The Nittany Turkey

Primarily about Penn State football, this is a tale told by idiots, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

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If Costas speaks after the hockey game, will anybody listen?

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Costas flip-flops on Penn State
Is this really happening?

Tonight, after what promises to be a balls-to-the-wall Game Seven of the Redwings-Blackhawks Round Two Stanley Cup playoff matchup, NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus) will air an edition of “Costas Tonight”, some of which will be devoted to Bob Costas’ change of heart with respect to the Freeh report and Penn State. Additionally, Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com is reporting that the Paterno family is expected to announce a lawsuit against the NCAA on that same show.

Oh, the melodrama!

We have arguably one of the most respected names in sports journalism (such as it is) presumably flipping over to Penn State’s side. Who cares? I know that we all do, but will it matter to anyone else that the vaunted Bob Costas has changed his mind? In “Habemus Papam“, I noted that what Costas says or does shouldn’t really matter, and I have no reason to alter my position on that. However, I’ve softened a bit in the respect that Costas’ revelations will be a dose of chicken soup for Penn State: It might not fix the problem, but it couldn’t hoit!

Alas, the slot for this pronouncement proposed by the pre-eminent Costas is an obscure one. The NBC Sports Network is not on everyone’s TV lineup, and non-hockey fans probably won’t know where the hell it is, even if they do get the channel. Costas is slotted in nominally at 11 PM ET after the big game tonight, a Game Seven that is scheduled for 8 PM ET. A typical hockey game takes about three hours; however, this, being an all or nothing game, might take a bit longer. If it goes into overtime, it could take a lot longer, for in the playoffs, unlike the regular season, teams play full, twenty minute overtimes until someone scores a goal. (I personally have watched a playoff game go five overtimes between Toronto and Pittsburgh. I fell asleep sometime in the third period of a 0-0 game, woke up a couple hours later, and saw that the game was still going at 1 AM). Anyhow, what I’m trying to get across here is that this isn’t exactly a situation in which huge numbers of people will be paying rapt attention. Those who have been watching the game most likely will either want to go to bed or go to the bathroom. A few will hang around blankly staring at the TV. And then, there’s us.

For their part, NBC has been intensely hyping this edition of Costas Tonight. They aired several promos for it during last night’s other Western Conference Game Seven in which the L.A. Kings outlasted the San Jose Sharks, competing for the privilege of playing either Chicago or Detroit in the Conference Final. No doubt, NBC will take advantage of play stoppages and intermissions during tonight’s game to promote the Costas interlude.

According to Rittenberg, the Paterno family, represented by attorney Wick Sollers, will announce its lawsuit against the NCAA during the show:

The announcement will come on Bob Costas’ “Costas Tonight” show on the NBC Sports Network after the Red Wings-Blackhawks hockey game. Paterno family attorney Wick Sollers, former Pennsylvania Gov. Dick Thornburgh and Paterno family spokesman Dan McGinn are expected to appear on the show, an NBC spokesman told The Patriot-News. Costas also reportedly will discuss the Freeh report and question its validity on the show. Thornburgh, the former U.S. attorney general, contributed to the Paterno family’s review of the Freeh report.

The University has already distanced itself from the Paterno suit, even before it is announced, much as they had done with the Federal antitrust suit filed by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett against the NCAA.

Stay tuned, mateys. This should be interesting meat for your summer menu.

Paterno Statue Proposal

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I received the following through obscure channels. It is reproduced verbatim. I don’t know how serious this proposal is, and whether it is indeed gaining traction with the town fathers. However, it is interesting.

Proposal – The ‘Joe Paterno Reflections Bench’ on Inspiration Way

May 2013

Joe Paterno Statue Proposal

Concept: Honor Joe Paterno by memorializing the simple moment above by recreating it as a statue, to be installed in front of the mural @ Inspiration Way in downtown State College.

Detail: The candid photo above captures a personal, intimate glimpse of the Joe Paterno we all knew and will always love – a simple, unpretentious man, taking a moment to reflect in thought among his fellow Nittany Lions, while enjoying ice cream outside the Creamery. As is true with the core values that guided his life, its beauty lies in its simplicity.

Admittedly, such a statue is in stark contrast to the original Joe Paterno statue placed in front of Beaver Stadium, which was understandably tied more closely to Penn State football and Joe’s accomplishments as a great coach. While those accomplishments are undeniable, they do not solely define Joe Paterno. On the contrary, the intent with the new statue concept is to focus more introspectively on the man and his life’s accomplishments, and more accurately reflect the man that he was…and why WE ARE. In the image above, Joe is as approachable as any other State College citizen – indicative of the man who walked to work much of his life. It symbolizes the fact that he was not a God – but a man, with flaws like all of us. He is human. One with us, and we are one with him. ?????? ??????? For, we ALL are Penn State.

Capturing Joe in a reflective state is also intentional. The statue ideally would be located on Inspiration Way overlooking Michael Pilato’s mural on Heister Street. In this fashion, Joe is seen reflecting on the mural and what it teaches us – who we are, where we’ve been, and where are we going. It is also reassuring to know that as the Penn State/State College community evolves and grows, and with it the ever-changing mural, Joe will always be there as a constant figure guiding us forward – a gentle reminder to make Penn State a better place.

By keeping the seat next to Joe open, he invites us all in to share the experience, reflect, and learn with him – just as he and his family were so generous to share his life publicly with the Penn State community.

While not seen in the photo, Joe’s love of education and reading can be personalized by adding some of his favorite books on the bench sitting next to him. Other ideas to personalize the statue further can easily be added.

“If”

To memorialize Joe’s love of the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling, the poem can be engraved on a plaque and installed at Joe’s feet, to be placed among the other bricks of Inspiration Way. This would allow those who sit next to the bench to see the poem from his perspective, and reflect on its meaning, and why he loved it so. (Note – full poem at end of this proposal. )

Inscribed Quotes:

Below is an example of many possible Joe Paterno’s quotes that can be inscribed on bench:

  • Right Arm of Bench – Success With Honor
  • Left Arm of Bench: The Grand Experiment
  • Back of Bench: “Believe deep down in your heart that you are destined to do great things.”

Sue Paterno Addition

As a possible addition to the concept above, and to honor Sue Paterno’s long list of achievements, a 2nd statue of Sue could be added standing behind Joe, with one of her hands on his shoulders. That simple gesture is very indicative of the support she gave throughout his life. In her other arm, she could carry mementos of her favorite causes (Catholic Center, Special Olympics, etc). Again, this idea is open to may personalization possibilities.

Cost Estimates of Statue (excluding installation, etc)

  • Joe On Bench – $200,000
  • Joe on Bench with Sue behind – $300,000

Fundraising

With Penn State’s large alumni base, we believe the funds could be raised relatively easily and quickly. The following donors need to be looked at more thoroughly, and a fundraising strategy finalized:

  • Corporate
  • Alumni
  • Individual donors

Possible Alternative Locations (note – until relations with the University leadership improve, we do not feel it is feasible to place the statue on campus)

  • Sunset Park (McKee St)
  • Sue Paterno Catholic Center
  • Boalsburg Park
  • Corner of Beaver Ave/Fraser

Thus far, State College authorities seem very interested in allowing the statue to be placed downtown.

* * * * * *

“If” by Rudyard Kipling

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

So, what do you think? Does anyone know whether this is moving forward at all? 

Much Ado

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How many yellow journalists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

None. They don’t need to see the light. They just cobble together some flimsy he-said/she-said factoids to make two plus two equal five. It’s all sleight of pen. See, no wires, just sheer magic.

Such is the case with the recent Sports Illustrated article entitled “Do athletics still have too much power at Penn State?” This is just another cheap-ass shot at Penn State, which has proven to be fertile ground for sports hacks who have nothing better to write about.

If you haven’t read or don’t want to read the article, its premise is that by “firing” Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, the long-time team physician for Penn State football, the University has demonstrated that yet again, football rules the roost. Huh? Say whut?

Since when does any administrator not have the ability and right to choose personnel for his or her organization? The article attempts to blame Sebastianelli’s “firing” on athletic director Dave Joyner’s purported long-standing grudge against Sebastianelli. The evidence of such a feud is flimsily presented. Even if the conflict existed, so what? Doesn’t Joyner have the right to run his ship the way he sees fit? The author tries to discredit Joyner as being underqualified (or unqualified) to do the job of athletic director. I have no problem with opinions about proper qualifications, as they’re subjective. But what does this have to do with athletics having power at Penn State?

Furthermore, Sebastianelli wasn’t actually fired. He was kicked upstairs. “Percussive sublimation” is what Lawrence J. Peter called it in “The Peter Principle.” What is wrong with that? Highly respected and revered offensive coordinator Fran Ganter was given the same treatment by the sainted Joe Paterno and we all accepted the move. Sebastianelli is still at least titularly in charge of sports medicine at Penn State. Why is it necessary to have an orthopedic surgeon at every football practice? Isn’t a sniffle doc good enough? If someone breaks a leg, they go to the hospital, where there are lots of ortho guys and gals. Sebastianelli is still there if they need him and will still perform surgery on players as needed.

Here’s a good one:

“O’Brien hired Penn State alum Tim Bream, who worked with Joyner at the ’92 Olympics, as athletic trainer in February 2012. Sources involved in health care for Penn State athletics who spoke with SI on the condition of anonymity say they saw Bream, who does not have a medical degree, engage in practices normally reserved for doctors, such as giving players anti-inflammatory drugs without a prescription and lancing a boil on a player’s neck. University medical sources also said that Bream told physicians to stop talking with the parents of players and that doctors should not spend as much time with the team.”

Turns out that Bream might have been dispensing Voltaren, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Although it is prescription only, so was ibuprofen at one time. This class of drugs includes aspirin, ibuprofen, relafen, etc. The same side-effects and precautions apply to all of them. I suppose we’re getting into spirit of the law versus letter of the law issues here; however, I doubt that handing out anti-inflammatories to guys with sore knees with blanket authorization by a doctor somewhere in the chain is something to be particularly concerned about. Lancing a boil isn’t exactly major surgery — it’s usually done as self-surgery. Come on, SI! Find something really wrong.

The folks in the Lasch Building unfortunately dignified this hit piece with a response or two. I think that’s reflexive after all the crap that has been slung at Penn State during the past year-and-a-half; nevertheless, I find it somewhat unsettling. Whether or not there is any substance to the allegations made by SI, Penn State should not feel obligated to defend itself. The University we know and love should keep a stiff upper lip and do business as usual.

The bottom line? Making personnel moves in the medical staff does not imply that athletics have too much power. It merely means that executive decisions are being made internally, not at the behest of the ever critical, mud-slinging press.