Penn State's Brett Brackett Gets An Unlikely Welcome To Philly

by JasonB on Nov 10, 2011 12:01 PM EST in Philadelphia Eagles News

You may have missed it earlier this week, but the Eagles signed rookie free agent TE Brett Brackett to their practice squad this week. It's the kind of minor move that barely even gets reported and in all likelihood the name Brett Brackett probably would have gone unknown by most of the fanbase. Because no reporters would ever bother speaking to or around Brett Brackett.

Only Brett Brackett went to Penn State. He's the only current Eagle to go to Penn State. So the rookie practice player in his first day with the Eagles was surrounded by reporters at his locker today looking for his take on the mess at Penn State.

First, he said his initial thoughts were with the victims.

"First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to the families and victims," said Brackett. "It's something that you could never imagine having to deal with. That's first and foremost."

He admitted that he hasn't totally kept up on all the news because he's you know... just been signed to a new NFL team. But he basically felt that all things have to end at some point.

"Everybody has their time," Brackett said when asked whether it would be strange not to see Paterno coaching. "My grandfather constantly says that nobody gets out of this world without ends - whether it's the end of your career or things like that."

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Pretty cool dude. Lot of the Paternoville people were friends with him

I eat sentimentality for breakfast, but stats stop me dead in my tracks

by CoburnsCuddleBuddy on Nov 10, 2011 12:51 PM EST reply actions

Brett's a well-spoken, level-headed, all around good guy.

Like I said on the FanShot I posted about the Eagles signing him, I know him personally. So I had a chance to talk to him about this a little bit, and it’s obviously really hard on him. He brought up how special the memory of Joe Pa personally coming to his house to recruit him was. Brett was there for 5 years (red-shirted) and was obviously a big part of the football team as a Captain, so he obviously had a good relationship with Joe Pa.

And the whole situation is obviously a shame, but in this case I especially feel bad for the good people (like Brett) who have become associated with such a negative event that they had nothing to do with.

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by PhiladelphiaEagles on Nov 10, 2011 12:51 PM EST reply actions

“Let every man in mankind’s frailty consider his last day and let none presume on his good fortune until he find life at his death a memory without pain” – Oedipus Rex

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant

by NJBammer on Nov 10, 2011 1:24 PM EST reply actions

In simple, clear modern day English, what does that mean?

It sounds like it might be words of wisdom, but all I can decipher is that each person should realize that life includes pain, which would be trite.

"Even those invested in the idea that the journey is the destination may feel they've taken a train to nowhere." - Terry Lawson

by waterfield on Nov 10, 2011 3:16 PM EST up reply actions

A common theme in greek tragedy was a man who would wake up in the morning on top of the world could, if the fates willed it, be on the bottom by the time the sun sets (Oedipus Rex starts in the morning with him as the king, by sunset he’d blinded himself).

Who can claim to be happy is a question pondered by the Greeks – the man with wealth? No, because he might have it stolen. The man with power? It might be taken from him. The man with health? He might lose it. The man with prestigue (as is the case with Paterno)? No, for in the space of a single day he can be shamed, and the shame might overwhelm all the good opinion he’s generated in a lifetime of virtue.

The quote reflects on the tragedy of Paterno’s life, which will forevermore be tainted by this mistake, and he knows it.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant

by NJBammer on Nov 10, 2011 4:02 PM EST up reply actions

And I realize I did not make this clear, the philosophers held that, until you are dead, you do not know if you can count yourself lucky, since if you are alive there is still time for the world to inflict unimaginable pain and sorrow on you. Not until a man has died can you say he is lucky or not.

Read the story of Solon and Croesus for more, if you are interested (about 1/4 down the linked page).

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant

by NJBammer on Nov 10, 2011 4:07 PM EST up reply actions

My my, hey hey

Rock and roll is here to stay.
It’s better to burn out, then to fade away.
My my, hey hey.

I enjoyed distracting from the Eagles-misery and Paterno misfortune/blunder by reading your Greek philosophy lesson. Solon and Croesus sort of made me think of Neil Young.

by CTAZPA on Nov 10, 2011 5:36 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks

That was very interesting and informative.

"Even those invested in the idea that the journey is the destination may feel they've taken a train to nowhere." - Terry Lawson

by waterfield on Nov 11, 2011 4:46 PM EST up reply actions

I hope everyone boycotts the PSU football games for the rest of this season!

"Obviously, I lobbied for him to be here. But what a difference a year makes." -- Donovan McNabb

by thePurpleLion on Nov 10, 2011 1:53 PM EST reply actions

yes, that is a good idea. Punish the players who had nothing to do with this.

by Ben16 on Nov 10, 2011 2:17 PM EST up reply actions

nothing to do with the players.... Punish the school for trying to cover it up and putting and undue blame on JoePa!

"Obviously, I lobbied for him to be here. But what a difference a year makes." -- Donovan McNabb

by thePurpleLion on Nov 10, 2011 3:43 PM EST up reply actions

I was being sarcastic. I think the worst thing to do would be shut down the football team.

by Ben16 on Nov 10, 2011 5:07 PM EST up reply actions

Brett's a good guy

I do remember once though he dropped a pass in the endzone. He came back to the sidelines and a coached pulled him a side and yelled “You have a 3.79 in finance so you’re smart, I THINK, what the hell was that?!”

Everyone in the student section got a good chuckle out of that.

by Rogue Nine on Nov 10, 2011 3:17 PM EST reply actions

I played against Brett annually in High School, when he actually played Quarterback, and he was always a classy guy. Especially his senior year when he already knew he was going to Penn state, he was never arrogant. Best wishes for him for his time here, although I didn’t realize he had the body for a NFL tight end, I believe he played a TE/WR role for PSU.

by manbearpig88 on Nov 10, 2011 10:18 PM EST reply actions