heritage is a powerhouse of smaller private schools. they win
championships. they don't play with the big boys on a regular basis. they
do recruit athletes in all sports though.

his daddy is the coach.  he is not in love with the florida schools and is
going out of state.

delray beach is strategically located in the geographic center of south
florida high school football. great place to put down some recruiting roots
in

pahokee, belle glade, dwyer, st thomas aquinas, you name it,  all a short
drive from delray. i often wondered why penn state didn't have a coach
working palm beach,broward, and dade counties. population over 5 million.
so about  40 percent of the size of PA,  easy to see and meet a lot of
great high school coaches and players all in less than one hour radius.

looks like we will now.

important note. we churn out great tight ends down here. we also churn out
small, fast, nose for the ball linebackers who like to hit.

all the big teams want this kid because he likes to run between the tackles
with no fear, and puts the fear in corners and safties. if he takes a visit
to penn state i will be truly amazed. they might find a another player they
want at heritage while they are recruiting him. will we get him? its an up
the mountain battle, no penn state vaccination.

we have a lot of 3 star players down here that are fast, and the wrong
size. maybe we score an off the run gem.


Bob
Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading
Room<http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2010/02/about-alzheimers-reading-room.\
html>
http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com



On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 7:42 AM, Trader Kevin <cbot_kevin@...> wrote:

> **
>
>
> Rivals.com Florida recruiting analyst Chris Nee is reporting that Penn
> State has offered 4-star running back Greg Bryant of Delray Beach (Fla.)
> American Heritage.
>
> Here is a brief evaluation from Scout.com...
>
> STRENGTHS
> * Power
> * Size
> * Tackle-Breaking Ability
>
> AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
> * Change-of-Direction
> * Elusiveness
>
> Bryant is a running back that runs with power behind his pads. He is
> someone that can run through tackles, get the extra yards after contact,
> and break tackles on a regular basis.
>
> Bryant has good straight-line speed, but he is not an elusive back. He is
> a power guy, a straight ahead runner, and someone who can wear defenses
> down. He has also shown the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.
>
> http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=4705648
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Oh well. Here's hoping Paul Jones gets his academic house in order!

Story by Eric Prisbell
Washington Post
February 22, 2012

In a reversal of its position last week, Maryland will allow quarterback Danny
O'Brien to transfer to Vanderbilt or an ACC school if they he chooses.

The announcement, made Wednesday morning, came after days of negative media
attention following Coach Randy Edsall's decision not to allow O'Brien to
transfer to Vanderbilt even though the Commodores will not play the Terrapins in
the near future.

However, Edsall continues to question whether Vanderbilt Coach James Franklin,
the former Maryland offensive coordinator/head coach-in-waiting, had improper
contact with O'Brien before O'Brien made his decision to transfer, according to
individuals close to Edsall.

As a result, Maryland has filed a formal complaint with the ACC, an individual
familiar with the complaint said. The ACC has turned the complaint over to the
SEC, which is expected to review the matter.

Maryland will continue to pay for the education of O'Brien throughout the spring
semester.

O'Brien, a third-year sophomore, plans to graduate in the spring. By doing so,
O'Brien, who has two years of eligibility remaining, will be able to transfer to
a Football Bowl Subdivision school and play immediately, so long as he enrolls
in a graduate program not offered at Maryland.

"I am pleased to be able to move on and pursue a graduate degree and continue my
athletic career at the school of my choosing." O'Brien said in a statement. "I
would like to thank Coach Edsall for his support throughout this process."

Franklin and O'Brien had a close relationship, and Franklin's presence at
Maryland was one of the main reasons why O'Brien chose to attend Maryland. As a
high school senior in Kernersville, N.C., O'Brien would drive up to College Park
in the wee hours of the morning just so he could sit in on Franklin's weekend
quarterback meetings during spring practice.

And in December 2010, O'Brien helped Franklin clean out his office after
Franklin accepted the Vanderbilt head coaching job in part because he was not
assured to ever be the head coach at Maryland. At the time, O'Brien took the
departure of Franklin extremely hard.

In the days since announcing he would transfer, Mississippi, Arizona, South
Florida and East Carolina were the schools that showed considerable interest in
O'Brien. O'Brien, who spent formative childhood years in Minnesota, also has
interest in Wisconsin, but it is unclear whether Wisconsin has mutual interest.

O'Brien was likely to appeal Edsall's Vanderbilt stipulation to the NCAA had the
coach not reversed his position this week.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/terrapins-insider/post/randy-edsall-lifts-va\
nderbilt-restriction-for-danny-obrien-max-garcia-mario-rowson/2012/02/22/gIQAeKb\
9SR_blog.html

No. 9!

<http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-football/michigans-football-recruiting-blitz-\
continues-with-addition-of-first-receiver-jaron-dukes/>

<http://www.centredaily.com/2012/02/11/3086343/a-scandalous-theory-worth-investi\
gating.html#storylink=misearch>

By Louis Lombardi

Posted: 12:01am on Feb 11, 2012; Modified: 11:06am on Feb 13, 2012

In the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, most of the attention
has been on the late Joe Paterno and whether he did enough in handling
the allegation at the time.

Rightly or wrongly, he has become the face of the scandal. What has
never really been focused on is, when the football program through
Paterno reported the incident to senior university officials, why did
they punt?

We know the players — Graham Spanier, Gary Schultz and Tim Curley.
What we do not know is why they did next to nothing. They were given
pretty credible information that a heinous act may have been committed
by a former school employee on school grounds. So was their relative
inaction an innocent blunder or something more sinister?

Some speculation has been cast upon the connections between Penn State
and The Second Mile. The thinking goes that the inter-meshing of these
two entities made it impossible for university officials to take
action as their allegiance was owed to both. Work to protect the
university and you hurt The Second Mile and vice versa. Best course of
action is to sweep it under the rug and hope the issue goes away.

Such a theory is plausible but not necessarily correct. However, if we
move our gaze just north of Beaver Stadium, another valid theory will
come into focus.

The Village at Penn State was Spanier’s idea, and he had Schultz on
board as a trustee. The idea was to get alumni to return to State
College and enjoy many of the offerings of the area, especially the
university.

Those living in The Village were given access to classes, cultural
events and sports.

With a steady stream of potential buyers, investors in the project had
visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads as profits from the
project seemed guaranteed.

Although there appeared to be a pot of gold at the end, the financing
for the project was risky. Credit swaps like the kind that caused the
housing crisis were used.

In order for the project to work, alumni needed to buy, and what
better way to get them here than what has always drawn the alumni: the
football program. 2002 promised to be a big year.

As we know, 2002 turned out to be a fateful year, but not in an
expected way. The Village at Penn State has failed despite great
expectations. The financing led to much litigation, and the
assisted-living portion of The Village eventually ended up in
bankruptcy.

The Sandusky scandal swallowed all involved. It has shaken this town
to its very core. Knowing the potential for how toxic the scandal
could be (and ultimately proved to be), did those involved in the
initial investigation shirk their responsibilities because of a
potential impact on their own interests?

There are many ongoing investigations into this mess. One avenue that
must be explored is the connection between The Village at Penn State
and the university’s upper echelon.

Sandusky has been accused of using the football program as a lure for
unsuspecting victims. Backers of the The Village at Penn State used
the program as a lure for alumni. What happened when these two
interests collided? That is food for thought.

Let’s hope one of the investigations will give us a satisfying answer.

Louis Lombardi is a community columnist for the Centre Daily Times. He
is an attorney and former New York police captain who lives in Patton
Township. He can be reached at info@... or follow him
on his blog at www.obpopulus.wordpress.com.

Read more here:
http://www.centredaily.com/2012/02/11/3086343/a-scandalous-theory-worth-investig\
ating.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

I had not seen this until today............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1XVSCtFyXw&feature=player_embedded

Rocko


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

A previous Louis Lombardi opinion article in the CDT.

<http://www.centredaily.com/2012/01/30/3071493/our-morality-problem.html#storyli\
nk=misearch>

By Louis Lombardi

Posted: 12:01am on Jan 30, 2012; Modified: 5:44am on Jan 30, 2012

The passing of Joe Paterno has led to a lot of debate about his legacy
and how it will be impacted by the scandal that ended his coaching
career.

In examining his actions (or inactions), it has been stated that he
met his legal requirements in dealing with the accusations against
Jerry Sandusky, but he failed his “moral” obligations in not doing
more.

So, exactly what were his moral obligations?

Most of his critics claimed that he should have relentlessly followed
up to ensure that appropriate action was taken by those charged with
investigating the matter. By extension, the critics are claiming that
this is the course of action that they would have taken if faced with
the same circumstances.

In matters of crime, we as a society have instilled in our culture
that one’s only obligation is to report the matter to the proper
authorities and that they will take it from there.

We have a hands-off policy. If the authorities need more from you,
they will contact you. From my experience in policing, after someone
reported a crime, he or she did not follow up to see if it was
properly being investigated. This “report and forget” did not change
merely because children were involved. When a child abuse case fell
through the cracks and nothing was done to protect the child, those
close to

the incident would routinely state that they reported it to
authorities and thought action was being taken to correct the
situation. This refrain was constant across the spectrum of society.

Paterno in reporting the allegation of child sex abuse to his
superiors complied with society’s moral obligation. If we expect more
out of our citizens in these matters, we as a society must change, not
just a particular individual.

Many will say that Paterno held himself to a higher standard. As we
know, his exploits are legendary. Not only did he put Penn State on
the map but he insisted that it be done the right way. His players
consistently graduated at a rate above and beyond all other schools.
His time and money were rolled back into the university so others
could benefit. Above anything else, he was an educator. He was a
living example of “success with honor.”

“Success with honor” and the way coach Paterno lived his life go to
his own personal ethos — how he conducted himself in life. We all have
our own personal ethos. It defines us. Whether a person lives up to
his or her own standards is for the individual to decide and not
society. This does not change simply because a person is famous.

In the Sandusky matter, Paterno fulfilled both his legal and moral obligations.

Did he live up to his own personal ethos? That is a question for him
to answer and him alone. I am sure he struggled with that question
over these past few months as he battled lung cancer and reflected on
the scandal that ended his career. Hopefully in his final days, he
found peace.

Louis Lombardi is a community columnist for the Centre Daily Times. He
is an attorney and former New York City police captain who lives in
Patton Township. Reach him at info@...

Read more here:
http://www.centredaily.com/2012/01/30/3071493/our-morality-problem.html#storylin\
k=misearch#storylink=cpy

Carl:

>> I'm not sure what to make of this: among other things it's Bleacher Report...
<<

Start here: Nobody ever got smarter by reading Bleacher Report.

Penn State Proud, Trader Kevin

Trader Kevin:
>
> Start here: Nobody ever got smarter by reading Bleacher Report.

:-)

Agreed. I worded that poorly, but I didn't mean it literally.

I was trying to ... I still can't figure out how to say unambiguously
what I was trying to say. I hadn't seen the CDT article until the I
read the BR article, and I was just trying to indicate that while I
didn't trust the BR article itself, I did read the CDT article and had
heard similar rumors from some people.

Anyway, I don't know if that's any clearer, but so be it. Maybe I
should have just omitted referencing the BR article ...

Carl

<http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/02/penn_state_trustees_held_ret\
re.html>

Members of Penn State’s Board of Trustees held a retreat at the
university last weekend to review “options for their operating
structure in the future.”

Karen PeetzPenn State Board of Trustees President Karen Peetz
addresses the board at its regularly scheduled meeting in State
College, Pa., Friday, Jan. 20, 2012. Peetz was elected to the position
earlier in the meeting. Penn State President Rodney Erickson also used
the meeting as an opportunity to address the perception that the
university isn't being as open and honest as it could be in the wake
of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. (AP Photo/Andy Colwell)

The retreat, which was not previously announced, took place at the
Penn State Conference Center on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning,
university spokesman Bill Mahon wrote in an email.

“No decisions were made at this time,” Mahon said. “ No business
deliberations occurred.”

The retreat was organized by Karen Peetz and Keith Masser, who were
elected to lead the board as Chairwoman and Vice Chairman in January,
Mahon said.

After the January board meeting, Peetz announced the formation of a
task force to improve the trustees’ oversight of the university.
Several trustees have said the board needs to examine how it works in
the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

While in town for the weekend retreat, trustees also had private
meetings with students, faculty and staff, Mahon said. The meetings
were designed as a “listening opportunity” for trustees.

Board members met with Penn State’s Staff Advisory Council, the
Faculty Advisory Committee, the Academic Leadership Council and
university President Rodney Erickson’s cabinet, Mahon said.

Trustees also met with students. Mahon could not say who or how many,
but disclosed that “last month the entire board met with the Student
Leadership Roundtable and board leaders met with graduate and
undergraduate student leaders, and those representing Commonwealth
Campuses.”

Several board members also attended THON, the student-run dance
marathon held at the Bryce Jordan Center, Mahon said.

The board’s leadership will attend the March meeting of the Faculty
Senate, Mahon said.

In December, the faculty leaders proposed a no-confidence vote in the
board’s leadership. But that was rejected in January — a meeting board
leaders planned to attend, but decided against to avoid drawing
attention away from the viewing for Paterno taking place on campus
that day.

Plans are still under discussion for the board to hold town-hall style
meetings with students and alumni. Mahon said.

Many alumni have demanded such meetings after Erickson referred many
questions at town halls he held last month back to the board. Some
alumni groups have called for a sweeping change to the board’s
structure, cutting its 32 members but giving alumni a greater voice.

The retreat came just before Friday’s deadline for alumni to petition
for a spot on this spring’s trustee ballot, where three alumni
trustees will be elected.

The last regular season game against Michigan is now scheduled for a 1:00PM
  EST tip off.

This Saturday's game against Northwestern is 9:00PM on ESPNU.


--
Dave Kroll   Penn State Proud
DB2 and IMS from Soup 2 Nuts Support

210-827-1382    (-Cell-)
256-325-6952    (-Home-)

[image: Picture]


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Not sure if I've mentioned this but for you DirTV users... be careful when
you order their DirTV Cinema Connect box. Their box is not compatible with
certain of the newer routers. My linksys E4200 is one  of them. Their tech
guys either do not know this or are just @ssholes.

I eventually split my Ethernet cable coming out of the Knology Cable modem
using one of those powered splitter and ran a direct Ethernet wire to the
back of the DirTV tuner.

Now I can get all their free apps, U-tube etc.

Dave

On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 6:19 PM, Rocko <rockopsu@...> wrote:

> **
>
>
> I had not seen this until today............
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1XVSCtFyXw&feature=player_embedded
>
> Rocko
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>



--
Dave Kroll   Penn State Proud
DB2 and IMS from Soup 2 Nuts Support

210-827-1382    (-Cell-)
256-325-6952    (-Home-)

[image: Picture]


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I'm missing the significance of the juxtaposition of these two issues (Sandusky
and the Village at Penn State).  Say what?

Sent from my iPad

On Feb 22, 2012, at 6:43 PM, PSU Carl <carl@...> wrote:

>
<http://www.centredaily.com/2012/02/11/3086343/a-scandalous-theory-worth-investi\
gating.html#storylink=misearch>
>
> By Louis Lombardi
>
> Posted: 12:01am on Feb 11, 2012; Modified: 11:06am on Feb 13, 2012
>
> In the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, most of the attention
> has been on the late Joe Paterno and whether he did enough in handling
> the allegation at the time.
>
> Rightly or wrongly, he has become the face of the scandal. What has
> never really been focused on is, when the football program through
> Paterno reported the incident to senior university officials, why did
> they punt?
>
> We know the players — Graham Spanier, Gary Schultz and Tim Curley.
> What we do not know is why they did next to nothing. They were given
> pretty credible information that a heinous act may have been committed
> by a former school employee on school grounds. So was their relative
> inaction an innocent blunder or something more sinister?
>
> Some speculation has been cast upon the connections between Penn State
> and The Second Mile. The thinking goes that the inter-meshing of these
> two entities made it impossible for university officials to take
> action as their allegiance was owed to both. Work to protect the
> university and you hurt The Second Mile and vice versa. Best course of
> action is to sweep it under the rug and hope the issue goes away.
>
> Such a theory is plausible but not necessarily correct. However, if we
> move our gaze just north of Beaver Stadium, another valid theory will
> come into focus.
>
> The Village at Penn State was Spanier’s idea, and he had Schultz on
> board as a trustee. The idea was to get alumni to return to State
> College and enjoy many of the offerings of the area, especially the
> university.
>
> Those living in The Village were given access to classes, cultural
> events and sports.
>
> With a steady stream of potential buyers, investors in the project had
> visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads as profits from the
> project seemed guaranteed.
>
> Although there appeared to be a pot of gold at the end, the financing
> for the project was risky. Credit swaps like the kind that caused the
> housing crisis were used.
>
> In order for the project to work, alumni needed to buy, and what
> better way to get them here than what has always drawn the alumni: the
> football program. 2002 promised to be a big year.
>
> As we know, 2002 turned out to be a fateful year, but not in an
> expected way. The Village at Penn State has failed despite great
> expectations. The financing led to much litigation, and the
> assisted-living portion of The Village eventually ended up in
> bankruptcy.
>
> The Sandusky scandal swallowed all involved. It has shaken this town
> to its very core. Knowing the potential for how toxic the scandal
> could be (and ultimately proved to be), did those involved in the
> initial investigation shirk their responsibilities because of a
> potential impact on their own interests?
>
> There are many ongoing investigations into this mess. One avenue that
> must be explored is the connection between The Village at Penn State
> and the university’s upper echelon.
>
> Sandusky has been accused of using the football program as a lure for
> unsuspecting victims. Backers of the The Village at Penn State used
> the program as a lure for alumni. What happened when these two
> interests collided? That is food for thought.
>
> Let’s hope one of the investigations will give us a satisfying answer.
>
> Louis Lombardi is a community columnist for the Centre Daily Times. He
> is an attorney and former New York police captain who lives in Patton
> Township. He can be reached at info@... or follow him
> on his blog at www.obpopulus.wordpress.com.
>
> Read more here:
>
http://www.centredaily.com/2012/02/11/3086343/a-scandalous-theory-worth-investig\
ating.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Tell your Penn State friends about us! If they
> want to subscribe, have them send a message to:
> We_Are_Penn_State-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> All "We Are...Penn State" messages are archived at:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/We_Are_Penn_State/messages
>
>
>
> We Are...Penn StateYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

On Thu, Feb 23, 2012 at 5:17 PM, NittanyK <nittanykat@...> wrote:
>
> I'm missing the significance of the juxtaposition of these two issues
> (Sandusky and the Village at Penn State). Say what?

The theory is that Spanier and others ["The Village at Penn State was
Spanier’s idea, and he had Schultz on board as a trustee"] covered up
Sandusky's behavior because it would be bad for their investments in
The Village. ["Knowing the potential for how toxic the scandal could
be ..., did those involved in the initial investigation shirk their
responsibilities because of a potential impact on their own
interests?"]

Carl

The connection is so damn tenuous to me. Conspiracy theorists are right once in
a great while but it seems irresponsible to publish this without facts.

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 23, 2012, at 5:40 PM, PSU Carl <carl@...> wrote:

> On Thu, Feb 23, 2012 at 5:17 PM, NittanyK <nittanykat@...> wrote:
>>
>> I'm missing the significance of the juxtaposition of these two issues
>> (Sandusky and the Village at Penn State). Say what?
>
> The theory is that Spanier and others ["The Village at Penn State was
> Spanier’s idea, and he had Schultz on board as a trustee"] covered up
> Sandusky's behavior because it would be bad for their investments in
> The Village. ["Knowing the potential for how toxic the scandal could
> be ..., did those involved in the initial investigation shirk their
> responsibilities because of a potential impact on their own
> interests?"]
>
> Carl
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Tell your Penn State friends about us! If they
> want to subscribe, have them send a message to:
> We_Are_Penn_State-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> All "We Are...Penn State" messages are archived at:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/We_Are_Penn_State/messages
>
>
>
> We Are...Penn StateYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

On Thu, Feb 23, 2012 at 6:12 PM, NittanyK <nittanykat@...> wrote:
>
> The connection is so damn tenuous to me. Conspiracy theorists are right
> once in a great while but it seems irresponsible to publish this without
> facts.

I have a different opinion. I don't think it's a conspiracy theory, I
think it's a question/theory about motive in the broader context of
the appearance of impropriety by people possibly misusing state money
for personal gain and making bad institutional decisions to the
enormous detriment of our University.

There's testimony that implies that Spanier knew about the Sandusky
shower incident. (He claims he didn't.) There's at least one serious
allegation that Spanier covered up child abuse by a Penn State
professor in the past. There has been talk of shady Penn State real
estate development deals for years (but since PSU has an exemption to
the PA Right to Know law, it's difficult to even look into this
possibility responsibly). There're a lot of Penn State-Second Mile
connections that don't look good, and Second Mile/Corbett campaign
contributions/state grants don't look good, let alone the not moving
forward on the Sandusky allegations. Etc., etc., etc.

At the very least, there was a terrible lack of judgement and
follow-through by multiple administrators of a world-class university.
(It seems to me that this includes Spanier no matter how you slice
it.)

In my opinion, all this stuff, including The Village at Penn
State/Spanier question, doesn't even really get close to conspiracy
theory, and are all valid issues for the citizens of a democracy to
ask questions in public about. If it is irresponsible to ask such
questions in public, how are we supposed to have a legitimate
democracy, or even just responsible questioning of important private
institutions?

(I don't consider Penn State a private institution for many reasons,
not least because they receive substantial money directly from my
taxes.)

As far as I'm concerned, the faster we uncover and clean up any dirt
and corruption, the better for everyone, including Penn State. And we
can't hope to do that if we're not allowed to ask questions in public.

Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.

Carl

<http://www.wjactv.com/news/news/former-player-lydell-mitchell-said-joe-paterno-\
wan/nJzWZ/>

PITTSBURGH, Pa. —

It’s been nearly a month since Joe Paterno’s Death, but the
controversial circumstances of his firing remain fresh in the mind of
many of his players.

That includes former running back Lydell Mitchell.

He was a start[er] on Paterno’s 1971 Nittany Lion team that rolled
over Texas in the Cotton Bowl.

Mitchell admits the handling of Paterno’s firing still bothers him and
he says he sensed Joe’s pain in a conversation he had last month with
the coach just days before his death.

"He said to me I love Penn State.  I've been here all my life and I
kind of wish they'd reach out to me. They fired me and everything, but
I kind of wish they'd reach out to me.”

Mitchell added, “I think that would have given him some type of
closure.  He did the right thing, took it to the proper authorities.
In his mind if they would have reached out, that would have brought
some closure and I don’t think he would have died of a broken heart.”

This continues the heartbreak many of us feel about how the BOT treated Coach
Paterno.

At last Sunday's "The Joe We Know" showing, one of the gentlemen (i.e. a former
player) spoke and said that while many believe that Joe died of a broken heart,
his family disagrees saying that Joe's "heart was strong."  While I agree with
this in terms of Joe having a strong constitution, I still and will always
believe that the treatment he received was devastating to him and that, in his
quiet moments, the pain the BOT caused him most definitely broke his heart.

--- In We_Are_Penn_State@yahoogroups.com, PSU Carl <carl@...> wrote:
>
>
<http://www.wjactv.com/news/news/former-player-lydell-mitchell-said-joe-paterno-\
wan/nJzWZ/>
>
> PITTSBURGH, Pa. —
>
> It's been nearly a month since Joe Paterno's Death, but the
> controversial circumstances of his firing remain fresh in the mind of
> many of his players.
>
> That includes former running back Lydell Mitchell.
>
> He was a start[er] on Paterno's 1971 Nittany Lion team that rolled
> over Texas in the Cotton Bowl.
>
> Mitchell admits the handling of Paterno's firing still bothers him and
> he says he sensed Joe's pain in a conversation he had last month with
> the coach just days before his death.
>
> "He said to me I love Penn State.  I've been here all my life and I
> kind of wish they'd reach out to me. They fired me and everything, but
> I kind of wish they'd reach out to me."
>
> Mitchell added, "I think that would have given him some type of
> closure.  He did the right thing, took it to the proper authorities.
> In his mind if they would have reached out, that would have brought
> some closure and I don't think he would have died of a broken heart."
>

Story by Sara Ganim
Harrisburg Patriot-News
February 23, 2012

Federal authorities are apparently conducting an investigation involving Penn
State, Jerry Sandusky and his charity, The Second Mile, parallel to the case
already being prosecuted by the state attorney general's office.

A Penn State spokeswoman confirmed Thursday that the university received a
subpoena Feb. 2 from Peter J. Smith, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of
Pennsylvania, requesting information about the university, former President
Graham Spanier, and Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, top Penn State officials who
are charged with perjury and failure to report a crime.

Smith's office could not be reached for comment Thursday night.

Information also was requested about Sandusky and The Second Mile, Penn State
spokeswoman Lisa Powers said. She said the university is fully cooperating with
the U.S. attorneys office.

A second source with knowledge of the investigation said The Second Mile--the
children's charity through which a state grand jury alleges Sandusky met and
pursued almost all of the 10 boys he's charged with sexually abusing--also
received a request from the U.S. attorney for information days after Sandusky
was arrested in early November. That request was related to Sandusky's travel
records, the source said. Much of the same information had already been
requested by the state attorney generals office, the source said.

According to the state grand jury's presentment, one of the alleged victims said
he was taken across state lines at least twice--to bowl games in Tampa, Fla.,
and San Antonio, Texas.

Local police in both cities have said they opened their own child abuse
investigations as a result of the grand jury presentment. Police would not
comment beyond that.

Typically, when an investigation involves more than one state, federal
authorities assume jurisdiction.

A spokesperson for the attorney general's office couldn't be reached for comment
Thursday evening.

David Woodle, who took over as CEO of The Second Mile shortly after the scandal
broke late last year, said Thursday he would not comment on an ongoing
investigation. He said the charity is cooperating with all requests for
information.

Gov. Tom Corbett, in interviews last week with State College television stations
WJAC and WTAJ, said the state attorney general was not investigating the State
College-based charity. Corbett was attorney general when the investigation of
Sandusky was launched in 2009.

The Second Mile is continuing to conduct programs for at-risk youths while it
decides how and if it can move forward, Woodle said Thursday.

Attorneys for several of the alleged victims, reached by The Patriot-News on
Thursday, said they had not been contacted by federal authorities.

Sandusky's attorney, Joe Amendola of State College, said he has no information
about a federal investigation, and so would not comment. Sandusky faces more
than 50 counts of child sex abuse.

Spanier, who was fired by the university's board of trustees days after the
grand jury presentment was released, could not be reached for comment Thursday
night.

Attorneys for Curley and Schultz, also could not be reached. Curley stepped down
as athletic director and Schultz retired as vice president for finance days
after they were charged.

Penn State football coach Joe Paterno also testified before the state grand
jury, but was not charged in relation to the case. Paterno died of complications
of lung cancer in January.

All four men had testified before the state grand jury about an incident
allegedly involving Sandusky and a young boy in the Penn State football locker
room showers in 2002.

The subpoena from the U.S. attorney's office marks more than a half-dozen
Sandusky-related investigations.

In addition to the state grand jury, which continues to meet in Harrisburg,
former FBI Director Louis Freeh is leading an internal investigation on behalf
of Penn State.

Former Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham has been hired by The Second
Mile to conduct an internal investigation.

The NCAA has given Penn State several questions to answer about compliance
issues.

The U.S. Department of Education is investigating possible violations of the
Clery Act, which requires universities to report crimes.

In addition, informal investigations are being conducted by several attorneys
representing victims, organizations and others who might bring lawsuits.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/02/federal_authorities_are_condu\
c.html

How could it not? But, being the man he was, he remained strong for his
family.

Rocko


On Thu, Feb 23, 2012 at 10:12 PM, Debra <baboo2191@...> wrote:

> **
>
>
> This continues the heartbreak many of us feel about how the BOT treated
> Coach Paterno.
>
> At last Sunday's "The Joe We Know" showing, one of the gentlemen (i.e. a
> former player) spoke and said that while many believe that Joe died of a
> broken heart, his family disagrees saying that Joe's "heart was strong."
> While I agree with this in terms of Joe having a strong constitution, I
> still and will always believe that the treatment he received was
> devastating to him and that, in his quiet moments, the pain the BOT caused
> him most definitely broke his heart.
>
>
> --- In We_Are_Penn_State@yahoogroups.com, PSU Carl <carl@...> wrote:
> >
> > <
>
http://www.wjactv.com/news/news/former-player-lydell-mitchell-said-joe-paterno-w\
an/nJzWZ/
> >
> >
> > PITTSBURGH, Pa. —
> >
> > It's been nearly a month since Joe Paterno's Death, but the
> > controversial circumstances of his firing remain fresh in the mind of
> > many of his players.
> >
> > That includes former running back Lydell Mitchell.
> >
> > He was a start[er] on Paterno's 1971 Nittany Lion team that rolled
> > over Texas in the Cotton Bowl.
> >
> > Mitchell admits the handling of Paterno's firing still bothers him and
> > he says he sensed Joe's pain in a conversation he had last month with
> > the coach just days before his death.
> >
> > "He said to me I love Penn State. I've been here all my life and I
> > kind of wish they'd reach out to me. They fired me and everything, but
> > I kind of wish they'd reach out to me."
> >
> > Mitchell added, "I think that would have given him some type of
> > closure. He did the right thing, took it to the proper authorities.
> > In his mind if they would have reached out, that would have brought
> > some closure and I don't think he would have died of a broken heart."
> >
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I hope the investigators take a look at the previous Attorney General's
actions or lack thereof...

Jim Hauze '74

On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 1:52 AM, Trader Kevin <cbot_kevin@...> wrote:

> **
>
>
> Story by Sara Ganim
> Harrisburg Patriot-News
> February 23, 2012
>
> Federal authorities are apparently conducting an investigation involving
> Penn State, Jerry Sandusky and his charity, The Second Mile, parallel to
> the case already being prosecuted by the state attorney general's office.
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Some excerpts...

The Thursday in November after Paterno was fired, Penn State alum Anthony
Lubrano took his teenage daughter to a concert in State College. Lubrano is a
financial consultant who lives in Chester County, and he's given millions to his
school. He happened to run into ex-Penn State football captain and
board-of-trustees member Dave Joyner in the Nittany Lion Inn.

"I have never been more disappointed in the board of trustees," Lubrano said to
Joyner, whom he knows. "What you did to that man is unTHINKable."

"Anthony," Joyner said, "you're entitled to your opinion. But Joe is the most
powerful man in the state."

Lubrano was flabbergasted, and he got close to Joyner, jabbed a finger at his
chest: "Are you suggesting that Joe Paterno is responsible for Sandusky's
behavior?"

"No," Joyner said. "But he could have done whatever he wanted"--meaning that
Paterno should have blown the whistle back in 2002. That would have been the end
of Sandusky.

http://www.phillymag.com/articles/the_sins_of_penn_state_the_untold_story_of_joe\
_paterno_s_fall/page2

[Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Joe "blow the whistle back in 2002" when he
reported what he'd heard to the Athletic Director and the man who ran the
University Police]

On page 4 we find a rehashing of bitter Vicky Triponey's whining to the Wall
Street Journal.

Then there's this shocker...

Spanier has a doctorate in sociology and was trained as a family therapist—his
interest in therapy likely stemming from his childhood in Chicago. Several times
when Spanier was a boy, his father beat him up, breaking his nose, which is
notably long and flat; a few years ago, he had surgery to relieve a breathing
problem presumably caused by the abuse. Michael Oriard, an associate dean at
Oregon State University whose family has taken many camping trips with
Spanier's, says the only time he's ever seen Graham angry was during one trip,
when a teenage boy punched Oriard's son. Spanier simply couldn't abide a child
getting hurt.

http://www.phillymag.com/articles/the_sins_of_penn_state_the_untold_story_of_joe\
_paterno_s_fall/page5

[For a guy who "couldn't abide a child getting hurt" Spanier sure was criminally
uncurious when Curley told him about the 2002 shower incident.]

Jerry Sandusky retired abruptly in 1999, a year after the investigation, at age
55, at the height of his powers as a ballyhooed football mind. Supposedly he
wanted to devote more energy to his Second Mile charity. Apparently he'd been
told by Paterno that he would never be his successor as head coach. But just why
Paterno told him that is an open question.

[What a horribly sloppy piece of "reporting." No mention of the early retirement
window. No mention that he retired in June and then coached the 1999 season as a
consultant, not an employee.

As for why Joe told Sandusky he wouldn't be the next head coach, it's NOT an
open question. Joe stated that he was concerned about Sandusky's divided
loyalties. The job of being Penn State's head football coach is too big if
you're not 100% focused on the job.]

When Sandusky left, the friend who's been close to Tim Curley for more than 40
years told the A.D. he was surprised the coach was gone.

"It's for a VERY good reason," Curley told him--but he wouldn't elaborate. (I
attempted to talk to Curley, but he hasn't spoken to the media since the scandal
broke.)

[Stop the presses! We have iron-clad innuendo!]

Moreover, someone who knows the Paternos well told me--reluctantly--that a
person whose last name begins with P-A-T (a Paterno, obviously, though not Joe)
told him at least four years ago that "Jerry Sandusky didn't get along well with
little boys."

http://www.phillymag.com/articles/the_sins_of_penn_state_the_untold_story_of_joe\
_paterno_s_fall/page6

[Joe heard about Sandusky from McQueary in 2002 and was interviewed multiple
times by the AG prior to his testimony. So why would it be at all surprising
that in 2008 (i.e., four years ago) Joe knew that "Jerry Sandusky didn't get
along well with little boys"? What a piece of trash.]

This is a horrible excuse for journalism. There is not even well sourced
innuendo.

Steve

On Feb 24, 2012, at 11:18 AM, Trader Kevin <cbot_kevin@...> wrote:

> Some excerpts...
>
> The Thursday in November after Paterno was fired, Penn State alum Anthony
Lubrano took his teenage daughter to a concert in State College. Lubrano is a
financial consultant who lives in Chester County, and he's given millions to his
school. He happened to run into ex-Penn State football captain and
board-of-trustees member Dave Joyner in the Nittany Lion Inn.
>
> "I have never been more disappointed in the board of trustees," Lubrano said
to Joyner, whom he knows. "What you did to that man is unTHINKable."
>
> "Anthony," Joyner said, "you're entitled to your opinion. But Joe is the most
powerful man in the state."
>
> Lubrano was flabbergasted, and he got close to Joyner, jabbed a finger at his
chest: "Are you suggesting that Joe Paterno is responsible for Sandusky's
behavior?"
>
> "No," Joyner said. "But he could have done whatever he wanted"--meaning that
Paterno should have blown the whistle back in 2002. That would have been the end
of Sandusky.
>
>
http://www.phillymag.com/articles/the_sins_of_penn_state_the_untold_story_of_joe\
_paterno_s_fall/page2
>
> [Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Joe "blow the whistle back in 2002" when
he reported what he'd heard to the Athletic Director and the man who ran the
University Police]
>
> On page 4 we find a rehashing of bitter Vicky Triponey's whining to the Wall
Street Journal.
>
> Then there's this shocker...
>
> Spanier has a doctorate in sociology and was trained as a family
therapist—his interest in therapy likely stemming from his childhood in
Chicago. Several times when Spanier was a boy, his father beat him up, breaking
his nose, which is notably long and flat; a few years ago, he had surgery to
relieve a breathing problem presumably caused by the abuse. Michael Oriard, an
associate dean at Oregon State University whose family has taken many camping
trips with Spanier's, says the only time he's ever seen Graham angry was during
one trip, when a teenage boy punched Oriard's son. Spanier simply couldn't abide
a child getting hurt.
>
>
http://www.phillymag.com/articles/the_sins_of_penn_state_the_untold_story_of_joe\
_paterno_s_fall/page5
>
> [For a guy who "couldn't abide a child getting hurt" Spanier sure was
criminally uncurious when Curley told him about the 2002 shower incident.]
>
> Jerry Sandusky retired abruptly in 1999, a year after the investigation, at
age 55, at the height of his powers as a ballyhooed football mind. Supposedly he
wanted to devote more energy to his Second Mile charity. Apparently he'd been
told by Paterno that he would never be his successor as head coach. But just why
Paterno told him that is an open question.
>
> [What a horribly sloppy piece of "reporting." No mention of the early
retirement window. No mention that he retired in June and then coached the 1999
season as a consultant, not an employee.
>
> As for why Joe told Sandusky he wouldn't be the next head coach, it's NOT an
open question. Joe stated that he was concerned about Sandusky's divided
loyalties. The job of being Penn State's head football coach is too big if
you're not 100% focused on the job.]
>
> When Sandusky left, the friend who's been close to Tim Curley for more than 40
years told the A.D. he was surprised the coach was gone.
>
> "It's for a VERY good reason," Curley told him--but he wouldn't elaborate. (I
attempted to talk to Curley, but he hasn't spoken to the media since the scandal
broke.)
>
> [Stop the presses! We have iron-clad innuendo!]
>
> Moreover, someone who knows the Paternos well told me--reluctantly--that a
person whose last name begins with P-A-T (a Paterno, obviously, though not Joe)
told him at least four years ago that "Jerry Sandusky didn't get along well with
little boys."
>
>
http://www.phillymag.com/articles/the_sins_of_penn_state_the_untold_story_of_joe\
_paterno_s_fall/page6
>
> [Joe heard about Sandusky from McQueary in 2002 and was interviewed multiple
times by the AG prior to his testimony. So why would it be at all surprising
that in 2008 (i.e., four years ago) Joe knew that "Jerry Sandusky didn't get
along well with little boys"? What a piece of trash.]
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Pennsylvania's State Employee Retirement System (SERS) has $10 billion in
unfunded liabilities (i.e., more than $800 per citizen).

And it's only going to get worse. For the first time in 2010 SERS had more
retirees than active members, with 111,000 to 109,000. (It's always ugly when
Ponzi schemes inevitably go bust)

And why is the unfunded liability so large? Maybe because the pensions are so
lavish...

"Gary Schultz elected to receive a $421,847 lump-sum payment at the time of his
retirement in 2009, after nearly 39 years of service.

"He also receives a monthly pension payment of $27,558--nearly the cost of
tuition for two in-state freshmen at State College. That comes to nearly
$331,000 a year."

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/11/jerry_sandusky_continues_to_r\
e.html

Schultz's MONTHLY pension is $27,558??? Keep that in mind when they eventually
inevitably require taxpayers to bail out SERS.

Penn State Proud, Trader Kevin

I may have to move :-)

Rocko


On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 11:39 AM, Trader Kevin <cbot_kevin@...> wrote:

> **
>
>
> Pennsylvania's State Employee Retirement System (SERS) has $10 billion in
> unfunded liabilities (i.e., more than $800 per citizen).
>
> And it's only going to get worse. For the first time in 2010 SERS had more
> retirees than active members, with 111,000 to 109,000. (It's always ugly
> when Ponzi schemes inevitably go bust)
>
> And why is the unfunded liability so large? Maybe because the pensions are
> so lavish...
>
> "Gary Schultz elected to receive a $421,847 lump-sum payment at the time
> of his retirement in 2009, after nearly 39 years of service.
>
> "He also receives a monthly pension payment of $27,558--nearly the cost of
> tuition for two in-state freshmen at State College. That comes to nearly
> $331,000 a year."
>
>
>
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/11/jerry_sandusky_continues_to_r\
e.html
>
> Schultz's MONTHLY pension is $27,558??? Keep that in mind when they
> eventually inevitably require taxpayers to bail out SERS.
>
> Penn State Proud, Trader Kevin
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

You're an elite basketball recruit being courted by all the major powers. But
somehow Pat Chambers convinces you to come to Penn State.

And what do you find? Lousy facilities...

http://bwi.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1189418

Contrast this with the other schools gunning for elite recruits...

http://www.goduke.com/PhotoAlbum.dbml?SPSID=27977&SPID=2183&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=\
4200&PALBID=16734

http://www.kuathletics.com/view.gal?id=51955

http://www.ukathletics.com/athletic-dept/craft-center.html

http://www.tarheelblue.com/facilities/unc-smith-center.html

http://www.buckeyextra.com/content/stories/2011/10/09/design-work-to-begin-on-os\
u-practice-facility.html

http://jimboeheim.com/fantasy/melo-center-photos.aspx

He must have been earning a relative boatload of money. The 400K he
withdrew would have been his own contributions, plus interest. The interest
rate paid on contributions is and had always been 4%. That's it. His
contribution rate would have been 7.5% mandatory over the past several
years. It was 6.5 prior to that if I recall.
In around 2001, the fund was overfunded to the point that the legislature
went overboard and jacked everybody's formula to 2.5% times the number of
years of service from 2%. Thus a person with 30 years changed from 60% of
their final average salary to 75% if the didn't withdraw their own
contributions and interest. Therefore Schultz would have pulled in 97.5% of
his salary after almost 40 years, but by taking out his cash, it would have
been somewhat less, maybe 85%
The legislature also gave themselves and judges 3% times the number of
years...
At the same time, they cut the amount schools were required to contribute
and left that rate artificially low, nearly zero, for more than a decade.
So, giving more out, taking less in... and a pretty lousy equities market
combined to produce the deficit.
None of that matters to me as long as I get out before the hammer hits. I
won't be pulling 27K a month though.

Jim Hauze '74

On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 11:39 AM, Trader Kevin <cbot_kevin@...> wrote:

> **
>
>
> Pennsylvania's State Employee Retirement System (SERS) has $10 billion in
> unfunded liabilities (i.e., more than $800 per citizen).
>
> And it's only going to get worse. For the first time in 2010 SERS had more
> retirees than active members, with 111,000 to 109,000. (It's always ugly
> when Ponzi schemes inevitably go bust)
>
> And why is the unfunded liability so large? Maybe because the pensions are
> so lavish...
>
> "Gary Schultz elected to receive a $421,847 lump-sum payment at the time
> of his retirement in 2009, after nearly 39 years of service.
>
> "He also receives a monthly pension payment of $27,558--nearly the cost of
> tuition for two in-state freshmen at State College. That comes to nearly
> $331,000 a year."
>
>
>
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/11/jerry_sandusky_continues_to_r\
e.html
>
> Schultz's MONTHLY pension is $27,558??? Keep that in mind when they
> eventually inevitably require taxpayers to bail out SERS.
>
> Penn State Proud, Trader Kevin
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

As a recipient of a pension after 38 years of teaching, I want you to know
that PSERs was doing fine until the state decided to stop paying their full
share of the costs for the last decade or so.  They dropped their
contribution and the school's contribution to nearly nothing while teachers
paid their full share.  Then when the trouble started they complained about
the benefits.  Bunch of babies that caused the problem and then want
somebody else to fix it.  Still, I would have no problem with a cap on
benefits since $26,000 a month seems ridiculous to this teacher.  Tom
Struble

On Friday, February 24, 2012, Jim Hauze <jhauze@...> wrote:
> He must have been earning a relative boatload of money. The 400K he
> withdrew would have been his own contributions, plus interest. The
interest
> rate paid on contributions is and had always been 4%. That's it. His
> contribution rate would have been 7.5% mandatory over the past several
> years. It was 6.5 prior to that if I recall.
> In around 2001, the fund was overfunded to the point that the legislature
> went overboard and jacked everybody's formula to 2.5% times the number of
> years of service from 2%. Thus a person with 30 years changed from 60% of
> their final average salary to 75% if the didn't withdraw their own
> contributions and interest. Therefore Schultz would have pulled in 97.5%
of
> his salary after almost 40 years, but by taking out his cash, it would
have
> been somewhat less, maybe 85%
> The legislature also gave themselves and judges 3% times the number of
> years...
> At the same time, they cut the amount schools were required to contribute
> and left that rate artificially low, nearly zero, for more than a decade.
> So, giving more out, taking less in... and a pretty lousy equities market
> combined to produce the deficit.
> None of that matters to me as long as I get out before the hammer hits. I
> won't be pulling 27K a month though.
>
> Jim Hauze '74
>
> On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 11:39 AM, Trader Kevin <cbot_kevin@...>
wrote:
>
>> **
>>
>>
>> Pennsylvania's State Employee Retirement System (SERS) has $10 billion in
>> unfunded liabilities (i.e., more than $800 per citizen).
>>
>> And it's only going to get worse. For the first time in 2010 SERS had
more
>> retirees than active members, with 111,000 to 109,000. (It's always ugly
>> when Ponzi schemes inevitably go bust)
>>
>> And why is the unfunded liability so large? Maybe because the pensions
are
>> so lavish...
>>
>> "Gary Schultz elected to receive a $421,847 lump-sum payment at the time
>> of his retirement in 2009, after nearly 39 years of service.
>>
>> "He also receives a monthly pension payment of $27,558--nearly the cost
of
>> tuition for two in-state freshmen at State College. That comes to nearly
>> $331,000 a year."
>>
>>
>>
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/11/jerry_sandusky_continues_to_r\
e.html
>>
>> Schultz's MONTHLY pension is $27,558??? Keep that in mind when they
>> eventually inevitably require taxpayers to bail out SERS.
>>
>> Penn State Proud, Trader Kevin
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Tell your Penn State friends about us! If they
> want to subscribe, have them send a message to:
> We_Are_Penn_State-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> All "We Are...Penn State" messages are archived at:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/We_Are_Penn_State/messages
>
>
>
> We Are...Penn StateYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Story by Sara Ganim
Harrisburg Patriot-News
February 24, 2012

The U.S. Attorney's Office is asking Penn State to divulge payments from
university board members made to the university or to third parties on the
university's behalf, a spokeswoman said Friday.

The subpoena, dated Feb. 2, also requested information from 1998 to present
about Penn State, former president Graham Spanier, two top officials who are
charged--Tim Curley and Gary Schultz--Jerry Sandusky, and his charity, The
Second Mile.

The subpoena also seeks reporting requirements of employers and staff relating
to allegations of misconduct, spokeswoman Lisa Powers said.

Penn State is fully cooperating with the request, she said.

The Patriot-News first reported that the subpoena's were received, and a source
close to the investigation said similar requests were made to The Second Mile
regarding the travel records of Sandusky.

The 68-year-old former defensive coordinator is charged with more than 50 counts
of child sex abuse against children he allegedly knew from his charity. A state
grand jury charged him in November and continues to investigate.

However, these subpoenas from federal investigators seem to indicate that a
separate federal investigation is now also taking place.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney in the Middle District of Pennsylvania would
not comment.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/02/financial_records_of_penn_sta\
t.html

>
> The U.S. Attorney's Office is asking Penn State to divulge payments from
> university board members made to the university or to third parties on the
> university's behalf, a spokeswoman said Friday.
>
Is it usual for Board members to be making payments to third parties on an
organization's behalf? If so, what would the circumstances be?

Carl


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

One of my buddies from my church in Pennsylvania is an owner of Twin Ponds,
which is mentioned in this article...

http://www.twinponds.com/

Story by Bill Landis
Carlisle Sentinel
February 23, 2012

Northern's Dominic Salomone admitted he's always been a gym rat.

At a stocky 5-foot-11, 230 pounds, one look at Salomone shows that his tireless
work in the weight room has paid off. Now, though, the former Polar Bears'
two-way star has more motivation to keep those workouts as intense as ever.

From now until June, those workouts will be preparing him for Penn State
football practices.

Salomone, who will sign his National Letter of Intent to attend Penn State as a
preferred walk-on Monday, said playing for the Nittany Lions is a dream come
true of sorts.

"It was a big shock for me," Salomone said. "I've always hoped that I would be
able to play big Division I football, but I've never looked into my future and
thought, 'Wow, I'm playing at Penn State.' It's definitely a good surprise for
me."

Salomone started at linebacker and fullback for Northern the past two seasons.
Before that he was a two-way starter at Carlisle, but played guard instead of
fullback on offense.

Penn State plans to keep him on offense and use him solely as a fullback.
Salomone carried 109 times for 645 yards for the Polar Bears last season. He
caught another 14 balls for 196 yards and scored eight total touchdowns.

While playing for Penn State has always been a dream of his, there were a few
times where it looked like donning that iconic white helmet with the blue stripe
might not happen. Salomone said he was leaning hard toward Towson and had
schools like Georgetown, Lafayette and Colgate offering him partial
scholarships.

But he waited for Penn State.

When Lions defensive line coach Larry Johnson called Wednesday, Salomone
realized his goal.

With the help of Northern defensive coordinator Tom Wise, a former Penn State
football player himself, Salomone reached out to Penn State in December, in the
midst of the university's turmoil and before Penn State had a new head coach to
replace Joe Paterno.

Salomone described himself as a "dynamic" fullback. One capable of catching the
ball out of the backfield, providing a boost in the run game and one whose
experience as an offensive lineman provides sound blocking skills.

Without getting into specifics, Salomone said the Penn State coaches plan to
utilize the fullback in more than just a blocking role in O'Brien's new offense.
Meaning that to make an impact, Salomone will need to keep up his offseason
workouts and continuing working on his speed as a member of the Northern track
team.

He's been working out with Robert "Sarge" Forry at Twin Ponds West in
Mechanicsburg and has the luxury of working out with someone in the same shoes
as him. Carlisle wide receiver Chris Wuestner, who was entertaining FCS schools
himself just a month ago, will be attending Pitt next season as a preferred
walk-on.

Salomone will enroll on June 24 for summer classes and workouts with the
football team. As a preferred walk-on, Salomone has a chance to play himself to
a scholarship.

That's his ultimate goal. Attaining it begins with getting back in the gym.

"It's just unbelievable and more motivation for any workout," Salomone said. "I
think about it all the time now. It's just something I focus on. It's such an
opportunity and I don't wanna miss out on anything."

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