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When the Lions Roared
When the Lions Roared

When the Lions Roared

Joe Paterno and One of College Football’s Greatest Teams
By Bill Contz, Foreword by Todd Blackledge

SPORTS & RECREATION

240 Pages, 6 x 9

Formats: Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Trade Paper, $19.95 (US $19.95) (CA $26.95)

ISBN 9781629373720

Rights: WOR

Triumph Books (Sep 2017)

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Overview

The 1982 Penn State national championship team was not only one of Joe Paterno's best, it was one of the best teams college football has ever seen. In When the Lions Roared, Bill Contz, one of the squad's offensive linemen, details that special season and the experience of playing for a legendary coach. Featuring dozens of interviews with former players, this book provides anecdotes from the epic contests of that season while also proving statistically why this Nittany Lions team stands up against all of the talented teams that came before and after. Also featuring a foreword and reflections by Todd Blackledge, Penn State's 1982 starting quarterback, this is an essential read for Nittany Lions faithful.

Author Biography

Bill Contz was a starting offensive lineman on Penn State's 1982 national championship team. He played six seasons in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints. He lives near Pittsburgh and works in medical device sales. Todd Blackledge was the starting quarterback on Penn State's 1982 national championship team. Blackledge won the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's top quarterback after the 1982 season and was the seventh pick in the 1983 NFL Draft. Blackledge has worked as a television analyst for more than 20 years and currently is part of ESPN's College Football Primetime team. He lives near Canton, Ohio.

Book Signings

Past Events


Sep
30
Bill Contz - "When the Lions Roared" ›
Altoona, PA
3:30pm
Dec
23
Bill Contz- "When the Lions Roared" ›
Cranberry Twp., PA
6:00pm
Dec
23
Bill Contz- "When the Lions Roared" ›
Monroeville, PA
3:00pm
Dec
22
Bill Contz- "When the Lions Roared" ›
Altoona , PA
6:00pm
Dec
21
Bill Contz- "When the Lions Roared" ›
Pittsburgh , PA
6:00pm
Oct
21
Bill Contz- "When the Lions Roared" ›
University Park, PA
11:00am
Sep
28
Bill Contz - "When the Lions Roared" ›
Cranberry Twp. , PA
6:00pm
Sep
23
Bill Contz - "When the Lions Roared" ›
Pittsburgh, PA
6:00pm
Sep
20
Bill Contz - "When the Lions Roared" ›
Pittsburgh, PA
6:00pm
Sep
15
Bill Contz - "When the Lions Roared" ›
Belle Vernon, PA
4:00pm
Sep
10
Bill Contz and Todd Blackledge- "When the Lions Roared" ›
University Park, PA
11:00am
Sep
09
Bill Contz and Todd Blackledge- "When the Lions Roared" ›
State College, PA
8:00am
Sep
08
Bill Contz with Jed Donohue- "When the Lions Roared" ›
State College, PA
5:00pm
Sep
08
Bill Contz - "When the Lions Roared" ›
State College, PA
2:00pm
Sep
07
Bill Contz - "When the Lions Roared" ›
Camp Hill, PA
3:00pm
Sep
04
Bill Contz- "When the Lions Roared"  ›
State College, PA
1:00pm
Sep
03
Bill Contz - "When the Lions Roared" ›
Altoona , PA
1:00pm
Sep
01
Bill Contz with Jed Donohue - "When the Lions Roared" ›
State College, PA
5:00pm

Press Releases

When the Lions Roared

Joe Paterno and One of College Football’s Greatest Teams

By Bill Contz

Foreword and Commentary by Todd Blackledge

 

Contact: Bill Ames, Triumph Books, 312.676.4256, b.ames@triumphbooks.com

 

Are the 1982 Penn State Lions the best team in college football history? Penn State had many amazing teams during Joe Paterno’s tenure. But the 1982 team secured Penn State’s first national title, forever cementing the Lions’ place in history and the upper echelons of college football programs.  

 

In When the Lions Roared: Joe Paterno and One of College Football’s Greatest Teams (Triumph Books, September 2017), Contz recounts the most memorable and meaningful events that culminated in Penn State’s unexpected 1982 season and National Championship title. Featuring dozens of interviews with former players, this book provides anecdotes from the epic contests of that season while also proving statistically why this Nittany Lions team stands up against all of the talented teams that came before and after. Highlights include:

 

  • A heartfelt foreword and commentary from Todd Blackledge, Penn State’s 1982 starting quarterback, that encapsulates the pride he feels in this historic program and team
  • Insights on key games in the 1982 season, including the controversial come-from-behind win over Nebraska and a heartbreaking early loss to Alabama
  • A detailed timeline of the 1982 Sugar Bowl where Penn State defeated Georgia to secure their first national title
  • The secrets to the success of this special team and why they worked together so well
  • Reflections on Joe Paterno, one of the greatest coaches in the history of the sport, and the “Paternoisms” former players still practice to this day

 

When the Lions Roared offers fans a passionate behind-the-scenes looks at the every game, coach, player and moment leading up to the Nittany Lions’ first national title from people who were there for it all.

 

About the Author:

Bill Contz was a starting offensive lineman on Penn State's 1982 national championship team. He played six seasons in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints. Contz and his wife Melanie been married for 31 years and reside in Cranberry Twp. After his NFL career, Contz spent ten years at Federated Investors and 12 years at Smith & Nephew.

 

Todd Blackledge was the starting quarterback on Penn State's 1982 national championship team. He has worked as a television analyst for more than 20 years and currently is part of ESPN's College Football Primetime team. He lives near Canton, Ohio.

 

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