Jug Of News (07.23.12): On Aurora And Penn State
By Jameson
Welcome to our humble abode. Pull up a seat and grab a glass for a sip from today’s Jug of News. Hit the jump for a bit of talk about the two huge stories of this past weekend, and some K-State news you may want to know as well.
Early Friday morning, news began to spread from Aurora, Colorado, that something almost unfathomable had happened. A lone coward had stormed into a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises and armed with tear gas and multiple firearms, had gunned down twelve innocent people, ranging in age from 6 to 45. Another 58 were wounded, some critically, and that initial death toll may well rise.
Such a tragedy gives perspective on many things in life. When I heard the news, shortly after arriving back from watching the midnight screening in Dodge City, my mind went immediately to my beautiful 6-year-old niece. The same age as the youngest victim, her life is a treasure to me, without which I would be lost. I can not imagine life without her and my other niece and nephew. But that is exactly what so many families in the Aurora community are facing with the dawn of every new day since that horrible night.
There were heroes that night. Three men died saving the lives of the women they loved. One young girl, all of 13 years old, fought to save the life of the little 6-year-old girl who was killed. And a police officer, who noticed something “off” about one of the men in swat team gear, was nearly singlehandedly responsible for the capture of the coward.
Death is too good–too easy, really–for the coward who did this. He needs to suffer. The coward needs to feel physically, at least a portion of the pain he inflicted on the victims, and the emotional torment from which the survivors and the victims’ families still suffer.
My thoughts the day after were still a jumble of confusion and sorrow, but I wrote them down, as best I could. I called the story “Meditations On The Dark Knight Rises, In Light Of Aurora“, but I don’t know if it’s truly a “meditation.” I filed it as a “Movie Review”, but I don’t know if it truly is one. Not really. It’s more an attempt to capture that night, as I experienced it, for better or worse. The movie itself has become little more than a sidebar to the story. I loved it, but what does it really matter now?
Word came down over the weekend that the NCAA is going to levy unprecedented sanctions on Penn State. I don’t have much to say on this that hasn’t already been said. Frankly, if it’s not the death penalty for that program, then they got off too light. As I wrote previously, the legacies of Penn State and Joe Paterno are now gone–utterly and completely devastated beyond repair.
Finally, some quick hits, from around K-Stateland:
- Big 12 media days are set for Monday and Tuesday. Kellis Robinett writes that it will be a chance for the league to show how they’ve grown (improved, maybe?) over the past year.
- Collin Klein made another award watch list, this time the Manning Award. And, oh yeah, he’s married. Sorry girls!
- Interesting juxtaposition: K-State football breaks the school record for number of preseason award watch lists; Big 12 media members pick KSU to finish 6th (out of only 10) in the Big 12 Conference race. I also broke down statistically how that madness happened.
- K-State assistant men’s basketball coach Chris Lowery was mic’d up for a recent practice. The guys were preparing for Brazil, and it’s an interesting juxtaposition how practices are run under this staff versus how they were run under Frank Martin.
CODA: Kevin Kietzman–and his son, Spencer–are lying liars, who tried to convince people that former K-State great Jacob Pullen is a serial criminal. Just keeping that little tidbit front-of-mind, in hopes that people will pressure them both into issuing a full retraction and an apology.
Some older stories, in case you missed them:
Bill Snyder Laughed SO Hard…: Kate. (obscenity). Upton
Statistical Breakdown Of How KSU Ended Up 6th In The Big 12 Media’s Preseason Poll
K-State Researchers Play Role In Discovery Of Higgs Boson “God Particle”
Kansas State Baseball In The Pros: July 17
Kevin and Spencer Keitzman Claim Jake Pullen Is A Serial Criminal