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The scene Wednesday night at Holuba Hall was more than odd or strange; it was bizarre.
Penn State football coach James Franklin walked to the microphone after practice, as he usually does, to answer questions from reporters.
First, though, team spokesman Greg Kincaid read a prepared statement that Franklin or anyone else would have no further comment on the case of two former Penn State players, who were charged Tuesday with raping a 17-year-old girl in July.
That’s when things got sideways, when the press conference became something that turned viral.
Jon Sauber of the Centre Daily Times began the first question in a soft tone.
“This is obviously a serious and sensitive subject,” Sauber said, “but we haven’t heard anything from you on this.”
At that, Franklin walked away from the microphone and signaled to Kincaid, who read his statement again.
Franklin returned to the microphone like he was starting the press conference over. Audrey Snyder of The Athletic then asked the second question.
“At what point in the summer were you aware that these guys wouldn’t be on the team?” Snyder asked.
Franklin again walked away from the microphone without uttering a word. And Kincaid repeated that no one at Penn State would comment.
The press conference continued for a couple more minutes before it ended, but the damage had been done.
If Franklin had said he couldn’t comment on an ongoing legal matter and expressed empathy towards sexual assault victims in general, there would be no story.
Instead, because he walked away from the microphone twice, it became a top headline on ESPN.com. The video from the press conference was reposted by national reporters with hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of followers.
The unwanted attention could easily have been avoided.
Whoever came up with the plan for Franklin to handle…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/penn-state-could-avoided-odd-034600441.html
Author : Reading Eagle, Pa.
Publish date : 2024-10-25 03:46:00
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