Hello Loyal Readers, and welcome to “A Lot of Clips Thursday”!
Today we have this link for my in-depth look at the continued dysfunction that is Penn State’s leadership, from the athletic director to the interim president to the Board of Trustees, which is designed to fail, on Yahoosports.com’s Postgame. In the same month Athletic Director Dave Joyner made a weak attempt to keep a successful coach the players loved, then made a heroic effort to secure a coach whose four Vanderbilt former players have been charged with raping an unconscious, 21-year old woman in a dorm room.
Plus, here are some short clips from recent TV appearances, including live interviews from:
-My December 30 visit with Darren Pang on the NHL Network, to discuss the Winter Classic at the Big House;
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/?id=524472
-My taped tour of the Big House, and all the stories that go with it, for the NHL Network on New Year’s Day;
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=14&id=526360
-My January 3 talk with David Shuster about the future of college football on Al Jazeera;
https://ajam.app.box.com/s/bok5d9ckqvqauo1zwarg
-My January 6 interview with the cast of “The Cycle” on MSNBC to discuss college football.
http://www.msnbc.com/the-cycle/watch/the-pros-and-cons-of-college-football-108255299997
Hope you enjoy them — but as always, there will be no quiz.
Happy Frozen New Year, Northerners!
-John
Every time I hear “the big house” I CRINGE. To me it is like fingernails on a blackboard. It is the home of the Wolverines but it is not a house. The big house sounds VERY disrespectful to me. Please, never refer to MICHIGAN STADIUM as t b h again. Thanks
Dear Mr. Bacon:
I’m an alumni of Penn State, as is my son, and now my daughter is currently a sophomore at Penn State – University Park Campus.
During Joe Paterno’s final decades at Penn State, I was growing tired of the increasing emphasis on his record as well as his ego. The Sandusky crimes commited upon innocent boys sickened me towards Paterno and all the old school politics related to him. I hadn’t been to a Penn State football game for years. And to be quite honest, I did not have many well wishes towards the program
When Bill O’Brien was hired it felt like a breath of fresh air – Literally. My daughter was beginning her college career at Penn State – University Park, and I encouraged her to be a part of “a new beginning” at Penn State University. My husband and I even bought season tickets for the 2013 football season. I was excited to be a part of the electricity in that stadium, and the bond… the unusual but fantastic bond that had obviously been formed between O’Brien, the players, the students, and fans! At least many of the fans. I became annoyed and grumbled every time I passed erected billboards of Paterno stating his accrued actual wins that the NCAA supposedly cheated him of. The billboard going into State College, Pennsylvania actually flashes. But you know Bill O’Brien was above all that – at least on the surface he didn’t seem to mind too much. But I DID!
At the end of the 2014 season (and prior to the rumblings of O’Brien leaving) I sent an email to Dave Joyner expressing my profound happiness with the poise of the Penn State Football team, and Bill O’Brien. I felt that with all the turmoil of the Sandusky scandal, somehow God was able to still bless the football program. I trusted Dave Joyner… A copy of my letter to him is attached.
As I read the article today and excerpts from your book (which I will buy) I am once again enraged. The original problem with this football program from the Paterno era is exactly like the NCAA stated from the beginning – They got it right!! There was a culture of football and egos that overshadowed the dire welfare of innocents boys lives at Penn State University. A culture that has sickened most of the nation, except for the few dire Paterno old school fans that refuse to see the fact that college football wins are not the equivalent of young boys lives – NOR SHOULD THEY BE!
We lost Bill O’Brien, and I am still very angry at that. I know for the sake of the football players, students, and fans who loved O’Brien and want the best for the program I now should move beyond that. But Penn State University once and for all, must OWN what happened during the dark Sandusky AND Paterno years, learn from it, and MOVE ON!
Thank you for your honest reporting.
Sincerely,
Deborah Aldinger
39 Bell Street
Belleville, Pa 17004
814-977-7334
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To At***************@at*******.edu
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Dec 3, 2013
Dear Mr. Joyner:
With so much that has gone wrong for Penn State Football over the past couple of years there appears to be so much that has also gone right. This is a huge thank-you to you, the football coaching staff, the athletes, and the student body.
I am an alumni of PSU, University Park; my son a graduate of PSU, University Park; and now my daughter is a sophomore at PSU, University Park.
When our daughter was making her final plans the summer of her freshmen year (2012) at Penn State to begin classes, she as well as the entire freshmen class were facing the worst possible scandal to hit the university of their choice, and consequently impact the beginning of their college career. Where there is typically great pride in attending the university of your choice as an incoming freshman, there was shame. She was very brave though, and as the fall semester began for her in 2012, I splurged with Penn State fan paraphernalia for her and the up and coming football season that absolutely nobody knew the outcome. It was a rather scary and unsure time for my daughter as well as the whole Penn State Student Body. It was a scary and unsure time for everyone – teachers and staff alike at PSU. But it was an even scarier and unsure time for the coaching staff and the athletes that made up the Penn State Football Program. But I saw something that you may not see very often – I saw a very strong bond growing even stronger between Bill O’Brian and the student body. I don’t know if you can put your finger on it exactly. Maybe they desperately needed each other. I don’t know. But that bond was obvious to any onlooker, and very special. Also, obvious to any onlooker – The coaching staff, athletes, and student body continued to be very courageous through all of the dark days of these early years of a new era – A new era that they all had a hand in pioneering. A hand that looked blessed so often…
Reflecting over the past couple of years I am so very proud of the poise and courage demonstrated by the students and staff at Penn State University. But most of all I am very, very proud of the football program for the exemplary courage and poise they maintained through extremely dark and difficult times.
My husband, Ralph and I bought 2013 season tickets for Penn State Football as well as season tickets for Ice Hockey. I told my husband that I wanted even better season tickets for 2014 and to get right on it. But you know something, it has nothing at all to do with inching nearer to the end of sanctions and up and coming bowl games in years to come. What is MOST important to me is watching a football team play with shear “heart” as opposed to playing for some national standing or bowl game – You can NEVER match that with other college teams battling for the their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, at the end of the season. Our pot of gold has been with the coaching staff and players all along over the past few years. And I’m not sure you will ever be able to bottle this type of play in the future when all sanctions are lifted. You just can not teach or practice “playing with heart.” You just can’t.
Once again, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Athletic Department of Penn State University – To the staff and coaches. But most of all a special thank you to Bill O’Brian for believing in Penn State Football, taking a chance with us, and for all the pride I once again feel.
Sincerely,
Deborah Aldinger
39 Bell Street
Belleville, PA 17004
814-977-7334
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Dec 4, 2013
Ms Aldinger
I want to thank you very much for your great email and comments on Penn State, our staff, Coach O’Brien and our football program.
We indeed are blessed to have such a fine university, staff, coaches and student athletes . I am very happy you enjoyed your season tickets and will be joining us again next year!
I wish you all the best and I will be sure to share this with Coach O’Brien.
Dave
_______________________
David M. Joyner
Director of Athletics
The Pennsylvania State University
101 Bryce Jordan Center
University Park, PA 16802