So we here at Corn Nation have been struggling this week on how to best approach the Penn State game. We've had a lot of ideas for stories (hate week, McCloskey, etc), but they all seem to fall into the "It's too soon" category. So what can we talk about?
There are a lot of questions right now involving this game. Should it be played? Should Joe Paterno be there? Should any of the Penn State coaches be there? Do the fans boycott the game in protest? Do they wear black to support the kids? Do they turn their backs on the coaches if they come out of the tunnel? Should Penn State forfeit? Should Nebraska travel there and play the game?
All of these questions point to one big question for us Nebraska fans. How do we react to this situation that we are thrown into?
I've stated before that being apart of a conference means that you are there to help each other out because someday you may need help. Heck, this could cover being an American in times of war or being a human during an alien invasion (ok maybe not so much). Well, I'm not sure if there is anything we should do to help out the administrators and the people at Penn State that are involved in this coverup. From personal experiences, I've come up with a saying.
You always take care of your friends. But if someone takes advantage of you ,they aren't really your friend.
There are some rogue people at Penn State and from the news reports, they will be dealt with. But there are also a lot of good people that live in the community, or went to Penn State. There are a lot of good people that had nothing to do with this and they are going to be associated with the problems when they should be associated with the good things that the university has done over the years. We need to support those people if we encounter them and give them encouragement. This is a tough time for them. Put yourself in their shoes and try to realize how bad it would feel if it were happening in Lincoln.
Can we be excited about the game this weekend? I'm still trying to figure that out. There are people across this country that are going to be huge Nebraska fans this weekend, but for the wrong reasons. None of the players that go onto the field to represent Penn State on Saturday had anything to do with this. They should not be punished. Pollsters should not punish them simply because of the scandal, nor should the fans.
The scandal is there. I'm not here to judge and I am in no position to say whether or not certain people should be fired, or at the stadium on Saturday. I don't have all of the facts. To be fair, neither does anyone else in the media. But, as long as the people that were involved are on the sidelines, their presence will take away from the game. It is unavoidable.
So, I can't answer the question about how Husker fans should fell on Saturday when we play Penn State. I think a lot of that depends on what other information comes out this week and who is still with the Penn State program. At some point in time, things will clear up and we will enjoy the games again, but will it happen this weekend?
What do you think? How do you feel about the game this weekend?
Oh and please remember to keep this CLEAN. Posting here shouldn't be shots directed at Penn State, but about how we should handle the game this weekend.