Class of 2020 WR Malick Meiga (QC) Portal from Penn St

[djorange1989]

People have to understand its hard to recruit to Syracuse. Sometimes the better recruiters are not able to solidify verbals. We have to keep winning.

amen, Coach

 

[SU in Hershey]

It's not about football recruiting.

If a fellow parent told me their child was excited to attend Penn State, I would be completely comfortable telling them I'm surprised they are on board with that.

When they ask why, I would tell them I'm surprised they're comfortable with their kid associating themselves with an institution that enabled child abuse.

And then we'd see how they react. I'd give them time to tell me why it's ok. And then I'd say "I trust you to and your kid to make the best decision for yourselves. But at least for me, when I see someone with a Penn State degree, my first thought is to wonder why they chose to associate themselves with an institution that actively enabled the abuse of children. And I'd never hire them."

And we probably wouldn't associate much after that. And I'd be ok with it.

Can you guess why?

I very much like you as a frequent and often very funny contributor to this site, and feel we would get along well if we ever met in person. So I have a sincere question for you: When, if ever, would it be okay for someone to attend PSU? On another thread, I had given reasons why people (parents and students) consider the school a valid choice. While I loathe the football program (a little more today, naturally!), I see other aspects of PSU that have merit, and enough so that my daughters are both PSU students. I don’t feel that I am supporting or endorsing in any way what has happened, whether it be implicit or explicit. That’s my take, and I look forward to your honest reply (and any one else’s, as long as it is civil).

 

[Consigliere]

People really need to get over this Paterno stuff. It happened when dinosaurs walked the earth. Nobody cares! And, until proven otherwise. Franklin is a successful coach.

I'll "get over it" when I see a fan base stop deifying Paterno, stop rationalizing what he suborned, and stop promoting a culture that puts the football program above any hint of humanity and morality.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I very much like you as a frequent and often very funny contributor to this site, and feel we would get along well if we ever met in person. So I have a sincere question for you: When, if ever, would it be okay for someone to attend PSU? On another thread, I had given reasons why people (parents and students) consider the school a valid choice. While I loathe the football program (a little more today, naturally!), I see other aspects of PSU that have merit, and enough so that my daughters are both PSU students. I don’t feel that I am supporting or endorsing in any way what has happened, whether it be implicit or explicit. That’s my take, and I look forward to your honest reply (and any one else’s, as long as it is civil).

There are aspects of Penn State as an entity within higher education that certainly have merit. There's no debating that. As an institution, they contribute to society. Significantly. The stains of the past don't erase and don't prevent other advances in the future.

However, there are aspects of the institution that are proven to be insidious. The athletic department in particular engaged in one of the most horrific and abominable cover-ups and enablement of child abuse in the history of our country. It may be the worst and most widespread thing an American institution of higher learning (or any American entity really) was involved in.

The NCAA should have shut the AD down. Barring that, the University should have done it to preserve the integrity of Penn State as an academic entity. It didn't happen. Yes, there would have been community fall out. Innocent parties would have been harmed economically, and that's unfortunate. But I feel more than a little uncomfortable, especially in the wake of how many parts of that community have responded with such contempt for victims and such indignance at the scant punishment their AD received, that essentially a price has been put on what happened to those kids, and it was decided that price was too high.

Attending Penn State is a good decision if the advantages of the education outweigh the association with institutionally enabled abuse of children. I fully understand and respect that you don't feel that the association is an endorsement of what happened. I'm not suggesting students/faculty/staff now are pro-child abuse.

I am saying though that part of the deal with Penn State is that the association carries. For some it's already forgotten, for some it will be forgotten, for some it maybe never even mattered. For me, my belief is people didn't take what happened seriously enough. I don't understand why, there's a lot in the world I don't get, but I don't think they do. So my small part is to be very clear about what it is people are signing up for. To me, because of what did happen (the horrific crimes), what didn't happen (NCAA and PSU completely falling down), and what did happen (community lack of remorse), being associated with Penn State means being associated with child abuse. That is the first thing I think of when I hear Penn State.

I don't know how many are like me. I hope it works out for your daughters. Straight up honest truth though - your family is associated with something I know you don't want. It's not the choice I'd make or recommend to anyone. I feel a weird, ineffectual responsibility to point it out. It's a dumb crusade. Oddly, it matters to me.

I'm sure your daughters are living happy and healthy lives. If anything, being in the system, I hope they're making it better. And I hope they can milk everything they can out of that education, and never give a dime back to a corrupt institution. I just think overall it was and remains a fundamentally broken institution according to so many things that really matter. Good people deserve to be associated with something better.

 

[chugg21]

It's not about football recruiting.

If a fellow parent told me their child was excited to attend Penn State, I would be completely comfortable telling them I'm surprised they are on board with that.

When they ask why, I would tell them I'm surprised they're comfortable with their kid associating themselves with an institution that enabled child abuse.

And then we'd see how they react. I'd give them time to tell me why it's ok. And then I'd say "I trust you to and your kid to make the best decision for yourselves. But at least for me, when I see someone with a Penn State degree, my first thought is to wonder why they chose to associate themselves with an institution that actively enabled the abuse of children. And I'd never hire them."

And we probably wouldn't associate much after that. And I'd be ok with it.

Can you guess why?

I have a bunch of friends that went there. Don't think any of them hesitated whatsoever in doing so and neither are football recruits.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Looking at the list of draft picks over the last few years, i mean I get it.

 

[BVille44]

PSU had a 4 star WR decommit today.

Penn State football's first committed prospect from the 2021 class, Dont'e Thornton has de-committed from the Lions on Thursday.

Rivals said we have offered Thornton a scholarship prior to his commitment to PSU. Maybe the staff will take a run at him.

 

[dollarbill44]

I mean, they've been the big dog if you're trying to stay in the Northeast for the last 30 years. We need a period of sustained success to even be considered.

They have 100k rabid fans at every game, great facilities, a huge alumni base, sustained success with little drop off, and a snake oil salesman who knows how to exploit it.

Actually, it's been more like 50 years now.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Losing the Lambert Trophy to Army was the deal breaker imo.

 

[SU in Hershey]

There are aspects of Penn State as an entity within higher education that certainly have merit. There's no debating that. As an institution, they contribute to society. Significantly. The stains of the past don't erase and don't prevent other advances in the future.

However, there are aspects of the institution that are proven to be insidious. The athletic department in particular engaged in one of the most horrific and abominable cover-ups and enablement of child abuse in the history of our country. It may be the worst and most widespread thing an American institution of higher learning (or any American entity really) was involved in.

The NCAA should have shut the AD down. Barring that, the University should have done it to preserve the integrity of Penn State as an academic entity. It didn't happen. Yes, there would have been community fall out. Innocent parties would have been harmed economically, and that's unfortunate. But I feel more than a little uncomfortable, especially in the wake of how many parts of that community have responded with such contempt for victims and such indignance at the scant punishment their AD received, that essentially a price has been put on what happened to those kids, and it was decided that price was too high.

Attending Penn State is a good decision if the advantages of the education outweigh the association with institutionally enabled abuse of children. I fully understand and respect that you don't feel that the association is an endorsement of what happened. I'm not suggesting students/faculty/staff now are pro-child abuse.

I am saying though that part of the deal with Penn State is that the association carries. For some it's already forgotten, for some it will be forgotten, for some it maybe never even mattered. For me, my belief is people didn't take what happened seriously enough. I don't understand why, there's a lot in the world I don't get, but I don't think they do. So my small part is to be very clear about what it is people are signing up for. To me, because of what did happen (the horrific crimes), what didn't happen (NCAA and PSU completely falling down), and what did happen (community lack of remorse), being associated with Penn State means being associated with child abuse. That is the first thing I think of when I hear Penn State.

I don't know how many are like me. I hope it works out for your daughters. Straight up honest truth though - your family is associated with something I know you don't want. It's not the choice I'd make or recommend to anyone. I feel a weird, ineffectual responsibility to point it out. It's a dumb crusade. Oddly, it matters to me.

I'm sure your daughters are living happy and healthy lives. If anything, being in the system, I hope they're making it better. And I hope they can milk everything they can out of that education, and never give a dime back to a corrupt institution. I just think overall it was and remains a fundamentally broken institution according to so many things that really matter. Good people deserve to be associated with something better.

I think your response is understandable and reasonable and I appreciate your well thought and stated response. While some of the blame (cover up) went to the top, I mostly fault the athletic department. I am disgusted with the cultism that follows the football program still. There are elements of their fan base that would have to evolve just to reach the status of troglodyte. But, in my opinion, it does not tarnish everything that is PSU. We have a skewed view on this forum and not without merit, but I am comfortable with our family’s decision. I respect your opinion and have not lost one iota of respect for you. I hope you can say the same.

 

[DomeStranger]

Thought he was better than Gowdy, talk about a double whammy, ouch.

 

[javadoc]

Hope Franklin goes to USC in the offseason.

Hope Franklin falls off the damned planet tomorrow.

 

[Marroniac]

I’m ok with losing recruits to Penn St, because it makes me hate them more, and I already hate them a lot, and one day we will play them again, and we will beat them into submission so bad they give themselves the death penalty, and it will feel good when that happens.

 

[jgeorge322]

need another solid season. Plus, who knows what can happen until signing day.

 

[TheCusian]

I am truthfully ok with you these WRs going elsewhere. I mean, they’d be great to have and if they flipped to us - great. But Dino is awesome and what we’re building is really something. Our offense features WRs and Penn States offense is going to be meh this year.

I honestly feel like these guys are missing the forest for the trees, but we’ll be fine. Dino will put quality out there at WR - and it will be a kid who buys in and wants to play here.

 

[SUFan44]

People have to understand its hard to recruit to Syracuse. Sometimes the better recruiters are not able to solidify verbals. We have to keep winning.

I think the winning will make it a little easier. The facility upgrades will make it a little easier. The Dino factor has made it a little bit better.

Very rarely do things go from 0 to 100... we have taken baby steps each class and I think we'll continue to do that as long as the team on the field stays competitive.

 

[FrancoPizza]

People have to understand its hard to recruit to Syracuse. Sometimes the better recruiters are not able to solidify verbals. We have to keep winning.

Did we have sustained success leading up to 1987? I think we’re all overselling the win factor here just a bit. We need to flip Beatty from Maryland NOW. Monroe can’t do it all by himself. We need closers.

 

[jorand]

Did we have sustained success leading up to 1987? I think we’re all overselling the win factor here just a bit. We need to flip Beatty from Maryland NOW. Monroe can’t do it all by himself. We need closers.

Beatty is at Pitt now.

 

[CuseMan4]

I am truthfully ok with you these WRs going elsewhere. I mean, they’d be great to have and if they flipped to us - great. But Dino is awesome and what we’re building is really something. Our offense features WRs and Penn States offense is going to be meh this year.

I honestly feel like these guys are missing the forest for the trees, but we’ll be fine. Dino will put quality out there at WR - and it will be a kid who buys in and wants to play here.

Yup! Taj Harris is that kid right now imo. I have a good feeling Harris will have a bunch of receiving records by the time he is done on the hill.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Did we have sustained success leading up to 1987? I think we’re all overselling the win factor here just a bit. We need to flip Beatty from Maryland NOW. Monroe can’t do it all by himself. We need closers.

Now you've topped yourself in uninformed posts. If you think that Monroe is the only closer on the staff you don't have a clue. And the ultimate closer is always going to be Babers.

 

[All4SU]

I don’t fault recruits. It’s ancient history to them. I fault PSU fans for ignoring their legacy of shame.

 

[orangefog]

I don’t fault recruits. It’s ancient history to them. I fault PSU fans for igniting their legacy of shame.

I feel the same. Not all, but an alarming number of PSU fans were so upset with the loss of wins for Joe Paterno, even after it became perfectly clear he knew for decades.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Did we have sustained success leading up to 1987? I think we’re all overselling the win factor here just a bit. We need to flip Beatty from Maryland NOW. Monroe can’t do it all by himself. We need closers.

Now you've topped yourself in uninformed posts. If you think that Monroe is the only closer on the staff you don't have a clue. And the ultimate closer is always going to be Babers.

Enlighten the unwashed then - how did we get good players that assembled the 1987 squad without any real prior success in the 80s? According to the board we have no chance at 4-star talents unless we keep winning 10 games a year.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Did we have sustained success leading up to 1987? I think we’re all overselling the win factor here just a bit. We need to flip Beatty from Maryland NOW. Monroe can’t do it all by himself. We need closers.

Now you've topped yourself in uninformed posts. If you think that Monroe is the only closer on the staff you don't have a clue. And the ultimate closer is always going to be Babers.

Enlighten the unwashed then - how did we get good players that assembled the 1987 squad without any real prior success in the 80s? According to the board we have no chance at 4-star talents unless we keep winning 10 games a year.

I was commenting on your thinking that Monroe is the only closer or good recruiter on the staff. That is false.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

Did we have sustained success leading up to 1987? I think we’re all overselling the win factor here just a bit. We need to flip Beatty from Maryland NOW. Monroe can’t do it all by himself. We need closers.

Now you've topped yourself in uninformed posts. If you think that Monroe is the only closer on the staff you don't have a clue. And the ultimate closer is always going to be Babers.

Enlighten the unwashed then - how did we get good players that assembled the 1987 squad without any real prior success in the 80s? According to the board we have no chance at 4-star talents unless we keep winning 10 games a year.

I was commenting on your thinking that Monroe is the only closer or good recruiter on the staff. That is false.

Both stanard and Ferri seem to be doing a good job. Of course Dino’s a closer.

Beatty, Franklin, and locksley are formidable. OSU added Hafley. All A+ recruiters. Our coaches will need to really step up.