As State College prepares for a rally at the Bryce Jordan Center for former President Donald Trump on Saturday, it seems likely this won’t be the only time politics and Penn State will cross paths before the election.
A Penn State spokesperson has confirmed Donald Trump was invited (by a private citizen) to attend next Saturday’s Penn State Football game against Ohio State, and they are working with the Secret Service to make arrangements.
Yes, you read that right. THE game of the year, already an annoying Big Noon Kickoff, may be further bogged down with additional security measures due to Trump’s presence. As if we already don’t have enough trouble getting everyone in the stadium for a 12:00 pm kickoff.
Now, regardless of if you’re voting red, voting blue, or not voting at all this upcoming election, there’s one thing we should all be able to agree on. KEEP POLITICS AWAY FROM PENN STATE FOOTBALL!
Why does a candidate feel the need to attend a game? Why does a candidate have to stretch already thin security and police services in our town? Why does a candidate have to use our too-short runway? Ok, that one was a joke…
College athletics are one of the rare virgin entities that still exist in our hyper-partisan country.
Surely we can all agree to keep it that way, right?
At best, any candidate attending a game will get a short wave from their luxury box and possibly a moment on the jumbotron … a moment that at best will be met with a mixture of cheers and boos.
Again, this is the GAME OF THE YEAR. We need all our fans on the same side. We need all fans to focus on their hatred of the scarlet and gray. I don’t want to know the political leanings of the season ticket holders to my left or right … and, I’m sure they don’t want to know mine.
Whether it’s Trump or Harris or Stein, a Democrat, a Republican or an Independent, host your campaign rally. Make your speeches. But don’t attend our college football games for your political gain. Leave Beaver Stadium out of it. Keep the sport we love above the partisan noise.
Because on November 2nd, we need a unanimous electorate, 107,000 votes for the white and blue. For those 3 and a half hours, we aren’t political left or right. We are…Penn State.
And that’s something we should all agree on.
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Evan Smith is an alum of Penn State (Marketing, Economics, 2011) and a basketball season ticket holder since 2006.
NittanyCentral is his second reporting job following the Men's Basketball program. He co-founded and co-hosts the Shots Gotta Fall - The Penn State Basketball Podcast (the premiere, the best, the only) with Steve Travis.
Smith's most proud moment covering the team was seeing the national No. 9 ranking during Pat Chambers' last year. His most embarrassing moment was spending almost a thousand dollars to travel 2,000 miles in 46 hours to watch the Nittany Lions lose to Temple in the 2011 NCAA Tournament (screw you Juan Fernandez).
NittanyCentral is his second reporting job following the Men's Basketball program. He co-founded and co-hosts the Shots Gotta Fall - The Penn State Basketball Podcast (the premiere, the best, the only) with Steve Travis.
Smith's most proud moment covering the team was seeing the national No. 9 ranking during Pat Chambers' last year. His most embarrassing moment was spending almost a thousand dollars to travel 2,000 miles in 46 hours to watch the Nittany Lions lose to Temple in the 2011 NCAA Tournament (screw you Juan Fernandez).
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Keep Politics Out of College Football, Penn State Football vs. Ohio State | SMITH