Chris Hoke’s retirement came too soon, but then again, Hoke’s career last longer than anyone could have imagined. The Steelers will miss Hoke. The locker room certainly will. He was one of the quiet leaders, a veteran who survived on hard work and opportunity. Hoke is a classy guy, and it speaks volumes that when he made his announcement official, that three of his teammates from the defensive line, Brett Keisel, Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith, were there to show their appreciation and support. Hoke signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent out of Brigham Young, but he earned his spot on the roster, and ended up playing 11 seasons. He started in place of Hampton on 18 occasions, and the team’s record in those games was an amazing 17-1. He leaves with three Super Bowl appearances and two championship rings. He also leaves with the respect of anyone who ever played with him or against him.
Here’s what the weather radar looked like at the exact time of Joe Paterno’s funeral procession. Click on the image to see what I mean. Coincidence? No way!
I didn’t know Joe Paterno well, but well enough to get a glimpse of his complicated personality. I didn’t cover his team on a regular basis, but regular enough to witness his greatness from a perspective that few people got to enjoy. I wouldn’t be presumptuous enough to think we were friends, but in the countless times I was with him over the past 28 years, he was always friendly. He was a legend in his sport, and an icon in our culture. 
I was 35 years his junior, and a local television reporter, so the dynamic of our relationship was crystal clear. At least it was to me. I talked to, or interviewed Paterno on many occasions. I chased him down after practices, after games, at fundraising events, and at airports. A long time ago, we even had a chance meeting on the beach! Back in the summer of 1994, in the early-morning hours of a scorching-hot day, I was all alone on a beach at the Jersey Shore. I was assembling a playground tent so my children would have a shaded sanctuary from the sun, when out of the morning mist, covered only by a bathing suit and dark sunglasses, came the unmistakable sight of Joe Paterno. There he was, the one-and-only JoPa, standing above my work of art like a figure in a dream sequence. He asked what I was doing, and I explained that I was building a tent haven for my children. The coach laughed, and asked if I planned on selling beer. I told him no, but that I’d make arrangements to get one for him for free. Paterno joked that he might plan a return later in the day. 
He never did, but about six months later, I was reporting on Penn State’s trip to the Rose Bowl, when, after a group interview, I asked Paterno if he remembered our beach rendezvous. His face lit up, and without missing a beat, he asked if I still had that beer for him. Several years after that, during a Penn State fundraising event at the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh, I approached Paterno after a news conference, and after a brief introduction, he said he’d “prefer to be talking on the beach.” Paterno’s memory was remarkable. So was his considerable influence and his amazing ability for shaping the lives of his student-athletes. He used to tell his coaches that the only difference between sinners and saints was “direction,” and that they needed to point their players in the right direction. Paterno wasn’t perfect, but there was no denying that he was a perfectly great man. His reputation took a beating over the past ten weeks, but since his passing, the love and respect he deserves have poured in like an avalanche. I have no idea how Paterno’s legacy will be affected by the horrible events of the past two-and-a-half months, but it appears that Joseph Vincent Paterno has earned in death what he wasn’t able to enjoy in the final weeks of his exceptional life.
He was, as they say, bigger than life. Joe Paterno. A legendary name that’s synonymous with greatness, but Paterno was well beyond legend. His name, and his brand, were solidly entrenched in the category of American Icon. In the next several days, you’ll hear many opinions on the legacy of JoPa. You’ll hear about his 409 wins, his 37 bowl appearances, his 24 bowl wins, and his two national championships. But the wins and the on-field accomplishments are only part of the Paterno story. There’s also the millions of dollars he donated to his beloved university, the academic achievements that set the standard in college athletics. Unfortunately, the legacy will also include Paterno’s stunning fall from grace. Paterno himself admitted that he wished he had done more to combat a horrible sex abuse scandal that overtook his proud football program. Paterno’s failure to act cannot and will not be defended, but his inadequacy (his words) to deal with the situation was, simply, his fatal flaw. Paterno had a remarkable record of accomplishment, and I believe in my heart that he was a good man as well. His story is a harsh reminder that even good and remarkable men, even those with five perfect seasons, don’t possess perfection. Unfortunately, Paterno’s imperfection played out in front of the world. The football record books already place his name at the front of the class, but history will determine if he’s to be judged by that alone.
Could this be the start of something big? The Penguins…YOUR Pittsburgh Penguins…are keeping things interesting for you. It’s not easy. It very rarely is. Their number-one issue has been injuries, but they appear to be getting even after the recent losing streak. Just when you think they were down and out, they’ve rebounded, and in the process, have pulled you back in! The winning streak has reached four, and better yet, a win over the Rangers (on the road!) is what got them there. The Rangers went into that game as the best team in the entire NHL. I was asked before the game if the Pens needed to beat a quality team to regain some credibility. I said yes, a win over a good team is always a bonus, but not so much for credibility as confidence. The Penguins are still playing without Sidney Crosby, but they have Kris Letang back, and they have the world’s other top player, Evgeni Malkin, leading the way. There’s still a lot of hockey to be played between now and the playoffs. The Pens just have to take it one day, one game, and on step at a time.
Sidney Crosby, if we’re to believe what we’re told, is on the mend. Sid was scheduled to visit this week with Doctor Ted Carrick, who treated Crosby back in August. The Penguins insist it’s the next step in the process, but almost everywhere you turn, there are questions, and worse, wild speculation. One published report told of an alleged 45-minute meeting between several players where a “temporary captaincy” was said to have been discussed. The sources for that story appear to be credible, although the Penguins, from top to bottom, deny that a meeting of this sort ever took place. At practice last week in Miami, each and every player wore a makeshift “C” as a show of support for Sid, and to a man, there was denial of any such meeting to take the “C” from Crosby, even on a temporary basis. In a sitdown interview for an “11 On The Ice” special scheduled to air Sunday, I asked Penguins Head Coach Dan Bylsma about the report of a meeting. He was clear in his denial as well. “I know the 45-minute meeting didn’t happen…the uncertainty of (Sid’s) injury and the length of (Sid’s) injury contribute to speculation.” Bylsma acknowledges that the light shines brighter on Crosby because he’s the heart of the Penguins, and the best player in the world, but he also dismisses the raging rumors as just that, “95% of the things people speculate about “aren’t even close to being accurate.” At this point, all we know for sure is that Crosby doesn’t appear to be close to returning to the lineup. It could be a couple more weeks, or it could be a couple more months. They’re prepared for the worst, but hoping for the best, and they have no choice but to move forward with the players they have.
The Penguins hit the ice for practice on Wednesday, and as I sat in my front row seat (excuse the quality of my cell phone picture) at the Consol Energy Center, I couldn’t help but think where this team would be with a little good luck on the injury front. Practice included a scary moment, when forward Richard Park took a puck to the face, getting nailed just below his right eye. Practice went silent for a few seconds, but incredibly, 
Park was back on his skates, and continuing with practice in a matter of moments. Park told me later that he didn’t think it wasn’t a big deal, adding, “it’s what we do.” There was some positive news for one of the Pens fighting back from injury. Defenseman Kris Letang was on the ice for the second consecutive practice, and said afterwards, “I feel pretty good.” There’s a decent chance that Letang will return to the lineup against the Rangers. He hasn’t played in a game since late November, when he suffered a concussion in a game against Montreal. Just as Park did after getting hit by the puck in practice, Letang returned to the game against the Canadiens and scored the winning goal in overtime. It’s what they do! Bigger questions still need to be answered. What’s the latest on Sidney Crosby and when might he return to the lineup? I’ll have more on that soon with details of my sit-down interview with Penguins Coach Dan Bylsma.
He is, as they say, “The Greatest.” He’s the three-time heavyweight champion who left an indelible mark on sports and society. He’s a genuine american icon. Muhammad Ali turns 70-years-old today. I met Ali twice. The first was 15 years ago while he was in Pittsburgh for a conference on Parkinson’s Disease. The second was at Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 2009, which was much more than a footnote to the night the Penguins wrapped their arms around the Cup for the third time.
The first meeting featured the classic Ali personality. Even though he didn’t speak, his eyes owned the room. As Ali strolled past our cameras, he performed a magic trick. His right thumb was covered by a rubber prop, which hid the scarf that he’d pull out and wave. Ali was 55 then, but already in a sad and steep decline because of Parkinson’s. By the itme of our second meeting, in Detroit at the ’09 Cup Finals, his health had declined significantly, but again, even without talking, his personality took over. He posed for pictures and tried his best to sign autographs. The champ has now turned 70. Some prefer to remember the young Ali, the “float-like-a-butterfly” poet who packed a punch like none other. Now, 35 years past his prime, the greatness of “The Greatest” is shown not with the punch, but with the power of his presence.
The fans in the Steelers Nation are suffering through a difficult predicament. After all, it’s not easy watching the playoffs after your team has been eliminated. To makes matters worse, look at the current playoff field. Start with two of the region’s most-hated rivals, the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots. If Baltimore goes all the way, it’s a win for John Harbaugh, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and Joe Flacco. The problems with rooting for the Ravens speak for themselves. Pulling for New England to win the Super Bowl means watching a dynasty unfold. It would give Brady as many Super Bowls as Bradshaw and Montana, and Belichick as many wins in the big game as the legendary Chuck Noll. In the NFC, a Super Bowl win by San Francisco would put the 49ers with the Steelers at six Vince Lombardi Trophies, and if it’s San Francisco against Baltimore, it will pit the Harbaugh brothers against each other. I guess that means the best choice for fans might be to root for Eli Manning and the Giants. It’s never easy when your team’s eliminated. The winter is longer and the games aren’t as much fun. Maybe the Penguins will help make the pain go away. Either that, or maybe it’s time to long for baseball.
As I watched the Packers lose their grip on the defense of their Super Bowl title, I couldn’t help but think, what happened to the NFL’s next great dynasty? It wasn’t supposed to end this way. Almost from the moment the Packers beat the Steelers last February, the pundits proclaimed the start of something great, or even more, something legendary. That’s what the pundits do sometimes. Green Bay is a great team, and Aaron Rodgers is a great quarterback, but I always thought premature dynasty talk was ridiculous. You could see the panic in the eyes of the Green Bay players as they realized they were going to lose. That’s the way it works sometimes. Winning a Super Bowl is difficult. Winning two in a row is really difficult. The dynasty will have to wait.
