Penn State Football: "Life Comes At You Fast", and Sometimes It Isn't Pretty

It is with a great deal of sadness that I announce that as of this coming football season, the attendance streaks at Penn State football games for my husband Terry and myself will end.  For Terry, it was 282 games in a row.  The last game he missed was the Penn State - USC game in Los Angeles in 1990.  For me, it was 146 games in a row.  The last game I missed was the Penn State - Iowa game in 2001 in Iowa City.  The games we attended were anywhere in the country:  home, away, and bowl games.

Somehow, none of that matters now.  It's just a game, after all.  Right???

Well, maybe.

There was a sign I saw recently in a medical office:  "Life is just a game.  Football is serious business."  For us, it certainly has been that way.  It dominated our lives each fall, and, well, I expect there to be a big hole now.

Unfortunately, I know how it will be filled, and finding time to tend to what needs to be done over the coming months will be a real challenge.

Penn State Student-Athletes Host Silent Charity Auction for Penn State Dance Marathon

Head to http://athletesforthekids.cstvauctions.com/gallery.cfm to bid on several different offers related to Penn State sports.

Just a few of the offerings listed are a football autographed by Coach Bill O'Brien, a set of season tickets to women's soccer games, a Penn State golf outing package, behind the scenes with the Lady Lions basketball team, or a photo shoot with the Nittany Lion.

Whether your favorite sport is fencing, lacrosse, football, volleyball, or soccer, there is something for everyone on this list.

Bidding ends on November 19.  So support the Student Athlete Advisory Board's initiatives to raise money for a great cause and submit your bid soon!

Twenty-Five Years of Marriage...and Penn State Football!

On October 10 my husband Terry and I celebrated our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.  It was a somewhat subdued celebration.  We exchanged sweet anniversary cards in the morning, went out to dinner that evening.  That was about it.  No big fanfare.  As it has been since we were married in 1987 on a perfect fall foliage weekend in New England.

That's just the way we are.  We don't really exchange gifts or do anything really big on these types of occasions. Our attitude is that if there is a particular pleasure that either of us seeks we don't need to wait for a special occasion.  We talk about it and then just do it if we can.

Also, on our anniversary, I had a full schedule of classes and a meeting.  It was the middle of the week.

Still, 25 years is a milestone in so many ways, especially when your marriage is also the start of a very long relationship with Penn State and its football team that has impacted so much of your life, including your career.

Penn State vs. Temple: Did the Rainbows Send A Message?

It was appropriate that my 300^th Penn State football game would be against Temple.  Temple has been Penn State’s most consistent competitor, year in and year out, through the twenty-five years I have been regularly following Penn State.  And every one of those Temple games that I have witnessed has been a win. 

The NCAA would differ, but in these awkward days of describing past games that were wins but not really losses either, something called “vacated”, I know what I saw each year.  And since 2005, I have the scoreboard photos to prove it.

In fact, we haven’t lost to Temple since 1941, other than those vacated wins. Yes, Temple is an in-state rival, of sorts.  Yes, there have been some close games, including last year at Lincoln Financial Field, when Penn State barely got away with a 14-10 win.  Temple made all Penn State fans nervous when they led most of the game.  But Penn State prevailed at the end.

Penn State at Virginia: NCAA 1, Penn State 0

There is no way you could have predicted that Penn State would lose Saturday’s game against Virginia, not the way the defense played for most of the game. The defense forced four turnovers and held the Cavaliers to 32 yards net rushing. In addition, Virginia had ten penalties for a net loss of 70 yards.  Penn State had only three for a net loss of 24 yards.

But despite those stats, Penn State was vulnerable. Our kicker missed four field goals, the longest a 42-yarder, and suffered a blocked extra point.  The missed points on the kicking game cost Penn State 13 valuable points. Plus, the defense, despite forcing turnovers, gave up first downs at crucial moments on third and long, on the last winning drive for Virginia.

My Students' Favorite Joe Paterno Memory - THON 2009

After yesterday's funeral procession I wandered back to my classroom to see if any students showed up for class.  I had no intention of cancelling class yesterday but the funeral procession, scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m., didn't really start until about 4:00 p.m.  Class was at 4:15 p.m.

So I called someone in the building around 4:10 p.m. when it was clear I would be missing at the start of class and asked them to put a note on the door stating that if I wasn't there I was at the procession and class was cancelled.

I figured that all my students would have the same attitude that I did.  After waiting since about 2:30 p.m. on Curtin Road for this procession to come by, I wasn't about to miss it.  Judging by the many emails I received from students stating that they missed class because they were at the procession, I think I made the right call.

Walking back to the Business Building from Curtin Road, I broke down into tears.  It was one of those moments where it hits you what kind of loss this really is.

It's hard to describe.   Joe Paterno was such a patriarch for Penn State.  So very much loved.  And so as the hearse drove by and I shot photos while fighting back tears, it reminded me of losing my father, and I couldn't help but think of my mother as well.   For the students, losing Joe is like losing a grandfather.  We felt like we knew him that well, even if our interactions with him were few and far between.  He had that much impact on each of us.

As I got closer to the Business Building, I ran into one of my students.  He, too, was fighting tears, and was headed to my classroom.  I told him we weren't having class, but I was headed there to see if anyone wanted to just sit and talk about Joe.  I asked him if he wanted to do that and he said yes.

Three other students also arrived at the classroom, and also wanted to just stay and talk.  It was about 4:30 by this time. 

So we sat and reminisced and I asked them what was their favorite moment with Joe Paterno.  They mentioned the speech he gave at Thon 2009.  It was the first time in a long time that Joe and Sue Paterno had attended Thon, and it was a surprise visit at the height of Thon weekend.

So we found the video and played it, along with a clip of JoePa's 324th win.  I had already shown the 400th win tribute in class the other day.

And so here is my students' favorite memory, and a reminder, if you haven't done so already, that Sue Paterno and her family had asked that donations in Joe Paterno's memory be made to either THON or to Pennsylvania Special Olympics.

Video:  Joe Paterno's speech at THON 2009.

Penn State Football: Twelve Prayers for the Year 2012

Last year I created a little ditty based on the Twelve Days of Christmas about going to the Outback Bowl.  This holiday season, I’m in a less frivolous and much more serious mood.   

In fact, I would just as soon pray for Penn State University and its football team.  I guess I’ve been inspired a bit by the last home game against Nebraska on November 12th, when both the Penn State and Nebraska teams prayed on the field before the game. 

I look to prayers in this context primarily as a healing mechanism.  It doesn’t matter the religion you profess. If you prefer to substitute the word “hope” for “prayer” then that works as well.

Either way, there is a lot of healing needed right now when it comes to Penn State University and the situation we are confronted with given the allegations by up to twelve reported accusers who claim that they are victims of child sexual abuse by former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky. 

Except for perhaps Prayer #1, there is no order to these prayers.  They are all important, and I don’t want any reader to think that somehow one has priority over the other.    And so I will mix it up a bit.  Please don’t read anything into how I have ordered the thoughts.

Be forewarned, this is a very long blog post.  But there is a lot to pray for. 

Penn State at Wisconsin: Ugh!

Apologies to all who have been wondering what happened to me.  People have been wondering why I didn't post my usual Sunday night blog.  Basically, I had decided to leave my computer home when we traveled to Wisconsin on Thanksgiving weekend. 

Instead I brought with me 67 papers to grade, and on that weekend and the next couple of days after we finally returned home, that took priority.  It is, after all, the end of the semester.  I have usually used Thanksgiving week to catch up on grading.

But with an away game at Ohio State the weekend before, and then another away game at Wisconsin, I didn't get as much done in-between as I had hoped.

Penn State Football: The Lion's Pride Asserts Itself

We weren't certain what to expect when we entered Beaver Stadium yesterday for the Penn State-Nebraska game.  It seemed an eternity since that miserably snowy Illinois game two weeks earlier, when Penn State eked out a win with the help of an innovative student section that distracted the Illinois kicker at the end of the game, causing the ball to fall harmlessly off the upright, and achieving Coach Joe Paterno's 409th win, the most wins in Division I history.

In just a week's time, Penn State's entire world had collapsed as we knew it.  It was a distressing week for anyone who associates themselves with Penn State:  students, faculty, staff, alumni, sports fans.  We were shocked, disgusted, ashamed, angry, afraid, confused, determined to know the truth. 

As The Penn State Football Season Opens, Questions Abound…And Not Just About the Team

It is not just who is going to be quarterback for this year’s football team that has me intrigued.  Or what the heck happened to Stephfon Green that he made it so deeply into Joe Paterno’s doghouse that he was dropped from the team, and now somehow is miraculously back. 

Soon enough we will know the starting quarterback.  We may never know what the true story is with Stephfon Green.  But I’m glad to see him back on the roster.

No, my questions have to do with what’s going to happen at the first game against the Indiana State Sycamores. 

Are You Kidding Me? JoePa Got Up From That Hit?

In early June, I was at Beaver Stadium for the 2nd Annual Ladies' X's and O's Football Camp.  I spent the morning attending class and participating in drills on Beaver Stadium turf.  Then I had lunch, and heard Spider Caldwell talk about the history of Penn State jerseys and other funny facts about football equipment.

This luncheon was held on the second floor of Beaver Stadium.  Basically a carpeted floor over concrete.  On the way to a second class session on defensive strategy, my running shoe tread caught on the carpet and I tripped and fell straight forward.   I caught myself with my arms.  Head also hit the floor.  Not fun.

Are You Ready for Penn State Football? Not Me! Not Ever!

Yesterday the Penn State Football Facebook page posted a video, 20 Days, which you can view by clicking here.  Now it's 19 days and counting until the opening day on September 3, when Penn State plays Indiana State.

There is a lot to anticipate about this year’s football season, including a good home game schedule with Alabama Iowa and Nebraska being much anticipated games.    We will also experience division play this year, and the first-ever B1G championship. 

Penn State Football: #75 is my Favorite Jersey…And Leadership is The Reason

Football is in the air.  We can start counting the days. For me, counting the days is always a mixed blessing.  Football season is always a highlight of our year, but summer is something I always hate to see dwindle.   And it does seem to be dwindling fast! 

One summer football event that has me excited for fall is Penn State’s Lift for Life, which will be held next week at Holuba Hall on Friday July 8 from 2-7 p.m. 

Penn State vs. Ohio State: Discovery vs. Complacency

My husband Terry grew up in Ohio and spent every Saturday as a child listening to radio broadcasts on Ohio State football and cheering them on to wins.  He knows the words to all the Ohio State fight songs by heart, and even today he has to restrain himself from singing them when Penn State plays Ohio State.

We have been to every game Penn State has played against Ohio State since we joined the Big Ten in 1993.  At those games we, of course, cheer for Penn State.  But we also love to watch TBDBITL - the Best Damn Band In The Land.

Penn State Football: STEP Reality Sets In As New Seats Available in January

Yesterday we finally received a letter from Penn State's Nittany Lion Club giving us our designated date and time to choose our new seats at Beaver Stadium.

Four of our season tickets in Section WA are being relocated due to the Seat Transfer and Equity Plan (STEP).   Originally we were supposed to select our new seats in November.  But then there was a letter sent to us explaining that the selection dates were pushed back to January.

The actual time window for this first phase of the seat selection process will now begin on January 7, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. and will continue through January 28, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.  According to the letter we received:

"All selection times are assigned in NLC point total order and are eligible to begin selecting every 3 minutes.  This means that the longer you take to select, the more season ticket holders with lower point totals are eligible to secure seat locations before you do."

So what does that mean for us?

Penn State vs. Michigan State: Sparty Triumphs as a Lion Rally Fails

Ugh.  It wasn't any colder than it was two years ago when the Michigan State Spartans descended upon Beaver Stadium, but it sure felt that way.

Two years ago, a win against Michigan State would have given us a share of the Big Ten championship.  So the stadium was full through the fourth quarter, and excitement was in the air.  The reward for a win was a trip to the Rose Bowl.  The tightly packed bodies in the stands kept us all warm, as we anticipated a championship celebration complete with confetti and roses.

This year, in weather that was in the mid-30s but felt like the low-20s due to wind,  it was Michigan State that was playing for a share of the Big Ten championship.  But a lot of other things would have to happen for them to go to the Rose Bowl, most specifically Michigan had to beat Ohio State, something that Spartan fans had a hard time dealing with.

Penn State vs. Michigan State: Will the Spartans Finally Win One at Beaver Stadium?

With a strangely phrased reference to the John Travolta classic song, "Greased Lightning", this week's Penn State button looks like this:

Penn State-Indiana Football: Great Plays Absolutely Positively Make the Difference

Penn Staters, take note.  This is what football looks like when you're a program that is desperate for money to support competitiveness in Big Ten play.  Where a $3 million guarantee from an NFL field hundreds of miles away from your primary fan base will be enough of an incentive for you to schedule a "home" game closer to your opponents' fans than to your own fans.

Penn State Football: Will Northwestern Tip the Big Ten Balance?

The month of October brought to Penn State two Big Ten losses (Iowa and Illinois), and two Big Ten wins (Minnesota and Michigan).  My mantel reflects those standings.  That is, the Hawkeye and the Illinois bear (they have no mascot, remember) remain standing and the Gopher and Wolverine are both lying down.

I'm hoping the Wildcat will next be on its back...making Penn State bowl eligible and bringing Joe Paterno his 400th win at home.

If the Nittany Lions win, I hear there will be some sort of celebration.

So stick around folks after the game!

Go Penn State and Beat Those Wildcats!

Illinois Exploits Penn State's Team Weaknesses

It's a good thing I didn't plan a big party after yesterday's game to celebrate my husband Terry's 250th game in a row (see Saturday's Centre Daily Times PSU Memories column here or reproduced in the below post).  

If anyone had stuck around after the game long enough to go to such a party, it would have felt like a funeral.  It was best to keep it a low-key day and celebrate another time.