One of those articles that people in the Penn State Athletic Department grind their teeth and mutter about the e-mails they are going to get. To say nothing of what old Joe Paterno must think to see an old assistant of his all but call for the Pitt-Penn State football game to return.

This time, former football players and coaches will be playing on the same team in the Pitt vs. Penn State golf challenge June 6 at Chestnut Ridge in Blairsville.

The event will raise money for two charities geared to helping disadvantaged youth in Pennsylvania — the Second Mile, founded by former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, and the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP), administered by the University of Pittsburgh.

Last year, the golf outing was run exclusively for the Second Mile, and the competition was won by Penn State. This year, Sandusky teamed up with former Pitt coach Johnny Majors and expanded the number of charities that will benefit from the event.

The day will begin with a nine-hole competition between select former Pitt and Penn State players. Several skills competitions will follow. The former players then will be divided among the groups of sponsors and play a round of golf. Team captains for Penn State will be Shane Conlan and Mike Zordich; Pitt’s captains will be Tony Dorsett and Bill Fralic.

“It was a lot of fun last year,” Sandusky said, “but, more importantly, we raised right around $100,000 for the charity, and that’s what it is all about. And the guys still get into it.

“We have a crazy scoring system, but competition is competition. I hear the Pitt guys are really gearing up for this since we beat them last year. I expect we’ll get their best effort and I hear they have some good golfers coming out.

“I think, even though we won, the best golfer was actually [former Pitt linebacker] Troy Benson, so it should be a close battle again. We have a real festive atmosphere, and the sponsors all really enjoy themselves.”
…
Sandusky said one of the things that people seem to enjoy is the reminiscing that goes on about the Penn State-Pitt series, the memorable games that were played. He said he obviously is not alone in wishing the series would be restored.

“It was obviously a great rivalry, and there were a lot of great games between us,” Sandusky said. “It would be really neat if we could get this game going again, but I don’t know whether that will happen or not.”

[Emphasis added.]

Heh.

On a different track, Tony Dorsett will be playing. It isn’t just me is it? Dorsett seems to be making a lot more trips and apperances in Pittsburgh in support of Pitt in the last year? Coach Wannstedt and Pitt seem to be reaching out a lot harder and better to past Pitt players. Bringing them back to the “family” as it were.