Penn State Athletic Director Apologizes for Tweet Regarding Hockey Helmet Decals

Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour has apologized for her initial reaction to the Nittany Lions' hockey team wearing '409' decals in honor of former football coach Joe Paterno.

Last week, it was announced Paterno would be restored as the all-time wins leader in major college football with 409. The decision came as part of a settlement regarding the Jerry Sandusky sex-abuse scandal.

The hockey team proceeded to wear a tribute to the longtime Penn State stalwart on their helmets. When asked about the decision on social media, she called it "inappropriate and insensitive:"

She has now apologized for that reactionary response.

Greg Pickel of Penn Live passed along comments the athletic director made during an appearance on WBLF's "Zone Coverage" show. She stated that wasn't the correct platform to make the statement.

"First of all, I want to apologize for the tweet," Barbour said. "This is far too important a subject to vet on a casual; or in social media. I'll use my own words. It was inappropriate and insensitive of me to do that from a tweet standpoint."

She also posted a further explanation on social media. The focus was celebrating the program's past accomplishments while continuing to provide support to abuse victims:

The Penn Live report notes the decals were on the hockey team's helmets on Friday night but were gone before Saturday's game. Barbour didn't note any further plans to celebrate the legacy of Paterno, only adding: "I think it will happen over time."

As a whole, the situation shows the delicate balance Penn State is dealing with. Its outside perception took a serious hit during the scandal and Barbour is charged with helping rebuild that. Moments like these are a learning experience for everybody involved.