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Synopsis
On the November installment of CostasNOW, Bob Costas sat down with one of coaching's greatest legends, 78-year-old Joe Paterno of Penn State. Paterno has been on the sidelines for the Nittany Lions for 55 years, 40 of them as head coach, and has led the team to five undefeated seasons and two national championships. But coming into this season, he was under fire, as the team's performance had slipped, and calls for his retirement had grown louder. Well, with one game to go, Penn State is on the cusp of a Big Ten championship and berth in a BCS Bowl Game. With his critics quieted, Paterno is enjoying his best season in years, and Bob Costas went to Happy Valley to interview the coach and talk about his career, his legacy, and how it feels to be back on top.
The NBA season began a few weeks ago, and one of the biggest stories of the season was the new dress code instituted by Commissioner David Stern. Many critics complained that Stern was being unfair in demanding that players wear business casual dress on the bench when not playing, and on the road when doing team business. It's a policy that certainly never would have been seen thirty years ago in the NBA's rival league, the ABA, which, in its brief existence, was known for its individualistic players - individualistic on and off the court. One of the biggest stars - and biggest characters - of the ABA was Marvin "Bad News" Barnes, who played for the Spirits of St. Louis in the mid-1970's. Barnes was one of the best players in the world for a short time, but his game and career fell apart due to drugs and an affinity for the street life. Barnes largely disappeared from the public scene after his playing days, but an old friend tracked him down in Providence. His story is an unlikely one.
The November CostasNOW premiered on Veterans Day, and in a few weeks, Army and Navy will face off in their annual battle on the football field. Today, though the game certainly draws interest, that interest is largely out of tradition and symbolism. But years ago, the game mattered even more; it was truly one of the nation's biggest sports events, and, in addition, both teams were among the best in the nation. The 1963 game was particularly dramatic and significant, and that story was told on the show.
Finally, the monthly roundtable on the November show featured outspoken Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson, alongside HBO's Mary Carillo and "Good Morning America's" Robin Roberts. The topics discussed included Terrell Owens, Michelle Wie, and the recent controversial remarks made by Air Force football coach Fisher DeBerry.
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