You can look at the firing of James Franklin one of two ways. Either it’s a calculated risk — Penn State’s bold declaration that “we want to win, and we want to win now.” Or it’s straight-up buffoonery — a tone-deaf move that ignores where the program was when Franklin took over and how far he brought it. Given the foundation he built, the stability he created, and the consistent relevance he maintained in an ever-changing college football landscape, this decision could prove to be one of the most short-sighted in the university’s history.