Penn State tries to move focus back to football after Jerry Sandusky trial
Just days before Jerry Sandusky was convicted on multiple counts of child sex abuse, an email was sent to thousands of Penn State alumni with a simple message:
"We are ONE TEAM. Join us."
Inside was a link to a website for purchasing tickets to football games.
After seven wrenching months of utter turmoil, shock and sadness, Penn State is looking toward the future and trying to change the subject.
[SNIP]
"We've got a new era of Penn State athletics. A new era of Penn State football. We've got to respect the past. We've got to learn from the past. But we've got to move forward."
This misses a rather fundamental point- This is not yet "the past". Not even by a long shot.
That message does seem to be getting through to recruits, said CBS Sports Network recruiting analyst Tom Lemming, who visits with hundreds of highly touted high school football players and their parents.
"When I talk to players, never does the Sandusky stuff come up," he said.
Of course it doesn't. Because no one wants to talk about the things that make us uncomfortable. Therein lies the problem.
Blackledge, who played on Paterno's first national title team in 1982, said the "bizarre and surreal" circumstances that led to O'Brien being hired could work in the new coach's favor.
"Had (Paterno) retired and none of this took place there would be a strong sentiment toward not changing things," said Blackledge, who currently works as an analyst for ESPN. "A guy like O'Brien would come in and be handcuffed."
Instead, fans are looking forward to seeing whether O'Brien's pro-style offense will invigorate a Penn State attack that has sputtered in recent years, and whether he can find the next Brady to guide the Nittany Lions.
Great, let's get back to focusing on what is really important.
These days, nearly everyone agrees that the more time people spend talking about who is going to play quarterback, the better for Penn State.
Holtz said O'Brien's message to his players should go something like this:
"There's been a lot of great things here, but they have been marred by an individual. But it's time for us to move on. You can't let one man tarnish the tradition of Penn State."
One man did not bring down Penn State. Penn State brought itself down with its arrogance, entitlement, greed, and blind devotion to a brand.
But Penn State wants to bring the focus back to football, and I suppose that is understandable. After all, it is much more pleasant to hear thousands of fans screaming "We are Penn State!" under the bright lights than the screams of one child in the darkness.