STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The tone for a Saturday football game under a bright sun was born in the darkness of a Friday night vigil at the epicenter of the Penn State campus. Spread across a grassy plain yards from the streets where demonstrators clashed with the police days earlier, several thousand students gathered holding lighted candles, a quickly organized rally in support of sexual abuse victims that concluded when a university bell tower chimed 10 times to mark the hour.More at that top link.
About 12 hours later, more than 100,000 fans descended on Beaver Stadium for Penn State’s game with Nebraska, arriving in a mood that was less than celebratory and noticeably subdued. For decades, fall Saturdays at Penn State have provided a chance to see Joe Paterno lead one of the nation’s most successful football programs. On this day, however, it was an opportunity to witness the extended university community wrestling with its conscience. The ritualistic tailgating went on as usual — adults drank beer and children threw footballs back and forth — but the numbing effects of a wrenching week of shock, scandal, resignations and recrimination were evident at every turn.
And at Los Angeles Times, "Penn State loses to Nebraska, but at least focus is on field," and Miami Herald, "‘We are Penn State’ evokes a range of emotions."
VIDEO CREDIT: Althouse, "'He gets drilled at the 22-yard line! What a stick!'"
Shame on everyone who turns their back on an abused child.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine thousands of students transferring to other universities, because of reluctance to associate their names with Penn State.
ReplyDelete