Just a few thoughts on a great institution that is Penn State

When I was born, Joe Paterno had just completed his 2nd year as head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions. I'm 43. Living in Pennsylvania, about 3 hours east of Happy Valley, Penn State football has been a part of my life since I was old enough to remember.

When my older brother and sister went to college there in the mid to late 70's, weekly trips to State College became routine. For an 8 year old, the Penn State campus was larger than life....and it became a second home.

My first ever game was the Pitt/Penn State game in 1978. I remember it was freezing cold, and PSU won 17-10. I remember crying when they lost 14-7 to Alabama in the Sugar bowl that year. I named my parakeet after their wide receiver. I thought Paterno was a god.

Shockingly, to be defiant, I didn't go to Penn State. But as a young adult, I would never miss a home game. Tailgating in Happy Valley was as normal an activity as waking up in the morning. There really isn't anything like State College on an autumn football Saturday.

My sister married a State college high school and Penn State grad. Her two boys have recently graduated from PSU. For the 30 years they have been married, they have never missed a game, even though they live 4 hours from State College. Last season they had their son schedule his wedding on a Friday, so they could make the trip to Happy Valley on Saturday morning for the season's opener.

I spoke to my sister a little while ago to see how she was doing. I could hear as she spoke of the situation in State College, how truly devastated she and her husband are. I had tears in my eyes as I heard her crackling voice describe how they feel as if there is a death in the family. Their connection to Penn State runs a lot deeper than 7 home games a year in Beaver stadium. Their connection runs deep, as it does with a lot of Penn Staters.

I don't hide that fact that I am LSU fan. I have liked LSU since I was young. But I was brought up around the Penn State family. And I feel an incredible loss too. Loss. Embarrasment. Disappointment. The list is endless.

No one at Penn State is making excuses. No one is showing support or defending what Sandusky did, or the inaction of the people who knew what he did. Penn Stater's are as disgusted as the rest of the Nation. Most Penn State fans are in shock. They are in mourning. The fact that the Penn State name will be a punch line for years to come is very sad.

I can tell by talking on this message board how deep the passion for LSU runs with you all. Imagine if this scandal would have happened in Baton Rouge. Imagine.

There is a death in a lot of families this week.

 

You got it pal.

 

I feel for you Penn. Aside from the obvious victims there are thousands of Penn State fans that are/will be affected by this horrible situation.

 

Pennsylvania,

I feel the same way. Being the daughter of a high school football coach, I've admired the college coaches all my life.

My dad especially admired Joe Paterno. One interaction with him in 1977 made my dad a fan for life. Paterno was a keynote speaker at the Louisiana High School Coaches Association conference. My dad was really interested in the defensive material that Paterno spoke about.

Dad wrote JoePa and letter, asking for clarification on a couple of the points. Two weeks went by, during August two-a-days for PSU, and a huge binder of information arrived in the mail for my dad. It was the complete Penn State defensive playbook with handwritten notes (by none other than Jerry Sandusky--gag...now).

As my dad tells it, he could not believe that Paterno paid so much attention to one high school football coach from Louisiana, as he didn't recruit Louisiana--ever, so he had nothing at all to gain, except to help teach a colleague.

Dad always said, sure he could go hang out in Charlie MacClendon's office and he had dinner with Pat Dye, along with numerous other interactions with Southern football coaches, but Paterno was special.

Now, I know he doesn't want to believe the allegations are true. But he does.

You're right; it is like a death. A death of something you believed was good and honest and moral. In a world of so much chaos, Paterno was one of the good guys--even though he certainly should've retired a decade ago. He held on too long, and now this has happened.

All of it is a shame.

 

its painful to think about. I cant even wrap my small brain around it all.


what was the receivers name?

 

I have, had a teammate that I played college basketball with, he was and is a Penn State fan. We talked when LSU played Penn State in the bowl game a few years ago. Today I thought about what if this happened at my favorite college, which of course is LSU. I also looked up to Joe Pa because he seemed like a wonderful man and he has been coaching there almost as long as I've been alive. This is such a shock to me, I am so sad for college football and for the Penn State nation. This goes to show just what can happen when a few individuals don't do the right thing, It affects the whole Penn State nation and college football, much more than it would have had someone did the right thing. BUT you have to think about all the victims affected by this crime. All of us only wish this was about recruiting violations or something less serious. :-(

 

Scott Fitzkee. Chuck Fusina was the QB that year. I think he finished 2nd in the Heisman voting.

 

I've been trying to imagine what would have happened if back in 2002, they would have done the right thing and reported what McQueary saw to police?
We wouldn't be talking about McQueary or Paterno. We wouldn't be talking about administrators and cover ups. We WOULD be talking about dispicable, deplorable, and unspeakable acts perpetrated by long time Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky...on the Penn State campus.
There is no doubt the cover up and the 10 years that passed have made it much worse. But I have to think that we, as Penn State fans, would feel just as embarrassed, and dirty.