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University of Illinois Uses Picture of Coach Hugging Shirtless Son to Promote Game Against Penn State

Feb. 14, 2013 2:40pm Mike Opelka

Which word correctly describes the email advertisement that was sent to University of Illinois basketball fans on Thursday morning?

Insensitive
Ignorant
Intentional

Perhaps it was a combination of all three of those words that led someone to select this photo to advertise an upcoming basketball game between the University of Illinois and Penn State?

Illinois Basketball Sends Out Email of Coach Hugging Shirtless Boy to Promote Penn State Game

Image: University of Illinois Athletic Dept.

According to CBS Chicago, the photo is of the Illini’s head coach John Groce hugging his shirtless son following the teams’s big win over top-ranked Indiana last week. And it was plastered with the slogan, “No Matter Who’s Your Valentine, Surprise Them With Tickets To The Game.”

The ad doesn’t name the coach or mention that the young boy is his son. One might assume that since the e-mail was being sent to loyal fans, most recipients would likely recognize the two figures. However, many people who see the photo and realize that the game is being played against Penn State, could be reminded of last year’s shocking story of sexual abuse by a Penn State football coach.

TheBlaze spoke to Kent Brown, the Sports Information Director for the University of Illinois. Brown said they have had no negative reaction to the image from fans who received the email. He also stated that the photo, taken just a week ago when the team won the big game against Indiana, was being called “the photo of the year” by many in the sports world and has “even been featured on ESPN.”

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Comments (42)

pandora665
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 2:49pm
This action is unforgivable, disgusting, and hurts the victims of the crimes that occurred at Penn. Basically secondary victimization, pathetic U of Illinois.

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- PatriotSunDevil
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 5:34pm
  Stop supporting Ped State you fool!! I do not care if you got your little feelings hurt after what hippocrit valley did to those poor boys.
  
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grimjack3791
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 11:09am
Ped State needs to be shut down and the grounds turned into a parking lot.

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critterbait
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 5:06am
As my pappy would say …Still more hides need nailed to the barn door …

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- grimjack3791
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 11:09am
  You are correct, sir.
  
  Report this comment
kevinj319
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 9:24pm
It was intentional.
It is a joke.
Some might think it is in poor taste, some won’t.

But, craftily, it was done in such a way that they can always claim it was unintentional… while those of us who get the joke snicker quietly. Or, you could be so happy that you got the joke that you feel compelled to write a news story about it.

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mewnani
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 6:01pm
I may be an innocent minded person but I just see a guy hugging a child after winning a basketball game. I don’t see how this is harmful.

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- MMSands
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 8:17pm
  Try thinking back to the recent hoopla at Penn State, and maybe you’ll get what the problem is with a picture of a grown man hugging a half naked child…
  
  Report this comment
SolidusRaccoon
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:19pm
Good, PSU deserves all the shame and hate they can get. I foolishly went there, never expected to be persecuted and demonized for my political and religious beliefs. Conservatives and Christians were NOT welcome there. They bent over backwards to placate the degenerate homosexuals. Rot in hell Joe and may PSU crumble to dust.

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- The Big Mick
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 7:00pm
  Interesting.
  
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- The Big Mick
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 7:12pm
  Solid.
  To me you’ve broached, perhaps unintentionally, the CRUCIAL question that is, it would appear, NOT being asked or Answered of EVERYONE at Penn State and environs who KNEW Sandusky.
  HOW did this PERV SNOW THEM ALL? How did they miss the 10 Foot High Letters in FLAME–”I’m a PERV!” I’ve begun to suspect that the Deafening Silence is proportional to the sheer large number of people who DID have a bad “vibe” about Sandusky. The Question then becomes WHAT made them DISMISS it and keep SILENT? What was in the Culture that made nearly everyone who had contact with him DENY their senses in regard to Sandusky?
  If, indeed, as you imply, there as a CULTURE of “enable the quee ear” that would explain PART of it, any “creepy-ness” in Sandusky would either A. be put down to being a closet queen and KEPT in the closet. or B. Excused, even when Pederasty was suspected, because he was assumed to be part of a “protected” group.
  The Prhomos go to great lengths to “distinquish” themselves from Nambla Pederasts, but I don’t buy it. I think the overlap is substantial and the Prhomo Community Denies and Enables.
  THIS is what needs to have the cover ripped off, how Sandusky didn’t trip ANYBODY’s Perv Radar.
  
  Report this comment
shorelineliz
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:06pm
Oh. That’s low. Very low. Below the belt. Bad form.

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Pontiaku
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:15pm
Looks like something from NAMBLA.

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Ben__Franklin
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:32pm
That in really poor taste. Its sad that there was a group of adults at Illinois University that thought this was a good idea. Penn State did not molest a bunch of boys. Certain Individuals who happened to work at Penn State molested the boys and helped cover it up.

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Jenny Lind
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:26pm
Sad, a precious moment between father and son is twisted into a scandel they have no part of. Shame on the people who did this. I can’t imagine the pain this will cause an innocent family. I am disgusted with it.

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nostromo
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:14pm
I know it wont do any good, but Sandusky was found not guilty on the three counts relating to the infamous shower incident.

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- pagraywolf
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:58pm
  Because one cowardly redhead didn’t go in the shower and stop Sandusky, that’s why. Grrrr…
  
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- The Big Mick
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 7:16pm
  What good are you trying to do, Nosty?
  How many counts DID he get convicted on?
  Are you in any SERIOUS doubt the guy was a serial homoperv?
  On what basis then can ANYONE who knew him be excused for NOT picking up on it?
  If they really “didn’t have any suspicion” then we need to FIND OUT what it was about Sandusky that was SUCH GREAT CAMOUFLAGE so we can SPOT it in OTHERS.
  That’s the ONLY good thing possible to come out of this and it is the thing LEAST being done!
  
  Report this comment
PurrrpleMtnMajesty
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:08pm
This is totally CRASS – no reason for it, esp. at a child’s expense. And Chicago is no sparkling society worthy of pointing fingers.

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- right field
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:05pm
  Illinois and Pennsylvania both Obama Democrat states – lots of really stupid people.
  
  Report this comment
Mapache
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:06pm
Poor taste.

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civilwarcometh
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:06pm
The school system as a whole is infected…http://weaselzippers.us/2013/02/14/colorado-school-bans-white-students-from-after-school-tutoring-programs/

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Margyt
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:06pm
Oh, by the way, it doesn’t help that it is a Valentine’s Day ad. The holiday is so overblown as a romantic event that a grown man hugging a shirtless boy and declaring them as “Valentines” creates images that diminish the intended message. Again, sad but true.

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Margyt
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:02pm
Tagging the identity of the people in the photo would have solved the problem. Too bad we have to be so careful with images but my first thought (not knowing the parties) was that it was a little creepy. Very sad but true.

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- Rowgue
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:15pm
  The people they’re sending the email to know who is in the picture. They didn’t send the email to you and they didn’t send the email to the blaze or anyone else. They are under no obligation to insure that people they never sent it to and have no reason to ever see it know who is in the picture and make sure that it’s clear that it isn’t some sick joke about the penn state molestation thing.
  
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docsmooth
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:00pm
who cares about Illinois vs Penn St?

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- MCON29
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:07pm
  I do!! Illini all the way baby!! Some day.
  
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- Gonzo
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:08pm
  Who cares about basketball? How many days until the first kickoff? (are we still allowed to kickoff?)
  
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:56pm
I really on’t see anything wrong with it. Such sensitive people.

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- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:07pm
  *don’t*
  dang iPad keypad.
  
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- EVANROOD
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:05pm
  Maybe if the shirtless kid was sporting some rad gang Tat’s! LOL… Ditto on the I-pad key pad!
  
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Tri-ox
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:55pm
What? Really?

Is there supposed to be something wrong with a man hugging his son?

Leave it to obama’s CBS libs, and The Blaze, to make this an issue. The Blaze should be above this kind of garbage.

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- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:59pm
  Yeah. I think the only thing is, there’s a fair chance the majority of people wouldn’t know who either the guy was or the kid (assuming they knew the guy was the coach). It was clearly a cheap shot.
  
  But…
  
  Penn State deserves a whole lot worse than a lot of cheap shots, it’s institutionally corrupt and deserves what it’s earned.
  
  Report this comment
- Rowgue
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:17pm
  @Ghost
  
  This was in an email sent to illinois students, and specifically students that had purchased game tickets previously. They all knew who was in the picture, and there was no joke or cheapshot or anything of the sort.
  
  Report this comment
- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:33pm
  @Rowgue
  
  How would they know who the child was? Jim Tressel (OSU) was here for a long time, and I couldn’t tell you even on a bet what his kids look or looked like.
  
  I’m not defending Penn State, in fact, I’m saying Illinois is fine to deride them. But, it’s clear that the marketing was making a not so subtle jab at Penn State. Adult male, young male child, “no matter who is your Valentine” and “Penn State”. These things don’t happen by accident.
  
  And Penn State deserves it.
  
  Report this comment
- WilkowonGBTV
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 10:58pm
  @Ghostofjefferson http://www.framingpaterno.com/list-most-under-known-facts-sandusky-scandal
  
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gauge
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:50pm
I see a fathers love for his son…..

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progressiveslayer
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:50pm
You just got Sanduskied.

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- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:55pm
  As much as I want to condemn the Illinois douche who designed this, the fact of the matter is that Penn State has brought this on themselves. It’s one thing to have something horrible happen that they immediately tried to stop, you can’t blame any institution for that. But to cover it up and let it continue, to not go to the police, to keep the molester on the payroll and pay him, all the while knowing all the way up to Paterno what was going on? No way. Penn State, welcome to your legacy.
  
  All that said, a good counter to this add would be, oh I don’t know, a picture of hundreds of dead children, that mentions how wonderful things are in Chicago Illinois. But frankly, Penn State doesn’t deserve a retribution.
  
  Report this comment
- pagraywolf
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:03pm
  Ghost –
  
  Stop saying “Penn State” deserves this, etc. There were only a few b*stards who were a part of this. Don’t demean/punish all the good people at this university for their crimes/sins. That’s generalization and it’s wrong.
  
  Report this comment
- MCON29
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:17pm
  It might have crossed their mind, but the true message of the pic meant more. So they published it.
  
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The_Jerk
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:49pm
Reading way too much into it.

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