An old co-worker of mine now works at Penn State, and she is very much a "Joebot".

Case in point: Her Twitter the past couple days has been very anti-O'Brien and pro-Joe. I think there's three facts that PSU needs to remember:
1) JoePa's dead. He ain't coming back.
2) The majority of the American public don't have a favorable opinion of the man considering he had numerous opportunities to fire Sandusky although we'll never exactly know what Joe knew and when.
3) In the scheme of things, the Nittany Lions could have gotten a heck of a lot worse than what they got (i.e. Death penalty), and against all odds Bill O'Brien fielded very competitive teams given the circumstances.

I wish Coach O'Brien all the best in Houston, and just shake my heads at those at Penn State who continue to bring up and glorify a part of their program's history that has a negative perception in many people's minds.

(01-02-2014 05:30 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 04:39 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 01:42 PM)JRsec Wrote:  Bear (love him or hate him) left nothing but honor to the Alabama brand.

Hmmmm……

Count me as very skeptical of that claim. But I readily admit that nothing that is known to have occurred within the Bear's domain comes anywhere close to the Sandusky scenario. The only comparison I was seeking to draw is that in both instances, the personality of a single man so totally dominated the larger group around him that no one felt free to utter a critical or dissenting view. That will have a distorting effect on large organizations.

I agree with your broader point, but to specifics, not many outside of the state have ever understood the political power gap within Alabama. The law school of prominence in the state belongs to Alabama. The vast majority of state legislators and senators are Alabama law graduates. They control appropriations. Bear's family wound up in quasi familial relationships with their governmental alumni. Even though for years Alabama was the second largest, and some of the time third largest state university within Alabama they received the lions share of appropriations. Bear, and now Saban, also utilize this to their recruiting and funding benefit. So the personality cult extends far beyond the university itself. Alabama football has advantages that no state should show toward 1 of several schools. Auburn is an entirely different animal. It wasn't until about 30 years ago that our Trustees were finally mostly Auburn folks (with political connections to be sure, but no longer Alabama graduates).

So to understand fully the grip of that power axis one must live it on a daily basis. In some ways an Auburn victory feels like a political revolution when it happens. It's like for that one year the small business people, farmers, timber men, and engineers have managed to scoop the crooked Alabama lawyers that run the rest of the state to their benefit. I may be exaggerating to make a point, but not by a great deal.

With Auburn's increased graduation rate exceeding that of Alabama that political power base is beginning to shift. If Auburn ever starts a law school things really could get chilly in Alabama between the two schools.

Truth!

(01-02-2014 05:16 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  Last time I checked Saban was coach and winning titles when some yokel poisoned a town's trees because someone put a Cam Newton jersey on Bear Bryant's statue.

True, and I didn't mean to say that there aren't still people scattered around the state who are simply batsh*t insane about Bryant's memory. Many such people unquestionably exist and by their crazy antics, manage to get their sorry names into the media every once in a while.

But at least such people are no longer actually in positions of authority in the UA system.

(01-02-2014 05:30 PM)JRsec Wrote:  It wasn't until about 30 years ago that our Trustees were finally mostly Auburn folks (with political connections to be sure, but no longer Alabama graduates).

Yes -- that is a significant part of the Fob James (Auburn '56) legacy. He is an honest man, and was a good Governor. I wish he had done more to clip Bobby Lowder's (Auburn trustee -- highly destructive force in AU athletics) wings, however. That is one negative mark against him.

(01-02-2014 08:42 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 05:30 PM)JRsec Wrote:  It wasn't until about 30 years ago that our Trustees were finally mostly Auburn folks (with political connections to be sure, but no longer Alabama graduates).

Yes -- that is a significant part of the Fob James (Auburn '56) legacy. He is an honest man, and was a good Governor. I wish he had done more to clip Bobby Lowder's (Auburn trustee -- highly destructive force in AU athletics) wings, however. That is one negative mark against him.

That's okay, Lowder clipped himself when Colonial Bank went belly up and was bought out by BB&T. Auburn is much better off now. 1 down and 1 to go ....."Yellllooow".

(01-02-2014 08:33 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 05:16 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  Last time I checked Saban was coach and winning titles when some yokel poisoned a town's trees because someone put a Cam Newton jersey on Bear Bryant's statue.

True, and I didn't mean to say that there aren't still people scattered around the state who are simply batsh*t insane about Bryant's memory. Many such people unquestionably exist and by their crazy antics, manage to get their sorry names into the media every once in a while.

But at least such people are no longer actually in positions of authority in the UA system.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-25...rtune.html

Yeah, about that.

What a frickin Whiner! O'Brien knew exactly what the situation was when he took the job.

Now he is upset because the PSU people expect him to honor his contract?

I am disapointed in OB after those comments and have no respect either for the reporter who published them.

(01-02-2014 08:58 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 08:33 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 05:16 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  Last time I checked Saban was coach and winning titles when some yokel poisoned a town's trees because someone put a Cam Newton jersey on Bear Bryant's statue.

True, and I didn't mean to say that there aren't still people scattered around the state who are simply batsh*t insane about Bryant's memory. Many such people unquestionably exist and by their crazy antics, manage to get their sorry names into the media every once in a while.

But at least such people are no longer actually in positions of authority in the UA system.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-25...rtune.html

Yeah, about that.

None of the people described in that article are poisoning trees.

(01-03-2014 01:13 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 08:58 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 08:33 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 05:16 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  Last time I checked Saban was coach and winning titles when some yokel poisoned a town's trees because someone put a Cam Newton jersey on Bear Bryant's statue.

True, and I didn't mean to say that there aren't still people scattered around the state who are simply batsh*t insane about Bryant's memory. Many such people unquestionably exist and by their crazy antics, manage to get their sorry names into the media every once in a while.

But at least such people are no longer actually in positions of authority in the UA system.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-25...rtune.html

Yeah, about that.

None of the people described in that article are poisoning trees.

Nah, Paul Jr. is just poisoning UAB's football program because it might take one iota of attention away from UAT.

(01-03-2014 01:52 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(01-03-2014 01:13 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 08:58 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 08:33 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 05:16 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  Last time I checked Saban was coach and winning titles when some yokel poisoned a town's trees because someone put a Cam Newton jersey on Bear Bryant's statue.

True, and I didn't mean to say that there aren't still people scattered around the state who are simply batsh*t insane about Bryant's memory. Many such people unquestionably exist and by their crazy antics, manage to get their sorry names into the media every once in a while.

But at least such people are no longer actually in positions of authority in the UA system.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-25...rtune.html

Yeah, about that.

None of the people described in that article are poisoning trees.

Nah, Paul Jr. is just poisoning UAB's football program because it might take one iota of attention away from UAT.

That is very true.

I don't deny for one second that Bryant and the network of people who prop him up aren't shady. But they aren't clinically insane, like the tree-poison guy, either.

(01-03-2014 02:54 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(01-03-2014 01:52 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(01-03-2014 01:13 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 08:58 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(01-02-2014 08:33 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  True, and I didn't mean to say that there aren't still people scattered around the state who are simply batsh*t insane about Bryant's memory. Many such people unquestionably exist and by their crazy antics, manage to get their sorry names into the media every once in a while.

But at least such people are no longer actually in positions of authority in the UA system.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-25...rtune.html

Yeah, about that.

None of the people described in that article are poisoning trees.

Nah, Paul Jr. is just poisoning UAB's football program because it might take one iota of attention away from UAT.

That is very true.

I don't deny for one second that Bryant and the network of people who prop him up aren't shady. But they aren't clinically insane, like the tree-poison guy, either.

They might not be clinically insane, but no less dangerous.

I highly doubt you'll find anybody qualified that would say Graham Spanier, Gary Schultz, or Tim Curley were/are clinically insane either, but who really presented a bigger threat to society? Those three or Harvey Updyke? A systematic coverup of multiple child rape cases or a dude who dumped Spike 80DF on some live oaks?

(01-03-2014 12:38 AM)goofus Wrote:  I am disapointed in OB after those comments and have no respect either for the reporter who published them.

To know Jones, yeah, this pretty much nails it.

It's funny, because it makes Paterno look all the more intelligent. He evaded Jones and his shtick quite well over the years. So many of Jones' pieces, especially during the "Joe must go" years, put Jones in the position of the speculative wonderer, because Joe simply wouldn't indulge him and his shenanigans.

Bill, on the other hand, well, Jones helped the door hit him on his *** on the way out. And, Jones can "clarify" himself, even eat a bit of crow, simply because he knows who he is. Jones is a weasel. Bill...well, he got himself into this mess, and the press and critics will pretty much always have it over him. I don't think Bill's made of the stuff to actually own up for that, even if he's quite skilled at speaking out of both sides of his mouth.