College Football 2011 Discussion

[Neroon]

Didn't see this one coming: Letter From an OSU Fan to Penn State Fans.... but I like i!

 

[doubleohfive]

He's not a scapegoat. A scapegoat is powerless. Joe had all the power. He failed to act. Don't give me "poor Joe." He is not exonerated because he was a legendary football coach.

That doesn't matter

That's what I've been trying to tell some people for the past hour. It's falling on deaf ears. And it makes me sick. I would be so ashamed if this had happened at my university. As much fun as college football can be, it's not important in the grand scheme of things.

I hear what you're saying. But I think a lot of you in this thread are ignoring the clear, emotional investment in Penn State football, Joe Paterno, and the entire culture around it. I'm not trying to excuse what has happened, just saying that it might be a little more complex for people closer to that world than those of us outside of it.

I tried explaining this to a buddy of mine from college, who I worked with for a while in the admissions office. He's off in Florida now living it up but could not understand the point I was trying to make when we were discussing this on Facebook and wound up flat out de-friending me because we couldn't simply agree to disagree. I mean, seriously? Really?

The bitch of it is that we weren't really even disagreeing, I was just trying to point out that different people will have different reactions and that those people closer to State College will obviously have more personally invested in to the entire situation and its outcome than those who aren't.

 

[Kira's Mom]

It's one thing to be emotionally invested, I get that. But turning over vans and throwing bottles at police makes me think that this football "culture" needs to be changed.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

You know what this is? This is what happens when you form a cult of personality around someone. You get what you have coming for that, for thinking a mortal human being can do no wrong. And when you create that kind of cult of personality, you often send the message to the object of that cult that they can get away with anything they want. It goes to their heads, and it clearly went to Paterno's head. I never liked the guy, ever, before these facts came out--exactly because of that. Because it was clear he thought he was entitled to be "king" for life. Never a good sign.

I'm sorry for those who were outside of this whole thing and could not have known--but not sorry for anyone who thinks Paterno's "legend" status should excuse him from responsibility. If they got burned, it was their own obsession and naivete that did it.

I guarantee that if this had happened at Auburn, and that degree of proof came out, the students and fans at our school would have demanded the perpetrators and enablers be gone.

This is why you don't get excessively wrapped up around celebrities. You get burned and you end up defending all sorts of reprehensible behavior.

 

[doubleohfive]

Again, I was not trying to excuse or turn a blind eye to what has happened. Clearly, very serious things transpired and need to be addressed and rectified.

All I'm saying is that its easy for those of us not personally associated with the school to look down our noses and call for blood. And perhaps we should be, I don't know. What I do know is that it's not as clear-cut for people who went to Penn State, or who loved the football program or who grew up in the culture of that school's legendary standing and have become emotionally invested in it.

Again, I am not excusing the crimes that have been committed. I'm just saying that 1) it's beyond dumb to de-friend someone you've known for years simply because they have a different opinion on this matter and 2) listen to what Alidar Jarok posted. His has been the most sensible voice in this entire discussion, yet all people want to do is get angry and yell. I don't see how that will resolve anything.

 

[Starbreaker]

Mike McQueary is not coaching this weekend due to death threats.

 

[Starbreaker]

Some good games tomorrow. Gonna watch
Florida @ South Carolina - 12 pm
Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech 12 pm
Auburn @ Georgia - 3:30 pm
Tennessee @ Arkansas - 6 pm
and then Oregon @ Stanford - 8 pm

 

[SmoothieX]

It's one thing to be emotionally invested, I get that. But turning over vans and throwing bottles at police makes me think that this football "culture" needs to be changed.

I wonder how many of the rioters read the Sandusky indictment that is freely available.

The interesting thing was listening to people on the radio Thursday saying if it was their kid caught on camera doing that, they'd pull him/her out of school.

 

[drychlick]

this is so wrong and sick so very sick! any 1 standing up for the people in this crime think would you like this done to your son?

 

[Timby]

Mike McQueary is not coaching this weekend due to death threats.

And now he's been placed on administrative leave and has left State College for his safety.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Oh Oklahoma State, why do you have to make the game I decided to watch so boring again?

Texas Tech doesn't know where's up and where's down anymore (let alone left or right). 35:0 and they are barely into the second quarter.

 

[Starbreaker]

Okay... Oklahoma State is going to go undefeated and play LSU. Stanford and Boise State will just have to suck it up.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Okay, so Tech's only score was 6 points on a fumble run back for a touchdown. They then missed the extra point. So....Oklahoma State's defense held Tech's offense to 0 points today in Lubbock.

Works for me.

Lavish praise on Luck all you like. Weeden's a beast. Did it all in three quarters. Or two and two thirds of a quarter. Gundy took him out before the third was over. The second team offensive line played the entire fourth quarter.

 

[tighr]

Oklahoma State can blow out all the Big 12 opponents they want. LSU is still going to curb-stomp them in the BCS MNC, and it will be that much more impressive.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

I don't think Oklahoma State will beat LSU in the title game, but I protest this "curb stomping" prediction. No way.

 

[bullethead]

Man, the Officiating in the FSU/Miami game was fucking terrible. And when was the last time a player was ejected from a game, never mind being ejected for a legal hit on a receiver who flung himself into the defensive player while trying to catch the ball?

 

[tighr]

Man, the Officiating in the FSU/Miami game was fucking terrible. And when was the last time a player was ejected from a game, never mind being ejected for a legal hit on a receiver who flung himself into the defensive player while trying to catch the ball?

That call was ridiculous. It's going to be all over the blogs on Monday.

 

[tomalak301]

Man Stanford cannot Stop this Oregon offense. They've been tripping and falling all over the place. So much for the National Championship, and also so much for the Rose Bowl maybe.

 

[bullethead]

Man, the Officiating in the FSU/Miami game was fucking terrible. And when was the last time a player was ejected from a game, never mind being ejected for a legal hit on a receiver who flung himself into the defensive player while trying to catch the ball?

That call was ridiculous. It's going to be all over the blogs on Monday.

http://t.co/ZA3PoejQSeminole blogs are already all over it.

The first link even has a recording of the live broadcast on ABC of the hit, where you can hear a guy yell phrases including the word "Fuck" in them without anyone on the ABC broadcast crew noticing.

Edit: Now newspaper sports blogs are covering it/

 

[tighr]

They can still go to the Rose Bowl if Oregon gets invited to the BCS MNC.

As an Alabama fan, I don't want Alabama and LSU in a rematch. I'd much prefer Alabama to go to the Sugar Bowl and absolutely destroy whatever unlucky team gets invited, and LSU do the same to whichever team gets to the MNC.