Distance Learning Assignment PSU Scandal

After scrolling through hundreds of tweets on the Penn State Scandal, I noticed three common themes that emerged from my research. First was peoples disturbance with the amount of focus on the students who are devastated by Paterno’s firing. Second theme was the concern about the lack of recognition to the reasons why it was important that he was fired. Lastly was the lack of respect and support for the victims and their families.

Without social media these thoughts would be mute. With social media people can easily access information such as the Grand Jury Report. It is doubtful that most people would have been willing to search and dig up this report without social media. Social Media sites have the ability to bring in so much information to one particular place, and it has allowed people to quickly research then form and speak their opinions on the PSU Scandal. However, this makes it hard to sort through the ideas that are fueled from emotions, or based of faulty information. For the most part, the social media has shaped the PSU scandal to be more than a football tragedy. It is allowing people to explore the exposed flaws that have been well hidden and embedded in sport institutions, and question the ethical behavior of those in sport management.

In this scandal power, mainstream media, and deviance have intersected to pull the attention away from Sandusky, and the institutions flaws. Media has had powerful control over what society sees and hears about the PSU Scandal, and it has been able to refocus the attention on Joe Paterno’s firing and the student’s reaction to what media has made look like a “deviant” decision. However, I am glad to see that few have fallen for this view. From what I have been reading on social media I think people would be more interested in seeing more sympathy for the real victims, and their families.

Without the social media uproar to Joe Paterno statement to retire after the season, I highly doubt that he would have been fired so quickly. I do believe that social media is a powerful and positive tool for sport management. I believe that it has the ability to keep those in power honest. Social media allows the public to weigh in on unjust issues and not only forces management to make more moral decisions, but to make them in a timely manner as well.

-Cook KIN 577