 hour afterwards.
That was Joe, and that was the kind of treatment he was used to receiving. He probably had guests at his house for the game the next day and wanted to get back to his house quickly to eat and drink with some friends.
I went to a Penn State Alumni Association event to honor Joe before his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame several years ago. There was a hush in the room the minute Joe walked in. Everyone went to shake his hand, say hello, and get a picture taken with him. He was truly embarrassed by all the attention. He was gracious, but still embarrassed. He always had a pleasant "What's the big deal?" way about him.
