Wednesday, July 25, 2012
There are certain situations in life that instantly add maturity and responsibility onto the shoulders of people that, prior to that situation, were young, innocent, and care-free. Old western movies show a young boy whose father got shot, and just like that he has to be the man of the house. At just 11 years old, a boy went from playing in the fields with his younger brother, to protecting his home, mother, and entire family from harm.
For Penn State football players, students, and alumni, we have, in a way, gone through something similar. Last year at this time, juniors at Penn State were enjoying the best times of their lives. They were turning 21, going to the bar (legally) for the first time, tailgating, and cheering with pride for their football team before getting back to the rigors of homework on Sunday. They were going to class, skipping every now and then to catch up on sleep. They were going to the gym, the Creamery, doing crossword puzzles in the HUB, and relaxing on the lawn in front of Old Main. Months later, those same students have aged years. They're still turning 21, but now they're forced to defend themselves, their university, their institution. They have learned how to analyze and tear apart legal documents, pointedly make intelligent arguments, and how to stand up for what they believe in, while trying not to come across as fanatical. The spotlight is on them, these 18-22 year old kids. Their peers at Ohio State or the University of Georgia continue to live care-free, going through college as the rest of us have. If they vandalize a car it's just because their dumb college kids. If they protest something, there's no one there telling them they are stupid, blind apologists. But those Penn Staters, they've got some white streaks in their hair, a few extra wrinkles by their eyes. They've been through a year that their counterparts at Alabama or Oregon or any other university in the world would cringe at, but there they stand, proud, fervent, and loyal.
Students that go to Penn State will still have fun, and much will remain unchanged from the years that I enjoyed. Kids will be kids, but they will also learn very quickly how to be an adult and how to properly represent their university. Everyone preaches the importance of academics alongside athletics, and Penn State, regardless of what the NCAA says, has not just preached, but practiced this, and they will continue to do so now more than ever. Life isn't over for Penn Staters, life has just changed. We are Penn State, and like it or not, we are the man of the house now. Let us all move forward and do everything we can individually, and together, to restore the pride that once was and forever will be Penn State.
