Pat Chambers Stepping Down

[bdgan]

Tough being a coach in today's woke culture. Any negativity toward a player can be construed as mistreatment. The days of a coach grabbing you and screaming "your killing me out there" are over. With the NCAA allowing so much free movement now the kids now how to play the game. Everyone player in college is being held back from the NBA by a coach that doesn't see their potential correctly.

Maybe Chambers is a bad guy maybe he isn't but today's cancel culture is an additional hurdle to navigate.

None of us know the details but I don't think that he would have been fired just because he was too hard on the players. I suspect he would have just been told to tone it down. I suspect that being hard on the players was combined with the Bolton allegation and perhaps one more similar to that.

I don't know for sure but I believe that Chambers loved his players and wanted what was best for them. Perhaps he went too far but I doubt he would have ever been fired if not for today's politically correct culture.

 

[bdgan]

PSU doesn't get to "pick and choose." The relationship is defined by statute and legislation.

PSU, not the state, makes contributions on behalf of employees who participate in SERS. It also makes contributions to TIAA, a private entity, for participants who opt for that system. It carries roughly $2.2 bn of unfunded pension liability on its books. PSU, not the state, is on the hook for that.

How do you know that they have an unfunded pension liability of $2.2 billion? That has to be something like $100k per employee. I don't know how things work in the public pension system but private sector plans are required by law to maintain a minimal level of funding.

 

[Art]

How do you know that they have an unfunded pension liability of $2.2 billion? That has to be something like $100k per employee. I don't know how things work in the public pension system but private sector plans are required by law to maintain a minimal level of funding.

Annual report.

 

[bdgan]

Annual report.

Got that, but how did the unfunded liability get so large? Isn't there a requirement to bring things to a minimum funding level?

 

[quincy1]

Why is it so difficult to treat people properly? This happens so often that it just reinforces my belief that humans are just terrible.

Psssst....you are a human.

 

[Madsol]

Nope, they are or can be, depending on the arrangement, members of a state benefit system, but they aren't employees of the state. Arrangement is very common for municipal and school district employees nationwide.

Got it. Thanks.

 

[kgilbert78]

This is how the whole mess started after we joined the Big Ten.

Parkill got forced out. Dunn took over. Dunn had a good year and hung around for 7 more.

Please PSU Don't make the same mistake even if Ferry somehow has a good season.

I would put Thad Matta and Tommy Amaker high on the list and let's hope this time we finally hire a serious guy.

Matta's not going to coach again....

 

[Texas Lion]

Raise your hand if you had a coach from when you started playing a sport until you finished that yelled at you and crossed the line while yelling.....and you survived....

My hand is up.

 

[Still in State College]

Raise your hand if you had a coach from when you started playing a sport until you finished that yelled at you and crossed the line while yelling.....and you survived....

My hand is up.

The funny thing is as a 50 year old it is my generation that is causing these problems that kids shouldn't be corrected, everyone should receive an award and nobody's feelings should be hurt. I don't get it. I had a lot of disappointment growing up and I don't feel compelled to shield kids growing up today from disappointment, but I will freely admit it is my peers who have done it. I have a friend who ended up traveling 120 miles round trip for competitive cheerleading because she was removed from two other programs. It had nothing to do with her daughter but it was her behavior that led to it.

 

[Art]

Art, I know how this game is played statute or not. Statutes are statutes and then there is the real world application of them. It's called Regulatory Capture.

You can wile me and beguile me but I know the game. Nuff said.

Seems that there is one part of "the game" that you overlooked, the inability of PSU, relative to its peers, to wrangle funding from the state.

 

[psuguy43]

None of us know the details but I don't think that he would have been fired just because he was too hard on the players. I suspect he would have just been told to tone it down. I suspect that being hard on the players was combined with the Bolton allegation and perhaps one more similar to that.

I don't know for sure but I believe that Chambers loved his players and wanted what was best for them. Perhaps he went too far but I doubt he would have ever been fired if not for today's politically correct culture.

I read that Jermaine Marshall transferred due to treatment, and Reaves was also interviewed as part of the probe.

 

[Raffycorn]

I read that Jermaine Marshall transferred due to treatment, and Reaves was also interviewed as part of the probe.

Did Jermaine get immediate eligibility at ASU? Or was he a grad transfer?

 

[Art]

Did Jermaine get immediate eligibility at ASU? Or was he a grad transfer?

Grad transfer.

 

[AWS1022]

None of us know the details but I don't think that he would have been fired just because he was too hard on the players. I suspect he would have just been told to tone it down. I suspect that being hard on the players was combined with the Bolton allegation and perhaps one more similar to that.

I don't know for sure but I believe that Chambers loved his players and wanted what was best for them. Perhaps he went too far but I doubt he would have ever been fired if not for today's politically correct culture.

Maybe he used the term Chinese fire drill or something equally offensive in today’s society.

 

[Oxford_Lion]

Jermaine tried to come back after declaring for the pros. Pat didn't have a scholarship left. Gave Jermaine's away. That is how he ended up at ASU.

Did Jermaine get immediate eligibility at ASU? Or was he a grad transfer?

 

[LemonEars]

It seems to me that now would be a great time to eliminate men's basketball at Penn State. The program has been mostly putrid for over 50 years. There is little interest in the program and attendance is ridiculous. Men's basketball at Penn State is what football is at Pitt. It is a money drain for no good reason. It should be eliminated.

 

[fairfaxlion2]

he was fired when the process started, the University’s goal is to cover its asby smearing his reputation.

Except that they didn’t fire him after the original Bolton stuff came out in the news, and according to that story they knew about it prior to that and didn’t but fire him. It feels like they found something completely unrelated and he was forced out

 

[Erial_Lion]

It seems to me that now would be a great time to eliminate men's basketball at Penn State. The program has been mostly putrid for over 50 years. There is little interest in the program and attendance is ridiculous. Men's basketball at Penn State is what football is at Pitt. It is a money drain for no good reason. It should be eliminated.

Except of course that it’s the second biggest money maker and second most well-attended sport. Other than those pesky details, solid argument.

 

[Grant Green]

It seems to me that now would be a great time to eliminate men's basketball at Penn State. The program has been mostly putrid for over 50 years. There is little interest in the program and attendance is ridiculous. Men's basketball at Penn State is what football is at Pitt. It is a money drain for no good reason. It should be eliminated.

 

[jabba2]

Really hope there is more to the story than the noose comment. That wasnt even controversial unless you add in a radical left campus atmosphere or maybe a woman AD.

 

[BobPSU92]

It seems to me that now would be a great time to eliminate men's basketball at Penn State. The program has been mostly putrid for over 50 years. There is little interest in the program and attendance is ridiculous. Men's basketball at Penn State is what football is at Pitt. It is a money drain for no good reason. It should be eliminated.

But Sandy’s got this.

 

[Raffycorn]

It seems to me that now would be a great time to eliminate men's basketball at Penn State. The program has been mostly putrid for over 50 years. There is little interest in the program and attendance is ridiculous. Men's basketball at Penn State is what football is at Pitt. It is a money drain for no good reason. It should be eliminated.

The list of "sports that turn a profit" at Penn State - and everywhere - is a very short one. Men's basketball is in very limited company in terms of sports that are not a money drain for the athletic department.

 

[cvilleelkscoach]

Except that they didn’t fire him after the original Bolton stuff came out in the news, and according to that story they knew about it prior to that and didn’t but fire him. It feels like they found something completely unrelated and he was forced out

I wonder why they didn't investigate when the issue first surfaced but waited until an article came out. Typical poor leadership I guess. Needed to get on the SJW train and look like they did something I guess.

 

[NC2017]

I wonder why they didn't investigate when the issue first surfaced but waited until an article came out. Typical poor leadership I guess. Needed to get on the SJW train and look like they did something I guess.

Why did they let him hire Taylor Battle last month?

 

[cjrugger]

Why did they let him hire Taylor Battle last month?

Purely a guess- this actually was Chamber’s decision. He decided the job wasn’t worth the headache and walked away now knowing he has the connections to get a new job next summer

 

[PSU85Shipp91]

There was a time where PSU employees could decide to be part of the state pension system. IIRC, that's how the Patriot-News ended up backdooring their way into learning Joe's salary back in the day - they pulled it from the pension system. I'm not sure if new employees can decide to enter into the system anymore or not, but for a number of years that was the case - and was unique to Penn State. Employees of the other state relateds never had that option.

Correct no longer the case.

 

[johnmpsu]

Take a look at how the life is slowing being squeezed out of Kirk Ferentz. Kirk, IMO, is a coaches coach. A few years back his team was routed by PSU and the next week beat a previously undefeated Michigan squad. Players who hate their coaches, generally don't respond like this. I hate what we've become. Everyone is offended, aggrieved, affronted, victimized, exploited, harassed and discriminated against. We aren't just physically soft, we are weak between the ears. There is absolutely no incentive to overcome adversity in our culture......it is so much easier to sue. "First thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."

Yes. Just because you are offended, doesn't mean you're right.

 

[Art]

No

Really? The Penn State lobbying crew is one of the more pathetic groups in Harrisburg and the bar is pretty low.

 

[DELion]

The coolest, most "in" thing to be in this day and age, especially among young people, is a victim.

I suspect the only victim in this affair is Pat Chambers. Really would like to know details on why he was forced to resign. The noose comment alone is nowhere near sufficient to warrant wrecking someone's life and career. Words matter but the intent (or lack of intent) behind the words matter more.

 

[AWS1022]

I suspect the only victim in this affair is Pat Chambers. Really would like to know details on why he was forced to resign. The noose comment alone is nowhere near sufficient to warrant wrecking someone's life and career. Words matter but the intent (or lack of intent) behind the words matter more.

Maybe a combination of the noose comment and shoving a player? I don’t know what constitutes firing these days.

 

[Pushingtherightbuttons]

Really? The Penn State lobbying crew is one of the more pathetic groups in Harrisburg and the bar is pretty low.

Don’t comment on matters with which you are not familiar.

 

[NittanyIllinois]

A lot of people here appear to have their mind made up that this was a classic case of "pussification" and snowflake culture and whatnot.

If that's the case, can somebody shed light on what the investigation found?

If ever there's a fan base that should appreciate the virtue in waiting for the facts to come out before jumping to conclusions, I'd imagine it would be ours.

Thanks in advance.

(note: I'm not taking any position on the matter, but it does seem as though many have drawn conclusions. I'm just curious on what basis those conclusions are drawn)

 

[WDLion]

I read that Jermaine Marshall transferred due to treatment, and Reaves was also interviewed as part of the probe.

I was there for Reaves senior night. He couldn't stop hugging Chambers. He said his four years at Penn State were the best four years of his life.

Reaves had plenty of options. He was a four-star player that had offers from schools like Villanova, Maryland, Georgetown, etc. But he chose Penn State and he hasn’t regretted it for a second –– his tweet from 2014 announcing his commitment is still pinned to the top of his profile.
“I couldn’t imagine myself playing at another school,” Reaves said while trying his hardest to fight back tears at mid-court after the game. “This is the best four years of my life. I just love this place so much.”
Reaves had more than a handful of family members in attendance for his final home game, but there’s one in particular that rarely missed a home game over the course of his career –– his mother, Liset.
Even though he’s dialed into every game, he knows he can look up and see his mom sitting in the same seat.
“My mom drives four hours to every game no matter whether it’s at 12, 7 or 8 o’clock she’ll be there,” Reaves said. “Unfortunately, I can still hear her. Just knowing that she’s there is comforting.”
***
It’s been 1,212 days since scored his first points in a Penn State uniform.
Reaves intercepted a pass on the first defensive possession of his career and promptly sprinted down the floor for a dunk in transition. It should have been a sign that we were all going to watch Reaves do that on repeat for four years.
It’s only fitting that his last basket in the BJC was the same as the first –– a transition dunk off a steal.
As soon as the ball went in the hoop and Reaves had claimed his career high in points, Chambers sprinted to the nearest referee to call a timeout and ensure that Reaves got the curtain call he earned.
“This is the way you want all of your seniors to go out,” Chambers said. “What [Reaves] means to this program, what he does for us every single day, what a great ambassador for Penn State basketball, and we've got a lot more games to go here.”
While Chambers has certainly earned the right to feel confident that his team can win a few games at the Big Ten Tournament, the only game that’s guaranteed for Reaves and the rest of the Nittany Lions is the next one.
No matter who it’s against, Reaves will almost certainly find himself open on the perimeter. And just like he did as a freshman, he’ll keep shooting.

 

[Art]

Don’t comment on matters with which you are not familiar.

LMFAO, Molly.

 

[Pushingtherightbuttons]

LMFAO, Molly.

Tough words. Do you know all of the people who work in Harrisburg and DC or is it just your uninformed, generalized opinion? I‘m pretty positive I wouldn’t make any general statements about the quality and efficacy of the industry you work (or worked) in. And, if I did, I’m sure you would justifiably take umbrage with it.

 

[fairfaxlion2]

Maybe a combination of the noose comment and shoving a player? I don’t know what constitutes firing these days.

If that was the combination that got him fired, he would have been fired several months ago.

I must say that it seems like if you shoved someone and made that comment at your job, you would not be on a long leash.

 

[Erial_Lion]

I was there for Reaves senior night. He couldn't stop hugging Chambers. He said his four years at Penn State were the best four years of his life.

He didn't exactly come out strongly in support of Pat this summer in his interview with David Jones...I was hoping it was just Josh not wanting to trash Ra on his way out the door, but who knows.

Former PSU captain Josh Reaves on how Patrick Chambers’ ‘noose’ comment to player was ‘messed up'

The detail came out in a story about former Nittany Lion Rasir Bolton in The Undefeated.

www.pennlive.com

We've also had 22 scholarship players that didn't finish their eligibility during the Chambers tenure (a few make a lot of sense, like Billy Oliver and Tony Carr, but obviously some guys didn't see eye-to-eye with Pat, as you'd expect with any coach). But that's a LOT for 9 seasons.

 

[fairfaxlion2]

We've also had 21 scholarship players that didn't finish their eligibility during the Chambers tenure (a few make a lot of sense, like Billy Oliver and Tony Carr, but obviously some guys didn't see eye-to-eye with Pat, as you'd expect with any coach). But that's a LOT for 9 seasons.

There was that, and also that he recruited some of the best players we ever had and could not really do anything with them. Zero NCAA tournaments. He probably would have had one in 2020, but that team was also trending down towards the bubble. I don't know what they found but I am not sorry to see him go at this point. And I was a person who was totally on board after he had that good recruiting class in 2015 or 2016

 

[Art]

Tough words. Do you know all of the people who work in Harrisburg and DC or is it just your uninformed, generalized opinion? I‘m pretty positive I wouldn’t make any general statements about the quality and efficacy of the industry you work (or worked) in. And, if I did, I’m sure you would justifiably take umbrage with it.

No, but I do know someone who is pretty well plugged into the lobbying scene in Harrisburg and her assessment of PSU's efforts and results is less than glowing.

As for DC, I wouldn't know.

 

[Erial_Lion]

There was that, and also that he recruited some of the best players we ever had and could not really do anything with them. Zero NCAA tournaments. He probably would have had one in 2020, but that team was also trending down towards the bubble. I don't know what they found but I am not sorry to see him go at this point. And I was a person who was totally on board after he had that good recruiting class in 2015 or 2016

We weren't anywhere close to the bubble. We weren't the 8th ranked team in the country any more (or wherever we peaked), but we were going to be a 6ish seed in the dance.

I'm sorry to see him go because I'm not ready for the inevitable dumpster fire that the next few seasons will become (this coming year will likely be the best we see for a while).