Penn State Football: Should the Nittany Lions Accept a Bowl Bid?

There was no game plan for this.

No on-the-fly or halftime adjustments to make.

Heck, how could there be?

A scandal of this magnitude is inconceivable, and remains unfathomable to most of us, even though we've had nearly a month to think over what's transpired since the Penn State child sex-abuse story broke.

I am not one of those myopically-challenged Nittany Lion fanatics that USA Today columnist, Christine Brennan wrote about when she was emphatically opposed to Penn State accepting a bowl invitation.

"It's a privilege, not a right, to play in a bowl game, and the Penn State football program has squandered that privilege in spectacular fashion."

She was correct in her assessment that it is a privilege. And I believe that Nittany Lion coaches, players and fans realize this more today than in seasons past, when it seemed as if it were just another game on their schedule, with an opponent and sunny location to be determined at a later date.

I would counter-argue that the student-athletes on this year's team had nothing to do with any of the allegations that have tarnished—correction—destroyed the image of the school and its football program and legendary coach Joe Paterno's legacy.

Sure, there's been precedent for declining a bowl invitation.  Just last week, the University of Miami announced that it would not accept a bowl invite this season in the wake of the NCAA's investigation into their program and an alleged Ponzi scheme that let its players be showered with gifts.

Much more Machiavellian than noble, but the right choice nonetheless.

Notre Dame has done it in the past as well, as recent as two seasons ago: citing "unique circumstances", the Fighting Irish decided they would rather decline an invite than play in the Little Caesars or GMAC Bowls.

This was a case of the Golden Domers flexing their elitism. "Old ego is a too much thing," to quote the infamous Charles Manson.

However, Penn State is in a much different position.

Yes, the situation is much worse and the alleged incidents (I'm sorry, but they're still only alleged) are horrific. The lives of so many have been ruined, and that is tragic. 

But, we all know that Beaver Stadium is not going to resemble the Roman Colosseum anytime soon—the $70 million-plus the football program brings in annually would never allow it.  And so, this is where Penn State and a simple acceptance of a bowl invite can change some of the wrongs that they have intentionally, or unintentionally, been responsible for.

Let the Lions travel to Florida or wherever their holiday itinerary takes them. Let them receive their gift bags from the grey-haired men in the ostentatious blazers, and allow them to play football one last time this season. 

Remember that this tragedy is no fault of theirs. 

Let them take that gaudy paycheck and the rest of their Big Ten share, and place it in an account for the victims of these crimes, or for a charity that helps restore the lives of people affected by these crimes.

This will not restore the childhood innocence that may have been stolen by a respected assistant coach several times over. Nor will it ease any pain or erase any memories.

What it could do, though, is help heal.

Heal everything?  Doubtful.

But if you ask them to decline a bid to a bowl game, then we would never know to what extent it could. 

 

 

 

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/960935-should-penn-state-accept-a-bowl-bid

Dwayne Roloson Jon Sim Jason Arnott David Clarkson Patrick Davis Tyler Eckford