Playing for Paterno: One Coach, Two Eras . . . A Father and Son's Recollections of Playing for JoePa

Penn State football icon Joe Paterno has presided over five undefeated seasons in his storied career as a head coach. Charlie and Tony Pittman played in three of those seasons. The Pittmans are the only undefeated father and son starters in the history of the Nittany Lions’ program and their experiences are brought to life in their compelling new memoir Playing for Paterno. Charlie Pittman’s teams—unbeaten in 30 games—laid the foundation and established the legacy for Penn State’s winning ways; they are the reason Penn State became a powerhouse. Tony’s 1994 team was considered by many to be one of the best offensive teams in college football history. Playing for Paterno takes the reader inside the Blue and White world of Penn State football and gives insight into the profound impact Paterno’s program has had on young hearts and minds. The reader sees through the eyes of Charlie Pittman, a poor, black Baltimore kid who was transported to the alien, all-white world of Happy Valley in the 1960s and Tony Pittman, a child of privilege who spurned Harvard and Yale for big time football at Penn State in the 1990s. But the book offers much more than just life inside one of the premier programs in college football. It takes the discipline, confidence, and integrity of the Pittmans, Paterno and Penn State football and translates them into practical primer for readers who want to apply these principles to their own lives and careers.

In his storied career as head coach, JoPa has presided over five undefeated seasons. Charlie and Tony Pittman played in three of those seasons, making them the only undefeated father-and-son starters in the history of the Nittany Lions' program.

During the Pittmans' years under Paterno's tutelage, they acquired the discipline and confidence they needed for success, both on and off the field. Their experiences are brought to life in this compelling new memoir, Playing for Paterno.

On the field, both Pittman men rose to the top of their game at Penn State. Charlie Pittman's teams--unbeaten in 30 games--established Penn State's winning tradition in the 1960s. His son Tony's 1994 team was considered by many to be one of the best offensive teams in college football history. The hard-hitting stories from some of their greatest teams ever will make Nittany Fans want to stand up and cheer.

Off the field, the Pittmans applied the lessons they learned from Paterno to achieve success in the business world. Charlie became a highly successful media executive, while Tony has zipped up the corporate ladders at PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM, and EDS.

This book offers much more than just another look at life inside one of the premier programs in college football. It distills the discipline, confidence, and integrity of the Pittmans, Paterno, and Penn State football into a practical primer anyone looking to incorporate their proven principles into their own lives and careers.

Times change, but JoPa's principles are as applicable in today's business world of Blackberrys and blogs as they were when he first started teaching them in the days of typewriters and teletype.