at first, i tried to be sympathetic. my sister is a penn state alumna and i know how much penn state means to her. when the story first broke last year, she was devastated. for the sake of my sister and my friends, i tried to stay supportive of the students, all the while expressing my discontent, disbelief, and disgust at the way the administration handled everything - from their knowledge that sandusky was a pedophile to their firing of paterno. each time i put down the administration, i acknowledged that penn state is a great university and that i support its students.
after the ncaa handed down their penalty, i continued to support the students and alumni. i said that it's a shame for the current players who had visions of bowl games and nfl contracts dancing in their heads. not that i don't think the penalties are fair - i absolutely do (and here's why). but i sympathize with the plight of the current students and athletes.
then i saw this.
and now i'm pissed off. any sympathy i had for the students and players is gone. all i keep hearing from my friends who are penn state alumni is "we are more than just football." you want to prove that? this is not the way to do it. this is a disgrace. this is distasteful. penn state is better than this. this proves everything that every naysayer has said about penn state. this shows that this is not an academic institution but a football school. this shows no thought whatsoever for the victims. how do you think the victims feel, knowing an entire football team, university, and alumni network are pissed off....because they came forward?
quit showing me pictures of thon and telling me you care about the kids. everyone knows you care about kids with cancer. one of my sister's friends posted "caring about penn state and caring about the victims is not mutually exclusive." no? prove it. show me you care about sandusky's victims, and all victims of childhood sexual abuse. this year, make thon benefit victims of childhood abuse.
it is time to move on. coach o'brien says it's time to stop looking at the past and look to the future. the ncaa has handed down the sanctions and like them or not, you are going to have to deal with them. penn state is not the only school who has been dealt sanctions, or did you forget about ohio state, who has scholarship reductions and is still banned from postseason. the exact same penalties handed to penn state. no, these weren't field violations (which is the argument i've seen many times as to why the sanctions are out of line), but they were moral violations that were perpetuated by the athletic department. and that athletic department needs to be held accountable.
yes, it's a shame that the current students and players are having to pay for crimes committed 10+ years ago. yes, the university as a whole will be affected by this. but think about the children who lost their innocence at the hands of one man, and who weren't protected by those in a position to do so. who have been affected by this for the past 20 years and will continue to have to live with this for the rest of their lives.
penn state, you are better than this. you are a strong institution. a true football legacy. the biggest alumni network in the country. it's time to band together. your legacy is at risk because a few men didn't do the right thing. be better than they were. i am not a penn state fan, but i know you can do this.
after the ncaa handed down their penalty, i continued to support the students and alumni. i said that it's a shame for the current players who had visions of bowl games and nfl contracts dancing in their heads. not that i don't think the penalties are fair - i absolutely do (and here's why). but i sympathize with the plight of the current students and athletes.
then i saw this.
and now i'm pissed off. any sympathy i had for the students and players is gone. all i keep hearing from my friends who are penn state alumni is "we are more than just football." you want to prove that? this is not the way to do it. this is a disgrace. this is distasteful. penn state is better than this. this proves everything that every naysayer has said about penn state. this shows that this is not an academic institution but a football school. this shows no thought whatsoever for the victims. how do you think the victims feel, knowing an entire football team, university, and alumni network are pissed off....because they came forward?
quit showing me pictures of thon and telling me you care about the kids. everyone knows you care about kids with cancer. one of my sister's friends posted "caring about penn state and caring about the victims is not mutually exclusive." no? prove it. show me you care about sandusky's victims, and all victims of childhood sexual abuse. this year, make thon benefit victims of childhood abuse.
it is time to move on. coach o'brien says it's time to stop looking at the past and look to the future. the ncaa has handed down the sanctions and like them or not, you are going to have to deal with them. penn state is not the only school who has been dealt sanctions, or did you forget about ohio state, who has scholarship reductions and is still banned from postseason. the exact same penalties handed to penn state. no, these weren't field violations (which is the argument i've seen many times as to why the sanctions are out of line), but they were moral violations that were perpetuated by the athletic department. and that athletic department needs to be held accountable.
yes, it's a shame that the current students and players are having to pay for crimes committed 10+ years ago. yes, the university as a whole will be affected by this. but think about the children who lost their innocence at the hands of one man, and who weren't protected by those in a position to do so. who have been affected by this for the past 20 years and will continue to have to live with this for the rest of their lives.
penn state, you are better than this. you are a strong institution. a true football legacy. the biggest alumni network in the country. it's time to band together. your legacy is at risk because a few men didn't do the right thing. be better than they were. i am not a penn state fan, but i know you can do this.
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