Schiano waiting for PSU

That’s what coach-potato journalist Ron Cook suggests in a column yesterday. Cook thinks Schiano turned down the Miami job to stay at Rutgers and wait for Paterno to retire so that he can get the job at PSU, his so-called “dream job.” Before I suggest that Cook is in idiot, I would like to point out that this is an entirely feasible scenario, but it’s exponentially more feasible that Schiano doesn’t want anything to do with the train wreck that is Miami university.

NOW let me suggest Ron Cook is an idiot. Cook wants us to forget the thuggery that has taken place in the past year.

Please, spare me the mention of Miami's off-field problems. The program will be a big winner again soon…

Sorry Ron, we can’t just forget players getting shot and bench clearing brawls against one of the worst Div I schools. But don’t take our words for it, look at the list of “potential” coaches that turned Miami down. I’ve made a comprehensive list if you’ve forgot. If Miami is such a wonderful program why did the administration have to settle for Randy Shannon? Don’t try and argue that this guy was one of their top choices his resume includes a three year stint as defensive assistant coach at the Dolphins and his current job at the Hurricanes. Miami definitely settled for what they could get. It’s true this program has a lot of recruiting power but the type of players Miami attracts aren’t exactly model citizens. It’s going to be difficult for Shannon to change the team’s personality.

Ron then tries to make the Paterno-will-outlast-all-his-coaches argument.

Bradley, like longtime Paterno assistants Jerry Sandusky and Fran Ganter before him, could get tired of waiting. It would not come as a shock if he leaves Penn State before Paterno does.

You see by mentioning this it does two things: eliminates Bradley from the argument and allows Ron to get in a backhanded comment against Paterno (more on the latter later). Unfortunately for Cook this probably isn’t happening anytime soon. Bradley has dreams of becoming the next head coach at Penn State and he also knows that Paterno isn’t going to be around too much longer. He’s waited a long time for it, he can wait a couple more years. Ron then adds the next piece to his twisted puzzle…

It's reasonable to believe Penn State president Graham Spanier might want to make a clean break from the Paterno era. He asked for Paterno's resignation after the '04 season and Paterno, calling on all his clout as a coaching legend, refused. Spanier was embarrassed. By going outside the program to hire Paterno's successor, he could show he, finally, is the man in charge.

So Graham Spanier, who has shown a history of hiring head coaches with Penn State ties, is suddenly going to spurn a home-grown assistant that has put in 28 loyal years just to show he is ‘the man’? Graham is going to throw the entire current coaching staff away for spite?

Tom we are letting you go. Why? Spite. What do you mean I can't fire you because of spite?

Sorry Ron, some people have a tad more integrity then a journalist - right or wrong, Bradley will be the man when Paterno retires.

Of course this piece is typical Pittsburgh Post-Gazette trash and Cook does a good job of satisfying his contractual obligation to have at least two backhanded comments against Joe Paterno.

Schiano knows everything is in place for the program to be the elite program it was before it started slipping under aging Joe Paterno

There's also something to be said for continuity even if the Penn State program isn't what it once was.

Just last week, he talked of coaching "for a couple more years," which is absurd, but that's a column for another day.

Boy that sounds like a doozy, the anticipation will probably kill me. So tell me Ron, what kind of program was Penn State at one time? One that had a two year record of 19 – 5 with a Big Ten championship? Yeah, I would have liked to see more wins this season but I hardly consider the football program a shell of what is once was. Penn State only won one Big Ten title in all the 90’s or did the slide start then? I’m not a historical revisionists so I don’t know. The great thing about hack journalists in the Nittany Lion area is how often they contradict themselves. I give you exhibit A:

All Penn State needs to get back on top is a coach who is a great recruiter.

He [Bradley] is Penn State's best recruiter.

Oh, so all PSU needs is a great recruiter and Bradley is their best recruiter, but they are going to go outside the program for spite. Got it. I want the last 15 minutes of my life back.