I had read recently that 'had GB offered Joe Paterno the head coaching job with the Green Bay Packers in 1970, the then 4-year head football coach at Penn State would have accepted'. Apparently Paterno was Green Bay's 2nd choice, behind Dan Devine (Missouri HC).
I did not know this. I knew the Jets and/or New England came after him hard, with Paterno actually accepting the NE job before backing out. Just goes to show that even long ago, well before twitter became fashionable, young coaches were doing the same thing they are today: weighing their options to stay in their current job or accept higher paying, higher profile positions elsewhere (like with the NFL). I know Paterno never left Penn State, but he very well could have, and at the time was probably hearing from others that he should have, and if he did, it would not have meant he wasn't loyal to the university.
This gives me pause when I get frustrated at O'Brien leaving, or now with Shoop.
By the way, did Paterno ever meet with Vince Lombardi later in life? I know Joe's high school team (Brooklyn Prep) only lost one game while Joe was the starting QB -- and that was his last game vs. St. Cecilia HS (NJ), coached by none other than Vince Lombardi (1943). I also didn't know Lombardi taught Latin, chemistry, and physics for an annual salary of under $1,000 while at St. Cecilia, and was also a HC at Fordham. Like Paterno, another great man who contributed so much for so many.
I did not know this. I knew the Jets and/or New England came after him hard, with Paterno actually accepting the NE job before backing out. Just goes to show that even long ago, well before twitter became fashionable, young coaches were doing the same thing they are today: weighing their options to stay in their current job or accept higher paying, higher profile positions elsewhere (like with the NFL). I know Paterno never left Penn State, but he very well could have, and at the time was probably hearing from others that he should have, and if he did, it would not have meant he wasn't loyal to the university.
This gives me pause when I get frustrated at O'Brien leaving, or now with Shoop.
By the way, did Paterno ever meet with Vince Lombardi later in life? I know Joe's high school team (Brooklyn Prep) only lost one game while Joe was the starting QB -- and that was his last game vs. St. Cecilia HS (NJ), coached by none other than Vince Lombardi (1943). I also didn't know Lombardi taught Latin, chemistry, and physics for an annual salary of under $1,000 while at St. Cecilia, and was also a HC at Fordham. Like Paterno, another great man who contributed so much for so many.
