Penn State can't touch caliber of Pitt athletes

Editor's note:The following story was written by the sports editor of The Pitt News as part of a column exchange with The Daily Collegian.

By BRAD CUPRIK
Sports Editor, The Pitt News

After getting up off my knees in front of my cardboard cutout of Jock Sutherland, who would be 20 years younger than Joe Paterno, I gave thanks to the football gods for allowing me to have a team like Pitt.

I could have been stuck attending State Penn. I would have been cursing the same gods I'm thanking now.

The wonderful education I'm getting is nothing compared to our outstanding athletes. No, not the type of athletes who win everything but the big game — the athletes who overachieve.

The guys on the Pitt football team are not the cream of the crop. Yet they play hard, playing football the way Joe Paterno wanted it to be when he invented the game way back in 1736.

I look back and see the disciplined athletes who played football here at Pitt. Players such as Marshall Goldberg, Mike Ditka, Dan Marino and Tony Dorsett come to mind. Bill Fralic and Hugh Green are two others.

These guys are great on and off the field except maybe Ditka, but who doesn't have respect for Ditka?

And let's see, who did the Nittany Lions add to the NFL talent pool? Apparently no one.

Quick, name the last Penn State quarterback to play in a Super Bowl. Oh, wait, it's never had one.

Hey, where's Tony Sacca now? Todd Blackledge? Didn't Wally Richardson get cut by the Ravens?

And let's mention Kerry Collins. Collins is the perfect role model.

That is, if you want your children to grow up to be a bunch of quitters.

This guy was the next coming of Staubach, had a decent season with the Carolina Panthers, and went AWOL. Great job, Kerry; you couldn't even quarterback the Saints.

The Nittany Lions have had some superb running backs in their history. The only one who ever did anything in the pros did it in Pittsburgh. That was Franco Harris, who, by the way, still lives here.

Let's review the wonderful talent to come out of Penn State in the past few decades: Curt Warner, Blair Thomas, Curtis Enis and D.J. Dozier come to mind.

When you look back at their careers, you say, "Boy, were they good collegiate players?"

What happened? Oh, they weren't ready to play with the big boys.

Enis is another role model. I just hope that suit fit, Curtis. He will to have to win a few Super Bowls to get that monkey off his back.

Ki-Jana Carter was another great professional running back. I bet the Cincinnati Bengals are really happy about giving up all that money for Carter.

Any Super Bowl appearances for these running backs? Nope, I don't think so.

State Penn has had some good wide receivers. It's too bad you don't hear from them anymore. I guess they all majored in magic and made themselves disappear after their college careers.

I believe Bobby Engram is State Penn's all-time leader in receptions. He plays for the Bears, right? O.J. McDuffie is State Penn's only saving grace.

And, wow, did Kyle Brady pan out as a pro or what?

State Penn has a lot to be proud of. I think Brett Conway may make it as the Washington Redskins' kicker this year.

As the wise Joe Paterno, who is six days older than Confucius, said, "I don't talk to kickers. What do you say, 'Kick the ball?' "

Hey Joe, I say, "Kick the bucket!"

Now, now, I don't want Joe Paterno to die. He was a great football coach.

I wish he could have coached at Pitt, though.

Because this cardboard cutout of Sutherland is getting just a tad bit worn.

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