A new season is soon upon us!

Earlier this month, I lamented about what felt like my waning interest in Penn State football. I'm pleased to discover that it wasn't a permanent loss of interest, because with August steadily coming to a close and the arrival of September right around the corner—not to mention several mornings where it actually felt cool and crisp like fall!—my yearning for college football has been resurrected in earnest!

Some might consider this next statement sacrilege, but I don't really plan to attend any games this year, and I'm kind of glad. Like I mentioned earlier, the game-day experience in Happy Valley has become too intense for me in recent years, and now that I finally have Big Ten Network, I can watch the games from the comfort of my own couch! I haven't renewed my local chapter membership yet, but I'm still giving some thought to watching a game or two from a viewing site this year. The last time I went to one must have been in 2007 (I think it was a late September game at Union Jack's in Bethesda).

People ask me all the time if Joe's gonna hang it up, because at 84, he's obviously no spring chicken anymore. (In fact, one co-worker even circulated a hilarious Onion article to that effect.) I wonder the same thing frequently (if Joe will retire anytime soon), because I had the opportunity to see him exit the stadium by one of the loading docks last season, and he was visibly more frail and deliberate than I'd ever seen him. I hate saying this, but he looked his age. He looked old. Time will obviously tell with Joe, though it's obvious the university is planning ahead for his eventual replacement (vis-à-vis the very controversial STEP program).

In any case, it's only nine days by my count that Joe leads the Penn State football team out onto the field, and I can hardly wait!

Penn State reflections as football season approaches

With all that's being going on in the world, be it locally, nationally, even personally, one thing that completely escaped my notice was the fact that we're now less than a month away from Penn State football—the time of year that I most yearn for . . . well, one of them, if you count opening day for the Nationals (which was a real letdown this year, due to the weather).

Lately, though, I've been mentally assessing my role with regard to Penn State, and I find myself at a loss. It's been three years since I stepped down from the board of directors of DC's Penn State alumni chapter. My actual membership in said chapter expired at the end of 2008, and I've been looking back on my time as an active chapter member (a really active chapter member for a while, chairing two committees in 2007), and part of me wonders how so much time has passed . . . how so much of my youth has passed, because it feels like almost a thousand centuries ago that I was regularly editing the chapter newsletter, attending the Social Committee meetings, setting up and attending happy hours, watching the games at the viewing sites, reporting in at board meetings. I've been giving some thought lately to rejoining the chapter, though part of me feels like I've outgrown it, even though I'll always bleed blue and white.

It doesn't help, either, that I won't be going to the games again anytime soon. At the end of last year, my father did what was unthinkable in years past, but I feel is perfectly rational and logical now—he gave up his season tickets, in response to the STEP program . . . a program which, I feel, is little more than a blatant money-grab by the university under the guise of "fairness" to people pursuing season tickets. As a 30+ year season-ticket holder, my father was understandably upset by the dramatic uptick in ticket price, and gave up his seats as a result. I don't blame him one bit for this move; I would have done the same if I were in his shoes. But deep down, part of me is somewhat relived that he did so, because Penn State football Saturdays in Happy Valley have become more intense in the last several years, wearing even me out. Part of me will always yearn for a visit to Happy Valley to see a game some warm September Saturday, and I'll of course miss the great tailgates with family and friends. But since I have Big Ten Network at home now, I'll be able to watch all the games from the comfort of my couch, which is perfectly all right with me.

I don't know . . . am I just getting old? Are all these old Penn State traditions losing their luster for me after all these years? Or will I feel the blue and white course through my veins each fall, and all throughout the year as we promote Penn State pride in the nation's capital? Time will only tell.

But I take comfort in one thing, though: with Nora being an Ohio State fan, who's equally devoted to her Buckeyes like I am to my Nittany Lions, I can always look forward to the Penn State-Ohio State game each year, because we make it as fun and enjoyable as we can for each other, no matter who wins the day.

Just to get myself in the mood for football season . . .

A terrible letdown

I can think of no other way to sum up my disappointment in this year's Rose Bowl.

Will 2009 come up roses?

A happy new year to all! May your 2009—and mine!—begin by smelling of roses.

JoePa turns 82!

It's hard to imagine one of the winningest coaches in college football history still coaching after more than 40 years, but that's exactly what Joe Paterno is doing! And today he turns 82.

Like I said the other day, the age jokes on JoePa began in earnest a while ago.

Another three years for JoePa

So despite all my hopes to the contrary, it looks like JoePa isn't going to retire at the end of this season after all (despite claiming for years that he'd only coach "for another five years"), because he's signed a contract to remain at the helm of the Nittany Lions for another three years.

I have to admit, I feel mixed.

Like 90% of all Penn Staters who bleed blue and white, I love JoePa and think he's a god among legends. But as I've said many times before, Joe ain't getting any younger—in both age and coaching style. In fact, he turns 82 years young in just four days! (The age jokes at Joe's expense already started long ago.) I can't help but feel that Joe's ego and sense of relevance were key factors in his decision. And Graham Spanier, despite having more sway with Penn State's high echelon than in previous years (especially when it comes to retaining Joe!), obviously doesn't want to be known as the man who fired JoePa.

So I guess the only thing I can do is hope he continues to have winning seasons, because when the time finally comes for JoePa to step down, I really want him to go out on top and not with a worn-out welcome.

Have you stopped and smelled the roses today? (II)

The official announcement was made today, even though most of us already knew it: Penn State will be heading to the Rose Bowl on January 1, and is set to face off against USC.

While I'm disappointed that we didn't finish the season undefeated, I'm nevertheless pleased that we've secured a spot in this most prestigious of bowl games. I now find myself wondering if it'll be a crazed, tear-your-hair-out game like the 2006 Orange Bowl, or a walkover like most of our games have been this season. What's even more ponderous is whether JoePa, despite his claims to the contrary, will step down after the bowl game! I still think he should go while on top, and a Rose Bowl win would give him that opportunity.

Right now it's looking like I'll be watching the game from North Carolina—so I'd best make a good impression on the Ohio State fans I'll be staying with that week!

Introducing a new use for baldness

At Saturday's game, my father drew inspiration from another fan who chose to have paw prints painted on his scalp. And who says you can't age with dignity?

Have you stopped and smelled the roses today?

On a brutally cold Saturday night, I got to witness my Nittany Lions perform three tremendous feats: beat the ever-lovin' shit out of Michigan State, win the Big Ten title, and embark on their path to the Rose Bowl!

I think everyone of Penn State blood deserves to sing this today, loudly and proudly!



Pictures from Saturday's game shall hopefully be posted to Flickr soon.

Another season has come and gone

It just suddenly occurred to me today . . . football season is almost over!!! And I find myself asking, where did the time go?

Looking back on this season, I can definitely say it's been a full and eventful one. Clark has proven himself to be a very worthy quarterback, with great potential for the future. The 10-year humiliation was finally broken by a glorious home trouncing against Michigan. And naturally, JoePa is still god among the Penn State brethren, age and press-box seating notwithstanding. Our hopes of an undefeated season were sadly dashed by Iowa, of all people (though as I continually remind people—and myself!—this is the same team that beat us 6-4 a few years back), but even if we finish out the season with an 11-1 record, I can still live with that.

I was able to make it to two games this season (my father and I went to the season opener against Coastal Carolina at the end of August, and Nora joined me for the Michigan game in October), and I'll definitely be attending the final game against Michigan State tomorrow. I just hope that we can pull out a victory so that a) we don't lose too much steam after the loss to Iowa, b) we finish pretty close to the #1 spot, and c) JoePa can possibly retire after this near-perfect season. I've always advocated that Joe go out on a high note, at the top of his game (pun intended!), and this would be the perfect opportunity for him to do so.

It still saddens me that football season will be over in less than 36 hours, but all things considered, it's been a hell of a season! And you can't ask for anything more than that.

An open letter to David Jones

Dear Mr. Jones,

Before you publish your column in tomorrow's Patriot, I humbly make one request of you: please don't. Instead, I ask that you take a step back and give Penn State fans their dignity, because tonight, all fans of the blue and white are in pain. We know that our hopes of an undefeated season died tonight. We know that we played clumsily and weakly. We know that we'll likely drop to #9 (at best!) in the polls. In short, we know how badly we mucked it up for ourselves. And I ask that you please give Penn State alumni and fans their dignity by not pointing all this out in tomorrow's Patriot.

Sincerely,

A heartbroken Penn Stater

At least USA Today got it right

With last night's jaw-dropping finish to the Texas-Texas Tech game, I had my fingers crossed that Penn State would advance to the #2 or even #1 spot in the polls. But it would appear that we're #2 in only the USA Today poll; the AP Top 25 poll has us still at #3. I have to wonder if maybe the bye week went against us, since both Alabama and Texas Tech (obviously) played this weekend.

We have a bye week?

Wait, Penn State has a bye week this week? My god, what will I do with myself??? Oh wait, I'm getting my car fixed. That's what I'm doing with myself.

But like noon kickoffs, it feels like a long time since Penn State's had a bye week during a regular season. And I have to admit, it kinda feels nice to have one Saturday off. It gives me a chance to unwind a little, get some things done, and watch some other games on TV (or at least as many as one who doesn't have ESPN anymore can).

With only three games left this season and coming off two huge wins in as many weeks, it's good to take a breather.

We've taken back the house!

It's been three days since I left Happy Valley, and I still can't believe that the events I witnessed took place.

Saturday's game was at least 10 years in the making. With year after year of humiliating losses by a cocky Michigan squad, Penn State finally turned the tables and declared victory over the Michigan Wolverines! It had to be the single greatest moment since the Appalachian State upset last year, with the 1997 comeback over Ohio State trailing not far behind.

With Penn State's undefeated record this season combined with the first Michigan squad to grace the gridiron post-Lloyd Carr (a squad that's been falling apart at the seams, with high-profile losses against Toledo, Illinois, and even Notre Dame), I was unexpectedly confident about Penn State's chances going into this game—though like some others, I still felt like I was walking on eggshells, because it's very hard to forget some of the most controversial and back-stabbing moments in the history of Penn State-Michigan match-ups. The 2005 game comes immediately to mind, where Lloyd Carr literally stole the game from Penn State by demanding that the officials add two seconds to the game clock at the very end of the fourth quarter . . . two seconds in which Michigan scored a game-winning touchdown. (I can't help but remember, too, how all the play-calling and penalties went in Michigan's favor that day.)

The bitterness that resulted from that game will take a long time to be forgotten, but this past Saturday's game was definitely a step in the right direction!

Nora and I carpooled up to the game with Wiley and Ashley, and Wiley proudly donned his "Ann Arbor is a whore!" T-shirt. That afternoon, as tailgates cooked and clocks ticked onward towards game time, the atmosphere in Happy Valley was electric, permeated with one simple thought: payback! The fact that it was Homecoming added a great sense of anticipation and glee to the hoped-for thrashing of Michigan.

When the game got underway, I was a bit rattled when Penn State had a bad snap and lost several yards on their first play, but I tried to keep my fingers crossed that it was only a fluke and not a portent of things to come. Sadly, as the first quarter wore on, that bad first snap proved to be anything but a fluke, because Penn State lost the ball several times on really bad fumbles, had good plays overturned, and missed a key field goal when the ball bounced off the upright. By the end of the first half, with the Nittany Lions down 17-7, moods around Beaver Stadium alternated between resignation, despair, and disgust (as evidenced by the fan sitting in the row behind us, whose feelings on the current Nittany Lion squad grew more colorful with each play). Memories from all those humiliating Michigan losses began to creep back. Actually, no—they began to flood back! And it really begged the question of whether Penn State could ever beat this team, could ever put Michigan in its place.

When the Nittany Lions ran back out onto the field at the beginning of the second half, somehow things began to feel different. The air began to clear, and I think everyone knew what we had to do by the time this night had ended.

That feeling proved accurate, because as the third quarter progressed, the Nittany Lions played with much more heart than I've seen in a while! We scored one touchdown and one field goal to tie up the score, and I genuinely think the game got turned around when we sacked the Michigan quarterback in the end zone for a safety, bringing the Nittany Lions ahead 19-17. It was the first time in a couple years we had taken the lead over Michigan, and I sure wanted them to keep it that way!

Though I didn't dare count Michigan out of the running, because I knew this team well enough to know that, by hook or by crook, the Wolverines have managed to come back and overtake the Nittany Lions too many times before. With each passing touchdown by Penn State (and there were plenty!), I mentally tabulated how many plays Michigan would need to overtake us. Even when we were ahead 46-17 in the fourth quarter, I still couldn't bring myself to declare that we had the game in the bag! Even though four touchdowns (with extra points) wouldn't be enough for Michigan to retake the lead, I still couldn't count them out. I guess the 2005 game weighed too heavily on my mind.

But all reservations aside, Beaver Stadium truly came alive with each new touchdown or field goal by the Nittany Lions. That feeling of vindication and deliverance was heavy in the air, and every Penn Stater in the stands (a full 110,000+) thrilled with the magic of finally delivering comeuppance on the team that had beaten them down for the last 10 years. It was more than enough to warrant the victory toast of Wild Turkey back at the tailgate.

I think it's safe to say that the glory days of Michigan are over. That their grand sense of self-importance and entitlement are over. From here on out, they get to reap what they've sewn, and I'm proud that I got to witness one of the most crucial games in the annals of Penn State football!

This is a time I can truly say . . . we are Penn State!!!

The best thing since sliced bread?

So much for age being just a state of mind! During today's Penn State game, it was revealed that head coach Joe Paterno is in fact older than sliced bread, by two years! So unfortunately, that means we can no longer say that JoePa is the best thing since sliced bread, because technically it wouldn't be true.

T-minus 24 hours and counting!

Honestly, I haven't been this excited since Haley's Comet collided with the moon, because we're now 20 hours away from Penn State's kickoff against Coastal Carolina!!!

Tomorrow's home opener is a day I've been yearning for almost since April, when I attended the annual spring teaser Blue/White scrimmage. At the time, baseball season had just begun, but with that small whetting of the appetite by the pigskin, my taste buds have since thirsted for football more and more each day.

I've been going to Penn State games now for close to 20 years, and the anticipation of the season-opening game truly never abates. That feeling of walking into Beaver Stadium and seeing the gridiron below, with the players practicing and JoePa pacing, is one that can't ever be put into words. Because in that moment, you feel alive. You tingle with an excitement and pride that runs deep into the soul. You feel part of something cosmic and timeless. And you feel bonded to the 110,000 Blue and White brethren that surround you.

Win or loss (hopefully win!), the experience of a Penn State football game is one like no other, and tomorrow I will lovingly embrace that most wonderful time of year with friends and family alike.

So let me say it loudly and proudly: We Are Penn State!!!

We've topped the Big House???

For years, I'd thought that Michigan's football stadium was the gold standard for attendance capacity, always surpassing Penn State's Beaver Stadium by just a maddeningly small margin. But if I'm reading this right, Beaver Stadium is now the #1 in capacity at 107,282, with the Big House coming in at #2 with 106,201 capacity!

As I've said before, any sort of victory over Michigan is acceptable in my book, be it on the gridiron or off. But could this be a signal that the tide may finally be turning in Penn State's favor in this rivalry? :)

A curly W and a football prelude

I was able to catch some of yesterday's Nats-Braves game, and I was simultaneously stunned and overjoyed at our 15-6 stomping of the hated Braves! Because let's face it—any day the Braves are beaten is a good day. Especially if the Nats provide the beatdown. :)

But a few days ago, I received this YouTube clip, which reawakened my love for another sport . . . one that begins in only six weeks!



I'm now finding myself tingling with that wonderful autumn excitement which is Beaver Stadium, the Blue Band, JoePa, tailgates, touchdowns, field goals, beer dogs, and 110,000 shining symbols of Penn State pride. Kinda ironic that this clip was sent to me by an Ohio State fan. ;)

JoePa doesn't make the cut

Today Yahoo published a list of 10 best college football coaches, and JoePa didn't make the cut. At the same time, I'm surprised yet not surprised.

I'm surprised because JoePa is a living legend among football coaches, whose name is synonymous with class and dignity in the NCAA. I'm not surprised because, at the tender age of 81, I think he's finally outlived his usefulness to the Penn State football program, and is in danger of damaging his reputation by staying in the program rather than bowing out gracefully.

Though how gets snubbed in favor of Jim Tressel of Ohio State is beyond me! At least Lloyd Carr wasn't on the list.