If they were just honest and admitted they were dumping it for the lyrics, I don't think anybody would fault them for it. It's the fact that they seem to be lying that annoys me. Believe it or not, people respect honesty.
The popular Neil Diamond song will not be used during football games this season, and two university officials denied Monday that had anything to do with the lyrics.
"Absolutely no song changes were made based on lyrics," spokesman David La Torre said. "The song has come up on the list in recent years because it happens to be played in so many other professional and collegiate venues and has no real origination here at Penn State."
Those lyrics -- "Reachin' out, touchin' me, touchin' you" -- could be construed as inappropriate after a jury convicted former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky on 45 counts of child-sex abuse. The Altoona (Pa.) Mirror reported Monday morning that some university officials expressed concern about the lyrics.
La Torre said that was not the case but could not name another song that would be excluded. He and Greg Myford, associate athletic director for business relations and communications, insisted the elimination of "Sweet Caroline" was just part of an annual process.
"While wholesale changes to what happens on game day are not in store, some 'updating' is going to occur, including to our playlist," Myford wrote in an email. "Something that happens every year for both recorded music and Blue Band tunes."
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