Let's be honest: The notion the names were put on to honor...

[NittanyChris]

the players who stayed was always a farce. Putting the names on the jerseys was just one more foolish attempt by our disgusting higher-ups to distance themselves from Joseph Vincent Paterno.

The idea that they were honoring the players who stayed was only a rationalization to attempt to make it more palatable to appropriately angry alumni. OF COURSE, we should have honored the incredible young men who stayed to pull the team through crisis. However, that was NEVER the real reason the names were put on the jerseys.

 

[Lionguy32]

the players who stayed was always a farce. Putting the names on the jerseys was just one more foolish attempt by our disgusting higher-ups to distance themselves from Joseph Vincent Paterno.

The idea that they were honoring the players who stayed was only a rationalization to attempt to make it more palatable to appropriately angry alumni. OF COURSE, we should have honored the incredible young men who stayed to pull the team through crisis. However, that was NEVER the real reason the names were put on the jerseys.

Sorry but I don't believe for a second that Bill O'Brien would flat out lie for the sake of the administration.

 

[jp3272]

the players who stayed was always a farce. Putting the names on the jerseys was just one more foolish attempt by our disgusting higher-ups to distance themselves from Joseph Vincent Paterno.

The idea that they were honoring the players who stayed was only a rationalization to attempt to make it more palatable to appropriately angry alumni. OF COURSE, we should have honored the incredible young men who stayed to pull the team through crisis. However, that was NEVER the real reason the names were put on the jerseys.

I don't agree with this. I always felt OB as the coach was using the names as a motivational tactic, not a directive from the powers that be to undermine Paterno. Remember there never were names on the jerseys for 125+ years. Obviously predating Paterno.

 

[uppermaclion]

This is pretty far out there. BOB didn't seem like he had a great relationship with administration, ie Joyner. No way he was doing that as a slight at Joe. I think you're grasping at straws with that one.

 

[lockhavenlion3]

This is pretty far out there. BOB didn't seem like he had a great relationship with administration, ie Joyner. No way he was doing that as a slight at Joe. I think you're grasping at straws with that one.

yep, first 3 responses are right on.

 

[PSU-Knocker]

I don't agree with this. I always felt OB as the coach was using the names as a motivational tactic, not a directive from the powers that be to undermine Paterno. Remember there never were names on the jerseys for 125+ years. Obviously predating Paterno.

Please explain how names on the jerseys was "motivational". Did you hear the statements by Franklin that past players were very happy with this announcement of nameless jerseys. What motivated those players that never had their names on their jerseys?

 

[Mister Magoo]

OB never liked Joe's alma mater. Oh, nevermind Only admired him as a young man throughout his coaching career.

 

[NittanyChris]

Sorry but I don't believe for a second that Bill O'Brien would flat out lie for the sake of the administration.

I don't believe he lied for the administration. I believe he was told the names were being put on so he devised a rationale that would make it palatable to the fans.

 

[Bushwood CC]

the players who stayed was always a farce. Putting the names on the jerseys was just one more foolish attempt by our disgusting higher-ups to distance themselves from Joseph Vincent Paterno.

The idea that they were honoring the players who stayed was only a rationalization to attempt to make it more palatable to appropriately angry alumni. OF COURSE, we should have honored the incredible young men who stayed to pull the team through crisis. However, that was NEVER the real reason the names were put on the jerseys.

No doubt as this excerpt from BWI's homepage attests:

***************************************************************
The players' importance to the success of the program, however, is exactly why the fate of Penn State's jerseys matters. And by and large, they've spoken.

Jerseys without names on the back - signifying that no one individual in an ultimate team game has any more importance than any other piece - are overwhelmingly preferred by the hundreds of living Penn State Lettermen. Thursday's announcement by second-year head coach James Franklin that the jerseys would return to their traditional look, held for 125 years previously, was met with great enthusiasm as a result.

"I knew this was important from day one. Any decision you make, there's going to be a percentage either way that don't completely agree. I think this is one that's a little bit hard to argue with because this is a program that was built on history and tradition, success with honor, all the things that we hold so dear to our hearts," Franklin told the media Thursday afternoon. "The fact that we have tradition to embrace, the fact that we have history to embrace and hold onto I think is valuable. There's programs that would give their right arms to have the history and the tradition that we have."

And that, it seems, speaks to the core of why so many Lettermen feel so strongly about a topic that might otherwise seem superfluous.
****************************************************************

 

[fairgambit]

the players who stayed was always a farce. Putting the names on the jerseys was just one more foolish attempt by our disgusting higher-ups to distance themselves from Joseph Vincent Paterno.
The idea that they were honoring the players who stayed was only a rationalization to attempt to make it more palatable to appropriately angry alumni. OF COURSE, we should have honored the incredible young men who stayed to pull the team through crisis. However, that was NEVER the real reason the names were put on the jerseys.

I think you will likely be in the minority on this Chris, but I've had the same thought myself. Of course, there was no way to be certain so I've given O'Brien the benefit of the doubt. Regardless of the reason, it's a part of our history now and, with their removal, this is one area where I will move on and celebrate a return to tradition.

 

[NittanyChris]

Absolutely! Bravo to Coach Franklin for honoring our great tradition of success with honor by taking the names off the jerseys. He clearly "gets it".

 

[Connorpozlee]

Not exactly sure why it was done, but never really bought the "honoring those that stayed" line. Don't really care much either way but I never bought that as the reasoning.

 

[jp3272]

Please explain how names on the jerseys was "motivational". Did you hear the statements by Franklin that past players were very happy with this announcement of nameless jerseys. What motivated those players that never had their names on their jerseys?

I'm no football coach but could rationalize the names as a sort of individual reward for sticking with the program in 2012. Seemed appropriate at the time.

 

[BobPSU92]

Different times. In 2012, I think the players and coaches liked the idea of honoring those who stayed with names on the jerseys. Now in 2015, the players and coaches feel it is time to return to the tradition of no names on the jerseys. As Franklin said, this is part of the healing process. That is not to say that putting the names on in 2012 was done to disrespect tradition, but it was a unique time, and it was felt that honoring the players with their names on the jerseys was proper.

 

[PSU-Knocker]

I'm no football coach but could rationalize the names as a sort of individual reward for sticking with the program in 2012. Seemed appropriate at the time.

I respect your opinion but to use your word, "rationalize" would be a good term to use.

 

[Michael.Felli]

the players who stayed was always a farce. Putting the names on the jerseys was just one more foolish attempt by our disgusting higher-ups to distance themselves from Joseph Vincent Paterno.

The idea that they were honoring the players who stayed was only a rationalization to attempt to make it more palatable to appropriately angry alumni. OF COURSE, we should have honored the incredible young men who stayed to pull the team through crisis. However, that was NEVER the real reason the names were put on the jerseys.

I, too, agree with your assertion.

 

[bsmith51]

If they really wanted to distance themselves, there were alot better ways to do that than simply add names to jerseys. They could have changed up the whole uniform. (Blue helmets with decals, etc.)

 

[bvillebaron]

the players who stayed was always a farce. Putting the names on the jerseys was just one more foolish attempt by our disgusting higher-ups to distance themselves from Joseph Vincent Paterno.

The idea that they were honoring the players who stayed was only a rationalization to attempt to make it more palatable to appropriately angry alumni. OF COURSE, we should have honored the incredible young men who stayed to pull the team through crisis. However, that was NEVER the real reason the names were put on the jerseys.

No one despises the administration and BOT for the way they sold and continue to sell this great university down the river, but I don't think they played any role in O'Brien's decision to put the names on the jerseys.

 

[fairgambit]

If they really wanted to distance themselves, there were alot better ways to do that than simply add names to jerseys. They could have changed up the whole uniform. (Blue helmets with decals, etc.)

They knew wholesale change would have resulted in open rebellion. This group's mantra is "death by a thousand cuts".

 

[psulax3]

I don't believe he lied for the administration. I believe he was told the names were being put on so he devised a rationale that would make it palatable to the fans.

Take off the tin foil hat

 

[NittanySteel]

Who gives a shit either way.

 

[PSU-Knocker]

Who gives a shit either way.

If you don't, why did you feel the need to post in this thread? Did you not understand, from the title of the thread, what the thread was about? Did you just decide that you needed to put your stamp on the thread?

 

[psugisher]

I think we've been fed so many lines of BS that its difficult not to doubt everything. I think O'brien had to do a lot of things he didn't want to do and it made the move back to the NFL a no brainer. I don't doubt the BOT or perhaps the NCAA pushed O'brien to do certain things like add the names. O'brien was a smart enough guy to put a positive spin on just about everything except the shitty officiating. Everything was done by the BOT to distance PSU from Paterno, but it was virtually impossible to distance Penn State football from Joe Paterno. The 2012 on the stadium wall of honor recognized that group much more than the names on the jerseys did. The fans that have stuck with the program through this will remember the players involved and that 2012 on the east side of the stadium will trigger those memories for as long as Beaver Stadium stays standing.

 

[sluggo72]

No one despises the administration and BOT for the way they sold and continue to sell this great university down the river, but I don't think they played any role in O'Brien's decision to put the names on the jerseys.[/QUOTE
BO'B said he wasn't going to make any changes to the Uni's, and then like 1 week before the season he decides to put them on?? Really?? logistically it was a night mare for Sypder. I don't think this was BO'B idea at all. IIRC Tom said as much as well. this had Uncle Festers hand print all over it.

 

[94LionsFan]

Take off the tin foil hat

Tom McA (board moderator with connections and credibility) said this last month:
http://bwi.forums.rivals.com/thread...o-return-to-nameless.17124/page-2#post-225474

 

[Westcoast24]

the players who stayed was always a farce. Putting the names on the jerseys was just one more foolish attempt by our disgusting higher-ups to distance themselves from Joseph Vincent Paterno.

The idea that they were honoring the players who stayed was only a rationalization to attempt to make it more palatable to appropriately angry alumni. OF COURSE, we should have honored the incredible young men who stayed to pull the team through crisis. However, that was NEVER the real reason the names were put on the jerseys.

Does every single thing that happens have to be some big conspiracy?

 

[blion72]

This is pretty far out there. BOB didn't seem like he had a great relationship with administration, ie Joyner. No way he was doing that as a slight at Joe. I think you're grasping at straws with that one.

I agree - BOB just did this because he thought it was motivational. I don't think it had anything to do with BoT, JVP or even honoring "those who stayed". Some of his comments early suggest he was going to do this BEFORE there were any sanctions.

 

[94LionsFan]

I agree - BOB just did this because he thought it was motivational. I don't think it had anything to do with BoT, JVP or even honoring "those who stayed". Some of his comments early suggest he was going to do this BEFORE there were any sanctions.

Really? Because this is what I remember:
"I am not touching the uniform. When you turn on TV and see Penn State, everybody in the world knows that is Penn State because of the uniforms. Plus, the type of person I am, it is a team. And these guys are going to learn right away how important the team is to me. So no names on the back of the jerseys, a modest uniform - white helmets, blue jerseys - those are things that are very, very important to me. I can tell you right now that we are not touching that. That is a huge part about what we are all about."
http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011112aaa.html

 

[fairgambit]

Tom McA (board moderator with connections and credibility) said this last month:
http://bwi.forums.rivals.com/thread...o-return-to-nameless.17124/page-2#post-225474

Let's just print that out for anyone not motivated enough to click the link....
Tom said:
"If anything, it's you that has a short memory. I've posted several times about the decision to put names on the uniforms in 2012. Bill O'Brien said multiple times, between the time he was hired and the announcement of names on the uniforms, that there would not be changes to the uniforms. The absence of names on the unis was not a big deal to him.

The decision to put names on the uniforms was not made by O'Brien and his staff. The decision was made at a higher level, and O'Brien was informed of what was going to take place -- not asked if he agreed with it. He was a good soldier in the press, indicated that he supported the change, and to some extent even made statements that seemed to indicate that the change was made by the coaching staff. However, in private he was angry that he was undercut, and made to look foolish, after he had stated repeatedly that there would be no changes to the uniforms."
87 Tom McAndrew, Jun 14, 2015

 

[PSU_Nut]

the players who stayed was always a farce. Putting the names on the jerseys was just one more foolish attempt by our disgusting higher-ups to distance themselves from Joseph Vincent Paterno.

The idea that they were honoring the players who stayed was only a rationalization to attempt to make it more palatable to appropriately angry alumni. OF COURSE, we should have honored the incredible young men who stayed to pull the team through crisis. However, that was NEVER the real reason the names were put on the jerseys.

If that was the case then why did they allow murals of Joe to remain inside the stadium? Secondly if they really wanted to distance them they would have ordered an entire uniform makeover.

 

[fairgambit]

If that was the case then why did they allow murals of Joe to remain inside the stadium? Secondly if they really wanted to distance them they would have ordered an entire uniform makeover.

As I posted above, they knew wholesale change would have resulted in open rebellion. This group's mantra is "death by a thousand cuts". They did what they thought they could get away with.

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

Does every single thing that happens have to be some big conspiracy?

Apparently.
The team themselves had the final say.

 

[NittanyAmerica]

B O'B was brought in by the current BoT that is ruining Penn State's good name.

Reasons for anything aside, B O'B is who we thought he was.

Thank God the spirit of JoePa got us James Franklin.

N i t t a n y A m e r i c a

 

[Ten Thousan Marbles]

Tom McA (board moderator with connections and credibility) said this last month:
http://bwi.forums.rivals.com/thread...o-return-to-nameless.17124/page-2#post-225474

I wish I could like this reminder a million times. I understand that, after all we have been thru, people are grasping for warm and fuzzy memes. However, I think it is not wise to discount the information that this board's administrator shared with us.

Sure, it makes for a good "legend," but I agree with those that have concluded that Coach O'Brien made up the reason after the fact. I think we should acknowledge that the story he concocted was, at the very least, good for overall morale for a brief period of our history.

 

[Ten Thousan Marbles]

Does every single thing that happens have to be some big conspiracy?

Apparently, at least according to Freeh and the Corbett administration OAG.

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

Apparently, at least according to Freeh and the Corbett administration OAG.

Well that would be reasons why people are always on edge and find fault in at times what seems like ANY gesture.

We all have reason to be paranoid but this isn't one. The honoring of Mauti was deserved also. The team was big on symbolism and it was important at that time. Now it's time to go back to where we were.

 

[#OneTeam#NextLevel]

the players who stayed was always a farce. Putting the names on the jerseys was just one more foolish attempt by our disgusting higher-ups to distance themselves from Joseph Vincent Paterno.

The idea that they were honoring the players who stayed was only a rationalization to attempt to make it more palatable to appropriately angry alumni. OF COURSE, we should have honored the incredible young men who stayed to pull the team through crisis. However, that was NEVER the real reason the names were put on the jerseys.

What the living hell are you talking about? Where do people come with this bullshit?

 

[Ten Thousan Marbles]

Who gives a shit either way.

Among other people, the guy who sold me my season tickets yesterday.....and the other people like me who called him and others on that ticket staff (to buy tickets) the last couple of days. They were busier at the end of the week than they were at the start. Nuff said.

 

[Ten Thousan Marbles]

What the living hell are you talking about? Where do people come with this bullshit?

The answer to that question is stated a number of times in this thread. You have a reading problem? Or just trolling?

 

[PSU_Nut]

As I posted above, they knew wholesale change would have resulted in open rebellion. This group's mantra is "death by a thousand cuts". They did what they thought they could get away with.

Then why leave the murals? Why remove the statue? If they were afraid of open rebellion they would not have removed the statue. The mural would have been easy to remove with little push back. Remember when the conspiracy theorist were using the removal of the former greats as conspiracy to distance from the past. On top of that why would they let them be taken off?