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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Archives for August 7, 2012

Appeal Away!

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Appeals R Us! The latest in the appeal parade are former players and a coach, who are focusing on the vacated wins from 1998 to 2011.

The former Nittany Lions are: Michael Robinson, Anwar Philips, Josh Gaines, Shamar Finney, Richard Gardner, Gerald Cadogan, Anthony Adams, and Justin Kurpeikis. Former assistant coach Bill Kenney is also an appellant.

The appeal was filed by the law firm of Jackson Lewis in Boston, the same firm that is handling the McCombie appeal.

Read the appeal letter here.

This latest appeal is the third. Earlier, appeals were filed by the Paterno Family and four trustees.

Penn State Uniforms to Get Player Names

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Yep, you read it right. Penn State’s 2012 uniforms will have player names on the back of the jerseys. They’ll also have blue ribbons in support for victims of child abuse.

The press release from Penn State Athletics revealed the decision-making process for the uniform names:

Coach O’Brien says after speaking with some members of the team, they made the decision together to add names to the uniforms. Players indicated the names on their jerseys also mean they will hold each other accountable to uphold the traditions of Penn State football, both on and off the field.

“We want our fans to know and recognize these young men,” O’Brien said. “They have stuck together during tough times, and I commend them for the leadership they have shown. Moving forward, I’m deeply committed to honoring Penn State’s traditions, while building a bright future for our football program.”

While this will make a number of staunch Paternoists unhappy, this Turkey thinks that most Penn State students, alumni, and fans will welcome the change. Sure, it is a radical departure from plain old blue or white, but it’s not Nike Pro Combat, man! ????? ????? ??? ???? In fact, I hope the blue ribbon hides the Nike swoosh accidentally on purpose.

Obviously, it is not “business as usual” at Penn State. Even if the players had not been involved in the decision to change the uniforms, I would have supported O’Brien. You can’t hire a new guy and cut his balls off right away by telling him there are sacred cows he cannot touch without getting Joe’s approval upon his resurrection. ?????????? ??????? I’m happy that, at least for the moment, no one is trying to micromanage Bill O’Brien.

I’m glad, though, that the players were indeed involved in the uniform decision, as it demonstrates a benevolent aspect of O’Brien’s leadership that portends well for his relationship with players. These aren’t NFL pros, and they have to be handled with kid gloves sometimes. ???? ????

I am looking forward to the new uniforms and to actually being able to disambiguate #6 on offense from #6 on defense.

 

We Were????

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Hey, Sports Illustrated. You’ve got another thing coming and we’re here to deal you a large load of Turkey poop. Your July 30 cover bites the big one.

“Is this the end for Penn State? Hardly. We aren’t going anywhere. We are, and always will be, Penn State.” —Rodney Erickson, Dave Joyner, and Bill O’Brien in a letter to Sports Illustrated

The blackness, the beat up helmet, and the prominent presence of the four words “We Were Penn State”, along with a quote fragment from the NCAA’s Mark Emmert’s pontification, “An unprecedented failure of institutional integrity…”, publicize the feature article by Alexander Wolff. It is entitled “Is This the End for Penn State.”

Wolff howls the following (the “moon” is implicit):

“With its loyal fan base and location in the heart of a state that loves the game, the program has a chance of recovering. But it’s going to take at least a decade, and in the meantime Penn State football will look a lot like Indiana football.”

Reports of our death are greatly exaggerated. This fine institution is not about to die because of a few football sanctions levied by the sinister NCAA after a rush to judgment. What a bunch of baloney! You’re just fueling the fire with the Penn State haters out there. You want to sell magazines? Put some 98% naked babes on the cover. (Oh, wait. You’ve done that for decades with the Annual Swimsuit Issue.) Leave Penn State out of the sensationalism.

Penn State has responded to this slur in a letter to Sports Illustrated by President Rod Erickson, AD Dave Joyner, and head football coach Bill O’Brien. Read more in StateCollege.com.