PSU may be feeling our pain, bowlwise

[Too Long in the Wasteland]

Remember all those years we got chumped by the Alamo bowl? (those were the days) PSU is even more non-desireable than we ever were. Kind of a Karma thang, considering how they got invited to the Alamo bowl in '99 after we beat them. Although it is kind of sad, given that the current players (& fans) had nothing to do with this scandal.

Breaking this down, you figure

1.PSU is likely to tank their remaining two games, and then roll over in a bowl game
2.The stench of the Sandusky scandal would be clinging to PSU like a dead skunk
3.You'd be lucky to fill up one section with the number of PSU fans that would show up

#3 is what would scare the bejeesus out of a bowl committee. They don't give a crap about the game, particularly for the non-BCS bowls. It's all about filling up hotel rooms. If I were PSU's (acting) AD, I'd get in front of this right now and release a statement that PSU will decline any bowl invitations this season. It would save a lot of embarrassment come the first week of December, and it sets up a good storyline for a year or two down the road.

 

[zambam]

Why would you think Penn State fans wouldn't go to the game?

 

[Too Long in the Wasteland]

Remembe what a buzzkill the Clem Haskins cheating scandal was? Granted, the story broke literally the morning before our NCAA game, so it didn't affect anyone's travel plans. But if it come out a couple of weeks earlier, the Minnesota section at that game would have been empty (as it was, the team didn't show up for that game, either).

The scandal at PSU is orders of magnitudes worse, and who knows what new allegations and facts will come out between now and the bowl games. That Costas interview with Sandusky was CREEPY! There were a couple of times when you could almost hear Sandusky getting kicked by his lawyer under the table.

Like the article says, no top or even middle tier bowl game wants any part of PSU, regardless of fan attendance. I'd bet Perles would give his cajone izquierdo to get Penn State to the Motor City Bowl (or whatever they're calling it this year), but that would be a real test of fan loyalty for PSU. I doubt too many supporters would get excited about X-mas in Detroit when just two weeks ago they were planning New Years somewhere warm.

And at the end of the day, this isn't about football. PSU should do the right thing and save themselves some humiliation by politely declining consideration now.

 

[NateDawgUM]

PSU will have, at worst, double the fans we had at our best bowl showing. Why should PSU fans and players be punished because some coach from 12 years ago broke the law?

 

[50PoundHead]

I think this whole situation is affecting the bowl committees more than the Penn State fans. My guess is the fans there are circling the wagons, blaming the victims, blaming the hysterical politically correct media, and unearthing every other hare-brained excuse for the current state of affairs.

Until the air goes out of the story, a majority of Penn State fans will likely refuse to look at this rationally. Example one, witness the treatment of the protester at last Saturday's game.

Mr. Wasteland, you may be right about the PSU Board of Trustees declining an invitation and I wouldn't be surprised that if they do that, it is done proactively to ease the job of the bowl committees. Of course, what if they are an automatic qualifier?

 

[GopherGod]

Remember all those years we got chumped by the Alamo bowl? (those were the days) PSU is even more non-desireable than we ever were. Kind of a Karma thang, considering how they got invited to the Alamo bowl in '99 after we beat them. Although it is kind of sad, given that the current players (& fans) had nothing to do with this scandal.

Breaking this down, you figure

1.PSU is likely to tank their remaining two games, and then roll over in a bowl game
2.The stench of the Sandusky scandal would be clinging to PSU like a dead skunk
3.You'd be lucky to fill up one section with the number of PSU fans that would show up

#3 is what would scare the bejeesus out of a bowl committee. They don't give a crap about the game, particularly for the non-BCS bowls. It's all about filling up hotel rooms. If I were PSU's (acting) AD, I'd get in front of this right now and release a statement that PSU will decline any bowl invitations this season. It would save a lot of embarrassment come the first week of December, and it sets up a good storyline for a year or two down the road.

As someone who was in State College this past weekend, I assure you that the fans and former players are rallying behind the current players and supporting them fully. They would easily fill up more than one section at a bowl game. The current players are seen and rightfully so by the fans as collateral damage of this scandal. The student body and alumni are definitely upset, embarassed, and trying to support the team in any way possible.

 

[tikited]

Penn State Football will be fine no matter what happens with Sandusky. Might take a hit for a couple of years, but no one will care after that. Teams/colleges like Penn State don't stay down for long. They will be back to the Rose Bowl before we will and will always have a better following.

 

[Too Long in the Wasteland]

As someone who was in State College this past weekend, I assure you that the fans and former players are rallying behind the current players and supporting them fully. They would easily fill up more than one section at a bowl game. The current players are seen and rightfully so by the fans as collateral damage of this scandal. The student body and alumni are definitely upset, embarassed, and trying to support the team in any way possible.

I've had the pleasure of attending a game in Happy Valley, and it is an incredible experience. You haven't seen tailgating until you've walked across the PSU campus on a Saturday. But I think once the adreniline wears off the mood may change. And like I said earlier, who knows what new revelations will come out in the case between now and bowl season?

50#'er - The automatic qualifier thang is a valid point. I suspect that will be rendered moot in Madison this Saturday. I was amazed at how tough PSU played NU. Adreniline may wear off for the players, too. And you know Bulemia is going to be a world class doosh and try and run up the score.

 

[supadupafly]

this has to be one of the stranger premises for a thread and a set of responses that i have seen for a while. weird.

and no, penn state will not be back to the rose bowl before us. jerry kill is going to end the streak. you heard it here first. so stop with the self-loathing people.

 

[dpodoll68]

As someone who was in State College this past weekend

Why would a Gopher fan travel to State College to watch the Penn St.-Nebraska game?

 

[Jike Spingleton]

Even with the overwhelming mess surrounding Penn State right now, I doubt the lower-tier bowls would pass up an opportunity to bring in the Nittany Lions. As Nate pointed out, they will still put butts in the seats, and whatever bowl takes them is almost guaranteed to shatter their TV ratings record. Even casual fans will tune in for Penn State football the rest of the year.

As of now, I have the Big Ten only getting one BCS bid, but it's probably dependent on whether Okie State gets to the BCS title game. My projections:
Rose - Wisconsin (vs. Oregon)
Capital One - Michigan (vs. Arkansas)
Outback - Michigan State (vs. Georgia)
Insight - Nebraska (vs. Texas A&M)
Gator - Ohio State (vs. Florida)
Meineke - Penn State (vs. Missouri)
TicketCity - Iowa (vs. SMU)
Pizza - Illinois (vs. Toledo)
Pinstripe - Purdue (vs. Rutgers as fill-in for Big 12)
Hawaii - Northwestern (vs. Hawaii as fill-in for C-USA)

 

[GopherGod]

Why would a Gopher fan travel to State College to watch the Penn St.-Nebraska game?

Because I routinely travel all over the country attending non gopher football games and hope to eventually hit every BCS stadium, just love college football and want to see as many venues as possible. For instance, going to an Ole Miss and LSU game next year, have been to games at Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, Texas, West Virginia, Auburn, etc. In this case I have a friend who played at Penn State and invited me to attend. You would care why, how about you stick to what your good out and freshen up my cup of coffee?

 

[dpodoll68]

Because I routinely travel all over the country attending non gopher football games and hope to eventually hit every BCS stadium, just love college football and want to see as many venues as possible. For instance, going to an Ole Miss and LSU game next year, have been to games at Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, Texas, West Virginia, Auburn, etc. In this case I have a friend who played at Penn State and invited me to attend. You would care why, how about you stick to what your good out and freshen up my cup of coffee?

Why is it so hard for you to just admit that you are a Nebraska fan and not a Gopher fan? Why? Why continue with the charade?

(Oh, and that "coffee" burn really gets me every time. Ouch. The pain.)

 

[supadupafly]

Why is it so hard for you to just admit that you are a Nebraska fan and not a Gopher fan? Why? Why continue with the charade?

(Oh, and that "coffee" burn really gets me every time. Ouch. The pain.)

exactly. he is as transparent as glass as far as being a cornknobber fan and not an actual gopher fan.

 

[Too Long in the Wasteland]

Even with the overwhelming mess surrounding Penn State right now, I doubt the lower-tier bowls would pass up an opportunity to bring in the Nittany Lions. As Nate pointed out, they will still put butts in the seats, and whatever bowl takes them is almost guaranteed to shatter their TV ratings record. Even casual fans will tune in for Penn State football the rest of the year.

As of now, I have the Big Ten only getting one BCS bid, but it's probably dependent on whether Okie State gets to the BCS title game. My projections:
Rose - Wisconsin (vs. Oregon)
Capital One - Michigan (vs. Arkansas)
Outback - Michigan State (vs. Georgia)
Insight - Nebraska (vs. Texas A&M)
Gator - Ohio State (vs. Florida)
Meineke - Penn State (vs. Missouri)
TicketCity - Iowa (vs. SMU)
Pizza - Illinois (vs. Toledo)
Pinstripe - Purdue (vs. Rutgers as fill-in for Big 12)
Hawaii - Northwestern (vs. Hawaii as fill-in for C-USA)

Jike,

Can't argue with your list. I agree that it comes down to # of BCS bids the BT gets. That's the downside of a championship game. It could potentially knock the loser out of a BCS bowl. Especially if they lose badly. Only quibble with your list is SCum getting picked ahead of MSU. You can argue that the Cap1 & Outback bowls are interchangeable, but if I were an MSU fan I'd be PO'd for meechigan to get picked ahead of sparty, considering that MSU won the division and beat um.

Your list also got me thinking about one other factor wrt PSU. I might be underestimating the PSU fans, and I agree that at least off the record the bowl committees would love to have Penn St (that was the lameazz excuse the Alamo bowl tools gave us back in '99). But what about the corporate sponsors? I would guess they have a veto clause built into their endorsement contracts. And I really doubt the marketers at Meineke want people having images of child molestation in their heads when deciding on where to have their muffler replaced. May not be fair, or even right, but that's the way it is.

P.S. One bellwhether on this is how many bowl reps are checking out PSU games. May not be applicable vs. Wisconsin, since I'm sure every bowl on your list would love to have the Vadgers, but see how many guys in dorky jackets are in Columbus this Saturday for the PSU/tOSU game.

 

[MaxyJR1]

Penn State gets to go on the road with the Us against the World mentality. They get a say in who plays in the Rose Bowl. Win the next three and they are in. Their defense is good enough to do it. Tall task, but they have a chip and a chair.

 

[Jike Spingleton]

Only quibble with your list is SCum getting picked ahead of MSU. You can argue that the Cap1 & Outback bowls are interchangeable, but if I were an MSU fan I'd be PO'd for meechigan to get picked ahead of sparty, considering that MSU won the division and beat um.

Michigan State played in the Capital One Bowl last year. Bowls typically try to avoid repeat appearances, and considering how badly Sparty got pantsed by Alabama, I don't see them as even being in the conversation for the Cap One Bowl this year. The real debate will be with the Outback Bowl, who has never hosted Sparty or Nebraska. Assuming MSU is 10-3 and Nebraska is 9-3, I would ordinarily give Nebraska an edge, but the Outback could pair the Big Ten runner-up (MSU) against the SEC runner-up (Georgia), a pretty unique set-up for that game.

But what about the corporate sponsors? I would guess they have a veto clause built into their endorsement contracts. And I really doubt the marketers at Meineke want people having images of child molestation in their heads when deciding on where to have their muffler replaced. May not be fair, or even right, but that's the way it is.

Great point. We saw Cars.com pull their sponsorship of the games involving Penn State last week and this week, and I'm sure the bowl committee would at least need to have a discussion with the title sponsor about bringing in the Nittany Lions. The one thing the Meineke Bowl has that the other Big Ten bowls don't: the backing of ESPN Regional Television (which also organizes the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, BBVA Compass Bowl, New Mexico Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, Armed Forces Bowl, and Hawaii Bowl). If ESPN has any say (and I'm sure they will), Penn State won't slip past the Meineke Bowl.

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

Even with the overwhelming mess surrounding Penn State right now, I doubt the lower-tier bowls would pass up an opportunity to bring in the Nittany Lions. As Nate pointed out, they will still put butts in the seats, and whatever bowl takes them is almost guaranteed to shatter their TV ratings record. Even casual fans will tune in for Penn State football the rest of the year.

As of now, I have the Big Ten only getting one BCS bid, but it's probably dependent on whether Okie State gets to the BCS title game. My projections:
Rose - Wisconsin (vs. Oregon)
Capital One - Michigan (vs. Arkansas)
Outback - Michigan State (vs. Georgia)
Insight - Nebraska (vs. Texas A&M)
Gator - Ohio State (vs. Florida)
Meineke - Penn State (vs. Missouri)
TicketCity - Iowa (vs. SMU)
Pizza - Illinois (vs. Toledo)
Pinstripe - Purdue (vs. Rutgers as fill-in for Big 12)
Hawaii - Northwestern (vs. Hawaii as fill-in for C-USA)

Actually, the rumors are if Michigan or Nebraska wins out, they might sneak into the top 15 and get a BCS bowl game.

 

[Golden Elephant]

PSU will have, at worst, double the fans we had at our best bowl showing. Why should PSU fans and players be punished because some coach from 12 years ago broke the law?

Penn State should be given the death penalty if the allegations prove true. They should not be allowed to play in 2012, and indeed if they had any decency they would call off the season themselves. But of course, they do not - they care about $$$, then $$$, then $$$, somewhere way down the line is integrity. And I'm not saying PSU is some special case, it's typical of all BCS schools.

If the allegations are true, then you had an entire coaching staff, asst ADs, AD, VPs and Presidents of the University covering up child rape. That is institutional corruption, from top to bottom. It wasn't just 1 guy doing 1 bad thing. It was a guy serially raping and molesting children for years on end and everyone at the school covering it up. That is inexcusable and if the NCAA had any balls they put them down for a year. I don't expect it, but it should happen.

NateDawg, I don't want to directly pick on you, because others here have given this kind of attitude, but your question "Why should PSU fans and players be punished because some coach from 12 years ago broke the law?" is wrong in at least a couple ways. #1, this wasn't just 12 years ago, it was ongoing for many years including up until just a few years ago. #2 PSU fans and current players may be hurt, but they're collateral damage here - the target is the school, and the school deserves to be severely punished for letting this go on.

I sincerely urge any of you, if you don't think the PSU thing is a big deal, to look at this chart: http://blog.christianitytoday.com/women/upload/2011/11/800px-Gerald_Sandusky_Sexual_Abuse_Findings_of_Grand_Jury.png

 

[zambam]

No, Penn State does not deserve the death penalty. They will have an entire new administration and coaching staff next season that had nothing to do with the scandal.

 

[NateDawgUM]

Ooooh, a Christianity Today link! Keep the witch hunt going, buddy. I also said the coach was from 12 years ago, not that the law was broken 12 years ago.

It is completely unfair for those unrelated to the situation to be punished, nor does it fall under the umbrella of NCAA rules.

 

[Golden Elephant]

Ooooh, a Christianity Today link! Keep the witch hunt going, buddy. I also said the coach was from 12 years ago, not that the law was broken 12 years ago.

It is completely unfair for those unrelated to the situation to be punished, nor does it fall under the umbrella of NCAA rules.

Feel free to mock the source, I understand that you'd be afraid to click on the link and look at the situation honestly for the horror that it truly is.

As for whether it's "fair" or not for those unrelated to the situation to be punished - that's the case in any punishment. By your logic, SMU shouldn't have gotten the death penalty because a lot of their players weren't paid and the vast majority of fans weren't paying. By your logic, no one can ever be punished because there will always be people unfairly hurt.

The coach was allowed to resign honorably 12 years ago, and was then allowed to keep hanging around the program for years and years afterwards including using the facilities where a lot of the crimes allegedly happened. He was even painted onto a mural that was at the school and still there until this broke publicly a couple weeks ago (when the mural artist had the decency to go and paint over him). No, sorry, this guy was coddled and covered up by the whole school admin, and the violations they were covering up were 100 times worse than paying some players some extra cash.

 

[dpodoll68]

Penn State should be given the death penalty if the allegations prove true.

Wrong.

They should not be allowed to play in 2012, and indeed if they had any decency they would call off the season themselves.

Silly.

If the allegations are true, then you had an entire coaching staff, asst ADs, AD, VPs and Presidents of the University covering up child rape. That is institutional corruption, from top to bottom. It wasn't just 1 guy doing 1 bad thing. It was a guy serially raping and molesting children for years on end and everyone at the school covering it up.

That is most likely true, and is the reason why all/nearly all of those people have or will lose their jobs. But it has absolutely nothing to do with football or the product on the field.

That is inexcusable and if the NCAA had any balls they put them down for a year.

The NCAA has zero jurisdiction in any of this matter.

As for whether it's "fair" or not for those unrelated to the situation to be punished - that's the case in any punishment. By your logic, SMU shouldn't have gotten the death penalty because a lot of their players weren't paid and the vast majority of fans weren't paying. By your logic, no one can ever be punished because there will always be people unfairly hurt.

Huh? Collateral damage happens in NCAA punishments all the time. The difference is that schools or their employees are willfully and egregiously in violation of NCAA rules. There is not even a hint of NCAA rules violations in this case.

I seriously don't understand why everyone feels like making the players pay for the sins of their superiors.