Franklin presser

[WaffleShopper]

2 former players, brought into the program, and the university, by Franklin are charged with rape and people actually think reporters won’t ask Franklin about it. It’s not the smallest amount reasonable to think that this would not come up. That PSU didn’t have a better response is negligence. You may not like the reporters or that they asked about it. That’s fine. But to not be prepared for probably the most obvious question asked all year is an indicator of total PR incompetence. As for Franklin, when you make $7m per year, you should be prepared for the question, even if the response is to refer to the university statement. That is all he needed to say. Not too hard.

I don't understand how people can't see that the university and Franklin WERE prepared. They spent time preparing a statement and then they gave that statement. Three times. There is nothing more to say. Franklin was told not to say a word about it. It would have been the height of stupidity to say anything more than what was in that statement. University lawyers would have been f*n pissed if someone did. I know nothing about law but I know you don't start winging it on questions about a legal matter when you were specifically told to shut your mouth and not say a word.

The walk away by Franklin wasn't a great look, but I'm sure he was pissed he had to put up with more media BS when they knew he couldn't talk about it. They knew they weren't getting anything so their best bet was writing about his "non-answer". He knew that was going to be their angle and he couldn't do anything about it except be a dick and he has never done that. I give him a hard time when he deserves it, but he's held it together and been cordial for a long damn time even though some of those reporters are complete pieces of shit.

 

[ram2020]

Stewart Mandel
"A master class in how NOT to handle a negative story, by Franklin and Penn St's PR folks.
Try to dictate what reporters can ask? Check.
Performative walk off in a huff? Check.
Create far more viral attention than if he'd just said "I can't comment on that." Check."

Even Jason Whitlock did a 10 minute segment on it today. The story should have been a "nothing burger," penn states handling of it ensured it was not.

 

[LandoComando]

Dude, he got blasted, and rightfully so. It was a total setup, and no one is getting fired. All reporters were notified, they would not be taking questions. Period. Franklin owes no one anything. It's a legal matter, the kids haven't been on the team for months. They never played for Penn State.

It's not a set up--you can't tell reporters want they can ask about--period.
Franklin can't walk away from the podium. That's not on him. That's what he was told to do but someone needs fired for that.
As everyone is saying nationally, you can't handle a non-story worse than we did because now it's being discussed. All he had to say was "Please refer to the statement" and all is good--but he walked away. A leader can NEVER walk away or it becomes a story. That's on our PR/MR staff--not Franklin but Franklin will take heat for it as we've seen.
It doesn't matter that they never played at Penn State--they were recruited and enrolled here--this is tied to Penn State. Like it would be at Michigan or Ohio State or Georgia or anywhere else. The difference is they wouldn't have made a nonstory a story. No one does that better than us.

 

[LandoComando]

Franklin better get used to questions because now the nationally media will be asking him nonstop leading up to Ohio State--all week. By everyone because of this screw up.

 

[GregInPitt]

You claiming she's a moron for asking a legit question is emotion based and lacks logic
How is it childish to ask how early the knew about it? Franklin says "Please refer to the statement" and they move on but we handled it poorly
You're trying to blame her for this when if she didn't ask someone else would have. The next reporter, no matter who they called on, was going to do it.
We handled it poorly as a program. Someone needs to be fired for that.

It's not a "legit question" after PSU says it won't answer questions about the subject. How could anyone believe that it was.

No, no one asks questions that a minute before that they were told wouldn't be entertained for answers during that PC.

Yep, the person that wasn't smart enough to move on after knowing that no questions regarding legal issues is a candidate for being fired. i.e. if she had any legit accountability with her employer.

 

[LandoComando]

It's not a "legit question" after PSU says it won't answer questions about the subject. How could anyone believe that it was.

No, no one asks questions that a minute before that they were told wouldn't be entertained for answers during that PC.

Yep, the person that wasn't smart enough to move on after knowing that no questions regarding legal issues is a candidate for being fired. i.e. if she had any legit accountability with her employer.

It is a legitimate question--see all the tweets I shared. The media doesn't have to honor that request. It's actually an absurd request to make. They're only going to be asked about it more moving forward now.

They do all the time.

Again, you're wrong. She's probably being praised for it and encouraged to ask again at the next press conference.

You do realize next week every national reporter is going to ask because of how poorly we handled this?

You do at least now admit we handled it poorly even if it was someone else's fault or being stupid and asking, right?

 

[Obliviax]

But he didn’t. He hid in the corner like a coward. Admit the obvious. Now I know what a cult looks and acts like. Jim
Jones and Charles Manson would be proud of you. Just drink the cool-aid.

In the real world, healthy organizations admit they are wrong, seek to improve and move on. In the US government and Penn State football, highly paid individuals can’t admit the obvious, evade and make the situation worse.

No he didn’t. He did what the university (and his boss) said they would do

 

[LandoComando]

No he didn’t. He did what the university (and his boss) said they would do

And it's not his fault but he's going to take the heat for it. That comes with being a HC at Penn State. Fair or not,and it's not, he's being absolutely destroyed nationally for this.

 

[Nostraduzzi]

Franklin better get used to questions because now the nationally media will be asking him nonstop leading up to Ohio State--all week. By everyone because of this screw up.

Hey, whatdya think about the BIG game with Wisconsin this Saturday. Holy, Toledo! I think it’s gonna be a barn burner.

 

[LandoComando]

Hey, whatdya think about the BIG game with Wisconsin this Saturday. Holy, Toledo! I think it’s gonna be a barn burner.

Even if we had a real BIG game this week and were playing OSU he'd have gotten this question. Wait until next week if you think they asked too many questions today

 

[Nostraduzzi]

And it's not his fault but he's going to take the heat for it. That comes with being a HC at Penn State. Fair or not,and it's not, he's being absolutely destroyed nationally for this.

Even if we had a real BIG game this week and were playing OSU he'd have gotten this question. Wait until next week if you think they asked too many questions today

Maybe ESPN can create a new channel for reporters that just want to focus on everything but sports. You could tune in to that while wasting your days posting here.

 

[LandoComando]

Maybe ESPN can create a new channel for reporters that just want to focus on everything but sports. You could tune in to that while wasting your days posting here.

This is about sports...even if you wish it wasn't.

 

[Nostraduzzi]

This is about sports...even if you wish it wasn't.

Wrong again. Hope you can get focused on the big game with Wisconsin.

 

[LandoComando]

Wrong again. Hope you can get focused on the big game with Wisconsin.

It's not a big game...its a game we should win easy that doesn't need either of us to focus. We play our C- game we win.
And I'm not wrong. Watch all the attention next week simply because of a bad PR decision. You'll be crying then too about the media doing their job.

 

[Nostraduzzi]

It's not a big game...its a game we should win easy that doesn't need either of us to focus. We play our C- game we win.
And I'm not wrong. Watch all the attention next week simply because of a bad PR decision. You'll be crying then too about the media doing their job.

Good night. See you Saturday during the titanic matchup with the Badgers.

 

[Lion84]

It's not a big game...its a game we should win easy that doesn't need either of us to focus. We play our C- game we win.
And I'm not wrong. Watch all the attention next week simply because of a bad PR decision. You'll be crying then too about the media doing their job.

It is a big game and no this wasn’t about sports its about an alleged crime committed by 2 PSU students and if it was at Millersville no one would report on it at ESPN. They have been kicked off the team and booted from school. What more should be done.

 

[LandoComando]

It is a big game and no this wasn’t about sports its about an alleged crime committed by 2 PSU students and if it was at Millersville no one would report on it at ESPN. They have been kicked off the team and booted from school. What more should be done.

By two Penn State students on campus due to a football scholarship. FOOTBALL. Penn State issued a statement for a reason. Stop pretending otherwise

 

[Hotshoe]

It's not a set up--you can't tell reporters want they can ask about--period.
Franklin can't walk away from the podium. That's not on him. That's what he was told to do but someone needs fired for that.
As everyone is saying nationally, you can't handle a non-story worse than we did because now it's being discussed. All he had to say was "Please refer to the statement" and all is good--but he walked away. A leader can NEVER walk away or it becomes a story. That's on our PR/MR staff--not Franklin but Franklin will take heat for it as we've seen.
It doesn't matter that they never played at Penn State--they were recruited and enrolled here--this is tied to Penn State. Like it would be at Michigan or Ohio State or Georgia or anywhere else. The difference is they wouldn't have made a nonstory a story. No one does that better than us.

Really? Press Secretaries do it on a daily basis. You love drama, and you're making more drama about this than anyone.