Penn State bans ‘Sweet Caroline’
The Jerry Sandusky sex scandal continues to reverberate at Penn State.
The latest shock from the scandal that resulted in the ouster of coach Joe Paterno and crushing NCAA penalties involves the in-game music selection.
The athletic association has banned the playing of the Neil Diamond classic “Sweet Caroline,” which has become a staple at many sporting events. University officials were concerned because of a line in the song that goes “touching you, touching me,” according to the Allatoona Mirror newspaper.
“The thing our fans have come to expect is a great gameday experience,” said Greg Myford, associate athletic director for business relations and communications. “On a national level, we know we are very highly regarded for the Penn State gameday experience. We are not making any wholesale changes to that.”
Penn State is making other changes this season, including putting players’ names on the back of their jerseys for the first time.
Sandusky, 68, the former longtime Penn State defensive coordinator was convicted in June of 48 counts of abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
94 comments Add your comment
So more singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ at Penn State football games, and you’ll never guess why | Off the Bench
August 27th, 2012
1:41 pm
[...] reason? I’ll let you mentally scan the lyrics for a moment, and … yes, that’s it. The non-band-related music will feature mostly what has been part of the mix inside the stadium [...]
Predatory Lender
August 27th, 2012
1:52 pm
1st!
c
August 27th, 2012
1:54 pm
This country is one big sensitive vaJJ.
Whatever
August 27th, 2012
1:59 pm
Penn State shouldn’t be allowed to play football. They think one year’s worth of revenue is enough to offset the damage that has been to those victims. Not even close.
home&home
August 27th, 2012
2:01 pm
I wish it would get banned everywhere. Awful song!
Jamie
August 27th, 2012
2:03 pm
Ba Ba Baaa!!!
Browncoat
August 27th, 2012
2:04 pm
Great song, loved hearing it at Fenway a few years ago. Penn State —BAD
HA HA....
August 27th, 2012
2:04 pm
Welcome to the hypersensitive world of academia……
Whatever
August 27th, 2012
2:07 pm
I meant. Penn State should be allowed to play football. Disregard my earlier post.
SweatDawg
August 27th, 2012
2:08 pm
Merc Jerd touches you
The Truth
August 27th, 2012
2:08 pm
Wouldn’t it be funny if PSU wins the Big Ten!
Duh
August 27th, 2012
2:10 pm
I have never understood why anyone plays this perv song. It should be banned from public events period. Gives me the creeps.
Browncoat
August 27th, 2012
2:15 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PxHqMEcSuQ
gttim
August 27th, 2012
2:16 pm
@ HA HA….
I hate to break it to you, but most serious academics could care less about football. I doubt they would make the effort.
OMG
August 27th, 2012
2:20 pm
OMG, political correctness run amuck. If the NCAA really wanted to punish Penn St they should allow them to keep their scholarships, play in bowl games and let the kids play. Take PSU’s money for 10 years and donate it to help kids. Not punish college kids who were in middle school when all this stuff was happening. And I’m not a PSU fan by any means.
Douglas
August 27th, 2012
2:20 pm
A favorite at sporting events? What kind of sporting events are we talking about? I go to numerous football, baseball, basketball events and have never heard “Sweet Caroline” played at any sporting event. A slow love song like that …… I don’t know maybe pairs figure skating.
Browncoat
August 27th, 2012
2:21 pm
Douglas, see video above.
Sandy
August 27th, 2012
2:23 pm
It’s played at “Boston Rude Sucks” baseball games.
Tap Out
August 27th, 2012
2:25 pm
I’m guessing they won’t be replacing the song with Leon Haywood’s “I wanna do something freaky to you”.
Ward
August 27th, 2012
2:26 pm
Douglas, “Sweet Caroline” has been played in the middle of the 8th inning of every game at Fenway for at least 15 years. It’s an iconic part of the Fenway experience along with the songs “Dirty Water” and “Tessie” (when they win). It was even included in the movie Fever Pitch.
Diamonds in the rough
August 27th, 2012
2:26 pm
Comingtoyaaaahaaaa!!!!!!!!!
Diamonds in the rough
August 27th, 2012
2:28 pm
Dude? They tourched Neil?
Tana
August 27th, 2012
2:31 pm
This sounds stupid. Even it was played every game during the fourth quarter to remove it because of that is just stupid.
joe
August 27th, 2012
2:34 pm
To be replaced by “Let’s get it on.”
North Ave Trade School FTW
August 27th, 2012
2:34 pm
Lol….I love Neil Diamond, I wda never thought about that…….but now that I get it, thats funny AS HELLL. If i was a PSU opponent, I would make sure my PA announcer AND my marchin band played it every game we faced them in……play it early AND often.
Reality
August 27th, 2012
2:36 pm
Penn State turned a blind eye towards this whole mess, yet they think that Neil Diamond’s song is inappropriate? LOL!
isiah crowell
August 27th, 2012
2:36 pm
I wonder if PSU will let me tote ball fo dem?????
Diamonds in the rough
August 27th, 2012
2:38 pm
To be replaced by Pink Floyd – HEY! TEACHER! LEAVE THEM KIDS ALONE!!
allen981
August 27th, 2012
2:38 pm
PSU shouldn’t even have a game to play; but, thank goodness the NCAA did show some backbone.
Hey, started to add a joke title or two myself; then I thought – nothing funny about PennState/Sandusky/Paterno…nothing funny at all.
pat
August 27th, 2012
2:48 pm
I hate that song. It should be banned everywhere for being horrible.
pat
August 27th, 2012
2:53 pm
I don’t know why people think they have to imitate the Red Sox’s extremely psychotic fan base. As far as I know the genisis of using this song started there. I think it should stay there with their loser team.
Retired Old Atlantan
August 27th, 2012
2:54 pm
@ gttim A learning moment. While I agree in principle with what I think you are trying to say, the correct expression is “couldn’t care less.” “Could care less” indicates that one does care at least some.
@ isiah crowell PSU is not going to let you tote de ball until you learn how to spell your name (ISAIAH) correctly. Please go home tonight and carefully write it 100 times.
Harvey D. Pooka
August 27th, 2012
2:59 pm
Talk about taking a decent line out of context ,,,,,, this is going just a bit too far. Guess the administers have no Ba**s afterall.
asmith
August 27th, 2012
3:00 pm
Neil Diamond’s association with penn state football shows that is also just another child rape enabler and all of his earnings from this point forward should be donated to a child sex abuse charity, and all of his sales records should be vacated and he should be banned from any further music.
333
August 27th, 2012
3:04 pm
You’re Joking, Right?
Cletus snow
August 27th, 2012
3:05 pm
I can’t believe this, Just how weak & stupid do they think College kids are?? They will hear far worse than that sitting at a redlight in Atlanta. Maybe they could trade sweet Caroline for Flo Rida’s Can you blow my whistle baby, I can’t help but wonder what we’re raising if they can be corrupted by a few simple words in a song. After the athletic association looked the other way for years while dozens were molested now they think it’s OK to ban music thats played all over the world and no one else found it corrupting the kids. How about banning Wild Thing as well. Maybe they should also fire those who looked the other way to avoid seeing the evil that was happening right under their noses.
333
August 27th, 2012
3:05 pm
Right On c!!!
itpdude
August 27th, 2012
3:08 pm
There are other reasons to stop using the song like because it SUCKS!
WhoCares?
August 27th, 2012
3:08 pm
What a depressing series of comments. One blogger misspells the name he is using in his racially tinged note. Another “sports fan” has never heard of a two-decade old tradition at Fenway Park and PSU. Another sees “political correctness” at a school trying hard to get over a sad, tragic scandal. And someone else imagines the world of academia “hypersensitive” although it wasn’t exactly the English Department that got into trouble at PSU. Sad.
Don Suddath
August 27th, 2012
3:09 pm
As a professor of music,I applaud the comments which label “Sweet Caroline” as mega-hideous. Let’s see—written in juvenile 2/4 signature–has a range of maybe 4 notes–and not a sharp or a flat to break the monotony. But hey–that’s America–dumb as posts–just like most of my students.
Walter White, Jr.
August 27th, 2012
3:09 pm
Yooooouuu’ve gogogogot tototo bebe kiddddding rrrrright ?
isiah crowell
August 27th, 2012
3:10 pm
dat why i tote ball. It not heavy and i good
Drago
August 27th, 2012
3:17 pm
Can they ban Freebird too?
Ford
August 27th, 2012
3:20 pm
What are they going to call ‘TOUCH’downs?
catlady
August 27th, 2012
3:21 pm
” …hands… reaching out, touching me, touching you” is how it goes. Gee whiz is this what we have come to, to ban love songs like this?
jay
August 27th, 2012
3:22 pm
They should dig up ole joepa and bury him upside down with his butt exposed to the elements just like he left those poor kids exposed to sandusky’s element…
David Puddy
August 27th, 2012
3:24 pm
“I hate to break it to you, but most serious academics could care less about football.”
What exactly do you think he/she meant to say?
P Rose
August 27th, 2012
3:25 pm
This may be the stupidest thing I have ever heard.
Ban tight end. Ban wide receiver. Ban the quarterback putting his hands under the center’s butt. Oh my god what have we come to as a society. For the love of god.
David Puddy
August 27th, 2012
3:25 pm
“Can they ban Freebird too?”
I agree with this………….
Son of Sammy Davis Jr, Jr
August 27th, 2012
3:26 pm
What happened to cool sporting events songs like We Will Rock You and Another One Bites The Dust? Opps my bad that wouldn’t work at Penn State football games either. Maybe they can play Surfing Bird.
Walter White, Jr.
August 27th, 2012
3:27 pm
Bbbbbuuut it’s juuuuuuusttt aaa sssssssoongg.
Duane
August 27th, 2012
3:28 pm
First of all, It’s “Altoona” PA not “Allatoona” PA. Secondly, Sandusky was no longer coaching when the incidents in 2001 occurred (he retired in 1999). Also, the main witness Mike McQueary has changed his story numerous times as to what he allegedly saw in the showers, and can’t even get the year right. Finally, the 1998 incident was investigated by the police, DA, CYS and the DA declined to press charges. Don’t let facts get in the way of a good story though.
jay
August 27th, 2012
3:28 pm
Hey Penn state supporters…Learn Rhythmic slapping with sandusky
Pitbull
August 27th, 2012
3:39 pm
So I guess If Loving You Is Wrong I Don’t Want To Be Right is off the list too, huh?
Andy
August 27th, 2012
3:40 pm
Don Suddath…”As a music professor, I…..” What a puffed up piece of moronic sewer sludge.
tmerggotech
August 27th, 2012
3:46 pm
C – it’s not the sensitive VaJJ that got them in trouble….
Keith
August 27th, 2012
3:46 pm
How utterly STUPID…….better ban all text books that have touching…you….me……
J
August 27th, 2012
3:47 pm
Good, not only is that song awful, but it was also written by a 28 year old man about 11 year old Caroline Kennedy. Who writes songs about 11 year old girls? Apparently, he does.
MichiganSucks
August 27th, 2012
3:58 pm
This is definitely a WTF moment!
elliott bachelor
August 27th, 2012
3:59 pm
So the Sandusky debacle… lets ban sweet caroline, who is running the program up there… stupid stupid stupid…. political correctness is the problem not the answer
NeilNailedSweetConnie
August 27th, 2012
4:02 pm
But that song is so good! (So Good, So Good, SO GOOD!!!!)
Tom
August 27th, 2012
4:06 pm
Maybe they’ll play Jane’s Addiction’s “Standing In The Shower”
Silent Jay
August 27th, 2012
4:07 pm
Then I suppose “Hour in the Shower” by Chicago is out of the question.
carlton
August 27th, 2012
4:09 pm
okay, I watched the video. If you’re drunk enough, it’s okay to sing. Otherwise, it should be banned, not for being a “perv” song, but bcs. it is a lousy song.
Delbert D.
August 27th, 2012
4:10 pm
I wonder if Penn State will ever recruit anyone named Sandusky.
DIF
August 27th, 2012
4:12 pm
The only place I want to hear this song is at Hedonism II in Jamaica!!! Better lyrics by far. Sure do miss that place right now.
Fred Blaughman
August 27th, 2012
4:14 pm
I hope they don’t ban the Mafe Goats and Pids dancing at halftime.
Alabama Jack
August 27th, 2012
4:24 pm
Haw about Y – M – C – A ??????????????????????
Jen
August 27th, 2012
4:24 pm
Check your facts, AJC. The paper is The Altoona Mirror, not Allatoona.
Pitbull
August 27th, 2012
4:26 pm
I guess next they will ban the immortal Connie Francis’ 1960’s hit:
Where The Boys Are.
Hey Jerry, don’t drop the soap in the shower.
G-Dawg
August 27th, 2012
4:34 pm
MORE COWBELL!!!!!!!
JR
August 27th, 2012
4:36 pm
Why announce this and draw attention to it? Just stop playing.
Lemon lime&oranges
August 27th, 2012
4:41 pm
A better song play at Penn state over sweet caroline…….How about MC.Hammer …You can’t touch this ….will be the new song played by band at halftime!
jay
August 27th, 2012
4:59 pm
” I don’t see nothing wrong wit a Lil bump n grind”…oops wrong song for ped state…
jay
August 27th, 2012
5:02 pm
Turn off the lights…. in da showers…..opps wrong song again for ped state..
boots
August 27th, 2012
5:03 pm
The standard PC crap. They are ok with kids getting molested and playing football right through it, but the band can’t play a song with a normal line in it. What about the Gary Glitter song, Rock ‘N Roll Pt. 2? That is played at sporting events all the time, and he is a twice convicted child molester. Double standards all over the place. Penn State football should have been shut down for five years, minimum.
or maybe
August 27th, 2012
5:15 pm
They could show sensitive pc videos on the big-screen scoreboard. “The More You Know…..”
Coach Paul Johnson's maaan boobs
August 27th, 2012
5:21 pm
FIRST!
Let's sing sweet caroline in all white....what tradition
August 27th, 2012
5:33 pm
Now that is funny. Touching me? Touching you? Wow. Why is the south made fun of again? Those northern sissies dancing to this song is stupid anyway. Must be a northern thing because it sure is stupid in the south. Maybe that’s why the stink at football so bad.
GRAPHITE
August 27th, 2012
5:37 pm
So it’s played at Fenway…..Should be played at San Fran as well…It’s a queer song.
jay
August 27th, 2012
5:46 pm
“I just wanna wet my whistle”..opps you guessed it…wrong song for pedophile state..
Trey
August 27th, 2012
5:46 pm
The north has no tradition. It’s just a bunch of people who practice all their own traditions from their native country. There’s nothing unique about the north. All the best writers, musicians, food creations, ground-breaking businesses, all came from the south. A northern person will swear up and down they have tradition out the wazoo but its simply not true. They need a lesson in what tradition is.
Take Penn State for example. If this was a cherished tradition it would continue plain and simple. They wouldn’t let the actions of one man taint it (no pun intended). But that’s the north for you, so liberal they are willing to sacrifice things and create rules based on garbage. Let the kids sing. If someone is offended, DON’T WATCH PENN STATE FOOTBALL. It’s that simple. If anything, I just lost more respect for Penn State if that is possible.
jay
August 27th, 2012
5:48 pm
“Da freaks come out at night games, the freaks come out at night”…darn it. Wrong song again for booty state..
jay
August 27th, 2012
5:50 pm
Too many rednecks survived the civil war!
REAGAN2012
August 27th, 2012
5:57 pm
ACADEMICS R SO SENSITIVE WHAT AJOKE STOP IN GET A LIFE
Erik
August 27th, 2012
6:04 pm
The football program should have been shut down for at least 3 years. The weaklings in the Board of Trustees that let Joe answer to nobody (including themselves) are still in place. It’s nice that they got rid of the President, AD, and that other stooge but the real powers are all still there. They wanted Joe to retire 8 years ago, he told them no, and they said “ok”. Unbelievable.
Boca Baby
August 27th, 2012
6:05 pm
They should also ban the bible and especially the “Song of Solomon.” There is a lot of sex and touching here. This knee-jerk reaction at Penn State is bordering on the ludicrous.
JOPA
August 27th, 2012
6:17 pm
I just pooped in my pants again…
This is Mrs. Norman Maine
August 27th, 2012
6:22 pm
I love that song!
Boy people just don’t get it. Playing a song is not harmful. Letting a perv rape little boys and not bothering to report it to the cops, IS harmful. Learn the diff Penn State!
Haas
August 27th, 2012
6:37 pm
Penn: too little too late.
Hate Penn State
August 27th, 2012
6:37 pm
As much as I hate Paterno and the Penn State football factory, none of the fines and sanctions have impacted the people responsible for what happened. The ones paying the price are the students who had nothing to do with it.
How typically PC!
dano
August 27th, 2012
6:40 pm
they play sweet caroline at wisconsin football games….after jump around!
Why It's a Ruger, thank you
August 27th, 2012
7:03 pm
Maybe they should play Divinyls “I Touch Myself” instead
Coward of the county
August 30th, 2012
5:16 am
“coward of the county” features a detailed rape scene; how is this song not getting banned? “Jesus loves me” implies a relationship between a man and children-very dangerous.