OT: James Franklin is the Modern Joe Paterno

PSUParty said:

Paragraphs are useful

crftsy said:

You're probably not wrong but some spacing would make this easier to read.

PSUParty said:

Paragraphs are useful

Pierogi said:

Seriously, it's amazing how many people ignore using them on this forum

Taycro said:

I do have to disagree though btw about "Do you really think if James was here for 46 seasons he’d never win a championship? I think he’d get atleast 1." Due to most talent in football now being from the south and California, our recruiting backyard just does not provide the same level of talent as Texas, Florida, Bama, Georgia, etc. plus we aren't a big budget NIL team like Oregon for example to make up for that. I really don't know if ANY coach would be able to win a national championship at Penn State in the next 46 years.

Taycro said:

Joe also had 1999 Minny, 2000 Toledo losses. They really are more alike than many would care to admit. And I know that many argue we should have moved on from Joe in the early 2000's

RD24 said:

Idk, we have years where we get some good recruiting classes in the PA, NJ, VA regions, if we get some supremely talented athletes in the upcoming years (Adidas will hopefully help with that) I think with the 12 team playoff we could steal one

RD24 said:

Check it out now and let me know your opinion

Psuproud said:

1968, 69, 73, and 94

RD24 said:

To start this will be lengthy and I’m sure you all will have a logical reaction to my opinion; I am as upset as anyone at the UCLA loss. It was unacceptable, the team looked like it had no heart, no fire, no nothing. And on 4th and 2 a ******* jet option. Embarrassing. Adjustments had to be made and they weren’t. I’m upset, I’m disappointed, and honestly, my feelings are hurt behind the loss and the early season as a whole. @Manny from Miami I’m sure that you’d say I’m acting like a ***** 😂 and I am. In some reflection this morning I started thinking about James and the “Big Game James” narrative and the Nittany Lions as a whole behind James. And I started thinking on Joe Paterno. Mind you, my opinion is one of a 25 year old Maryland born kid raised in Florida. I know some of you older guys will laugh me off, brush me off, whatever. I caught the latter half of JoePa’s career. I knew of all the history. I remember going from 4-7 in 04 to 11-1 in 05. (As early as I can remember). And I have always been a CJF defender, mind you, as great as JoePa was as a coach, I’ve never seen excellence under him personally. And then I go back and I listen. To James, to Joe. Joe Paterno is about what? Getting a good education, playing a good brand of football, becoming men and leaders in the community. What is James about? A transformational experience, building good young men, and playing quality big brand football. James is 1-15 against top 5 teams in 12 seasons, Joe through 12 seasons was 1-9 against top 5 teams in his first 12 seasons. Joe was 13-33 all time against top 5 teams and 8 of those wins came from 82-87. Meaning there were nearly 2 decades from his early career to his late career where Joe barely ever got it done. Didn’t get his second top 5 win until 13 years into his coaching career. Joe Paterno had embarrassing losses; 1983 to Cincinnati who finished 4-6, 2004 Iowa. James has 2021 Illinois, 2025 UCLA. Many of your favorite argument; Joe was a champion. After 16 years. He won his second 5 years later, and then… no more. For over 20 years. In 46 years, 2 championships. Joe prided himself on creating exceptional young men. Our program was never championship or nothing. Ever. Not even under Paterno. Do you really think if James was here for 46 seasons he’d never win a championship? I think he’d get atleast 1. Many of the older fans long for the Joe Paterno years. You’re getting them. Just in modern times. Great defense, occasionally a good offense; usually super conservative. Were consistently good, we compete, we may not like where we are right now, but it’s historically the same place we’ve been. I’m curious to see some of the writers takes on this. I know this will stir up controversy, and personally I want to win a championship so badly, but I just also dislike the disingenuous attitude towards James that he’s the reason we aren’t a perennial powerhouse, when all we’ve been historically is consistently good, a place that builds good young men, and plays quality football.

Psuproud said:

1968, 69, 73, and 94

TonyBender said:

Your comp isn't even close to factual. The fact you are 25 yrs old explains why try to compare Franklin in his prime to Joe since the 2000s. You missed the previous 3 decades of his prime. I thought Joe should have hung it up by 2000. But even he rebounded and beat OSU a few more times and won a few Big 10 titles. Joe beat OSU three times in 90s and they didn't join the Big 10 until 1993. So he beat OSU 3 out 7 seasons in the 90s. Dont know if it was you the other day that tried to say those OSU teams weren't as good as todays but ALL teams have evolved and got bigger stronger faster including PSU. So you cant simply excuse Big Game James horrible record away by simply saying top 10 teams are better today compared to Joes era. Joe after one year had back to back undefeated teams '68 and '69. Went undefeated in 1974. Was one of the best teams of the 80s taking us to three National Championship games, winning two. Then had one of the best offenses ever in 1994 going undefeated. I don't say this being rude but you only being 25 says it all because you simply didn't see Joe in his prime.

RD24 said:

Unofficial titles I’m not counting, and even if I acknowledged 94, he had roughly 3 of his 4 decades were underperforming to the championship or bust standard, not to mention the 60s and 70s were very much Joe “beating who he was supposed to” let’s not pretend we were playing the Ohio States of the world

RD24 said:

I understand where you’re coming from, (I did not say that about the OSU teams) speaking statistically, Joe played nobody’s. He beat OSU a few more times after being a coach for DECADES. We cannot compare James in his career now compared to Joe after 20-30 years of experience. There are so many lessons you get as a coach in those time periods. And I mean the argument was James does what he’s supposed to, beats teams he should. And in big games, fell short consistently. Looking at the 68, 69 season, that’s what Joe did. In those games they were the favorites, they handled business. Went 11-0, but nobody they played was even ranked until end of the season. And yes, maybe I don’t have the context of the era or what football was like then, but I also do not have an opinion rooted in nostalgia. Most of people’s gripes aren’t about James never winning. I mean the guys tied for number two in wins all time, but he doesn’t win big ranked matchups (which he also sees yearly) l do believe James has built a team similar to what Joe did. Built in the same principles; I honestly think if Joe saw today’s Penn State he’d be proud of James, and the program

RD24 said:

Unofficial titles I’m not counting, and even if I acknowledged 94, he had roughly 3 of his 4 decades were underperforming to the championship or bust standard, not to mention the 60s and 70s were very much Joe “beating who he was supposed to” let’s not pretend we were playing the Ohio States of the world

Taycro said:

Joe also had 1999 Minny, 2000 Toledo losses. They really are more alike than many would care to admit. And I know that many argue we should have moved on from Joe in the early 2000's

TonyBender said:

Top teams were stil top teams back then. Obviously an OSU team today beats an OSU team of the 90s or a top 10 team from the 60 to 80s. But a PSU team today, (without Franklin killing it) would beat PSU teams of the past. Its all irrelevalant. You are trying to make an argument comparing teams today to teams of the 60s-90s you weren't even alive to see or judge. And to casually say you wont include undefeated seasons shows how biased you are in trying to make this argument