(Gram) Pa Joe Gets Tough

Even if he looks like a used car salesman you must take your hat off the the punishment Joe Paterno has for his football team after the latest off field incident. That punishment is for all the players too clean up Beaver Stadium after home games. Yes, clean up the stadium and yes that is all the players. Hopefully this will include cleaning the restrooms which can be a humbling experience. The purpose here is to make the team functions as a group with both the rewards that come from being a member but the cost when a part of that team makes a poor choice in behavior. This is akin to that old coach's tactic of making the whole team run lap fro the transgressions of the few.

It will be interesting to see the reactions of the players and down the road the impact on recruiting. How will that blue chipper react to the prospect of team punishment? Will he see the wisdom or go looking for a better deal down the road? Will that "stage parent" be mature enough to recognize the life lesson being taught? Sadly, this action will deter several players. Yet, Joe being a living god has the latitude to thumb his nose at the conventional.