Franco Harris rips Penn State over firing of Joe Paterno, says alumni should be ‘relentless’
Jan 13, 2012, 9:00 AM EDT
Getty Images Franco Harris, noted in his playing days for his ability to run out of bounds at every opportunity to avoid getting hit, now suddenly wants full contact. The former Pittsburgh Steeler, who also played for Joe Paterno at Penn State, is demanding that the university rehire Paterno. (Scans sky for flying pigs).
Harris made this rather odd statement at a hotel in suburban Philadelphia, where university president Rodney Erickson also held a town hall meeting aimed at repairing the school’s image. Harris’ meeting was scheduled to compete with Erickson’s.
This is nothing new for Harris, who has been talking about this since early November, when he was relieved of his duties as a spokesman for The Meadows Racetrack over his comments criticizing the firing of Paterno.
“I can’t understand why it happened. Us, as an alumni, we have to be relentless. We have to keep fighting for Penn State,” Harris said. “We can’t let the board of trustees or the media write the final chapter.”
The 650 alumni in attendance for the sometimes heated 90-minute session didn’t receive him well, and most of their questions involved concerns over Paterno’s firing.
Harris, too, questions Erickson’s leadership.
“A lot of the answers that we want from the university aren’t coming forward. When they do say something, even today, what I most recently heard, they think we’re dumb,” Harris said. “They want us to believe it was in the best interest of the school to fire Joe Paterno. No way was that in the best interest of the school.”
And here’s the best part: Harris thinks Penn State should rehire Paterno for the first four games of the 2012 season.
“We can’t let them get away with what they’ve done and what they’re doing,” Harris said. “They should rehire Joe Paterno for the first four games of next season and begin the transition right there. Otherwise, there is no closure. If Joe Paterno isn’t hired back, I’m not going to the first four games.”
Neither am I!
And is it my imagination, or does Harris as he ages look more and more like Gabe Kaplan?
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Franco Harris Urges Penn State Alumni To Be ‘Relentless,’ Questions Firing Of Joe Paterno [Huffington Post]
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- Tom G - Jan 13, 2012 at 9:20 AM
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Franco sounds like if those kids Identities were made public he’d villafy them also.Its pathetic how grown adults are handling this PSU situation.They honestly care more about the damn football program than the well being of children.Well done Franco!
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- jebega - Jan 13, 2012 at 11:12 AM
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What is wrong with you Franco Harris? You are defending a guy who did NOTHING when young boys were being raped in his locker room? Had he stepped in, so many young lives could have been spared. Is football that imporatant to you? Shame on you Franco Harris!!! Would you be on this bandwagon if YOUR son had been one of the victims???
