PSU Fans/Students---THEY ARE, PENN STATE

Submitted by Year of Revenge II on

I believe it is generally unfair to generalize, but almost weekly I am shocked by the behaviors and attitudes of some schlump connected to PSU, be it coach, player, administrator or fan.

My latest vignette involves a sports book in sin city. Three youngish twentysomethings sit down at the interactive TV beside me, and are discussing NCAA Nat'l Championship prop bets. As they spoke of their need to beat MSU, OSU,  and finally, Michigan, I pipe in "that part ain't happening!"

I was proudly wearing my Maize "Worst State Ever" T-shirt, and opined UM is going to be much better than "experts" think, especially as season progresses.  They "should win easily in Happy Valley" because our running backs are average, Speight won't lose you games, but cannot win one, and McSorley is the next Johnny Unitas.  I pointed out the flaws in their thinking, but they were not impressed. 

I made a quick trip to my room to exchange eyeglasses, and when I returned minutes later, they had vanished, along with my new phone charger.  I looked about the property for them  for a short time to no avail.  

Is there now no bad deed or behavior below which PSU-connected people are unwilling to participate in?  Hard to imagine Hawkeye, Husker, or Badger fans executing this one, or even Spartans or Bucks slinking so low.

Is this just now Joepa culture, or has it always been?  Can it be fixed, or at least improved upon?

 

 

mGrowOld

May 14th, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^

Somebody does something that the rest of the world and 95% of our fan base would classify as an asshole move and then tells us about it thinking they'll get all kinds of praise for being a dickhead. Then they're SHOCKED when people call them out on it. I can't remember who posted it but I remember somebody disrupting a kids classroom or something and was equally surprised they weren't praised for their "fandom"

UMfan21

May 14th, 2017 at 12:31 PM ^

this is the first time I have come to this blog, read something, and felt PSU fans were not the worst represented group in the story. bravo OP.

Zeke21

May 14th, 2017 at 12:33 PM ^

fan bases have fanatics.

They are better not listened to and even better hopefully ignored from view. 

Of course, the Mgoblog nation is of higher caliber. 

Mostly.

Btw, revenge, don't leave your stuff unattended. Especially in Vegas.

 

pmark1210

May 14th, 2017 at 1:04 PM ^

Lesson of the day (which you should've learned in kindergarten), don't leave your shit laying around in a public area. And when you do, don't be surprised when it's missing.

CTG

May 14th, 2017 at 2:27 PM ^

Weird comment.  First, this guy is only one fan and not indicative of "many" Michigan fans. You can see everyone's reaction which is unanimously negative towards the OP.   Second, you have been on this site since 2012 and yet cannot make friends with many Michigan fans.  I think you are a sadomasochist.

 

Edit:. Sorry, I understand your sentiment but take offense to singling out Michigan fans. I like to believe a majority of us are decent, especially relative to other fan bases. Your point is any fan without self awareness.

GoBlueDiggity

May 14th, 2017 at 1:09 PM ^

I grew up UM fan and have never swayed in my loyalty--only attended PSU due to instate tuition and scholarship money making it the most financially feasible--and I have to say that while I in my mind received an above average education from the school that I did not mesh with the culture in Happy Valley as much as I would have wished for the university I attended. While there are always exceptions and I did meet plenty of genuine, amazing people in my four years in State College that are totally disgusted with the adminstrations past and present due to the conduct of the university harboring such a culture of denial, negligence, and overall carelessnesss, I'm disgusted to admit that many of the people of the community are delusional to all of this. I'm proud of what I accomplished at Penn State academically, but it's very troubling to me that I will always be associated with a community that celebrates and worships big time athletics the way it does, then has 80-90% of its people turn a blind eye to troubling situations (most recently the death of the fraternity pledge this past semester). That starts with the administration and works its way down. I guess what I'm trying to say is that Penn State will never receive a penny of my money.

Riiiiiiiiight

May 14th, 2017 at 2:56 PM ^

Yup, no history of hazing at Michigan's fraternities...

https://www.michigandaily.com/content/sigma-chi-vacates-residence-light…

Yup, no cover up in reverance of big time athletics at Michigan...

http://www.washtenawwatchdogs.com/university-of-michigan/the-cover-up-o…

Yup, no child molesters running around the Michigan football program (give a nice listen around 0:15)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X7KZtrZFh0

You come here and rant about PSU's  "culture of denial, negligence, and overall carelessnesss." 

And then you have this obvious 'do no evil' view of Michigan, their football, and the culture at michigan. Such generalizations about PSU, and then you apply none to michigan. Talk about disgusting brainwashed double standards and cognitive dissonance due to your long-standing UM fanboyness.

Ranting about PSU celebrating and worshipping big time athletics and then you turn around and support a michigan program with the highest paid coach in college football? The irony is unbelievable.

Good. Keep your money. 

GoBlueDiggity

May 14th, 2017 at 3:07 PM ^

Oh I'm not denying whatsoever that things like this don't happen at places similar to Penn State, even Michigan is guilty of this type of stuff. It is unacceptable across the board no matter who you are or whatever institution is at fault. I was just giving my impression of the community I spent four years first hand in since I feel as if there aren't very many Penn State alums who are fans of UM football or that even traverse this website, that's all. I fully agree with your stances.

Riiiiiiiiight

May 14th, 2017 at 3:19 PM ^

Just read some of the comments even on this. I see mostly a "do no evil" approach with michigan fans for michigan as well. Mainly a lot of downplaying and "It's not the same thing" or "you and michigan state are worse. Our stuff isn't even a thing." Having a child molester in the program isn't a thing? Covering up a rape by your kicker isn't a thing?

I just see a huge double standard in here.

Very good at pointing fingers, but I don't hear any accepted responsibility by fans in here for any of those three things above. 

Are some of your criticisms of PSU valid? Yup, but I think I think it's taken to a escalated degree because people here want to now blame everyone at PSU. Which of course is the issue that is pushed back about.

But some of the excessive criticisms of PSU from places like michigan just seem hypocritical. And then to criticize PSU for enjoying big time athletics....and to then be a michigan fan? That makes no sense to me.

Just surprised.

GoBlueDiggity

May 14th, 2017 at 3:40 PM ^

No it was fair for you to call me out haha. Sometimes it is a little too easy to approach things wearing glasses with maize n blue tinted lenses. My apologies wasn't denying anything about the similar wrong doings at UM I'll admit it was a tad hypocritical to not look at it holistically--as in as a national issue--not just pertaining to one institution. I suppose it's my frustration with being associated with the school; I've received a lot of hate for attending Penn State from people I meet and so forth even though I only went for academic and financial reasons and am pretty against the culture. 

Riiiiiiiiight

May 14th, 2017 at 4:08 PM ^

I probably overreacted as well.

I haven't really received the hate you're talking about. I mean, in here yes, but in reality no. 

I'm sorry that you are frustrated having attended the school, as it is a good school. I'm not too surprised, though, as I'm not sure why someone would stick up for your alma mater and not hate on it if you yourself feel inclined to shit all over it. 

I especially understand in here, as it's like asking an enemy for compliments when they directly benefit from tearing you down. 

 That was really all I had to say. Sorry you feel that way, but you're free to feel that way. I'll just embrace being the big bad guy and loving my school, despite it not being perfect. Have a good one.

 

 

Riiiiiiiiight

May 14th, 2017 at 7:06 PM ^

Penn State - UP. 

I'd go again in a heartbeat, as I had a fantastic experience. While some of your criticisms are valid, I know that a lot of the sensational claims made by the media and those that dislike the school are not true.

Not a swipe at you, but a general reaction: If someone dislikes PSU for some perceived "culture", which I've seen at most major sports institutions, then too bad for them.

In reality it's likely that I don't sing the praises for their school either.

Riiiiiiiiight

May 14th, 2017 at 9:38 PM ^

That's also true, but Nassar's time at Michigan State is not what I was talking about.

Larry Nassar went to Michigan, worked under Bo Schembechler in the football program, and  also worked in other sports as an athletic trainer at Michigan.

Thanks! 

oriental andrew

May 15th, 2017 at 10:36 AM ^

He was an undergrad doing kinesiology coursework and rotations, including the football and track/field programs (probably for a semester or two each), after which he graduated and went to Wayne State, then Michigan State. A 21-22 year old working with other undergrads is a far cry from a 30-40 something adult working with underage teens/pre-teens. 

Did he do anything inappropriate? Maybe, maybe not. At the very least, there is no evidence of such at this time. Nobody also knows when these behaviors first manifested, so to suggest that Michigan is culpable is a bridge too far.

What we do know are the facts about what happened during and after Sandusky's employment and continued presence on the Penn State campus and that the situations were, at the very best, completely mishandled, bordering on negligence. Again, that's best case scenario. In my opinion, it crosses the line into willful negligence.

I would say that Penn State's handling of the events over the years are an example of what not to do, on the level of Baylor's and Michigan State's complete shit-shows.

Does Michigan have some black marks? Absolutely. The Brendan Gibbons incident is a bad one. However, that one incident does not come close to what went on at PSU, MSU, and Baylor and to even suggest that they are equivalent in magnitude and scale is being purposely obtuse and argumentative, unless you can somehow prove that the administration was intentionally covering up or ignoring this and multiple similar incidents over the course of years. You can't, because it didn't happen.

That said - he's your cookie, troll. Enjoy another feeding. 

GoBlueDiggity

May 14th, 2017 at 8:34 PM ^

Yea no I feel you, generalizations are always to an extent wrong, like I said in my original post there were certainly great people I met at University Park during my four years there that I hope I continue to keep in touch with. Penn State just didn't turn out to be the school for me I suppose. At least I got a good education so I can't complain about that.

UMgradMSUdad

May 14th, 2017 at 1:24 PM ^

Most fans of college football teams across the country hold similar views to these PSU fans.  

Rival / opposing team:  good or great players graduating signal a drop off --the replacement players won't be nearly as good;  returning players will regress or not improve much if any.

My team: good or great players will be replaced mostly with players as good or better; returning players will make leaps in playing ability.

In sum, my team will almost always be even better this year than last; their team will be worse this year than last.  

As far as your phone charger, if you filed a report with the police or hotel security, they would list it as lost, not stolen.

AlwaysBlue

May 14th, 2017 at 1:43 PM ^

a list of things stolen from me and friends in Ann Arbor? Or how about the "fans" during the down years who gave not one damn about the character of their coach when it came to boundries of criticisms? Nothing is pure.

UMgradMSUdad

May 14th, 2017 at 1:54 PM ^

I just took a look at the Larry Nassar thread.  Year of Revenge II you are an alleged victim and I presume the PSU fans are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. Your claims of their malfeasance run counter the the laws and ideals of this great country.

Goggles Paisano

May 14th, 2017 at 5:44 PM ^

Well... I believe there was a thread a few months ago about the passing of Judge Wapner.  I'm sure Doug Lewellen has moved onto to bigger and better things.  And Rusty Burrell the trusty bailiff - if I had to bet a nickel, I would bet he is no longer with us.