Penn State Loses To Nebraska 17-14
by Ben Jones on Nov 12, 2011 9:41 PM EST
in Football
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Maybe Penn State needed to lose.
A 9-1 record could have restored the faith of a fan base that has seen their world flipped upside down. A sense of normalcy in a time so unfamiliar. Beating Nebraska while facing such long odds would have rejuvenated a struggling community and put Penn State one step closer to a Big Ten title.
But it would have been a quick fix.
One of the overlooked lessons of the past week is the surprisingly deep connection that we share with the Penn State experience. When Joe Paterno's imperfections were exposed, it disturbed us all in such a deeply upsetting way that Penn State, in every sense, was shaken to its core. Maybe because we felt that everything had been a lie, that Success with Honor had been a facade. It scared us and seemed as though everything that had been built was suddenly crashing down upon our unsuspecting heads. We had created a place where things never changed and where we never wanted them to.
But things have changed.
What happens to Joe Paterno's legacy is something that only time can control. What happens to the legacy of Penn State is up to us. While the tragedy of Paterno's demise is worthy of a moment of reflection, ultimately it is up to us to move this story forward with the hope that our mistakes will make our future better.
Walking off of the field today was one of the more moving experiences I've had at Beaver Stadium. That even after Matt McGloin had failed to will Penn State to the endzone, fans were cheering for a team wrapped up in a drama they had nothing to do with. It wasn't a cheer of encouragement, It was a cheer of pride for something bigger than ourselves: "We are in this together, through thick and thin, and no matter what I'll always be proud of you."
And I think it's what we needed.
To realize that it's going to be okay, that even though Penn State is not perfect, it is still a collection of the greatest people you will know. That no matter what, we'll end up coming out the other side better than ever and we'll do it together, that we really are Penn State.
This was supposed to be a game recap. But I feel that brushing over stats after a day such as today really misses the point. The defense played great, the offense struggled, but the team almost found a way to win. It has been the same story that we have seen all season.
In the end, it doesn't matter that they lost, it matters that we came together.
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Proud to be a Penn Stater
I was proud of our players and fans today. The result may not have been what we wanted, but we put our better foot forward today.
by psu_law on Nov 12, 2011 9:53 PM EST reply actions 4 recs
Perfect quote to live by
“What happens to the legacy of Penn State is up to us.”
MAY NO ACT OF OURS BRING SHAME!
http://twitter.com/tmaluchnik
by TJM5054 on Nov 12, 2011 10:12 PM EST reply actions 4 recs
Great write up Ben
Just another in the line of quality work that you’ve done this week.
I was proud to be a Penn State fan today. I would have loved for them to pull out the victory, but playing and being able to take a step forward was just as, if not more, important.
I think losing today helps
It helped me connect with this week’s events. Watching us lose on the field today gave me a tangible experience where so many of the events this week still don’t quite seem real. Nebraska out played us today, they deserved to win — and suddenly that doesn’t seem like such an aweful thing compared to all that has happened.
Anyway, the flashlights eat our human power grids, our souls if you will. So i destroyed them, and if a few precious panties were burnt or soiled in the reckoning then so be it
I am not big on moral victories...
…but in week during which morals was the point, Penn State most certainly won as a community today.
We Are!
This game
was such a statement of what Penn State is about…pride in your university, the ability to rebound from whatever is thrown in your path…overcoming the worst of adversities .
From the prayer circle to start the game, led by our own Husker coach Ron Brown (there could not have been a better choice…Coach Brown is one of the most phenomenal human beings I know…he helped guide my nephew from a devastating high school football head injury) to a cleanly played game, I don’t think this day, with all of the controversary and emotions, could have evolved any better.
I’m sorry one team had to lose, but that’s the nature of the game. But it started the healing.
And that’s what matters.
I will pray daily for the young boys who have been damaged by that monster, but I will also remember that it was one man. Penn State remains. Penn State lives.
I look forward to seeing your wonderful fans and alumni next year in Lincoln.
Prayers for all of you.
A Lady Husker called redvalley
They're 18 to 22...how perfect were you at that age?
The Power of Red begins with the Passion of Walk-Ons.
by redvalley on Nov 13, 2011 2:30 AM EST reply actions 8 recs
thank you
"We gon' get down. We gon' do the do. I'm going to hit these mother****ers" - Dock Ellis, May 1, 1974.
Thanks for your comments
I’d never heard of Ron Brown before this game, but yes, he seems like an amazing person of tremendous integrity. I wish every school had more people like him on their coaching staffs. I’m glad he agreed to lead the pregame prayer between our schools. I had a few tears in my eyes a few times during the pregame on TV, and especially during the prayer. That was powerful. And I feel like at least some small bit of healing in the Penn State community started yesterday (and the night before with the candlelight vigil).
Let's Go State!
reply fail
That was supposed to be in reply to redvalley’s comment above
Let's Go State!
by Gopher Broke on Nov 13, 2011 2:45 AM EST up reply actions
So it's 3:30 am or so in the central time zone
and my social evening is finished and i’m sitting in my apartment by myself. I know lots of us disagree about how Paterno should or should not have gone out. I don’t really care about the game right now. I wish PSU had won, but I’m not that concerned about it. I do want to say that being here in Champaign, I have several close friends, but none who are Nittany Lions. They have all been sympathetic, but could never understand what this is like. It’s been difficult to deal with all of this and process this so far from the place I call home. I’m not a frequent poster, and I don’t really know any of you personally, but your comments have helped me take the first steps in working through all of this. I haven’t agreed with many of the posts here. (I’m not revealing my own stance on purpose.) However, it has been nice to read things written by people from my own community, and I want to thank everyone for that. I think many members of the Penn State community have taken some wonderful steps towards recognizing the victims, and I hope this continues. When all of this news hit the public, I took the Penn State magnets off my car. I’m proud to say that the behavior of the players and the fans today have taken me several steps towards putting them back on. I’ve always been proud to be a graduate of Penn State, and despite the actions of a few individuals, I am still proud of that. Despite what many may think of us, I firmly believe that is up to every one of us to restore the name and reputation of Penn State. This is a task we are capable of doing.
Now more than ever, may no act of mine bring shame.
We Are . . .
by Nittany Llini on Nov 13, 2011 4:38 AM EST reply actions 3 recs
Its a shame
the kids failed and couldnt take the game ball to Joe. :(
I agree, Ben.
But I will say….when it’s 4th and 1 and you are going for it, and you have a choice of 4 guys ranging from 208 to about 235 lbs, and the 208 guy hasn’t been playing great that day due to injury, which player number do you call?
"Illegitimus non Carborundum!" (Don't let the bastards wear you down)
Don't worry.
That thought crossed my mind a few times.
Follow @Ben_Jones88
Blogging at Black Shoe Diaries
It was all a dream, I used to read Word-Up magazine.
I wound up with seats in the Nebraska section
I had three different groups of fans tell me (independently and without hearing the others) that we were the best host fans they had ever tailgated with. I saw two “Huskers [heart] JoePa” signs. I was able to thank one in person and almost started crying, and he gave me a pat on the back and told me that “this (PSU) is an amazing place. You’ll get through this.”
Needless to say, this was the first PSU loss since I was a freshman (2002) after which is wasn’t pissed off or depressed. The team played alright (we outgained Nebraska?), the fans were great, and we raised a lot of money for the kids. Afterwards, despite my anger this week, I realized that I will always love my school, and that will never change. I realized that love is not only about football; that is all that’s changed in me this week.
"Every player we have, someone-maybe a parent, a grandparent, someone-poured their soul into that young man. They are handing that young man off to us. They are giving us their treasure, and it's our job to make sure we give them back that young man intact and ready to face the world."
-J.V.Pa.
by psume06 on Nov 13, 2011 7:56 AM EST via mobile reply actions 3 recs
Thank you
This is a really great perspective.
The whole loss of “Success with Honor” has been bothering me a lot this week. I think you captured it well – the events of this week do not mean the mantra isn’t real; in fact, they show us how important this philosophy is to us as alumni of the school. College football scandals aren’t going to go away – we as Penn State will be defined by how we respond to this tragedy and act going forward. Now it is more important than ever that we restore and work to maintain the program’s integrity that Joe worked so hard to build.
by 16andCounting on Nov 13, 2011 8:38 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I don't think it is lost
I think it’s just our job to rebuild it.
Follow @Ben_Jones88
Blogging at Black Shoe Diaries
It was all a dream, I used to read Word-Up magazine.
by Ben Jones on Nov 13, 2011 10:07 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Some days you dont deserve to win
Yesterday was one of those days. I’m proud that we didn’t roll over and quit at 17-0, I know at that point I was mentally and emotionally exhausted. They fought back like the rest of us will fight back. We are still Penn State.
by coop247 on Nov 13, 2011 9:09 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Best recap ever
I am so glad I went to the game. Yes, football was played, and for a little while, things felt normal—a few goofy students, a few cranky fans who think they’re smarter than the coaches, a struggling offense and a terrific defense. But I didn’t go to the game to feel normal. After spending a week listening to people try to one-up each other over how much they hate Joe Paterno, it felt so good to come together with thousands of people who feel the way I do, and who care as much as I do about showing the world that being a Penn Stater is still worth taking a lot of pride in. I cheered long and loudly with the rest of you at the end of the game, and it was a truly cathartic experience.
Penn Stater, lawyer, and loyal to Joe Paterno until the day I die.
by newenglandnittanylion on Nov 13, 2011 9:53 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Great Job..
by Ben Jones again. In a week where we say the worst of so many people and institutions, Mr. Jones and a handful of reporters and commentators really stood out. The PSU community should be really proud of him.
The football team played hard, but was done in by its flawed offense. While we all rip the Big 12 and Pac 12 for their video game scores, you still need to score to win.
11/9/11 - the day the music died.
The bitter with the better.
by Esteban d' Amur on Nov 13, 2011 10:55 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
One thought I couldn't shake
Was that things are never going to be the same. Ultimately, we’ll be okay. But, that really sunk in for me yesterday.
Oh and it looks the “PENN STATE IS GOING TO DIE” is the current message board lunatic stance. Oh wait, that’s always been theiur stance.
Observations
1. People are still trying to come to terms with the fact that Joe Paterno is not a superhero, even though he’s a human being who always does to the best of his abilities the right thing, people are hurt that he couldn’t put on a costume, drive the Paternomobile over to stop Penn State’s version of the Joker. And even more troubling for them, he doesn’t have a theme that goes “nanananaNANAnana, nanananaNANAnana, JOE PAAAAA!!!” and is a real person, not a superhero being played by Adam West.
2. Penn State looked broken hearted. Can you blame them? Last time there was no Joe Paterno on the sidelines, the Four Freshmen were still called Hal’s Harmonizers (you gotta be old or love old music to get that one). Penn State fought back hard in the second half, but it wasn’t enough. The defense did all they could, including force fumbles, the offense looked worse than usual except for the second half.
3. Ohio State still sucks. They lost to Purdue. They really do suck. Maybe Penn State can get a 9th win and get it against the Horse Chestnuts.
4. There will be no report cards for the remainder of the year. I just don’t feel up to it. There’s one grade I have to give out.
Trustees: Negative infinity minus one
Was I being too generous with my grading? I think I was.
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