Sometimes people try to tell you that something you’ve seen did not happen. Or that what you’re seeing looks different than it does.
It can be confusing and confounding. It has also become an accepted approach — practiced from the world’s top politicians to guilty toddlers.
Penn State fans have had a healthy sampling of it recently.
With the opening of Ryan Field at Northwestern last week, we heard breathless national media members talking about the energy and noise inside the stadium. OK, but what about all those empty seats we saw?
Likewise, we’ve heard about quarterback Rocco Becht being a winner, with Penn State coach Matt Campbell basically offering a ride-or-die endorsement of his QB in the wake of two consecutive losses. OK, but what about all those overthrown passes? All those tipped passes?
There’s little doubt Northwestern has a nifty stadium designed to fit its needs and host a variety of other events. And maybe Becht will bounce back Saturday night at Beaver Stadium as USC visits for the annual White Out game.
So, what you’re seeing might be only part of the story.
As he should, Campbell has been levelheaded, doubling down on his support of those in his program and working to minimize even the hint of desperation or panic. In his world, if the team cleans up its play a bit, the victories will follow.
And a victory in the White Out game would provide a good bit of goodwill, along with some tangible success.
One of the biggest things we’ve been told the past few days is that Penn State fans are frustrated. Prices for tickets have dropped significantly on secondary markets and everybody knows somebody who’s selling their tickets or not going to the game Saturday.
Uh huh. Until you see fewer fans in the stands, do not believe it.
Penn State fans almost always show up, especially for the White Out. Sure, the changes that have reshaped college football cost people more these days and enable a more logical straight line between their expenses and the money made by football players.
So, when things go poorly, it’s an easier logical argument to affix seemingly appropriate blame.
Additionally, the money-making approach embraced by Penn State Athletics has made attending games as costly as ever — and when the team struggles on the field, frustrations invariably flare.
Maybe that’s only part of the story, though.
Because the thought of Penn State fans voting with their feet and not attending the game as well as they have in the past seems far-fetched and unlikely. It’s certainly not something fans have had the gumption to do in the past.
Not in the dark years of the early 2000s when the team lost more than it won — although it was always good when fans showed up and left early, giving me more legroom back when going into games mattered to me. And not even last season when so many high expectations fell apart.
Not for the White Out, either.
Games later in the season at home against Purdue, Minnesota and Rutgers might be attendance-challenged gatherings (by Penn State’s standards), but my sense is what you’ll see Saturday night — in person and on TV — will be a big, typical and vocal Beaver Stadium crowd.
Anything less would be a problem, for the team and athletic department. For Campbell and athletic director Pat Kraft. For Penn State’s hopes of raising even more money to compete for talent.
That’s just not something you’re going to see, though.
My guess is it’ll all look familiar — a raucous group of 100,0000-ish fans, all in white and all on the same page. At least for one night.
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