There Is No Cat

Penn State or State Pen?

The hometown paper in State College takes the acquittal of two Penn State football players on assault charges as an opportunity to explore the discipline problems being faced by so many programs these days:

Now you can say that was just boys being boys and maybe it was. But it was also boys being bullies, boys wanting special privileges, boys demanding to be excused from doing what everyone else had to do, just because they were Penn State football players.

No doubt they are accorded dispensation frequently in this town, getting into parties uninvited, getting into bars without having to wait outside in the elements, getting served alcohol when they’re not 21. If you think that’s not happening, you’re living in a bubble. It always has gone on here and in other college towns.

I don’t know; maybe JoePa is losing control. When I worked on his television show, there were always one or two football players on the show, and they were definitely on their best behavior in JoePa’s presence, all "yes, sir" and "no, sir". I had a few football players in my broadcasting classes, too; they did get special treatment, but only so far as being able to turn in their assignments late because they were travelling or something.

On the other hand, I do know of at least one case where a professor was pressured to rescind a failing grade for a star athlete (not on the men’s football team). The professor resisted, and came under great pressure. I don’t think he gave in, but they found some way to go around him and the star athlete’s transcript no longer included the failing grade. So I’ve never thought of Penn State as being pure as the driven snow the way some alumni do.

Posted at 3:00 PM