So I just got off the phone with Customer Service at Penn State Athletics. I informed the woman with whom I spoke that I would not be renewing my football tickets and that even basketball was a questionable proposition at this point. I explained my feeling that the pompous arrogance of David Joyner throughout this process has been disrespectful to the current and former players - not to mention the three good, honorable and eminently qualified men on the staff who were passed over for this job - and by extension, all Penn Staters, and that the only meager power I had to register my displeasure was to stop spending my money on Penn State football tickets.

The customer service rep did not seem to have been prepared with any special training for handling the situation. To be honest, I found her responses to be rather cold and mechanical. For the record, I noted at the beginning of the call that I would be brief and polite, and that while I was extremely upset, I understood.that she was not to blame and that I simply felt the need to officially register my disappointment and frustration.

In my mind, the most telling exchange came at one point when she interrupted me to say that it was currently "only a report by ESPN." I then asked if Penn State was denying that report. She replied that they could not confirm or deny it, because there would be an official announcement tomorrow. I responded by saying that, in light of this news having already spread worldwide and with the message now running completely uncontrolled and unfiltered in the age of digital media, the facts that PSU has not seen fit to issue a statement today, nor had employees like her been empowered with information to field calls like mine (they were instead left to twist in the wind with promises of a press conference tomorrow), are indicative of exactly the type of perceived mismanagement that has so many fans angry and that led to my decision to cancel the tickets. This point seemed totally lost on her. Her response was that her superiors couldn't have given her any information, because "there will be an official announcement tomorrow." I thought that was a logical place to end the conversation. I thanked her for her time and for listening. She didn't say, "You're welcome." I tried to be firm, yet polite. Maybe I wasn't....