The Lions' Pride

Here's a message I composed this morning while drinking some coffee. It was a response to a college-age Penn State fan that was drowning in social media speculation over what may or may not be Bill O'Brien's intentions.

Taking a measure of personal market value is a facet of being employed. There's solid leverage when great success is paired with a buyers market. Bill O’Brien sits in the middle of this equation.

The immediate disclosure of Bill O’Brien’s exploration and the subsequent reporter/fan analysis are part of our immersive media culture. Passionate, media-saturated fans eventually 'see too much'. Speculation can become ‘fact’. Random tangents grow legs. Chaos ensues on message boards, breakfast tables and metro lines. Yesterday, we were all talking about Penn State’s coaching situation in some form or another…discussing the next loose strand from the news scroll.

Obviously, its too much to tell passionate fans to ‘pick up a hobby’ because being on the edge of news is part of our fabric. There’s endless competition for our ears, eyes and mind. Facts and speculation hurdle over one another for that one moment…the edge…the breaking news. Chances are, when the edge falls, its not in the middle of the woods where no one can hear it and it won’t arrive by horseback.

When the media’s rush hour is setting their customers all atwitter, be mindful to turn off the media highway and into a rest area. Watch the race run past. Go ‘old school’ and step away from our personal print presses (i.e., message boards, blogs, Facebook and Twitter). Take time to measure and balance your perspective.

Every successful coach is eventually desired by another team on the same or higher level. Fans of college football have more time – be it a year, 5 years or 20 -- to watch Bill O’Brien spin his craft at the college level. Thankfully, he’s on Penn State’s side. No matter his term, today, the coaching clock simply runs faster for everyone in his fraternity.

Take a deep breath. As fans, we’re living through times like no other. Remember where we’ve been and be faithful in where we’re headed. Be patient for in time, that deep breath will smell like Roses.

Anybody hear anything about the EE's?

is AB up to 260lbs yet?! Did we get a major diamond in the rough DB??? Is Williams about to committ to O'Brien and the Nitts?

C'mon, I can't stand another Coaching Carousel article!!!! I understand it was big news, now let's focus on the real nuts n bolts of college football.

Oh, also, a "close source" has told me that Meyer is meeting with Jaguars officials for the OC position. I guess in case Tebow does end up there. What a beautiful moment that will be, LOL

Also, it seems no one posting read the last quote by BOB. He said he's staying for another year and he's not a one and done kinda guy. Meaning he's staying this year.

The disturbing part is he left the door open for leaving next year and the next and the next until he finally does.

He'll leave someday hopefully it will be when we're in a more stable situation which should happen more and more each year. Of course we have the up coming lawsuits to deal with too.

Actually, that wasn't a quote from BOB. That was Jones' hyperbole. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that BOB didn't say that. This is the whole quote from that article:

"I'm not a one-and-done guy," said O'Brien. "I made a commitment to these players at Penn State and that's what I am going to do.

"I'm a man of my word. I am what I am. Maybe I get fired in six years. But I'm not gonna cut and run after one year, that's for sure."

Jones' edited out the "Maybe I get fired in six years" part in his initial post--because that goes against his belief that it could only be one more year. What you leave out of a quote is lots of time more important than what you leave in.

THIS IS HUGE! Hopefully this information is spread far and wide. It will do a lot to calm fears and entice recruits:

"I'm not a one-and-done guy," said O'Brien. "I made a commitment to these players at Penn State and that's what I am going to do.

"I'm a man of my word. I am what I am. Maybe I get fired in six years. But I'm not gonna cut and run after one year, that's for sure."

I just wanted to say congrats to Penn State, and I'm very happy that Coach BoB is staying in Happy Valley!

Fight On State!

(PS, for those who don't know me, this isn't sarcasm, my mom went to PSU and I love the Lions too)