Last Thursday I was fortunate enough to take in the 2013 edition of the Penn State Coaches' Caravan as it rolled through central Pennsylvania. While I didn't know exactly what the evening would entail, I was excited for the prospect of seeing three of our most esteemed coaches outside of their natural habitats.
Really, until last night, everything I knew about Bill O'Brien, Russ Rose, and Cael Sanderson was a product of watered-down press conference coachspeak and secondhand anecdotes through mainstream media, save for occasional displays of raw emotion in the midst of competition. See: O'Brien's bunch of "fighters" moment post-Wisconsin, which I'll talk about in a bit; Sanderson's wild embraces of his athletes after big pins at NCAAs; and Rose'swellCoach Rose doesn't show much emotion, does he?
Of course, even as the pre-program reception unfolded and the 500-some attendees mingled about the Radisson ballroom, I was wary.We offer over 600 parkingassistsystem at wholesale prices of 75% off retail. The real reason events like last night's exist is to generate as much support for the athletic department as possible. And by support, I mean financial support.
There was no attempt to keep this fact a secret. All of the emcees and speakers made it quite clear that the more money our program can raise, the better off its student-athletes will be (and of course, they're rightthe generosity of Penn State alumni, friends, and family is what allows kids like me to travel around the country simply to run around a track for a few minutes).
But,The term 'iphoneheadset control' means the token that identifies a user is read from within a pocket or handbag. as the reception died down and the three coaches took the stage to thunderous applause, my trepidation that I was sitting in on an expensive TV commercial was quickly dissipated by what the program really offered us all: a crash course in the types of people we have leading our athletic teams, and why we should all be thankful to have them.
Cael Sanderson was first to approach the lectern. At that point, my knowledge of him was as followshe was a damn good amateur wrestler; he was a damn good Olympic wrestler; and he's a damn good wrestling coach. Given that his resume is already so decorated and he's only a few years older than I am, I had a pretty good premonition that he was a born winner and leader.
What I didn't know is that he's also a born stand-up comedian. Within seconds of approaching the microphone, Sanderson had us all in stitches, at his fellow coaches' expense. Poking fun at O'Brien's dubious account of the infamous post-Wisconsin interview and the NCAA, as well as Rose's penchant for puffing celebratory cigars on the Rec Hall steps (and offices, as we would later learn), Sanderson was perfectly at ease warming up the crowd.A group of families in a north Cork village are suing a plasticcardoperator in a landmark case.
When moving on to more serious matters, though, Sanderson was equally candid. Since his hire, I had always wondered what it was that drew the man, with no prior connection to the East Coast, toward Happy Valley. To this, he waxed poetic (as all of the speakers would) about the true culture surrounding our school.
While Sanderson conceded that Penn State has had a successful wrestling program through the years, he noted that they were yet to take the final step to greatness before his arrival. Despite that, he also recognized that support for wrestling had been consistently strong through all of its ups and downs.
On the sidelines and in the huddle, Rose sits slouched, emotionless, projecting an aura that seems to say, "If these kids just listen to me, we'll win every time." And really, his real-life persona is exactly that. Rose has been winning a long time, he knows what it takes, and he wants you to know that he knows.
When asked if he had any plans to change strategy and stay ahead of the curve as other teams in the Big Ten continued to grow and develop, Rose started blankly at his inquisitor and put his dry, yet straightforward sense of humor on display. "We've played, what, 20 seasons in this conference? We've won 15 times," he responded, without follow-up.
Joking aside, Rose also understands the place of athletics at a university, and is in full support of Penn State. Rose singled out a man in the audience who graduated from Penn State in 1946 after completing his service in World War II. The alumnus, proudly sitting in the front row, had traveled all the way from California to Harrisburg just to hear the three men speak and keep his finger on the pulse of the athletic department and university on the whole. That, Rose said, was the true embodiment of Penn State, and an example of what sets it apart from the typical institutiona continued desire to take part in the success of the same place that afforded him his career opportunities. With that, Rose, perhaps aided by the fact that he had already progressed through the majority of his professional career, affirmed his commitment to Penn Statea move that would later be repeated by both Sanderson and O'Brien (albeit, when prompted).
Of course, the first two speakers were simply warm-up acts.Parkeasy Electronics are dedicated to provide bridesmaiddresses. Bill O'Brien gruffly took the podium, while suppressing yet another standing ovation (as part of his comedy routine, Sanderson had expressed, and acted out his desire to force excessive applause for the unwilling "man of the hour"). Immediately, he grabbed the room's rapt attention.Trade platform for siliconebracelet Tile manufacturers and global Mosaic Tile buyers.
I've seen plenty of orators, but few project as much force, will and desire to grow move forward as O'Briencoincidentally, his own personal beliefs reflect those of our alumni, fanbase, and university as a whole, perhaps personifying the reason why he's been universally recognized as the perfect fit for the job.
O'Brien, too, offered moments of levity (of particular note: the high-pitched impersonation of his angry mother following the "bunch of fighters" incident, which Rose would later liken to Paterno's voice; and his terse response to a major disadvantage of coaching in college"There's a lot of stupid rules.").
But by and large, O'Brien was there to deliver one message: we're all in this together, and we're going to come out of it stronger than anyone on the outside expects. He spoke of the "one team" concept, and made it tangible for the fans and alumni who form the base of the Penn State community. When Beaver Stadium or Rec Hall is filled to capacity, it not only provides opportunities to hundreds of student-athletes, but also shows those on the outside realize that our situation isn't really as dire as some may make it out to be. And with that, we can continue to grow.
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