My thoughts on Franklin,
Since we're all fans of PSU football we've come to not only love the team, but we ALL embrace what Penn State University is and the community and campus that surrounds it. The event, the atmosphere, the electricity on gameday is second to none. The amazing thing is, you didnt have to attend college there, or ever have been there; on game day to experience it.
PSU, not just football, but ALL of PSU has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Going to games with my parents and grandparents, wrestling matches with my with my HS team and coaches, attending there as a student-athlete. Win or lose, we always embraced the "experience". Many a Saturday afternoon we'd hang out in town after a game and just soak it all in. At that time we had a coach that was part of the community and had a vested interest in culture that came from that community as well as the university itself.
James Franklin never had that. Never tried to build that either. When he first came here he talked of those things but never followed up on them. To my knowledge, and i lived in State College after my college days were over, JF was rarely ever seen in the community and when he was he was distant and aloof. I recently learned that he was paid close to $100 million dollars and only donated $15,000 back to the university. Now, was he obligated to do that? Of course not. But by NOT doing it, he turned off and pissed off quite a number of his fan base. Our university bent over backwards to give him everything he wanted; time and time again and yet he still thumbed his nose at us. Hell he rarely ever mentioned JVP's name and that didnt sit well with some major donors.
In summation, Franklin believed he was bigger and better than the community and fan base that so wanted to embrace him and support him. He talked a good game and we the people grew tired of him never delivering on what he said. Im glad he's gone. He was never an ambassador of my university and all that it stands for.
Phuck him.
My thoughts on Franklin,
Since we're all fans of PSU football we've come to not only love the team, but we ALL embrace what Penn State University is and the community and campus that surrounds it. The event, the atmosphere, the electricity on gameday is second to none. The amazing thing is, you didnt have to attend college there, or ever have been there; on game day to experience it.
PSU, not just football, but ALL of PSU has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Going to games with my parents and grandparents, wrestling matches with my with my HS team and coaches, attending there as a student-athlete. Win or lose, we always embraced the "experience". Many a Saturday afternoon we'd hang out in town after a game and just soak it all in. At that time we had a coach that was part of the community and had a vested interest in culture that came from that community as well as the university itself.
James Franklin never had that. Never tried to build that either. When he first came here he talked of those things but never followed up on them. To my knowledge, and i lived in State College after my college days were over, JF was rarely ever seen in the community and when he was he was distant and aloof. I recently learned that he was paid close to $100 million dollars and only donated $15,000 back to the university. Now, was he obligated to do that? Of course not. But by NOT doing it, he turned off and pissed off quite a number of his fan base. Our university bent over backwards to give him everything he wanted; time and time again and yet he still thumbed his nose at us. Hell he rarely ever mentioned JVP's name and that didnt sit well with some major donors.
In summation, Franklin believed he was bigger and better than the community and fan base that so wanted to embrace him and support him. He talked a good game and we the people grew tired of him never delivering on what he said. Im glad he's gone. He was never an ambassador of my university and all that it stands for.
Phuck him.
Classy 2 words to end your post. It rates right up there with the fan on Saturday throwing the middle fingers on live TV. Franklin is a human being.
If that’s true then the idea that the ghost of Joe Paterno has this ominous affect on the university and football program as a whole is completely ridiculous. If we’re being honest with ourselves the state of football that JF inherited was in shambles and that’s completely Paternos fault. He over stayed his tenure and all the things JF was accused IE winning big games started in the late 90s under Paterno not to mention the damage the scandal did to the university and that’s without god forbid any prior knowledge of such heinous and disgusting acts. Hate or love JF, he was instrumental in rebuilding a completely destroyed program. It’s a shame he wasn’t the one the one to push them across the finish line despite all his short comings, he deserves credit. I’ve seen a ton of these posts about all this ambiguous funding that’s going to come down like a waterfall but because the ghost of a dead coach isn’t honored properly then it’s with held. James Franklin was one play away from the National Championship last year without the windfall of cash and managed to win a B10 plus 10+ win seasons the last three years. The university managed to ink a mega deal with adidas without these donors. There are a lot of people who bleed blue and white who don’t view Paterno as some deity. The idea the university should just continue to honor his legacy in perpetuity without compromise is just insane.
@kularrow I loved and idolized Paterno but agree that he stayed too long. Although he had some success over the last 10 years it was tough to watch knowing that we had no chance in games vs top teams.
Both JVP and JF stayed to long.
JVP:
- basically just stayed too long and the game passed him by at the top tier level
- his last ten years were average
- he won 409 games because he coached a helluva long time
- he was beloved by the faithful and respected by others
JF's demise was the puzzle pieces coming together that put the picture together:
- he was a very good recruiter whether the player fit the scheme or not
- could not develop players
- Offense and game management had his handling all over it, and he was the common denominator to its failure
- could not bench a star player when it needed to be done or he had no faith in the back up
- psychologically, imo, doesn't have the moxie to carry a team all the way through the finish line, and he's not the only HC who doesn't have it
- he had to put up or shut up this year with all the talk and the first three games, imo, showed that he was in over his head, and the last three validated that the waders just got too heavy.
JF will do fine at another program, but imo, he needs to get out within a 5 year period when the gettin' is good.
@psu61 Sadly a lot of the PSU fanbase saw what JF was after the 2017 and 2018 seasons but the alleged brain trust at PSU couldn’t see it and gave him a ridiculous extension.
@psujoe you know I loved James Franklin as much as anybody but the Michigan game in 2021 really ticked me off because we had the dang game won and found a way to lose but losing the ND game like we did really left a bad taste in my mouth and I knew then it’s time for Franklin to go. Some losses are forgivable and some ain’t and we’ve had way to many ain’t ones the last year.
PAKid, I liked your ending, it is very cosmopolitan.My thoughts on Franklin,
Since we're all fans of PSU football we've come to not only love the team, but we ALL embrace what Penn State University is and the community and campus that surrounds it. The event, the atmosphere, the electricity on gameday is second to none. The amazing thing is, you didnt have to attend college there, or ever have been there; on game day to experience it.
PSU, not just football, but ALL of PSU has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Going to games with my parents and grandparents, wrestling matches with my with my HS team and coaches, attending there as a student-athlete. Win or lose, we always embraced the "experience". Many a Saturday afternoon we'd hang out in town after a game and just soak it all in. At that time we had a coach that was part of the community and had a vested interest in culture that came from that community as well as the university itself.
James Franklin never had that. Never tried to build that either. When he first came here he talked of those things but never followed up on them. To my knowledge, and i lived in State College after my college days were over, JF was rarely ever seen in the community and when he was he was distant and aloof. I recently learned that he was paid close to $100 million dollars and only donated $15,000 back to the university. Now, was he obligated to do that? Of course not. But by NOT doing it, he turned off and pissed off quite a number of his fan base. Our university bent over backwards to give him everything he wanted; time and time again and yet he still thumbed his nose at us. Hell he rarely ever mentioned JVP's name and that didnt sit well with some major donors.
In summation, Franklin believed he was bigger and better than the community and fan base that so wanted to embrace him and support him. He talked a good game and we the people grew tired of him never delivering on what he said. Im glad he's gone. He was never an ambassador of my university and all that it stands for.
Phuck him.
I think you guys are missing the point of what the PA Kid said...He didn't say anything about idolizing Paterno...He said Paterno was a BIG part of the Penn State community and culture...He was around, involved and participated OUTSIDE of the football program...I didn't go to Penn State I was a student athlete at Clemson but I had many friends that graduated from Penn State and some that were also athletes there ...My daughter graduated from Penn State in 2015 so I understand some of what the PA Kid is saying...My daughter was a freshman there when the whole JoPa thing broke loose...She remembers Sue seeing and talking to Sue at the pool during that time and always said how nice and kind she was...You can hold whatever feeling you want regarding Paterno...I think he stayed too long but then again what would that University have become without him? How much of that University is he responsible for building through fundraising, donating his time and also from his own personal financial contributions? Joe Paterno loved Penn State and everything about it...He loved that University enough to devote his life to building it to be the best place for a young person to get an education and grow into the best person they possibly could...I am grateful for what James Franklin did for Penn State...You long term posters around here remember that I wanted him and he was my 1st choice to replace O'Brien...He brought the program back from the ashes really...What is heartbreaking for me to hear is that even though he had young daughters that he never really embraced the University or became a part of the University...PA Kid as a former athlete there and an alum would know the ins and outs politically of what is going on there far more than me so I will defer to him and I also believe him...If this is indeed the case then that would explain why some of the big money folks didn't fully embrace the program...Lets hope the next head coach takes a different path...The university really needs the next head coach to energize the university, it's alumni, it's donors and the fan base...This next hire is the most important hire this university has made in 65 years...This program will either elevate itself to elite status under this next head coach or it will be relegated to nothing more than bridesmaid status and mediocrity...
No doubt JF is a good talker and salesman. I expect those are required skills for the position.
I heard 3rd hand that a regular Joe like you or me was walking the campus and number into JF. JF walked and talked with him a while and later bumped into him and remembered his name. Quite possible a nicer guy than all that have won a NC in the last 5 years. Who am I to judge. Maybe being nice and committed to some players hurt him. Again all I really know is what we measure.
