Og Mandino is a Christian storyteller, and an underlying theme of many of his books is to always try to do more than what is expected of you.
I have read almost everything he has written and try to combine that philosophy with another one that I have: “If your name ends in a vowel, you never throw in the towel.” Well, the intersection of those two philosophies is personified in the three people referenced in the headline.
Now, I have a running battle with Joe Battista as to who is JoeBa No. 1 in this town. It’s all done in good fun and, in my opinion, he is hands down the winner. All three of these guys are examples of what makes this country great.
Look at Joe Paterno. He was supposed to be a lawyer, but came here to help out with football. The amount of good that has sprung from his presence is amazing. His detractors are out there, ready to pounce, wanting to judge the best by their worst moment. It would figure, though, that while people know Joe most prominently because of football, his name is attached to something that he reveres as much or more: the library! He is going beyond what has been expected.
Then there is former wrestling coach Rich Lorenzo. When I first came to Penn State, guys in my dorm revered Lorenzo as one of the toughest people to walk the face of the earth. This was back in 1973. Over the years, I have come to know him not only as that, but as one of the smartest ones, too. I would go to him for advice on certain situations, since I have a tendency to swing first and ask questions later, and there was not one time his advice did not turn out to be correct. Uncanny. Next to my father, I don’t know a smarter, tougher man.
Neither Lorenzo nor Paterno walk on water, which their critics take glee in pointing out. But the Penn State wrestling complex has Lorenzo’s name on it, because the people who made it possible see in him the content of his character. He did, and still does, more than what is expected of him.
That brings me to Joe Battista and his work in getting a donation that will take ice hockey to a different level here. In many ways, the whole situation speaks loudly to what this country is supposed to be about, and I think that is lost on some today. I ran into a professor recently who told me he does not believe that work should be for profit. Such things astound me, since such educated people should understand that it’s only by profit that they get to do what they do. The money that pays them doesn’t just appear, though I sometimes think they believe that. One way or another, someone had to have made a profit for that to get recycled back to the university, whether in the form of a grant, tuition or donation.
In the case of the hockey program, the great success of the donor, Terry Pegula—hmm, sounds like another go-beyond-what-is-expected, never-throw-in-the-towel type—led to his generosity. In an earlier article for StateCollege.com, I referenced Bill Koll’s idea on how wrestling was an American sport, since the rise of the individual led to the rise of those around him. Terry’s success will now enable many to get the ‘hockey’ version of the wrestling lesson, which I think is a civics lesson.
But it comes full circle. Where would hockey around here be—the lessons taught, and now this donation—without Joe Battista? Pegula had to have immense respect for what Joe Battista represents to give that donation. So there is a synergistic relationship among members of society who have had the freedom to excel, and now are benefiting others. Capice, cumpares and cumares?
In talking to Joe Battista from time to time, and in talking to some of his former players, it’s apparent that this is a man who is able to fight from any position, and does a great job of inspiring others around him to do the same.
People don’t understand how hard it is to coach a non-scholarship sport. My brother coached at Division III, and to be successful at that level—because of the difference in talent levels and expectations—a coach has to motivate his athletes to reach beyond what is expected.
All three of these guys share that. They exemplify the best this country has to offer. They represent something beyond what they are known for, and their stories give me hope for my kids.
Guess what? Battista is here on StateCollege.com for you to read. We have JayPa, too, and the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree. (I wonder if I should try to recruit ‘The Bear,’ as Lorenzo is known.)
Notes and asides:
The weather for Homecoming should be a big improvement from last year. In fact, it should be dry with temps near 70 by game time. No rain, snowball fights or 25-below-normal temps.
Enjoy this weather. Because while the overall weather looks good in Big Ten country through the third week of October, unlike last November’s warm temps, things may go south in a big way this way this year.
And then my theory on a Michigan offense in the wind and cold will be tested.
