Adversity

[El-Moldo]

According to BO'B, "the measure of a man is how he handles adversity". Personally, I'm getting tired of this adversity thing already. Sure the program faces adversity. And O'Brien faces adversity. But the players? They have a way out. They can move on, NO questions asked. Do you know how many kids are stuck in dead end college programs who can't leave without penalty; kids who see NO chance of getting playing time, but have to stay to keep their financial aid? After this season starts, I don't want to hear ONE player mention adversity. THEY HAD THEIR CHANCE. If BO'B wants to make comments about lack of future scholarships, etc, that's one thing. But players who choose to stay cannot keep using this adversity thing over and over. $hit or get off the pot. One thing or another. I don't want to see them use this as a crutch for the next 4 years.

[The Ancient Enemy]

I don't honestly know how any of those kids can transfer and leave their teammates behind. Let's just take a look at this for what it is, and maybe this is a positive spin, but this is how I see it.

1. The two kids who are, as of right now, definitely transferring are Brian Gaia and Chris Nowicki. Both are freshmen. They are both offensive linemen. They have literally the most decorated offensive line coach in the country in Mac McWorter, at Penn State.

2. They are getting a world-class education, free. Even though I know Illinois and Rutgers are good schools, Penn State is better. (Nowicki = Illinois, Gaia = Rutgers)

3. How many kids at the D1 level play in front of 108,000 people? Plus, there is going to be more attention on Penn State this season than ANY other school, even if Penn State ends up 6-6. This is very quickly becoming an underdog story with this team, and they are going to get more exposure than ANYONE.

Moldo, these kids are faced with the most adversity they've ever faced, they had NOTHING to do w/ the scandal are being punished for it, and so are the coaches. None of those coaches were a part of any of that stuff. If you can't support kids in this situation, even as a Pitt fan, I don't know what to say. If this had happened to Pitt, I would want Cryst to go undefeated this year.

[The Ancient Enemy]

It's Ryan Nowicki, not Chris.

Anyways...

Here's the deal on that kid leaving. This is a kid who committed to the old staff, has been there a little while and was completely buried on the depth chart. You can't really fault him for not signing up for a new staff and then all these sanctions and then possibly not getting to play.

[El-Moldo]

I'm not saying that these kids don't have an important decision to make, whether to stay or not. But in a year or two, I don't want to hear any PLAYER , who chose to remain at PSU, say anything about adversity. BO'B can gripe and moan about lack of scholarships, tough recruiting, etc, but NOT the players.

[The Ancient Enemy]

I think it is more about a unified adversity, not so much as a personal one, if that makes sense.

[say_oww]

Save the adversity speeches. The football program's previous administrators chose success over children's safety (Success with honor, I might add) and now they are going to play the adversity card??? Sorry, can't do that. This entire sordid story is a result of the Board of Trustee's lack of control - everyone at PSU from the top down should be thanking the NCAA that they are permitted to play football in 2012. How about a "We are, sorry."

[Coach]

No.

We are Penn State.