Penn State Scandal: Did Lions Valiant Comeback Effort Help Start the Healing?

The 8-2 (5-1) No. 12 Penn State Nittany Lions lost their second game of the season this Saturday to the 8-2 (4-2) No. 19 Nebraska Cornhuskers in Happy Valley. It was a tough loss for the Penn State team, but the game was deeply overshadowed by the events that have unfolded in the past week surrounding the program.

Jerry Sandusky, former defensive coordinator and builder of “Linebacker U,” was indicted on Nov. 4 for child sexual abuse. As the details of the investigation unfolded, things began to fall apart at the tradition rich Penn State University.

The allegations put current assistant coaches and now former Head Coach Joe Paterno in the spotlight with details arising about their knowledge of previous issues involving the former coordinator.

The Nittany Lions had to walk into this game under new leadership and attempt to shake the confusion, disgust and heartbreak that has occurred in the past seven days. The players rallied around new Head Coach Tom Bradley and brought a lot of fight to the game.

There were ups and downs that come with every game, but every shift of momentum held the crowd in the balance as they hoped their Nittany Lions could pull out the comeback victory.

The stadium was filled with blue as the Nittany Lions faithful answered the call for a “BlueOut” in support of the fight against child sexual abuse. The student section for Penn State even formed a blue ribbon with arranged seating in the stands.

There was something much deeper that was found in the game as the Nittany Lions players and fans rallied around each other. The loss wasn’t as heartbreaking as it would have usually been this Saturday. Even with the Penn State team driving towards a one-loss season and possible Big Ten championship.

The focus was on healing, not just for a football program but for a community. This is much bigger than football; the game is just the center point for those events. What happened in Happy Valley was special. It was a community that forged together for awareness and hope.

There have been countless accounts that have arisen and that will likely continue to arise that have left the public stunned. The actions and lack of reaction are inexcusable and heartbreaking. The reactions this week have been fair.

Today, the reaction of the fans and the heart shown by the team were encouraging. This is a situation that will take years to heal. This community may never fully recover from the shroud of shame that has been placed over it with this vile occurrence, but the wheels were put in motion for today.

The Penn State community has shown that even though a legend left, the soul of the team and the university remain. The healing began today in State College, Pennsylvania. Moving forward, each game without Paterno will be easier for the team and the fans.

Each day will allow for the Nittany Lions to find good in the program and the university. Today the fight in the players and perseverance that was shown is a sign for this community to keep its head up and push forward toward reforming the tarnished reputation of a once highly regarded Penn State University.