The American Spectator

The Spectacle Blog

OK. I admit it.

I didn't go to Penn State. If you live where I live this is like living in Boston and admitting you root for the Yankees. Penn State and its legendary "JoePa" (that would be longtime coach Joe Paterno) are almost a religion. Actually, strike the "almost."

Ahhh. Religion. And that's the problem to hit Penn State, where we are being reminded that the second word "State" is operative here.

It seems the latest Penn State t-shirt has a blue line running straight down the middle. The school colors are blue and white, and the idea, but of course, is for fans to wear them en masse at a football game or elsewhere to cause a Penn State "white out." About a quarter way across the top of the line are emblazoned, shockingly, the words: "Penn State White Out."

On the back? Cleverly, it says: "Don't be intimidated...it's just me and 110,000 of my friends."

The problem? If you click on the link you will find a story about this outrageous t-shirt. Why outrageous? Because…drum roll…the words "Penn State White Out," when written across the top of the blue line resembles…the Christian cross.

Really. We kid you not.

So controversy erupts, in spite of some 30,000 shirts sold. Sigh. Even I know the only God at Penn State is a short Italian guy who's 80 something and fancies sunglasses over thick lenses, the better to see who to scream at as he prowls the sidelines.

Fortunately we've solved the economic mess, Afghanistan and Iraq so we have time to focus on Penn State t-shirts.