Just so we're clear SEC fans, college football is in fact played outside of the Southeast. And if you paid attention to news headlines this past weekend, Rutgers University athletic director Julie Hermann had to formally apologize to the country after displays of 'classless' behavior by fans. This occurred against their opening home weekend game against the Penn State Nittany Lions. On the surface one says, "So what?" to a story about crazy college football fans and young kids. Heck the SEC invented crazy tailgating and a wild football culture! However I believe the line was indeed crossed this past weekend when Rutgers fans were documented mocking the Penn State Child Molestation Scandal of 2011 in more obscene ways than one. Graphic illustration signs, perverted chants, and t-shirts exclaiming "Joe Paterno is in hell" peppered the Rutgers fan base Saturday, in and out of the stadium. Once again let me remind you the AD had to issue a public apology. That's how embarrassing it was for the university, Big Ten Conference, and college football nation. Just so you know, Joe Paterno was fired as coach of Penn State, despite being one of the undisputed greatest coaches of all time, shortly after an investigation revealed Paterno had knowledge of Jerry Sandusky's acts for years. His statue in Happy Valley (Penn State) was ripped down, but as late students have formed formal protests to bring the statue back. The bottom line is this: it's a horrific tragedy that took place for Penn State. But no one wants to relive the story. Therefore no one wants to witness opposing fans mocking a disgraceful story. It's tasteless. It's sad. And in addition to being overall embarrassing, it's bad for college sports. Stick with the "overrated" chants, guys.
Wow. I had not heard about this story until this post. That is crazy that college students would do that to an extent to where the AD would have to publicly apologize for students' actions. I'm curious to see if other teams take the same route as trash talk throughout the season.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to see how college sports and sports in general can play such a big role in scandals that happen outside of game days. It's sad that the rest of the country can so easily see what happens at a smaller university like Rutgers through social media. I wonder if they used social media to help foster their feelings towards Sandusky and the Penn State team and how they got the entire student body to join in. Thank you for shedding a light to something that is outside of our home, the SEC.
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