Wednesday night, Penn State's Board of Trustees announced the firing of Joe Paterno. This is upsetting news, but not nearly as upsetting as actual tragedies, like perhaps the ones that started this whole thing to begin with. But listening to John Surma, CEO of U.S. Steel and the Board's spokesman, sort through frantic, accusatory questions from the assembled mob, you'd think the firing of a football coach caused intense, lifelong pain for families with young children or something.
Surma was grilled at wavering volume about why the Board failed to worry itself sufficiently with Paterno's dignity, the medium by which Paterno was fired, and how long the Board has been "gunning" for Paterno, and this was before thousands of students gathered in pain and anger to bump up against each other and yell, "Wooooooooooo!"
Everybody made fun of it.
@TomFornelli Wow, some of the "questions' being asked. Denial is an incredible force.
@willbrinson Do all these reporters have their faces painted? What the hell.
@SBN_BillC Man oh man... RT @DanWolken: The angry "reporters" are embarrassing themselves
@Unsilent Wow, the media is pretty pissed. This is like a town hall meeting in Pawnee, Indiana.
@edsbs Embarrassing SEC homer media types, I apologize. You're not alone, nor exceptional.
@runthedive Security probably should've done a pat down on reporters on their way into this presser. This is wild.
@billbarnwell Question/behavior of these journalists in the Penn State presser is the blogger strawman come to life.
@InTheBleachers Love the 'Lord of the Flies' questioning methods during this presser.
@38Godfrey My keen journal-o-senses are telling me a few butthurt JoePa fans have infiltrated this press conference.
@BarrettSallee Good Lord...some of these questions are mind-boggling.
@straightbangin from what i can tell, the psu press corps is most concerned about psu students not getting to waive to joepa in the press box this weekend
@SBN_BillCRT @MarkHasty: After listening to these "questions" @ PSU presser, I don't want to hear any crap about pajamas-wearing bloggers ever again.
@MikePradaSBN Impressed with Surma here. These questions are unreal
@Nastinchka Gobsmacked at how coolly John Surma is conducting himself. I'd've slapped somebody long before now.
@dennisdoddcbs Joe toadies showing their ass, simple as that.
@Dan_Rubenstein The sound you're hearing is Penn State's journalism school freefalling down a US News and World Report list.
@SEC_Chuck I have the privilege of working with some of the best and most fair sports media in country everyday. I'm at a loss for words watching this
@CharlesRobinson The difference between national media questions & some of the local scribes is, uh, disappointing. Locals feel like they are lecturing.
@KegsnEggs Should end this presser with: "Thank you for your time tonight and good luck in your mother's basements, everyone."
@Mengus22 Yes. Asshats. RT @tyduffy Did someone just complain about JoePa not getting "a little bit of dignity?"
@MichelleDBeadle Are these "actual" reporters asking questions?!? Holy cow...feels like a bad SNL skit. Kids were abused folks. Ruined. U sound like fools
@CFTalk I don't know who the diatribers are amongst the media asking questions at the Penn State press conference, but they should be embarrassed.
@towerofbammer Those Penn State reporters hurrying to post-press conf couch burning!
@theuconnblog Glad to see the media is keeping the Penn State BOT's feet to the fire on issues like legal fees and wacky-ass message board conspiracies
@testudotimes The last question was an LOL-worthy conspiracy theory. Unbelievable.
@matt_stewartcss The reporters at this press conference are an embarrasment to my profession.
@elevenwarriors Thank you, Penn State beat, for making bloggers look so professional.
@nickbaumgardner Whenever this settles, some credential rights need to be revisited in State College. Unreal.
@Dave_Matter I really want to believe there are some Penn State fans posing as reporters at this press conference. Please be true
@PeteThamelNYT Surma has handled a difficult situation with aplomb here. The manic nature of the questions is unusual and he's stayed calm.
@IDS_BroncoBeat That was the strangest press conference I've ever seen.
@KyleTucker_CJ Sounded like they let some fans pretend to be reporters in that Penn State press conference. Shouting down the Trustees for firing Paterno?
@CaptainAnnoying That Penn St presser was a train wreck, and it wasn't the trustee answering questions -- it was the dipshit biased media barking them.
@ClayTravisBGID The Penn State homer press was insane. Never heard anything like that.
@MockingTheDraft WTF kind of presser was that? Were people asking questions dressed as lions?
… these were not just “adults”. The guy who’s wasted his life pursuing ever higher quantities of chips & beer who has no goals, no ambition and no functional desire to ever do anything that would be considered “productive” in the long term is an adult.
These are college students. They are supposed to be the intellectual “elite” of a nation. They’re supposed to be the kids who either have an incredibly amount of natural talent or the ingrained work ethic to study hard from grade school through advanced high school courses, earning a chance at an advanced degree to show they are capable and productive members of the workforce.
Instead, we get these shenanigans. We have diluted the college experience into "Bring in as many idiots as we can hold who will buy football tickets and merchandise. Colleges have been mobile sports-domes with classes as an afterthought attachment, and it sickens me to my core.
It’s why my college spent tons of money advertising a football team that, when I attended, was a perennial joke, but couldn’t be bothered to individualize degrees with your major or field of focus.
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@TomFornelli Wow, some of the "questions' being asked. Denial is an incredible force.
@willbrinson Do all these reporters have their faces painted? What the hell.
@SBN_BillC Man oh man... RT
@Unsilent Wow, the media is pretty pissed. This is like a town hall meeting in Pawnee, Indiana.
@edsbs Embarrassing SEC homer media types, I apologize. You're not alone, nor exceptional.
@runthedive Security probably should've done a pat down on reporters on their way into this presser. This is wild.
@billbarnwell Question/behavior of these journalists in the Penn State presser is the blogger strawman come to life.
@InTheBleachers Love the 'Lord of the Flies' questioning methods during this presser.
@38Godfrey My keen journal-o-senses are telling me a few butthurt JoePa fans have infiltrated this press conference.
@BarrettSallee Good Lord...some of these questions are mind-boggling.
@straightbangin from what i can tell, the psu press corps is most concerned about psu students not getting to waive to joepa in the press box this weekend
@MikePradaSBN Impressed with Surma here. These questions are unreal
@Nastinchka Gobsmacked at how coolly John Surma is conducting himself. I'd've slapped somebody long before now.
@dennisdoddcbs Joe toadies showing their ass, simple as that.
@Dan_Rubenstein The sound you're hearing is Penn State's journalism school freefalling down a US News and World Report list.
@SEC_Chuck I have the privilege of working with some of the best and most fair sports media in country everyday. I'm at a loss for words watching this
@CharlesRobinson The difference between national media questions & some of the local scribes is, uh, disappointing. Locals feel like they are lecturing.
@KegsnEggs Should end this presser with: "Thank you for your time tonight and good luck in your mother's basements, everyone."
@Mengus22 Yes. Asshats. RT
@MichelleDBeadle Are these "actual" reporters asking questions?!? Holy cow...feels like a bad SNL skit. Kids were abused folks. Ruined. U sound like fools
@CFTalk I don't know who the diatribers are amongst the media asking questions at the Penn State press conference, but they should be embarrassed.
@towerofbammer Those Penn State reporters hurrying to post-press conf couch burning!
@theuconnblog Glad to see the media is keeping the Penn State BOT's feet to the fire on issues like legal fees and wacky-ass message board conspiracies
@testudotimes The last question was an LOL-worthy conspiracy theory. Unbelievable.
@matt_stewartcss The reporters at this press conference are an embarrasment to my profession.
@elevenwarriors Thank you, Penn State beat, for making bloggers look so professional.
@nickbaumgardner Whenever this settles, some credential rights need to be revisited in State College. Unreal.
@Dave_Matter I really want to believe there are some Penn State fans posing as reporters at this press conference. Please be true
@BryanDFischer Penn State local media: Absolute JOKE.
@PeteThamelNYT Surma has handled a difficult situation with aplomb here. The manic nature of the questions is unusual and he's stayed calm.
@IDS_BroncoBeat That was the strangest press conference I've ever seen.
@KyleTucker_CJ Sounded like they let some fans pretend to be reporters in that Penn State press conference. Shouting down the Trustees for firing Paterno?
@CaptainAnnoying That Penn St presser was a train wreck, and it wasn't the trustee answering questions -- it was the dipshit biased media barking them.
@ClayTravisBGID The Penn State homer press was insane. Never heard anything like that.
@MockingTheDraft WTF kind of presser was that? Were people asking questions dressed as lions?
6 comments
1
Comments
As a citizen of the US, a fan of football, and as a college student
I am embarrassed at everything going on with these students at Penn St
by Jonesy24 on Nov 9, 2011 11:42 PM EST reply actions
Insular, cult-like, and in denial. And those were the adults.
Incredibly sad and disappointing.
Oregon loves you, Chip Kelly!
by gamedaytribe on Nov 10, 2011 12:47 AM EST reply actions
Thank you, Jason, incidentally, for the above report.
Oregon loves you, Chip Kelly!
by gamedaytribe on Nov 10, 2011 12:49 AM EST up reply actions
Let's take that a step further...
… these were not just “adults”. The guy who’s wasted his life pursuing ever higher quantities of chips & beer who has no goals, no ambition and no functional desire to ever do anything that would be considered “productive” in the long term is an adult.
These are college students. They are supposed to be the intellectual “elite” of a nation. They’re supposed to be the kids who either have an incredibly amount of natural talent or the ingrained work ethic to study hard from grade school through advanced high school courses, earning a chance at an advanced degree to show they are capable and productive members of the workforce.
Instead, we get these shenanigans. We have diluted the college experience into "Bring in as many idiots as we can hold who will buy football tickets and merchandise. Colleges have been mobile sports-domes with classes as an afterthought attachment, and it sickens me to my core.
by VorAbaddon on Nov 10, 2011 1:14 AM EST up reply actions
Hate to be the old fart leadin with "Nowadays"..
but nowadays just about anyone can get into just about any university. The students are not in any way the “elite”.
by bangkokhoosier on Nov 10, 2011 3:50 AM EST up reply actions
Ooooohhhh, I'm aware
It’s why my college spent tons of money advertising a football team that, when I attended, was a perennial joke, but couldn’t be bothered to individualize degrees with your major or field of focus.
by VorAbaddon on Nov 10, 2011 6:59 AM EST up reply actions
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