Just recently, I was in the bathroom of a popular restaurant in the heart of downtown State College, just a crosswalk away from campus.
Hanging on the walls of the room were photographs of Penn State football greats such as LaVar Arrington and Nittany Lions head coach Joe Paterno.
But along with the photos of Penn State icons hung a picture of a man from another tradition-rich program – probably the only person whose image wouldn’t seem out of place hanging in the heart of Happy Valley.
Paul “Bear” Bryant.
When staring at the photo, it’s hard not to think about the connections between Bryant and Paterno, as well as the two programs.
If it weren’t for Bryant, Penn State’s 29-27 comeback win against Ohio State in 2001 would have been just another tally under Paterno’s win column. But it was No. 324 – one more win than Bryant amassed in his coaching career – so Paterno was carried off in a great celebration.
Surpassing Bryant’s win total only told half the story. Moving in front of the most iconic coach in college football history truly made the day special.
Though he passed Bryant nearly 10 years ago, Paterno is still fighting off tough-luck injuries, which would typically sideline an 84-year-old for months, so he can get back to normal coaching routine. All he wants to do is coach, and there’s a very good possibility Bryant has something to do with that.
After all, seeing the Alabama legend pass away just weeks after his retirement had to affect the Brooklyn native, whose focus has been coaching football at Penn State since he arrived as an assistant in 1950. Whenever the topic of retirement comes up, Paterno has often been asked what he’d do if he walked away from coaching. He hasn’t found an answer yet.
As Alabama fans prepare to watch Paterno’s squad take on the Crimson Tide this Saturday, they should realize this may be the final time the Penn State coach leads his team against Alabama – whether it’s from the field or from the coach’s booth.
Take a moment to realize how Paterno links these two teams to the classic matchups of the past. He’s one of just a few coaches who have gone head-to-head with Bryant, who always had the upper hand against Paterno – helping Alabama to a 4-0 record in matchups between the two legendary coaches.
A few weeks ago, Paterno looked back at a 13-6 loss to Alabama in the 1975 Sugar Bowl and said it was the only time he thought he’d had enough and couldn’t coach anymore. But it’s matchups like Saturday’s against the Crimson Tide that Paterno sticks around for – always looking to see how the Lions handle adversity when facing a tough opponent.
And with all the recent allegations and scandals surrounding some major programs, Alabama is a team that represents the kind of squad Paterno would be proud of (though he’d probably consider the numbers on the helmets a little too flashy).
While he may respect what Alabama represents, there’s no doubt Paterno would like to improve on his 4-9 lifetime record against the Crimson Tide – a team that’s continued Bryant’s success against the Penn State coach. And while a win this Saturday wouldn’t make up for his four losses to Bryant, Paterno would no doubt enjoy walking away victorious against a traditional power on top of its game.
So, why not have a picture of Bryant hanging in that State College bathroom? Without him, there wouldn’t be that one iconic figure to compare Paterno’s work to.
And without Alabama, there wouldn’t be that one opponent that’s had the Penn State coach’s number through the years – keeping him hungry to find new answers, even at the age of 84.
