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Legendary Pennsylvania coach attacked at home by 38-year-old former player, requires 60 stitches

In a stunning and troubling turn of events, a legendary, longtime Western Pennsylvania football coach was attacked by one of his former athletes at his own home, with the former football player's response so violent that it forced the coach to receive nearly 60 stitches in his ear.

As reported by the Associated Press and a variety of Pittsburgh-area outlets, Sharon (Pa.) High football coach Jim Wildman, who is returning to coach the school in 2013 after an 11-year absence, was attacked in his house by a 38-year-old man named Joseph Koscinski. In the assault, Koscinski bit Wildman around his face, forcing the coach to undergo 60 stitches to close wounds around one of his ears.

Koscinski, 38 was arrested on the scene and was later treated at a hospital, where police had him in custody. The Sharon graduate was charged with aggravated assault, burglary, reckless endangerment and making terrorist threats. His former coach reportedly didn't even realize that he had been attacked by a former player until he was informed of the fact while recovering from his stitches at a local hospital.

"I didn't know him any differently than I know you people," Wildman told Pittsburgh CBS affiliate WKBN. "When I was at the Farrell hospital and I was told who it was, it was news to me. I know nothing about the motivation or anything whatsoever."
There remains no indication of why Koscinski would have attacked his former coach. Sharon police are investigating the attack, but the injuries have yet to slow down Wildman. On Monday, the 66-year-old was back at Sharon practice, coaching with his head wrapped in thick bandages.

Luckily, the coach had a perfectly straight forward response for his athletes for those bandages, too.

"I'm just going to tell them I am beaten up, but I am not beat," said Wildman.

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