Surprising response to my Paterno shirt

[BobPSU92]

I was at breakfast at a hotel in Chicago this morning wearing one of my Paterno shirts. Another hotel guest said, "I like your shirt." I've gotten that before, and I thanked him. Nice, but then he said, "What happened there is almost enough to make me hate that school." Without his first comment, the second one sounds like someone who bought into the false narrative, and it threw me for a second. As we talked a bit more, it was clear that he got it. He knew what the cowardice and weak "leadership" had done to Joe, the football program, and the university as a whole. It was refreshing. He has no Penn State ties. I should have asked where he got his information, but it was refreshing nevertheless.

Keep the faith!

 

[Nashville Lion]

There are a lot of smart people out there. I have encountered similar folks. Some people can think for themselves..it is refreshing to hear. Thanks for sharing your story.

 

[Lefty Hill]

Silent majority?

 

[Zenophile]

 

[BBrown]

There are a lot of smart people out there. I have encountered similar folks. Some people can think for themselves..it is refreshing to hear. Thanks for sharing your story.

Agree. Problem is none of them are "journalists" and especially "sports journalists".
The "heads" on ESPN are mostly former players that weren't that smart BEFORE they started getting concussions.
Now all they can do is parrot what they are told.

 

[psuro]

"Got to give us what we want
Gotta give us what we need
Our freedom of speech is freedom or death
We got to fight the powers that be
Lemme hear you say
Fight the power"


Now - where did I put that clock necklace?

 

[Lions8286]

I get the sense, based on Spurrier's comments last week, that a lot of people at his level know that Joe was the scapegoat in the whole mess. Whether right or wrong, I continue to believe that nearly every head coach at that level would have handled it the same as Joe. I don't need to repeat the NCAA policy on the whole thing.

 

[BobPSU92]

I get the sense, based on Spurrier's comments last week, that a lot of people at his level know that Joe was the scapegoat in the whole mess. Whether right or wrong, I continue to believe that nearly every head coach at that level would have handled it the same as Joe. I don't need to repeat the NCAA policy on the whole thing.

Saban defended Joe a couple of years ago.

 

[OhioLion]

Now a retired teacher, I work part-time in a small meat shop. Yesterday I was ringing up at the register and an OSU sweatshirt appeared in front of me on a 70-year old man. I jokingly said -after Saturday, I can't wait on you. We both laughed.
A co-worker asked if I was a PS fan. Affirmed. The next question was - even with all the Joe Paterno stuff that went on? I half seriously said I won't work here if you are going to put down Joe for doing what was right. We then held a quick 5-minute tutorial on the situation. Another worker is standing and listening and nodding in agreement with what I am saying. The schooled co-worker was shocked at what I shared and said "I had never heard of all those things happening."
That's because, as BBrown stated, media isn't smart enough to dig into this. Or they don't want to as they have their fall guy.

RO, good to see you are back in form with the sigs!!

OL

 

[fairgambit]

I was at breakfast at a hotel in Chicago this morning wearing one of my Paterno shirts. Another hotel guest said, "I like your shirt." I've gotten that before, and I thanked him. Nice, but then he said, "What happened there is almost enough to make me hate that school." Without his first comment, the second one sounds like someone who bought into the false narrative, and it threw me for a second. As we talked a bit more, it was clear that he got it. He knew what the cowardice and weak "leadership" had done to Joe, the football program, and the university as a whole. It was refreshing. He has no Penn State ties. I should have asked where he got his information, but it was refreshing nevertheless.
Keep the faith!

It would help to change the national narrative if, even at this late date, Barron and our current BOT came out with a statement expressing regret at the decision to fire Joe and further stating that Joe was in no way culpable and did exactly what he was expected to do. It won't happen, but it should.

 

[simons96]

I was at breakfast at a hotel in Chicago this morning wearing one of my Paterno shirts. Another hotel guest said, "I like your shirt." I've gotten that before, and I thanked him. Nice, but then he said, "What happened there is almost enough to make me hate that school." Without his first comment, the second one sounds like someone who bought into the false narrative, and it threw me for a second. As we talked a bit more, it was clear that he got it. He knew what the cowardice and weak "leadership" had done to Joe, the football program, and the university as a whole. It was refreshing. He has no Penn State ties. I should have asked where he got his information, but it was refreshing nevertheless.

Keep the faith!

surprised this happened in Chicago, must not have been in Bumstein territory

I went to my apartment management office yesterday with a Penn State shirt, and the woman working at the front desk said, "oh cool, did you go to Penn State??" She was originally from Cleveland and had a lot of good things to say about PSU. The subject of the scandal and/or Paterno never came up.

 

[wex18]

Two weeks ago I was driving through Virginia and stopped at a random restaurant at a random interstate exit for lunch. A woman I know from North Carolina was eating there, and she and her boyfriend were on their way to Columbus for the OSU-Maryland game. I wished him luck that week, but hoped OSU would lose the next game. He looked surprised for a few seconds, then asked if I was a Penn State fan. He said Penn State was his second favorite team, even before the Lions joined the Big Ten. We didn't have long to talk, but he also seemed to have a pretty good idea what was going on.

 

[psuro]

The general trend I see is that those persons who consistently refer to the Sandusky issue are those that have never been fans of PSU or Joe to begin with. And decidedly so.

Those who respected/admired/were fans of Joe/were ambivalent - tend to not refer to the Sandusky issue at all.

Just my observations - certainly not statistically relevant.

 

[step.eng69]

It would help to change the national narrative if, even at this late date, Barron and our current BOT came out with a statement expressing regret at the decision to fire Joe and further stating that Joe was in no way culpable and did exactly what he was expected to do. It won't happen, but it should.

YES...YES...YES...
Gee fairgambit, are you trying to put a spin on the currant narrative

 

[fairgambit]

YES...YES...YES...
Gee fairgambit, are you trying to put a spin on the currant narrative

Not a spin. As Jack Web used to say on Dragnet "Just the facts".

 

[Lefty Hill]

Several weeks ago I was talking to my neighbor about, I guess, Penn State. This woman is not a sports fan and is originally from Texas. Anyhow, pretty much out of the clear blue (we weren't talking about The Scandal), she said she thought Paterno got a raw deal.

And then a couple of years ago the Comcast guy was at my house. He looked around my Penn State room and said maybe he should go up to Penn State and tell them he was raped by Sandusky. Maybe, he said, they'd give him a million dollars.

 

[step.eng69]

Not a spin. As Jack Web used to say on Dragnet "Just the facts".

you forgot, .....ma'am".
Having my lunch (ham off bone, swiss on fresh rye) & enjoying the board.

 

[anon_vmuicqnzlyp3u]

Now a retired teacher, I work part-time in a small meat shop. Yesterday I was ringing up at the register and an OSU sweatshirt appeared in front of me on a 70-year old man. I jokingly said -after Saturday, I can't wait on you. We both laughed.
A co-worker asked if I was a PS fan. Affirmed. The next question was - even with all the Joe Paterno stuff that went on? I half seriously said I won't work here if you are going to put down Joe for doing what was right. We then held a quick 5-minute tutorial on the situation. Another worker is standing and listening and nodding in agreement with what I am saying. The schooled co-worker was shocked at what I shared and said "I had never heard of all those things happening."
That's because, as BBrown stated, media isn't smart enough to dig into this. Or they don't want to as they have their fall guy.

RO, good to see you are back in form with the sigs!!

OL

"remember Jerry, its not a lie if you believe it"

 

[SR108]

I was at breakfast at a hotel in Chicago this morning wearing one of my Paterno shirts. Another hotel guest said, "I like your shirt." I've gotten that before, and I thanked him. Nice, but then he said, "What happened there is almost enough to make me hate that school." Without his first comment, the second one sounds like someone who bought into the false narrative, and it threw me for a second. As we talked a bit more, it was clear that he got it. He knew what the cowardice and weak "leadership" had done to Joe, the football program, and the university as a whole. It was refreshing. He has no Penn State ties. I should have asked where he got his information, but it was refreshing nevertheless.

Keep the faith!

In general, it is mainly people that hated Joe before this ever happened that have bought into the false narrative. Like people from Pitt.

 

[SR108]

Yeah, I understand. Spitters gonna hate, Hoopies gonna hate, Meathchickens gonna hate... because they WANT to hate. Because they have always HATED.

Beat me to it. Good post.

 

[bjf1984]

I had a late aunt and uncle who were Golden Panthers and they so insanely hated Joe it would always disrupt family reunions. Invariably, they would say something so insulting and nasty that my grandmother would breakdown and we would be hustled to the car to drive back to State College.

Back in the 80's we played Pitt at Pitt Stadium and my cousin and I sat with our aunt and uncle in the Pitt section. We ended up kicking a field goal with no time left on the clock to tie up the game. Snickering, my cousin and I looked over at our uncle and he looked like his head was going to explode. My aunt turned to us and said "I think you boys should just go home now".

Haters gotta hate

That was a very interesting game.

Growing up in Western Pa....I knew quite a few Pitt fans (a lot more PSU than Pitt fans, even in Western PA, but I digress)
After that game....for at least 10 years, I heard about how "Paterno is a chicken-sh^t who always plays for a tie"

Now, of course, we now have the OT rules and no ties in college football

But, through Paterno's entire career, he coached teams to ties THREE times (during that same time span, Pitt played to EIGHT ties).

I liked to let the sPitters rail on and on about the cowardice of "playing for a tie"...then hit them with that little stat.
______________________________________

FWIW, the other two ties in Paterno's career.......1989 - Maryland kicked the game-tying FG in the final. and the 1967 Gator Bowl against FSU, where PSU led 17-0...but FSU came back to tie the game at 17-17.
So that Pitt game was the ONLY time in 40+ years that Paterno EVER made a decision to "play for a tie".

 

[psuro]

I loved that vid - was that Tom Flynn (#5?) who did the somersault as the kick went through the uprights?

 

[broey]

I grew up in Pittsburgh & have always found there are a lot more PSU fans there than Pitt fans. True by a long shot.

 

[91Joe95]

Ro's got the rhythm rhymes rollin!


Some media is the whack
You believe it's true, it blows me through the roof
Suckers, liars get me a shovel
Some writers I know are damn devils
For them I say don't believe the hype
Yo Chuck, they must be on a pipe, right?
Their pens and pads I'll snatch
'Cause I've had it

I heard it from a friend of a friend who read it on the internet that he's email buddies with a certain out of state judge.

 

[91Joe95]

surprised this happened in Chicago, must not have been in Bumstein territory

I went to my apartment management office yesterday with a Penn State shirt, and the woman working at the front desk said, "oh cool, did you go to Penn State??" She was originally from Cleveland and had a lot of good things to say about PSU. The subject of the scandal and/or Paterno never came up.

She wanted you.

 

[anon_vmuicqnzlyp3u]

I grew up in Pittsburgh & have always found there are a lot more PSU fans there than Pitt fans. True by a long shot.

Another myth. It's not a lie if you're u believe it

 

[PSU.:.]

It's nice to see some people outside PSU that didn't buy into the media bs. I gotten in so many arguments at work with people who just parrot what they saw on a headline. It's so frustrating.

 

[wex18]

Penn State kicked the field goal to tie Pitt, because the ball was at least on the 20-yard line. It's not like they gave up a chance for the win by running one more play from the 1-yard line.

By the way, remember the Orange Bowl game against Kansas? Penn State scored with 15 seconds left and went for 2 instead of taking the sure tie.

 

[81b&w]

I was just watching the local news here in Johnstown and there was something on about Sandusky. They show him in hand cuffs walking and of course he is decked out in Penn State clothing as usual. Damn I wish he wouldn't do that! He belongs in bright orange jump suits

 

[simons96]

She wanted you.

no sh*t.

 

[JoeDidntKnow]

I was at breakfast at a hotel in Chicago this morning wearing one of my Paterno shirts. Another hotel guest said, "I like your shirt." I've gotten that before, and I thanked him. Nice, but then he said, "What happened there is almost enough to make me hate that school." Without his first comment, the second one sounds like someone who bought into the false narrative, and it threw me for a second. As we talked a bit more, it was clear that he got it. He knew what the cowardice and weak "leadership" had done to Joe, the football program, and the university as a whole. It was refreshing. He has no Penn State ties. I should have asked where he got his information, but it was refreshing nevertheless.

Keep the faith!

Bob, this is a GREAT POST!!!! This should be forwarded to every Penn State alum or fan as a template for how to deal with people that have accepted the media narrative - willingly or otherwise. We need some re-education of the masses to get the word out. I would also add to this template some very strong language that C/S/S were framed by the state and that this was was essentially done by the standing gov of PA at the time. Lastly, we need some good talking points about how Freeh is a know fraud and makes stuff up such as calling MM = McQuaid and not getting the location of Jerry's emeritus office correct. I think calling out the "victims" is also game though some find that off limits

 

[Ranger Dan]

I was at dinner for our conference tonight and was talking to one of the instructors about football. He volunteered that he rooted for Penn State and thought that they got a raw deal. and I said that Sandusky got what he deserved, but Joe got a raw deal. Someone else attempted to challenge that,and I said that Joe did exactly what he was supposed to do, but the jury is still out on the leadership. Again, its refreshing for someone not connected to Penn State or even a fan to get that Joe was not to blame for Sandusky's actions. It was also nice to have a calm setting to correct someone as to Joe's being guilt free.

 

[slwlion]

I was at breakfast at a hotel in Chicago this morning wearing one of my Paterno shirts. Another hotel guest said, "I like your shirt." I've gotten that before, and I thanked him. Nice, but then he said, "What happened there is almost enough to make me hate that school." Without his first comment, the second one sounds like someone who bought into the false narrative, and it threw me for a second. As we talked a bit more, it was clear that he got it. He knew what the cowardice and weak "leadership" had done to Joe, the football program, and the university as a whole. It was refreshing. He has no Penn State ties. I should have asked where he got his information, but it was refreshing nevertheless.

Keep the faith!

Just back from Las Vegas. Nice comments about my Penn State shirt.. Also in Willliams AZ/Grand Canyon tour, good comments about my hat..Nice feeling

 

[JoeDidntKnow]

We were on vacation last summer in Branson and I had my 409 t-shirt on. A very nice lady came up and asked if the shirt had something to do with the cleaning product. I laughed and explained to her that 409 was the number of victories that JoePa earned in his 46 years as head coach and that the NCAA thugs saw fit to remove about one quarter of the victories due to overreaching their authority. I then told her about how Joe followed protocol in reporting Jerry to the police and that 3 good men had been unfairly indicted as part of a conspiracy to bring Joe down. I'm not sure she followed everything but in the end she said that it sounded like "your coach got a raw deal". She had heard the name "Sandusky" but had no context for the entire story. Here is someone that knew nothing about the narrative created by the media and she was able to see how there was a concerted effort to frame Joe and the others. There is hope for humanity. Keep the faith folks

 

[pandaczar12]

Another myth. It's not a lie if you're u believe it

It's a myth that there are more PSU alums in the Pittsburgh area. It's truth that their are more PSU fans. I would know, I live in Pittsburgh. You're messing up your Pitt talking points, but I guess it's not a lie if "you're u believe it".

 

[psuro]

We were on vacation last summer in Branson and I had my 409 t-shirt on. A very nice lady came up and asked if the shirt had something to do with the cleaning product. I laughed and explained to her that 409 was the number of victories that JoePa earned in his 46 years as head coach and that the NCAA thugs saw fit to remove about one quarter of the victories due to overreaching their authority. I then told her about how Joe followed protocol in reporting Jerry to the police and that 3 good men had been unfairly indicted as part of a conspiracy to bring Joe down. I'm not sure she followed everything but in the end she said that it sounded like "your coach got a raw deal". She had heard the name "Sandusky" but had no context for the entire story. Here is someone that knew nothing about the narrative created by the media and she was able to see how there was a concerted effort to frame Joe and the others. There is hope for humanity. Keep the faith folks

Yeah, but you were in Branson and talking about relatively current events to someone who....goes to Branson.

That's like going to a nursery school and talking about string theory and particle physics.

 

[broey]

Goadie can't keep his Pitt Stories straight. I was born & lived in Pittsburgh for 25 years & yes there are many more PSU fans there than Pitt fans. That's why you rubes beg, yes beg, to play these games with Penn State.... PSU fans fill your stadium for you. Otherwise, it's 4,000 paying customers and another 4,000 with free tickets from Giant Eagle.

 

[pandaczar12]

Goadie can't keep his Pitt Stories straight. I was born & lived in Pittsburgh for 25 years & yes there are many more PSU fans there than Pitt fans. That's why you rubes beg, yes beg, to play these games with Penn State.... PSU fans fill your stadium for you. Otherwise, it's 4,000 paying customers and another 4,000 with free tickets from Giant Eagle.

It's probably 10-1. You rarely see Pitt gear, it's like people are ashamed to wear it. Even in my neighborhood, there are so many houses that put out PSU flags, there is even an OSU and a Nebraska... but no Pitt.

 

[BobPSU92]

Goadie can't keep his Pitt Stories straight. I was born & lived in Pittsburgh for 25 years & yes there are many more PSU fans there than Pitt fans. That's why you rubes beg, yes beg, to play these games with Penn State.... PSU fans fill your stadium for you. Otherwise, it's 4,000 paying customers and another 4,000 with free tickets from Giant Eagle.

Go anywhere with a large crowd in Pittsburgh (i.e., not a pitt home game), and you will see many Penn Staters. As an example, several years ago, my wife, a Penn Stater, and I went to Kennywood with some friends, all of whom are also Penn Staters. My wife and I live in Michigan, and our friends all live in the Pittsburgh area. My wife and I were surprised by how many Penn Staters we saw in the crowd, but our friends said it was no big deal. They were used to it. We have since seen many Penn Staters in crowded spots in Pittsburgh (malls, Station Square, Pirates games, etc.)

 

[simons96]

Goadie can't keep his Pitt Stories straight. I was born & lived in Pittsburgh for 25 years & yes there are many more PSU fans there than Pitt fans. That's why you rubes beg, yes beg, to play these games with Penn State.... PSU fans fill your stadium for you. Otherwise, it's 4,000 paying customers and another 4,000 with free tickets from Giant Eagle.

hahaha! that made my day . . .