Penn State Football: Why Fans Should Still Fill Beaver Stadium in 2012

Penn State fans have heard a lot of negativity about their school over the past few months. The scandal and NCAA sanctions aside, fans should still be excited for the upcoming 2012 season. Starting quarterback Matt McGloin will bring his senior leadership to the offense. Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti will lead the veteran defense.

True, there will be no postseason, but who cares? A football game on a beautiful fall Saturday at Beaver Stadium could play a small part in restoring some sense of normalcy to a community that has been rocked to the core.

The actions of former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky were horrible. That's why he needs to spend the rest of his life behind bars. The possible cover-up by prominent members of the university is just as bad. That's why those people are no longer employed and are facing legal action.

Regardless of all that has happened, fans should not stay away from Beaver Stadium. The current members of the football program had absolutely nothing to do with the scandal. Most of the players were in grade school when Jerry Sandusky was at Penn State.The players who have chosen to stick around need to be supported for staying true to their convictions.

Wins and losses are not important this year. What is important is showing Bill O'Brien and the new coaching staff that Penn State is still a great place to live and work.

Many feel that the NCAA sanctions were to harsh, considering that the criminals are no longer with the university. What better way to stick it to the NCAA then to continue to show up and fill the stadium. Penn State fans needs to unite together to show that they have been knocked down but not defeated.

I'm sure that people attending a game this year in State College will be greeted by screaming protesters calling them supporters of child abusers. It happened last year after the news of Sandusky broke.

That's just ridiculous. I'm sure every single person entering the gates at Beaver Stadium would say that crimes against children are horrible and need to be stopped.

Going to a football game to a support a team that is loved has nothing to do with a convicted child abuser.

The product on the field will probably look like nothing that fans have been used to in the past. However, just seeing the blue and white run onto the field will be enough to bring true fans in.

When the first game kicks off at noon on Sept. 1st, Beaver Stadium will probably feel the same as it always did. The Blue Band will be playing, the cheerleaders will be cheering, and thousands of fans will be screaming for their NIttany Lions.