[Crying laughing at what would be the first ever JoePa Chronicles. Please to clickthru.--AJ]

"Julius Caesar"

Joe Paterno: Caesar
Tom Bradley: Brutus
Jay Paterno: Cassius
Ricky Stanzi: Mark Antony

The parallels are striking to Iowans conversant in the Bard.

Julius Caesar [Joe Paterno], the reigning elder statesman of the Republic (college football), has so transfixed the plebeians (fans) that they revere him as an omnipotent god. Their idolatry foments the ire of Cassius [Jay Paterno] and Brutus [Bradley], assistant coaches in the Penn Senate, who know Caesar's true infirmity.

Cassius, fearing that Caesar's febrile mind represents a mortal danger to the State (College), cajoles and misleads Brutus into join him to assassinate retire Caesar, thus restoring firm footing to the (Nittany) nation.  The enormous fate of the "monstrous state" cannot rest within Caesar's fragile body (politic, or otherwise).

Brutus is ultimately persuaded by Cassius' misdealing and acquits himself that Caesar must be removed because his power represents an existential threat to the very institution (football team) Brutus has vowed to protect.  Caesar is dispatched; rendered unto death (retirement) by those whom he loved most:

"E tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar."

Brutus' own ambitions are laid bare in his hopes that the people will anoint himself the new caesar (head ball coach).  However, Mark Antony [Stanzi], long an admirer of Caesar, eloquently informs the public of the conspirators machinations; thrice saying with building sarcasm:

"Brutus says [Caesar] was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honorable man.
If you don't love it, leave it.
Rome number one!"

Brutus and Cassius are driven from the city (sideline) ... which means that the Hawkeyes win!

Apropos of nothing, Antony intones:

"Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war (conference play)."

# # #

Previous Chapters

III: Ball State Cardinals -- "As You Like It"
II: Arizona Wildcats -- "Macbeth" [sighs]
I: Iowa State Cyclones -- "Much Ado About Nothing"