Some Penn State players just dont get it

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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- It was a shocking and regrettable statement. I could see his lips moving and hear words coming out, but the thrust of what he said seemed so woefully misguided that I wanted to believe none of it was happening, that it was some sort of elaborate, strange, sad illusion.

As Penn State players trickled out of the Lasch Football Building the other day, a few stopped and talked to the media. Sophomore tailback Silas Redd, the Nittany Lions leading rusher this season, was one of them. Like a lot of people in Happy Valley, he appeared tired. His shoulders were slumped and he spoke softly.

Its been an honor for me, Redd said when asked what it was like to play for Joe Paterno. Its a sad day for me, but we have a big game on Saturday. Well rejoice and celebrate on Saturday and for the next four games.

Its important to note that all this happened after Paterno met with the team to announce he would retire at the end of the year but before Paterno was fired by the universitys Board of Trustees. A lot has occurred since then. Perhaps Redd changed his mind about the game or rethought the idea that it would serve as an opportunity to rejoice. Its been difficult for a lot of people to process the sexual abuse scandal, and as a result emotions have remained raw and thoughts have been scattered. Not to mention that Redd is a 19-year-old college kid. I didnt always think things through or chose words carefully at that age. I often struggle with that even now.

I mention all this because I want to find a way to give Redd a pass. I cant.

At first, when he said rejoice, I thought I misheard him. I didnt. Penn States game against Nebraska on Saturday will be a lot of things, but it will not be a time to rejoice.

I wonder how many of the players grasp the gravity of the situation, if they fully realize that people outside of the program and State Colleges provincial community dont care all that much about Senior Day or beating Nebraska or evenand around here this is hereticalfiring Paterno over the phone rather than meeting with the 84-year-old in person.

Its criminal, the way Paterno went out, junior offensive tackle Chima Okoli said, joining Redd as yet another Penn State player to pick lamentable words. Hes meant so much to the university. This wasnt a fitting end for him.

Several players, and this wont shock anyone, told me they still want Paterno to be at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, if not to coach, then at least to be present for the final home game of the season. (Paterno said he wont attend the game.) Their love and devotion to Paterno is unconditional, even now. I understand that. But Im not sure some of those same players have considered how tense the atmosphere will be even without Paterno around.

There is a grassroots movement led by fans and the student body for Saturdays game to be a blue out. To show support for the alleged victims of Jerry Sandusky and other kids who were sexually assaulted, some local activists are calling for people who attend the game to wear blue shirtsthe color of the child abuse awareness ribbon. On Friday night at the HUB-Robeson Center, students are expected to gather and cut ribbons before handing them out at a candlelight vigil scheduled for 9:30 p.m. on campus.

Meanwhile, there was a reportthat members of the Penn State coaching staff might have asked some of the players to encourage friends and family to wear white on Saturday in a show of support for Paterno. Whether thats true or not, the game will undoubtedly double as a giant political statementNebraskas president said the schools "participation in no way condones the conduct that has been allegednot to mention a meeting place for different factions with decidedly different but equally strong viewpoints: those who believe the university did the right thing by firing Paterno, former president Graham Spanier and others, and those who think Paterno was unfairly dismissed and used as a scapegoat by the Board of Trustees and the media.

In anticipation of those two groups commingling at Beaver Stadium, State College police said they will increase their presence on game day. Nebraska officials didnt sound all that comforted by the development.

"When you have more than 100,000 people in a stadium, it's probably impossible to conjure up enough officials, security people to absolutely guarantee what's going to happen," Cornhuskers athletic director Tom Osborne told a radio station recently in Lincoln, Nebraska. "I just don't know how you do that."

Football will be played on Saturday, but what happens at Beaver Stadiumwhat people will focus on and discusswill have precious little to do with the game or the Senior Day ceremony. I wonder how many Penn State players understand that, or even want to.

E-mail John Gonzalez at jgonzalez@comcastsportsnet.com

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