Greg Skrepenak
Encyclopedia
Gregory Andrew Skrepenak (born January 31, 1970) is a convicted felon, a former Luzerne County, Pennsylvania commissioner and a former professional American football
offensive lineman in the National Football League
(NFL) for the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders
and the Carolina Panthers
. He was convicted after admitting he received kickbacks for public contracts. Skrepenak's professional football career spanned the final three years the Raiders played in Los Angeles, California
from 1992-1994 and the first year they returned to Oakland, California in 1995. Then, it continued with consecutive seasons (1996 and 1997) with the Carolina Panthers
in which he did not miss a start.
Prior to his NFL experience Skrepenak had starred in the Big Ten football conference for the University of Michigan
Wolverines
as a two-time All-American, team captain
, and four-year starter from 1988
-1991
. Skrepenak played for four consecutive Big Ten Conference
Champions, appeared in three Rose Bowls and won a Gator Bowl MVP. Previously he had been a scholar athlete at G. A. R. Memorial Junior Senior High School
where he earned 12 varsity letter
s in football, basketball
and baseball
.
Skrepenak, who was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre in Luzerne County
, Pennsylvania
, United States, was elected in 2003 to serve as the Luzerne County Commissioner, a position he held from January 2004. until December, 2009. On December 17, 2009, Skrepenak signed a plea agreement to a charge of corruption. He would resign later that day. On August 6, 2010, Greg Skrepenak was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison.
, where he attended G. A. R. Memorial Junior Senior High School
. In high school, he was an honor student who excelled in three sports: American football
, basketball
and baseball
. In football, he earned All-scholastic, All-state, and All-American recognition. In basketball, where he scored 1600 points
, he was a four-time All-scholastic athlete and two-time conference Most Valuable Player
as well as a McDonald's All-American team nominee. In baseball, he was a three-time All-scholastic awardee and an MVP. As a result of his accomplishments he was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame and the Pennsylvania State Sports Hall of Fame.
At the University of Michigan, Skrepenak was a two-time All-American, a two-time "All Big Ten" selection and a "Big Ten Lineman of the Year". Skrepenak, who wore #75 for the Michigan Wolverines football
program from 1987
to 1991
, was also recognized as a "Samaritan All-American" for his community service. Number 75 for the Wolverines is described as the biggest player to have ever played for Michigan at , 322 pounds (146.1 kg). As a four-year starter, he set the school offensive line record with 48 starts. In addition, he helped his running backs set new standards in yards/carry for Michigan football. During his time at Michigan, Skrepenak played for four consecutive Big Ten Conference
Champions, appeared in three Rose Bowls and won a Gator Bowl MVP. His teams under Bo Schembechler
and Gary Moeller
compiled a 29–2–1 Big Ten record and each of his teams ended the season ranked in the top 10.
In the January 1991 Gator Bowl
, Skrepenak and the entire offensive line, which included Dean Dingman
, were named Most Valuable Player
. Skrepenak helped the Michigan offense gain a record 715 yards of total offense in a 35-3 victory over Mississippi
in the Gator Bowl. This marked the culmination of a productive season in which the offensive line helped Jon Vaughn
set the Michigan football record for career yards per carry (minimum 200 attempts). Behind true senior Dingman and redshirt junior Skrepenak, redshirt sophomore Vaughn concluded his Michigan career that season with 1,473 yards on 226 rush
es for a career 6.3 yards per attempt average, including 1,416 yards on 216 rushes during the 1990 season.
In 1991, he was a consensus All-American. As the senior offensive captain, he was a finalist for both the Outland Trophy
and the Lombardi Award
. He was the January 1, 1991 Gator Bowl
co-MVP and a Senior Bowl
participant. The following season, he was a member of the offensive line that protected Elvis Grbac
while he was connecting with Heisman Trophy
winner Desmond Howard
. Also during that season, Tyrone Wheatley
set the Michigan freshman yards per carry (minimum 50 attempts) with 555 yards on 86 carries for a 6.4 yards per attempt average behind Skrepenak after Dingman graduated. In 2000, he was voted onto the Wolverine’s "All-Century Team".
with the 32nd overall pick in the second round by the Los Angeles Raiders. He stayed with the franchise for four seasons, which included a relocation from Los Angeles to Oakland. During training camp of the 1993 NFL season
he was moving into the starting lineup due to an injury to Gerald Perry
. However, he was injured during his second preseason start when Charles Haley
bull rushed him, which caused him to get tangled up between Jeff Hostetler
and the turf
and which resulted in a dislocated ankle joint that kept him out for the season. Skrepenak did not become a starter for the Raiders until midway through the 1994 NFL season
when he replaced Bruce Wilkerson
. He started the final 10 games of 1994 and the first 14 games of the 1995 NFL season
before being benched toward the end of the season in favor of Robert Jenkins
. Skrepenak was deactivated from the roster
for the final two games of the season right before his contract expired. Officially, the deactivation was due to a combination of a rib injury and the flu, but some say it may have also been partially due to vocal play selection criticism. However, head coach
Mike White and assistant coach Joe Bugel
said the benching was merely a function of the full strength depth chart
upon the return of Gerald Perry. Skrepenak was a vocal detractor on the organization after leaving the Raiders. Among the opinions Skrepenak expressed during his time with the Raiders was that the Raiders overemphasized slogans related to team history while setting penalty records as a team.
The Panthers signed him in the offseason after the 1995 NFL season
as an unrestricted free agent
. While he was a Panther, he and Blake Brockermeyer
were considered the key components of the offensive line. He was the only Panther to start every game of both the 1996 and 1997 National Football League seasons. He was named to the Panther’s All-Time Team. He was released from the team due to salary cap
considerations. Skrepenak was rumored to be sought after by the Miami Dolphins
in 1998. However, he spent the year out of football. Skrepenak was in the Oakland Raiders' 1999 summer camp, but during his comeback attempt he had to leave the Raiders camp in on August 10, 1999 to attend to personal business back in Wilkes-Barre for several days. Skrepenak was a supporter of the new Jon Gruden
coaching administration upon his return to the Raiders despite the fact that he was not as highly paid or expected to start. Skrepenak was a popular offensive lineman with the Raiders and his spot was held in his absence with a special tribute by Steve Wisniewski
and Mo Collins
who both wore his jersey number in his absence. Skrepenak returned to camp for a few weeks. On August 31, he was released.
During Skrepenak's career, he played for only one playoff team. Coach, Dom Capers
' 1996 Carolina Panthers went 12–4 during the 1996 NFL season
but lost to the Green Bay Packers
in the National Football Conference
Championship game of the 1996-97 NFL playoffs
. That season Skrepenak helped protect the teams only Pro Bowl
er, quarterback
Kerry Collins
. Although Skrepenak missed the 1993 NFL season
due to injury, Art Shell
's 1993 Los Angeles Raiders went 10–6 and advanced one round in the 1993-94 NFL playoffs
before losing to the Buffalo Bills
. Skrepenak played offensive tackle during his years with the Raiders and offensive guard during his years with the Panthers. He has regularly played on the right side of the line.
to Hazleton, Pennsylvania
. Skrepenak co-ordinates his efforts on emotional wellness with Wyoming County
.
Skrepenak ran for re-election in the November 6, 2007 election. Skrepenak ran jointly with County Controller Maryanne Petrilla and the pair easily outdistanced the competition in the primary to gain the two nominations. Among the controversies during campaign were the use of debit cards for the commissioners based on a new policy effective September 2005. Skrepenak's expenses totalled $22,139.93, including $3,743 for gang
-related training in Los Angeles, California
, $524.08 for an accounting standards manual and $798.63 for communications equipment.
Skrepenak had considered running for Don Sherwood
's United States House of Representatives
seat that was contested and won by Chris Carney
in the 2006 elections. He had admitted aspirations for higher office. However, after meetings with the National Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
he decided not to run for the United States Congress
in the heavily Republican
district. Congressman Sherwood's defeat allowed the district to go Democratic for the first time since 1961. Skrepenak was re-elected by finishing among the top three in a contest for county commissioner. The unofficial results were Maryanne Petrilla (D) 33,827 votes (29%), Greg Skrepenak (D / Inc.
) 32,281 (27%), Stephen Urban (R / Inc.) 27,835 (24%) and Bill Jones (R) 24,071 (20%).
It was announced December 17, 2009, that Skrepenak was resigning his position with the Luzerne County Commissioners effective immediately. The resignation comes one day after a source said Skrepenak signed a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s office as part of the ongoing pay to play
corruption investigation being conducted in Luzerne County. Skrepenak stated that he resigned due to a clash between longtime cultural practices in county politics and the higher standards of public office and the law. Specifically, he was formally charged with accepting a $5,000 bribe from a developer for voting to accept the developer's project into a government funded tax incentive program.
On August 6, 2010, Greg Skrepenak was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison. United States Federal Sentencing Guidelines called for a 33- to 41-month sentence. However, his sentence was reduced for cooperation with an ongoing federal corruption probe. He was not granted leniency for charitable works, medical complications or devotion to family.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive lineman in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. He was convicted after admitting he received kickbacks for public contracts. Skrepenak's professional football career spanned the final three years the Raiders played in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
from 1992-1994 and the first year they returned to Oakland, California in 1995. Then, it continued with consecutive seasons (1996 and 1997) with the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
in which he did not miss a start.
Prior to his NFL experience Skrepenak had starred in the Big Ten football conference for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
as a two-time All-American, team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
, and four-year starter from 1988
1988 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Notre Dame winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title via a 34-21 defeat of previously unbeaten West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona....
-1991
1991 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split champion for the second consecutive season. Both the Miami Hurricanes and the Washington Huskies finished the season undefeated and with the top ranking in a nationally recognized poll...
. Skrepenak played for four consecutive Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
Champions, appeared in three Rose Bowls and won a Gator Bowl MVP. Previously he had been a scholar athlete at G. A. R. Memorial Junior Senior High School
G. A. R. Memorial Junior Senior High School
G.A.R. Memorial Junior/Senior High School is located on 250 South Grant Street, in Wilkes-Barre, located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States....
where he earned 12 varsity letter
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
s in football, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
.
Skrepenak, who was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre in Luzerne County
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Demographics :As of the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 6.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States, was elected in 2003 to serve as the Luzerne County Commissioner, a position he held from January 2004. until December, 2009. On December 17, 2009, Skrepenak signed a plea agreement to a charge of corruption. He would resign later that day. On August 6, 2010, Greg Skrepenak was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison.
Early life
Skrepenak was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, PennsylvaniaWilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
, where he attended G. A. R. Memorial Junior Senior High School
G. A. R. Memorial Junior Senior High School
G.A.R. Memorial Junior/Senior High School is located on 250 South Grant Street, in Wilkes-Barre, located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States....
. In high school, he was an honor student who excelled in three sports: American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. In football, he earned All-scholastic, All-state, and All-American recognition. In basketball, where he scored 1600 points
Point (basketball)
Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
, he was a four-time All-scholastic athlete and two-time conference Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
as well as a McDonald's All-American team nominee. In baseball, he was a three-time All-scholastic awardee and an MVP. As a result of his accomplishments he was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame and the Pennsylvania State Sports Hall of Fame.
College
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
program from 1987
1987 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Miami winning its second national championship during the 80s in an Orange Bowl match-up featuring a rare #1 vs...
to 1991
1991 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split champion for the second consecutive season. Both the Miami Hurricanes and the Washington Huskies finished the season undefeated and with the top ranking in a nationally recognized poll...
, was also recognized as a "Samaritan All-American" for his community service. Number 75 for the Wolverines is described as the biggest player to have ever played for Michigan at , 322 pounds (146.1 kg). As a four-year starter, he set the school offensive line record with 48 starts. In addition, he helped his running backs set new standards in yards/carry for Michigan football. During his time at Michigan, Skrepenak played for four consecutive Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
Champions, appeared in three Rose Bowls and won a Gator Bowl MVP. His teams under Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
and Gary Moeller
Gary Moeller
Gary O. Moeller is an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 for a winning percentage of .758...
compiled a 29–2–1 Big Ten record and each of his teams ended the season ranked in the top 10.
In the January 1991 Gator Bowl
1991 Gator Bowl (January)
The January 1991 Gator Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1991. The Michigan Wolverines, co-champions of the Big Ten Conference, defeated the Ole Miss Rebels of the Southeastern Conference, 35–3....
, Skrepenak and the entire offensive line, which included Dean Dingman
Dean Dingman
Dean Dingman is a former All-American offensive guard who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines football team from 1987-1990. He was drafted by in the eighth round of the 1991 NFL Draft...
, were named Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. Skrepenak helped the Michigan offense gain a record 715 yards of total offense in a 35-3 victory over Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
in the Gator Bowl. This marked the culmination of a productive season in which the offensive line helped Jon Vaughn
Jon Vaughn
Jonathan Stewart Vaughn is a former professional American football player who played running back and served as a kick returner in the National Football League for 4 seasons from 1991 to 1994 for the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, and Kansas City Chiefs...
set the Michigan football record for career yards per carry (minimum 200 attempts). Behind true senior Dingman and redshirt junior Skrepenak, redshirt sophomore Vaughn concluded his Michigan career that season with 1,473 yards on 226 rush
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
es for a career 6.3 yards per attempt average, including 1,416 yards on 216 rushes during the 1990 season.
In 1991, he was a consensus All-American. As the senior offensive captain, he was a finalist for both the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
and the Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
. He was the January 1, 1991 Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
co-MVP and a Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
participant. The following season, he was a member of the offensive line that protected Elvis Grbac
Elvis Grbac
Elvis M. Grbac is a retired American football quarterback who played in the NFL. During his career he was a starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens...
while he was connecting with Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Desmond Howard
Desmond Howard
Desmond Kevin Howard is a former NFL wide receiver, punt returner, and kickoff returner.He played football for the University of Michigan from 1989–1991 and won the Heisman Trophy in 1991...
. Also during that season, Tyrone Wheatley
Tyrone Wheatley
Tyrone Anthony Wheatley is the running backs coach at Syracuse University and a former professional American football player who played 10 seasons in the National Football League and was one of the most successful high school and collegiate athletes in Metropolitan Detroit history...
set the Michigan freshman yards per carry (minimum 50 attempts) with 555 yards on 86 carries for a 6.4 yards per attempt average behind Skrepenak after Dingman graduated. In 2000, he was voted onto the Wolverine’s "All-Century Team".
Professional football
Skrepenak was drafted in the 1992 NFL Draft1992 NFL Draft
The 1992 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1992. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft...
with the 32nd overall pick in the second round by the Los Angeles Raiders. He stayed with the franchise for four seasons, which included a relocation from Los Angeles to Oakland. During training camp of the 1993 NFL season
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
he was moving into the starting lineup due to an injury to Gerald Perry
Gerald Perry
Gerald June Perry is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1983 to 1995 for the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals. Perry was selected to the 1988 National League All-Star team. In 1993 he tied a St...
. However, he was injured during his second preseason start when Charles Haley
Charles Haley
Charles Lewis Haley is a former American football linebacker and defensive end in the National Football League who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys . He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft out of James Madison University...
bull rushed him, which caused him to get tangled up between Jeff Hostetler
Jeff Hostetler
William Jeffrey Hostetler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. His nickname is "Hoss".-Penn State:...
and the turf
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
and which resulted in a dislocated ankle joint that kept him out for the season. Skrepenak did not become a starter for the Raiders until midway through the 1994 NFL season
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
when he replaced Bruce Wilkerson
Bruce Wilkerson
Bruce Alan Wilkerson is a former American football player who played tackle for three NFL teams from 1987 to 1997. He started in Super Bowl XXXI for the Green Bay Packers. He is now employed by the Aluminum Company of America. He has a daughter named Starkicia and a son named Jeremy....
. He started the final 10 games of 1994 and the first 14 games of the 1995 NFL season
1995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
before being benched toward the end of the season in favor of Robert Jenkins
Robert Jenkins (American football)
Robert Jenkins was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, the Los Angeles Raiders and the Oakland Raiders....
. Skrepenak was deactivated from the roster
Roster
A roster is a list of names of people involved with an organization of some kind.A roster can be a list of people and the times when they are required to work or a list of students in a classroom....
for the final two games of the season right before his contract expired. Officially, the deactivation was due to a combination of a rib injury and the flu, but some say it may have also been partially due to vocal play selection criticism. However, head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Mike White and assistant coach Joe Bugel
Joe Bugel
Joseph John 'Buges' Bugel was the Offensive line coach for the Washington Redskins from 1981 to 1989 and from 2004 to 2009...
said the benching was merely a function of the full strength depth chart
Depth chart
In sports, a depth chart is used to show the placements of the starting players and the secondary players. Generally a starting player will be listed first or on top while a back-up will be listed below...
upon the return of Gerald Perry. Skrepenak was a vocal detractor on the organization after leaving the Raiders. Among the opinions Skrepenak expressed during his time with the Raiders was that the Raiders overemphasized slogans related to team history while setting penalty records as a team.
The Panthers signed him in the offseason after the 1995 NFL season
1995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
as an unrestricted free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. While he was a Panther, he and Blake Brockermeyer
Blake Brockermeyer
Blake Weeks Brockermeyer is an American football offensive tackle who formerly played for the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, and Denver Broncos in the NFL. He attended High School at Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth, TX were he was an 1991 All-American. He played college football at...
were considered the key components of the offensive line. He was the only Panther to start every game of both the 1996 and 1997 National Football League seasons. He was named to the Panther’s All-Time Team. He was released from the team due to salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
considerations. Skrepenak was rumored to be sought after by the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1998. However, he spent the year out of football. Skrepenak was in the Oakland Raiders' 1999 summer camp, but during his comeback attempt he had to leave the Raiders camp in on August 10, 1999 to attend to personal business back in Wilkes-Barre for several days. Skrepenak was a supporter of the new Jon Gruden
Jon Gruden
Jon David Gruden is an American football analyst and former head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven seasons and prior to that the Oakland Raiders for four seasons. In his first year as the head coach of Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII, defeating the Raiders whom he had...
coaching administration upon his return to the Raiders despite the fact that he was not as highly paid or expected to start. Skrepenak was a popular offensive lineman with the Raiders and his spot was held in his absence with a special tribute by Steve Wisniewski
Steve Wisniewski
Steve Wisniewski nicknamed "The Wiz" is a former Offensive Lineman who played 13 seasons with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders and is now an assistant offensive line coach for the Oakland Raiders. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1989 NFL Draft. His rights were traded...
and Mo Collins
Mo Collins
Maureen "Mo" Ann Collins is an American actress and comedian. Collins is perhaps best known for being a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series MADtv. She became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show...
who both wore his jersey number in his absence. Skrepenak returned to camp for a few weeks. On August 31, he was released.
During Skrepenak's career, he played for only one playoff team. Coach, Dom Capers
Dom Capers
Ernest Dominic "Dom" Capers is an American football coach, the current defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers, and the only man to serve two different National Football League expansion teams as their inaugural head coach....
' 1996 Carolina Panthers went 12–4 during the 1996 NFL season
1996 NFL season
The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end...
but lost to the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in the National Football Conference
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
Championship game of the 1996-97 NFL playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1996-97
The NFL playoffs following the 1996 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXI. This post-season was remarkable in that the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers each made it all the way to their respective conference championships, only two years after their inception into the league as expansion...
. That season Skrepenak helped protect the teams only Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er, quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
. Although Skrepenak missed the 1993 NFL season
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
due to injury, Art Shell
Art Shell
Arthur "Art" Shell is an American former collegiate and professional football player in the American Football League and later in the NFL, a Hall of Fame offensive tackle, and a two-time former head coach of the Oakland Raiders...
's 1993 Los Angeles Raiders went 10–6 and advanced one round in the 1993-94 NFL playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1993-94
The NFL playoffs following the 1993 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXVIII. Since the 1993 regular season was conducted over 18 weeks , the traditional bye week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl was removed.-Bracket:...
before losing to the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Skrepenak played offensive tackle during his years with the Raiders and offensive guard during his years with the Panthers. He has regularly played on the right side of the line.
Political career
He returned to Luzerne County, where his ancestry traces back several generations, upon retirement from football to raise his three children. He has since become involved in numerous community and political organizations and activities. He was elected to the Luzerne County Board of Commissioners in 2003 and has served as its chairman since January 6, 2004. His agenda is fighting drug abuse and crime. However, he has also earmarked $2.5 million in Community Development funding for the Wilkes-Barre Movies 14 Complex. He is also involved in bringing a new airportAirport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
to Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Hazleton is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census, an increase of 8.6% from the 2000 census count .-Greater Hazleton:...
. Skrepenak co-ordinates his efforts on emotional wellness with Wyoming County
Wyoming County, Pennsylvania
Wyoming County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It was created in 1842 from part of Luzerne County. Its county seat is Tunkhannock.-Geography:According to the U.S...
.
Skrepenak ran for re-election in the November 6, 2007 election. Skrepenak ran jointly with County Controller Maryanne Petrilla and the pair easily outdistanced the competition in the primary to gain the two nominations. Among the controversies during campaign were the use of debit cards for the commissioners based on a new policy effective September 2005. Skrepenak's expenses totalled $22,139.93, including $3,743 for gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
-related training in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, $524.08 for an accounting standards manual and $798.63 for communications equipment.
Skrepenak had considered running for Don Sherwood
Don Sherwood
Donald L. "Don" Sherwood is an American politician. He served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district, from 1999 to 2007...
's United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
seat that was contested and won by Chris Carney
Chris Carney
Christopher P. "Chris" Carney is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was a prominent member of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition....
in the 2006 elections. He had admitted aspirations for higher office. However, after meetings with the National Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. They play a critical role in recruiting candidates, raising funds, and organizing races in districts that are expected to yield...
he decided not to run for the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in the heavily Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
district. Congressman Sherwood's defeat allowed the district to go Democratic for the first time since 1961. Skrepenak was re-elected by finishing among the top three in a contest for county commissioner. The unofficial results were Maryanne Petrilla (D) 33,827 votes (29%), Greg Skrepenak (D / Inc.
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
) 32,281 (27%), Stephen Urban (R / Inc.) 27,835 (24%) and Bill Jones (R) 24,071 (20%).
It was announced December 17, 2009, that Skrepenak was resigning his position with the Luzerne County Commissioners effective immediately. The resignation comes one day after a source said Skrepenak signed a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s office as part of the ongoing pay to play
Pay to Play
Pay to play, sometimes pay for play, is a phrase used for a variety of situations in which money is exchanged for services or the privilege to engage in certain activities...
corruption investigation being conducted in Luzerne County. Skrepenak stated that he resigned due to a clash between longtime cultural practices in county politics and the higher standards of public office and the law. Specifically, he was formally charged with accepting a $5,000 bribe from a developer for voting to accept the developer's project into a government funded tax incentive program.
On August 6, 2010, Greg Skrepenak was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison. United States Federal Sentencing Guidelines called for a 33- to 41-month sentence. However, his sentence was reduced for cooperation with an ongoing federal corruption probe. He was not granted leniency for charitable works, medical complications or devotion to family.