Sports What Ifs.

I’m listening to a book about the Penn State scandal, and it raised an interesting what-if: in 1978 (I think,) Patriots owner Billy Sullivan offered Joe Paterno the head coaching job, basically offering him the keys to the kingdom - he would have been general manager and received part ownership.

Paterno was thiiiiiiiiiis close to taking the job but stayed at Penn State (the Pats we’re offering a ton more money and, y’know, part ownership.)

What if he had taken the Patriots’ job?

Sullivan must have tried to offer him the job a second time (Joe came close to taking the NE job around 1972-73). That would make sense, though. Someone interviewed Joe on TV about ten years ago, and he said that he almost gave up coaching after the 1978 season because he was so disappointed after the Sugar Bowl loss. He felt that there was no way they should have lost with Bruce Clark, Matt Millen, etc...

If he goes to NE instead of Ehrhardt, and takes Sandusky with him, you would have had a child rapist (Sandusky) joining the Pats and a person who helps the Pats cheat today (Ernie Adams) leaving. Adams started working for his local team (he is from Massachusetts) out of college as a scout after memorizing their playbook in a week or so. Ray Perkins, a Patriot assistant, was so impressed with Adams that he took him to New York in 1979 (when Ray got the HC job). Adams decided to bring a friend with him to New York to join the staff. His name: Bill Belichick.

Back to Sandusky: He could have left PSU in 1977. He was close to getting the Toledo HC job, but they gave it to Chuck Stobart.
 
WOah BB early in the pats under Paterno? talk about destiny.

Still depends...Sandusky is a point because he is a criminal and a timebomb ready to explode...the whole scenario is a massive sandbox too

No, Belichick went to the Giants in 1979, not New England.
 
Sullivan must have tried to offer him the job a second time (Joe came close to taking the NE job around 1972-73). That would make sense, though. Someone interviewed Joe on TV about ten years ago, and he said that he almost gave up coaching after the 1978 season because he was so disappointed after the Sugar Bowl loss. He felt that there was no way they should have lost with Bruce Clark, Matt Millen, etc...

If he goes to NE instead of Ehrhardt, and takes Sandusky with him, you would have had a child rapist (Sandusky) joining the Pats and a person who helps the Pats cheat today (Ernie Adams) leaving. Adams started working for his local team (he is from Massachusetts) out of college as a scout after memorizing their playbook in a week or so. Ray Perkins, a Patriot assistant, was so impressed with Adams that he took him to New York in 1979 (when Ray got the HC job). Adams decided to bring a friend with him to New York to join the staff. His name: Bill Belichick.

Back to Sandusky: He could have left PSU in 1977. He was close to getting the Toledo HC job, but they gave it to Chuck Stobart.

My timing might be off; I know it was in the 70s. That still leaves the door open for Sandusky if Paterno’s replacement doesn’t pan out, of course.

Sandusky leaving is also possible; one thought is that he goes to a place like Toledo and then works his way up to a bigger job. One particularly plausible scenario - he replaces Earle Bruce at Ohio State, builds a winner, does what John Cooper couldn’t, founds Second smile in Columbus, and then it all goes to hell (I’m picturing Ohio State getting slapped with the death penalty around 2011 - people lost their minds over a one-year postseason ban for some free tattoos here anyway; the town might implode if the program gets the death penalty.)
 
My timing might be off; I know it was in the 70s. That still leaves the door open for Sandusky if Paterno’s replacement doesn’t pan out, of course.

Sandusky leaving is also possible; one thought is that he goes to a place like Toledo and then works his way up to a bigger job. One particularly plausible scenario - he replaces Earle Bruce at Ohio State, builds a winner, does what John Cooper couldn’t, founds Second smile in Columbus, and then it all goes to hell (I’m picturing Ohio State getting slapped with the death penalty around 2011 - people lost their minds over a one-year postseason ban for some free tattoos here anyway; the town might implode if the program gets the death penalty.)

Sandusky may not have quite as much leeway in that situation. He isn't he icon there that Woody Hayes is (I think that they dress like Hayes there for Halloween). Also, if Columbus goes to heck, how does it affect the Blue Jackets? Do they move to Cleveland or Cincinnati?
 
Sandusky may not have quite as much leeway in that situation. He isn't he icon there that Woody Hayes is (I think that they dress like Hayes there for Halloween). Also, if Columbus goes to heck, how does it affect the Blue Jackets? Do they move to Cleveland or Cincinnati?

I don’t think the administrators would be quite as helpful in Columbus as they would at Penn State - he would get away with it for a while but it may not rise to “lack of institutional control” in Columbus. The place is too big for it to happen.

That said, if he wins a national championship or two, he may not be Woody but he may be as venerated here as Urban Meyer is OTL and that’s probably enough to get him some leeway. Not sure if it would rise to a death penalty offense but it could.

And maybe the Blue Jackets benefit - enough pissed-off Buckeye fans turn to the Jackets. It may make Columbus - gasp! - a pro-sports town in the long run.
 
Nah, maybe the bluejackets end up in cleveland as inteded

If the citizens of Columbus completely turn against local sports entirely, yes. Or they move to Seattle, Hamilton, Baltimore, Vegas, you name it. But if the Jackets get a boost from the Buckeyes taking a hit, they’ll stay and blossom, possibly inviting another team into the fold like an NBA team.
 
If the citizens of Columbus completely turn against local sports entirely, yes. Or they move to Seattle, Hamilton, Baltimore, Vegas, you name it. But if the Jackets get a boost from the Buckeyes taking a hit, they’ll stay and blossom, possibly inviting another team into the fold like an NBA team.
I doubt, Colombus barely keep the blue jackets and their lone playoff wins was the biggest boost...and other cities are still more popular
 
I doubt, Colombus barely keep the blue jackets and their lone playoff wins was the biggest boost...and other cities are still more popular

They’ll get a boost from the Buckeyes going down, but you may be right if it’s temporary. However, bear in mind that the NHL is run by a commissioner who’s widely regarded as being dumber than whale shit and fighting to preserve teams in markets that don’t support them, so Columbus might get to hang onto them anyway.
 
They’ll get a boost from the Buckeyes going down, but you may be right if it’s temporary. However, bear in mind that the NHL is run by a commissioner who’s widely regarded as being dumber than whale shit and fighting to preserve teams in markets that don’t support them, so Columbus might get to hang onto them anyway.
you're putting the cart before the horse, we dunno what will happen with Sandusky at all...just he is a criminal and a timebomb whatever he landed up(stay in PSU, goes to OSU, go to NEP or goes to a HS)
 
you're putting the cart before the horse, we dunno what will happen with Sandusky at all...just he is a criminal and a timebomb whatever he landed up(stay in PSU, goes to OSU, go to NEP or goes to a HS)

Fair enough; my hypothetical was predicated entirely on Sandusky being Earle Bruce’s replacement, being more successful than Cooper, and the scandal breaking out around when it did OTL with the university being complicit and the NCAA being willing to hand down the death penalty to a blue chip program. Torpedo even one of those things and we’re in the same boat we are now.
 
The NCAA didn't give it to PennState, and that wasn't totally a blue chip program, though; a very good school, but I don't think they had quite the history before Paterno. There would have to be a lot else going on for Ohio State to get it, I think.

We're assuming that that guy (don't even like typing his name) keeps his job for more than a few years; if he does poorly, after Paterno's excellent job, he might well get fired and go to Toledo or someplace anyway, maybe to the Pats. George may beat PItt in a close game for the '82 National Title game - Nebraska barely lost to Penn State OTL. If that happens, Nebraska stays #2 and plays...I don't know who in a bowl.

Or, Pitt wins, and Dan marino is picked earlier than he was, becasue he's had a chance to shine in the national spotlight.

Either way, Penn State was a unique situation, all they had was football in that town, while if an Ohio State had that happen, the first signs of trouble they'd be willing to look into it becasue they have other thigns, they have a very good basketball program even, and they probably don't' allow a coverup for as long.

Paterno was already a legend, if he leaves for the Patriots he probably does replace him, but the guy was insane, and a time bomb like that - while he could focus on the job of defensive coordinator - would have many more chances to slip up at head coach. He could even wind up going after a recruit's younger sibling (remember he'd have to do much more of the recruiting, too) and that recruit could end up not going to Penn State and blowing the whistle on him. If he doesn't just practice some medicine without a license and remove a piece of Sandusky's anatomy right there during the recruiting visit.

Although having him at Penn State till 1982 or so and then having that happen could be an interesting way to have that Grisham novel of a scandal start; as was noted earlier, it would probably end very clumsily, unlike OTL, with that guy as a head coach.

Yeah, that would be the best way (other than killing him off early as I did in The Selma Massacre) - have his first victim, due to butterflies, be such a kid and have him caught by the kid's older brother and parents, with a 270-pounder crushing him. (Wonder if @gap80 wants to consider that as an event in his Colonel Sanders timeline. Doesn't even have to actually be a victim, jsut real close, sort of like one episode of Diff-rent Strokes where one of Arnold's friends almost had it happen. Given some of the creative stuff gap80 has had in his TL already, with the Beatles being attacked and Governor Biaggi being a target of assassination, it would be fitting and he could probably write it well.)
 
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The NCAA didn't give it to PennState, and that wasn't totally a blue chip program, though; a very good school, but I don't think they had quite the history before Paterno. There would have to be a lot else going on for Ohio State to get it, I think.
Nice you hate Sandusky a lot, he and nassar should be hated more, fuck those guys, hope both rot in hell.

Yeah something have to be done, thanks for your pennies buddy
 
Yeah, that would be the best way (other than killing him off early as I did in The Selma Massacre) - have his first victim, due to butterflies, be such a kid and have him caught by the kid's older brother and parents, with a 270-pounder crushing him. (Wonder if @gap80 wants to consider that as an event in his Colonel Sanders timeline. Doesn't even have to actually be a victim, jsut real close, sort of like one episode of Diff-rent Strokes where one of Arnold's friends almost had it happen. Given some of the creative stuff gap80 has had in his TL already, with the Beatles being attacked and Governor Biaggi being a target of assassination, it would be fitting and he could probably write it well.)

In a sports timeline we had, I had someone shooting Sandusky in a Burger King bathroom (in State College or a nearby town) in 1986. Here's the storyline: The son goes to the bathroom. After 45 minutes, he hasn't come back. They check for him in the restroom, and find him being raped by Sandusky (who was watching him all along). The father pulls out a gun. Sandusky says "You know who I am". The dad says "I don't care" and shoots him to death.

Paterno is fired after an FBI investigation, arrests are made, and players transfer.
 
In a sports timeline we had, I had someone shooting Sandusky in a Burger King bathroom (in State College or a nearby town) in 1986. Here's the storyline: The son goes to the bathroom. After 45 minutes, he hasn't come back. They check for him in the restroom, and find him being raped by Sandusky (who was watching him all along). The father pulls out a gun. Sandusky says "You know who I am". The dad says "I don't care" and shoots him to death.

Paterno is fired after an FBI investigation, arrests are made, and players transfer.
And Nothing of value was loss...except the poor boy innocence...but even a extrajudicial death is too tame what Sandusky deserves at times(ditto Nassar)
 
Sunday 29th June. 1986. Azteca Stadium. Mexico. World Cup Quarter Final. England v Argentina.

The first half was goalless and it was Argentina who enjoyed more of the ball and were asking more questions in the attacking third however it was Peter Beardsley who had the best chance on 13 minutes following a slip from Nery Pumpido in Argentina's goal, but failed to take it.

The crucial moment came on 51 minutes when Maradona cut inside from the left and played a diagonal low pass to the edge of the area to teammate Jorge Valdano and continued his run in the hope of a one-two . Maradona's pass was played slightly behind Valdano and reached England's Steve Hodge, the left midfielder who had dropped back to defend. Hodge tried to hook the ball clear but miscued it. The ball looped off his foot and into the penalty area, toward Maradona, who had continued his run. England goalkeeper Peter Shilton came out of his goal to punch the ball clear. Maradona, despite being 8 inches shorter than the 6-foot-1 (1.85 m) Shilton, reached it first with his outside left hand. The ball bounced into the goal.

Tunisian referee Ali Bennaceur initially missed the blatant hand ball, perhaps his view was blocked by the bulk of Shilton, but hawk eyed Bulgarian linesman Bogdan Dochev spotted the foul, raised his flag and steadfastly refused to be cowed by the abuse received form the Argentinean players. His steadfast approach convinced the referee to overturn the goal and, controversially, send off the Argentinian genius Diego Maradona for a deliberate handball.

The game, played in oppressive midday heat, was eventually won by an 81st winner from Gary Lineker who scored his sixth goal of the tournament from a Barnes cross.

Just 3 days later England returned to the Azteca to face Belgium in the semi final. That game would be a comfortable 2-0 victory for England with goals from Lineker and Beardsley which set up a final on the 29th of June versus West Germany.


NOTE: It is worth noting that this change in history deletes one of the great world cup goals. The second goal of the quarter final, scored by the cheat Maradona to make it 2-0 to Argentina. Four minutes after the Hand of God goal came The Goal of the Century. Midfielder Héctor Enrique passed the ball to Maradona inside his own half. Maradona then began his 60-yard, 10-second dash towards the English goal, passing four English outfield players: Peter Beardsley, Peter Reid, Terry Butcher (twice) and Terry Fenwick. Maradona finished the move with a feint that left goalkeeper Peter Shilton on his bottom, before slotting the ball into the net to make the score 2–0 to Argentina. Bastard.
 
In a sports timeline we had, I had someone shooting Sandusky in a Burger King bathroom (in State College or a nearby town) in 1986. Here's the storyline: The son goes to the bathroom. After 45 minutes, he hasn't come back. They check for him in the restroom, and find him being raped by Sandusky (who was watching him all along). The father pulls out a gun. Sandusky says "You know who I am". The dad says "I don't care" and shoots him to death.

Paterno is fired after an FBI investigation, arrests are made, and players transfer.

Was it Dawg Pound Dynasty? The author also averted Columbine and Sandy Hook. Stand-up dude, that author.
 
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