<p>With the statue down, Sandusky imprisoned, those involved in the cover up being brought to justice and the NACC penalties in play, I think the road to recovery is beginning for the University. It's a real sham in my opinion how the media portrayed PSU students and this whole scandal. More people were attacking Paterno (he did wrong I understand this) more then Sandusky. I read the things people write online about the students and they're really hurt full. Don't forget that a good number of PSU students attended a candle light ceremony for the victims. However, the 100 or so students involved in the protest got the spot and that gave us a bad image. So as a Penn Stater I'm glade that they took down the statute and I'm glade that justice is winning. I don't know when Penn State will recover if at all but one thing is for certain, the good students at Penn State will do what is right and rise above the ashes to rebuild the school that everyone used to know.</p>
<p>What do you mean by “recover?”</p>
<p>There is a paradox; you people say that the scandal has to do with Penn State football and does not affect academics, implying that students should be emotionally stable and proud to go to Penn State. Then you bring up topics like this, saying there’s a “road to recovery.” Well which is it?</p>
<p>A good start would be getting the Paterno family to zip it and go away quietly.</p>
<p>Barrons, agree, but as long as we have free speech, they will be there. One would hope that a family friend would advise them they are not going to change anyne’s opinion.</p>
<p>I also think the trustees need to be less insular, and accept that many people blame them (if for nothing else, failing to adopt the 2004 good governance proposals, either in 2004 or in any year after, and failing to see that the Clery Act was adhered to).</p>
<p>I am still seeing on the news and reading online students defending Paterno. I read that the football players are not reading the Freeh report because it would be “distracting.”
It should be required reading.</p>
<p>I saw students comment on facebook and threatened to riot if they took the statue down. It didn’t happen, but the attitude is out there. </p>
<p>Perhaps a little more humbleness on the part of Penn Staters and a little less arrogance would help. Some Penn students are certainly helping the media portray themselves in a bad light.</p>
<p><<perhaps a="" little="" more="" humbleness="" on="" the="" part="" of="" penn="" staters="" and="" less="" arrogance="" would="" help="">></perhaps></p>
<p>Perhaps if these kids didn’t feel that their every move was being judged and criticized it would be easier. Being proud of who you are (THEY didn’t do anything wrong) and standing up for yourself isn’t arrogance. But again, these kids can’t win. You and everyone else will continue to pick their every move apart. You will continue to call them names, interpret things just the way you want and pretend to know what they are thinking. What happened was wrong - and they know it. But they didn’t do anything wrong. My son has read every word in the Freeh report, as have most students. So the football players haven’t read it yet (according to “reports”) - they are just a few of the thousands who have read it. There are numerous Facebook pages focusing on raising money for child abuse, etc. (with much more support than the few students who want to “riot”), students are trying to move forward in a positive way. Why can’t you just let them do so?</p>
<p>I am a freshman starting in the fall and I feel as though the student body of penn state is strongly under represented. Yes people are blindly defending joe paterno because we will never know all of the facts. However there is a significant amount of penn state students, including myself, that just want this mess over and done with so we can focus in the classroom. The media is saying that we cared to much about football well let us prove to the world that we are an academic first university.</p>
<p>I like these quotes from incoming students and alums - </p>
<h2>“As a student, I almost feel a stronger pride of going,” said Ms. DiBileo, a recent West Scranton High School graduate who has wanted to attend Penn State for as long as she can remember. “The class of 2016, it’s almost like starting a new history of Penn State, a new era. We have to restore the pride and keep Penn State strong.”</h2>
<p>[Local</a> alumni, fans have mixed reaction to Penn State sanctions - News - The Times-Tribune](<a href=“http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/local-alumni-fans-have-mixed-reaction-to-penn-state-sanctions-1.1347536]Local”>http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/local-alumni-fans-have-mixed-reaction-to-penn-state-sanctions-1.1347536)</p>
<p>And in this article, while many are angry at the actions of the NCAA, not a single student or alum defended - or even mentioned - Paterno.</p>
<p>“students are trying to move forward in a positive way. Why can’t you just let them do so?”</p>
<p>Because it would be no fun that way. It’s much more fun to try to rile everyone up on the message boards and rub one’s hands in glee.</p>
<p>Great posts, ljrfrm and Grcxx3.</p>
<p><< Because it would be no fun that way. It’s much more fun to try to rile everyone up on the message boards and rub one’s hands in glee.>></p>
<p>Ha so true :)</p>
<p>Some of the things students from the class of 2016 are currently saying:</p>
<p>“It seems like everyone is against Penn State for the acts of one man. So now its PSU versus the world 2012” ----> This student believes it was only one man. And that this is only happening because the world is against PSU. Huh.</p>
<p>“Joe Paterno will always be the winningest coach in the FBS in my eyes, 409 wins!” —> Well then, go Joe! It was all worth it!! Who cares that children were raped? Games were won!!</p>
<p>“Everybody that wanted to play football here just got fu**ed in the ass damn!” —> this one is especially sensitive to the situation and the children who were raped. Good job.</p>
<p>Someone made a picture (called a gif in their language haha) that says “Oh, so you think tearing down the Joe Paterno statue will be a good decision? Prepare for one massive riot then” and captioned it “I’m down.” —> future student leader I think.</p>
<p>While I know this is just a sampling, and there are probably 100’s of other students who are saying the opposite, they aren’t saying it as publicaly or loudly as these yahoos.The fact remains that there is an environment at PSU where these sentiments flourish. </p>
<p>The school should rally around POSITIVELY moving on, not moving on with a chip on their shoulder that everyone is out to get them and that Joe Paterno will still be a god in their eyes.</p>
<p>And a few more public responses to the idiots above would be helpful. Instead the above comments are met with agreements and facebook “likes”.</p>
<p>I evidently posted too many quotes in my #8 post. My sincere apologies. </p>
<p>But my point still stands - the comments from the alums and students were positive, focused on the future and making a difference at Penn State. But…you can read them yourselves! ;)</p>
<p>As the parent of a current incoming freshman, who is already there attending LEAP, I can tell you that she is even more determined than ever to stand by the school she loves, and has loved, for a long time. It was a sad day indeed for the innocent students and athletes who had NOTHING to do with the horrors of what occurred, yet they are being forced to accept the consequences. Dr. Erickson was no more than bullied into accepting the terms of the almighty NCAA powers. We told our D we would stand by whatever decision she made, to stay or go, and she told us matter-of-factly, that “football was not why I chose Penn State, yes, I looked forward to football Saturdays and all the excitement surrounding that but I would not want to leave this place over a couple of potential losing seasons. I am going to be a proud member of the Class of 2016 and hold my head high when asked where I go to school because to me I have so much more to be proud of as a Nittany Lion than just a football program”</p>
<p>[To</a> the Class of 2016 and Beyond: It Is Your Job to Restore the Roar » theschoolphilly.com](<a href=“http://www.theschoolphilly.com/to-the-class-of-2016-and-beyond-it-is-your-job-to-restore-the-roar/]To”>http://www.theschoolphilly.com/to-the-class-of-2016-and-beyond-it-is-your-job-to-restore-the-roar/)</p>
<p>I refuse to get into a war of words with some small minded folks who are here simply to stir the pot - NCAA totally missed the mark on this one, and though Dr. Emmert speaks of an individual, an institution, having too much power - well sir, did you not just exhibit that same behavior?? You had a free shot at Penn State and you took it full force. You do not punish the whole for the actions of one. You speak of changing the culture, yet I challenge you to find any other large university with big time football programs in this country whom this is going to drive a ‘culture change’. WE STILL ARE…</p>
<p><<while i="" know="" this="" is="" just="" a="" sampling,="" and="" there="" are="" probably="" 100’s="" of="" other="" students="" who="" saying="" the="" opposite,="" they="" aren’t="" it="" as="" publicaly="" or="" loudly="" these="" yahoos.="">></while></p>
<p>I don’t know…allowing yourself to be quoted (with your name) in a newspaper article to me is pretty public. FB and newspaper comment sections - by their nature - allow for rantings and high levels of emotions. I don’t put much stock in those type of comments.</p>
<p><reads bridget’s="" post="">
<em>bangs head on desk in desperate attempt to avoid posting, then eats cookie</em></reads></p>
<p>Actually when it comes to NCAA sports you DO punish the institution for the acts of several at very high levels. (not just one BTW). Some PSU people obviously remain deluded. Many schools get sanctions for the acts of one or a few players.</p>
<p>"<reads bridget’s="" post="">
<em>bangs head on desk in desperate attempt to avoid posting, then eats cookie</em> "</reads></p>
<p>I know, frustrating, right? Students, publically posting such ignorance, and no one is taking them to task for it. Whoda thunk?</p>
<p>No one is saying that these kids are misinformed, or misguided, or <em>gasp</em> wrong! </p>
<p>No one will step up, either here or on the public forum where these are posted and say “Penn State cannot move on until these sentiments are squashed. It was NOT only one man, you should NOT be proud of Joe Paterno because, unfortunately, his flaws caused some serious harm to innocent children, and making jokes about the football players being assaulted in the same way the 10 year old vicitms were is just gross.”</p>
<p>Education and enlightenment, as well as a zero tolerance policy for some of the seriously deluded students on the Penn State campus, will do more to move the campus foward.</p>
<p>Hope the cookie was good.</p>
<p><< No one is saying that these kids are misinformed, or misguided, or <em>gasp</em> wrong! >></p>
<p>What about those quotes you choose to ignore - those where the students are informed, guided and <em>gasp</em> right!</p>
<p>“It’s not an image issue … we’re just doing what’s right,” she said. "</p>
<p>Quote from State Farm spokesperson on pulling their ads from Penn State games.</p>
<p>It’s really is as simply as that.</p>
<p>ljrfrm:</p>
<p>"What about those quotes you choose to ignore - those where the students are informed, guided and <em>gasp</em> right! "</p>
<p>You just made my point. Instead of agreeing that these sentiments are wrong, you are deflecting.</p>
<p>Deflect, cover up, minimize, blindly focus ONLY on the good and not allow any room for the negative that needs to be addressed … this is how it all happened in the first place.</p>