I’ll leave it to the sports pundits to figure out what went wrong in last night’s 21-10 loss to Iowa. There seem to be plenty of candidates for bad plays and poor performance on the part of Penn State. Joe Paterno was right – it was a team loss, no one individual was responsible for the performance.
But we should also credit Iowa. Iowa took advantage of opportunities and found a way to win. I was worried about the game, I figured it would be close, but I also figured that the White House atmosphere would give Penn State a slight winning advantage. Wrong. Iowa is simply a better team than Penn State is right now. Even though, theoretically, Penn State might have more talent. But it wasn’t talent that mattered. It was the ability to execute.
Last night was one of those nights when it was very tempting to just stay home. But I have this attendance streak, right? I had even announced it in the Centre Daily Times Penn State Memories column that it would be 99 games in a row. I wrote that article in the summer, and was afraid I might have jinxed myself.
I was feeling “under the weather” (no pun intended) so I bundled up really warmly – several layers of warmth – under my Goretex rain suit. We didn’t really tailgate before the game, we arrived late and sat in the car or under golf umbrellas until it was time to go into the stadium. No parties for us. Go to the game, tough out the weather, and hopefully witness a win.
I did stay dry, and it wasn’t too cold after all. But it was miserably wet, and my camera had to stay out of the relentless rain for most of the game. The one thing I didn’t plan for was my feet – they were soaked. And walking back to our parking spot on the grass was a bit treacherous as well. In a number of areas the grass had turned to mud. I have already had one sprained ankle due to that muddy grass, back in 2006. So we were very careful to avoid even the slightest hill on our route back to the car.
It would have all been worth it had we pulled off a win. We had plenty of time after Iowa scored that touchdown on a blocked punt, and then didn’t make the two-point conversion. The score was only 11-10 in favor of Iowa.
So I turned to Terry and said, “Now we’ll see what this Penn State team can do.” Can they come from behind? Like they did in 2005 at Northwestern? I was thinking of Michael Robinson’s 4th down pass to Derrick Williams to keep a drive alive that turned out to be the key play of the 2005 season.
Even after the score was 18-10, there were still opportunities. Turns out, Penn State couldn’t do much. They faced adversity for the first time this season and failed.
So on to our first road trip at Illinois. How Penn State will bounce back from this loss will tell us what sort of team they will be this season.
Photo panorama - View From Our Seats - Penn State vs Iowa 2011 - by Carolyn M. Todd
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
College Football Venues: Our Top Ten List
In today’s “Penn State Memories” column in the Centre Daily Times, I discuss our top ten list of college football venues. Each of our top 10 venues has built a memorable fan experience that commands our respect, even a sense of awe.
As a follow-up to that column, here are the reasons why each is on our list.
#10 Nebraska. Nebraska prides itself in having “college football’s friendliest fans”, and our experience was that Nebraska fans are certainly fun. The stadium, although a bit old, has a great atmosphere. The tailgating environment is one of the best in the nation. We enjoyed superb hospitality at two different tailgates and we were treated very well by the Nebraska fans who hosted us.
#9 Michigan State. Michigan State has one of the prettiest campuses in the Big Ten. It’s worth a walk through campus on the way to the stadium. Spartan Stadium is a very decent place to watch a football game. Penn State fans are given high seats, which we like because it’s better to see the game. Michigan State fans have always been pleasant to us.
#8 Brigham Young. We played Brigham Young only once in Provo, Utah, and it was a miserable loss. But the stadium itself is immaculate – the cleanest stadium we’ve ever seen. It also has the prettiest scenery – snow-covered mountains – surrounding it. The tailgating scene is pretty mellow. No alcohol is allowed, so it’s a very family-oriented environment. Caffeine-free Coke products are offered in the stadium, something that we’ve never seen anywhere else.
#7 Iowa. Kinnick Stadium is always a favorite away game trip. Their recent stadium renovation has made the stadium itself even better. It’s a very spirited atmosphere. We’re lucky to have access to Iowa reserved parking through connections in Iowa City, so we’re always Penn State clad fans among Iowa fans. People are gracious and welcoming. You can walk across the street from the Kinnick Stadium plaza and partake of all sorts of food and beer stands.
#6 Texas. Texas is an amazing experience. First, the entire stadium stands for every play. Second, there’s “Hook ‘Em Horns”. Then there’s Bevo, their incredible mascot. Finally, we were there during Homecoming, and the Texas Alumni Band was 900 strong, all in uniform!
#5 Ohio State. When we first joined the Big Ten, Ohio Stadium was one of our biggest disappointments. The South End zone consisted of semi-permanent open bleachers that were almost dangerous. That’s where opposing team fans sat. You could only access porta-potties; there was no access to rest rooms in the Horseshoe. But a complete renovation of the South End Zone has made visiting Ohio State an awesome experience. A recent campaign by Ohio State to treat opposing team fans well is making a noticeable difference in the fan atmosphere. Plus, there’s TBDBITL – The Best Damn Band In The Land. It’s really true. Their “Script Ohio” routine is the best band routine in college football.
#4 Michigan. When you walk up to The Big House, it’s hard to believe you’re looking at the largest stadium in college football. From the outside, it has a very low profile. It’s a bowl dug into the ground, so you enter the stadium from near the top and walk down to find your seats. It’s easy in, easy out. The plaza surrounding the stadium is pleasant, with a variety of food vendors. Once inside, the atmosphere is electric and tough. Tailgating on the golf course across from the stadium on a sunny fall day is a top-notch experience, and the fans are always pleasant and cordial.
#3 Wisconsin. Beer. Brats. Cheese curds. Frat parties across the street from the stadium. That’s what you find around Camp Randall Stadium. What you won’t find is parking. You can pay someone in the neighborhood to park in their yard, or you can park at a distant lot on Lake Mendota and take an efficient shuttle bus to the game. No matter. Wisconsin fans are a great deal of fun, and the 5th quarter – where the band plays, win or lose – is a great tradition in college football. So is their song “Varsity” where the entire stadium links arms to sing. It’s a tough environment in the stadium, but we’ve always had very decent seats. Win or lose, Wisconsin fans have treated us with respect.
#2 Alabama. We played Alabama at Tuscaloosa at a homecoming game. Shut them out for the first time in 50 years on three Craig Fayak field goals. The stands were going nuts throughout the game. Everyone was waving pompoms. It’s an incredible atmosphere. But what impressed us the most was the fact that the fans came up to us after such a tough loss for them, congratulated us on winning, and expressed sincere regret that the Penn State-Alabama series was ending. Bama fans have a true affection for Penn State. We’re glad to see them back on our schedule!
#1 Penn State. Beaver Stadium is one of the best designed stadiums around. A walk around the mezzanine pre-game has an incredible view of the surrounding tailgating scene. There isn’t a bad seat in the house, and the atmosphere for a big game is beyond comparison. A lot of stadiums don’t have the luxury of land surrounding the stadium for parking and tailgating. Beaver Stadium is the best tailgating atmosphere we’ve seen – anywhere.
Some might ask why Notre Dame isn’t on our list. We struggled between Nebraska and Notre Dame for #10. Both have stadiums that could use renovations. Notre Dame has amazing football traditions and a rich tailgating environment, but we’ve often been disappointed with the seats we’ve had at their stadium. Some of which were so bad it was hard to see the game. The edge for #10 went to Nebraska, primarily because we had a great experience with their fans. Notre Dame would be #11 on our list.
For those of you who have been to some of these venues, I would welcome your thoughts and reactions. What has your experience been at away games?
As a follow-up to that column, here are the reasons why each is on our list.
#10 Nebraska. Nebraska prides itself in having “college football’s friendliest fans”, and our experience was that Nebraska fans are certainly fun. The stadium, although a bit old, has a great atmosphere. The tailgating environment is one of the best in the nation. We enjoyed superb hospitality at two different tailgates and we were treated very well by the Nebraska fans who hosted us.
#9 Michigan State. Michigan State has one of the prettiest campuses in the Big Ten. It’s worth a walk through campus on the way to the stadium. Spartan Stadium is a very decent place to watch a football game. Penn State fans are given high seats, which we like because it’s better to see the game. Michigan State fans have always been pleasant to us.
#8 Brigham Young. We played Brigham Young only once in Provo, Utah, and it was a miserable loss. But the stadium itself is immaculate – the cleanest stadium we’ve ever seen. It also has the prettiest scenery – snow-covered mountains – surrounding it. The tailgating scene is pretty mellow. No alcohol is allowed, so it’s a very family-oriented environment. Caffeine-free Coke products are offered in the stadium, something that we’ve never seen anywhere else.
#7 Iowa. Kinnick Stadium is always a favorite away game trip. Their recent stadium renovation has made the stadium itself even better. It’s a very spirited atmosphere. We’re lucky to have access to Iowa reserved parking through connections in Iowa City, so we’re always Penn State clad fans among Iowa fans. People are gracious and welcoming. You can walk across the street from the Kinnick Stadium plaza and partake of all sorts of food and beer stands.
#6 Texas. Texas is an amazing experience. First, the entire stadium stands for every play. Second, there’s “Hook ‘Em Horns”. Then there’s Bevo, their incredible mascot. Finally, we were there during Homecoming, and the Texas Alumni Band was 900 strong, all in uniform!
#5 Ohio State. When we first joined the Big Ten, Ohio Stadium was one of our biggest disappointments. The South End zone consisted of semi-permanent open bleachers that were almost dangerous. That’s where opposing team fans sat. You could only access porta-potties; there was no access to rest rooms in the Horseshoe. But a complete renovation of the South End Zone has made visiting Ohio State an awesome experience. A recent campaign by Ohio State to treat opposing team fans well is making a noticeable difference in the fan atmosphere. Plus, there’s TBDBITL – The Best Damn Band In The Land. It’s really true. Their “Script Ohio” routine is the best band routine in college football.
#4 Michigan. When you walk up to The Big House, it’s hard to believe you’re looking at the largest stadium in college football. From the outside, it has a very low profile. It’s a bowl dug into the ground, so you enter the stadium from near the top and walk down to find your seats. It’s easy in, easy out. The plaza surrounding the stadium is pleasant, with a variety of food vendors. Once inside, the atmosphere is electric and tough. Tailgating on the golf course across from the stadium on a sunny fall day is a top-notch experience, and the fans are always pleasant and cordial.
#3 Wisconsin. Beer. Brats. Cheese curds. Frat parties across the street from the stadium. That’s what you find around Camp Randall Stadium. What you won’t find is parking. You can pay someone in the neighborhood to park in their yard, or you can park at a distant lot on Lake Mendota and take an efficient shuttle bus to the game. No matter. Wisconsin fans are a great deal of fun, and the 5th quarter – where the band plays, win or lose – is a great tradition in college football. So is their song “Varsity” where the entire stadium links arms to sing. It’s a tough environment in the stadium, but we’ve always had very decent seats. Win or lose, Wisconsin fans have treated us with respect.
#2 Alabama. We played Alabama at Tuscaloosa at a homecoming game. Shut them out for the first time in 50 years on three Craig Fayak field goals. The stands were going nuts throughout the game. Everyone was waving pompoms. It’s an incredible atmosphere. But what impressed us the most was the fact that the fans came up to us after such a tough loss for them, congratulated us on winning, and expressed sincere regret that the Penn State-Alabama series was ending. Bama fans have a true affection for Penn State. We’re glad to see them back on our schedule!
#1 Penn State. Beaver Stadium is one of the best designed stadiums around. A walk around the mezzanine pre-game has an incredible view of the surrounding tailgating scene. There isn’t a bad seat in the house, and the atmosphere for a big game is beyond comparison. A lot of stadiums don’t have the luxury of land surrounding the stadium for parking and tailgating. Beaver Stadium is the best tailgating atmosphere we’ve seen – anywhere.
Some might ask why Notre Dame isn’t on our list. We struggled between Nebraska and Notre Dame for #10. Both have stadiums that could use renovations. Notre Dame has amazing football traditions and a rich tailgating environment, but we’ve often been disappointed with the seats we’ve had at their stadium. Some of which were so bad it was hard to see the game. The edge for #10 went to Nebraska, primarily because we had a great experience with their fans. Notre Dame would be #11 on our list.
For those of you who have been to some of these venues, I would welcome your thoughts and reactions. What has your experience been at away games?
Fans Make It the Greatest Show...
This article appeared today in the Centre Daily Times PSU Memories column. To access the article, copy and paste the following url into your browser:
http://www.centredaily.com/psu-memories/story/1529261.html
http://www.centredaily.com/psu-memories/story/1529261.html
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Can’t Let Iowa Hang Around
We hold a great deal of respect, even affection, for Iowa and its football program. They are a Big Ten team that we always cheer on, except, of course, when they play us. They have an outstanding football tradition. The atmosphere at Kinnick Stadium is electric. It’s a fun venue to watch a game. Usually.
Iowa was the first Big Ten program to enthusiastically welcome Penn State to the Big Ten, and when we showed up at that first game in Iowa City in 1993, we were also personally welcomed by the Cahoon family of Iowa City. The connection with the Cahoons is through our friend Greg Schraeder, a die-hard Penn State fan, who married Debbie Cahoon in the early 1990’s. Greg and I had met each other on an early Penn State Internet discussion board before that first Iowa game, and he invited us to meet them at their tailgate. That started a friendship that endures to this day. Greg and Debbie live in Omaha, Nebraska, and we always rendezvous with them at the Iowa game whenever we play in Iowa City, and elsewhere throughout the Midwest when Penn State travels.
Such was the case last year. We met the Scraeders at the Cahoon family house, and went with Greg and his son Tyler to the stadium, where we used an Iowa reserved parking pass to park in the shadow of the stadium. There we were, Penn State clad fans in a sea of Iowa tailgates. Words can’t describe how cold it was. The wind was causing tailgate tents to collapse or blow away; flag poles had to be taken down because there was too much potential for damage. We spent most of the pre-game tailgate huddled in the van. It was simply too cold to be outside.
Our Penn State tickets were in the 2nd row behind the Penn State bench. Greg had two Iowa tickets that were at the top of the stadium – 60th row or so, great seats for viewing the game. 13-year-old Tyler wanted to sit right behind the bench, to be close to the players and watch the action on the sidelines, so I volunteered to go with him. Greg and Terry went to the high seats. They sat in that cold wind the entire game. At least in the 2nd row, the wind was blocked partially by the stadium. But still, conditions weren’t great. It was damn cold. And I just don’t like low seats – you can’t really see the game.
I wonder, looking back, how much that cold affected our players. They were wrapped in down cloaks on the sidelines, obviously shivering. They couldn’t get warm. Joe Paterno is not one to coddle his players with heaters on the sidelines. He has long been of the belief that weather is part of the game, something to contend with. So the Iowa players had heaters. The Penn State players didn’t.
Whether or not heaters would have made a difference, I don’t know. What did make a difference was Iowa’s determination to win, and their half-time adjustments. They just didn’t quit. The Hawkeye defense kept Penn State to just 86 yards in the second half, with no third down conversions. The Hawkeyes achieved 7 of 8 third-down conversions in the second half. Iowa stepped up. Penn State, which had a 23-14 advantage early in the 4th quarter, saw a win slip away. A penalty that allowed their game-winning drive to continue didn’t help. Nor did a Darryl Clark interception in the 4th quarter. One wonders if Pat Devlin could have achieved a different result. Darryl Clark did not seem 100%.
When the game ended, my friend Tyler was in tears. He had to go back to Cornhusker country, where he knew he would face relentless teasing by his Husker classmates. As for me, I was just trying to dodge the rush of fans storming the field. It was simply a miserable loss.
After the game, we gathered with the Cahoon family at an Iowa City restaurant. They were kind. They didn’t rub it in. They knew how much this loss hurt, even though I’m sure they were secretly pleased. That’s why I like Iowa and always wish them well. They have classy fans!
Iowa was the first Big Ten program to enthusiastically welcome Penn State to the Big Ten, and when we showed up at that first game in Iowa City in 1993, we were also personally welcomed by the Cahoon family of Iowa City. The connection with the Cahoons is through our friend Greg Schraeder, a die-hard Penn State fan, who married Debbie Cahoon in the early 1990’s. Greg and I had met each other on an early Penn State Internet discussion board before that first Iowa game, and he invited us to meet them at their tailgate. That started a friendship that endures to this day. Greg and Debbie live in Omaha, Nebraska, and we always rendezvous with them at the Iowa game whenever we play in Iowa City, and elsewhere throughout the Midwest when Penn State travels.
Such was the case last year. We met the Scraeders at the Cahoon family house, and went with Greg and his son Tyler to the stadium, where we used an Iowa reserved parking pass to park in the shadow of the stadium. There we were, Penn State clad fans in a sea of Iowa tailgates. Words can’t describe how cold it was. The wind was causing tailgate tents to collapse or blow away; flag poles had to be taken down because there was too much potential for damage. We spent most of the pre-game tailgate huddled in the van. It was simply too cold to be outside.
Our Penn State tickets were in the 2nd row behind the Penn State bench. Greg had two Iowa tickets that were at the top of the stadium – 60th row or so, great seats for viewing the game. 13-year-old Tyler wanted to sit right behind the bench, to be close to the players and watch the action on the sidelines, so I volunteered to go with him. Greg and Terry went to the high seats. They sat in that cold wind the entire game. At least in the 2nd row, the wind was blocked partially by the stadium. But still, conditions weren’t great. It was damn cold. And I just don’t like low seats – you can’t really see the game.
I wonder, looking back, how much that cold affected our players. They were wrapped in down cloaks on the sidelines, obviously shivering. They couldn’t get warm. Joe Paterno is not one to coddle his players with heaters on the sidelines. He has long been of the belief that weather is part of the game, something to contend with. So the Iowa players had heaters. The Penn State players didn’t.
Whether or not heaters would have made a difference, I don’t know. What did make a difference was Iowa’s determination to win, and their half-time adjustments. They just didn’t quit. The Hawkeye defense kept Penn State to just 86 yards in the second half, with no third down conversions. The Hawkeyes achieved 7 of 8 third-down conversions in the second half. Iowa stepped up. Penn State, which had a 23-14 advantage early in the 4th quarter, saw a win slip away. A penalty that allowed their game-winning drive to continue didn’t help. Nor did a Darryl Clark interception in the 4th quarter. One wonders if Pat Devlin could have achieved a different result. Darryl Clark did not seem 100%.
When the game ended, my friend Tyler was in tears. He had to go back to Cornhusker country, where he knew he would face relentless teasing by his Husker classmates. As for me, I was just trying to dodge the rush of fans storming the field. It was simply a miserable loss.
After the game, we gathered with the Cahoon family at an Iowa City restaurant. They were kind. They didn’t rub it in. They knew how much this loss hurt, even though I’m sure they were secretly pleased. That’s why I like Iowa and always wish them well. They have classy fans!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Playing the Iowa Hawkeyes Is Always A Challenge – Even Getting There!
Iowa is always a challenge for Penn State. Even getting there, if it’s an away game. We drove from State College to Iowa once. From State College, it’s a grueling 17-hours one-way on Route 80. You can’t do that for a 3-day football weekend. So flying is the only choice.
Last year, Penn State’s problems with Iowa started at University Park Airport. We had arrived about 5 a.m. to University Park Airport for a 6 a.m. Northwest flight to Detroit. About half the plane was reserved for official representatives of Penn State who were also headed for the Iowa game: the cheerleaders, the pep band, the Nittany Lion, and numerous staff members of the Penn State Alumni Association.
Our plane had a mechanical problem, discovered the night before. The exit door, which also functions as a stairway off the plane, had some sort of failure when the door was opened, and it hit the ground hard. So as a safety precaution, a mechanic had to be called in to inspect the door. Evidently mechanics in State College aren’t on 24-hour call. He showed up at his usual start time, at 8 a.m. or so. So we didn’t leave University Park Airport until about 8:30 a.m.
Terry and I weren’t happy about the delay but our flights were okay. We actually had a 3-hour layover in Detroit to catch our booked flight to Quad Cities, about 70 minutes from Iowa City. We arrived at our hotel in Davenport, Iowa when expected, and would drive to Iowa City the next day for the game.
But the Penn State Alumni Association had a commitment to be at an alumni function Friday night with the band and cheerleaders, and it was clear that they would all miss their connection to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There just weren’t many alternative flights into Cedar Rapids, nor were there that many seats. Roger Williams, Executive Director of the Penn State Alumni Association, was trying anything he could to delay the flight out of Detroit for Cedar Rapids, but the delay was too long. Nor were there enough seats on later flights into Cedar Rapids.
So Northwest changed all the official Penn State folks to a flight to Minneapolis, and then they rented a bus – another six hours or so - from Minneapolis to Iowa City to get to their event. They made it, but it was a very rough travel day.
The travel problems for Penn State served as a foreboding for the game itself. Nothing was going to go as planned.
The plan was to win. We were playing a team that had an overall record of 5-4. Iowa had lost to Pittsburgh, Northwestern, Michigan State, and Illinois. We were undefeated, looking towards a national championship, and had a weekend off after upsetting Ohio State at Ohio Stadium, an incredible victory! We were ranked #3 in the country. We had a quarterback, Darryl Clark, who was injured at Ohio State, but who had nearly two weeks to recover from his concussion. And we had a backup quarterback, Pat Devlin, who led the team to victory after that injury happened.
Iowa played us tough at Kinnick Stadium. But we were winning well into the 4th quarter. Then, things started falling apart.
Unlike the Penn State Alumni Association, the Penn State football team couldn’t make the necessary adjustments late in the game to achieve their goal.
Last year, Penn State’s problems with Iowa started at University Park Airport. We had arrived about 5 a.m. to University Park Airport for a 6 a.m. Northwest flight to Detroit. About half the plane was reserved for official representatives of Penn State who were also headed for the Iowa game: the cheerleaders, the pep band, the Nittany Lion, and numerous staff members of the Penn State Alumni Association.
Our plane had a mechanical problem, discovered the night before. The exit door, which also functions as a stairway off the plane, had some sort of failure when the door was opened, and it hit the ground hard. So as a safety precaution, a mechanic had to be called in to inspect the door. Evidently mechanics in State College aren’t on 24-hour call. He showed up at his usual start time, at 8 a.m. or so. So we didn’t leave University Park Airport until about 8:30 a.m.
Terry and I weren’t happy about the delay but our flights were okay. We actually had a 3-hour layover in Detroit to catch our booked flight to Quad Cities, about 70 minutes from Iowa City. We arrived at our hotel in Davenport, Iowa when expected, and would drive to Iowa City the next day for the game.
But the Penn State Alumni Association had a commitment to be at an alumni function Friday night with the band and cheerleaders, and it was clear that they would all miss their connection to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There just weren’t many alternative flights into Cedar Rapids, nor were there that many seats. Roger Williams, Executive Director of the Penn State Alumni Association, was trying anything he could to delay the flight out of Detroit for Cedar Rapids, but the delay was too long. Nor were there enough seats on later flights into Cedar Rapids.
So Northwest changed all the official Penn State folks to a flight to Minneapolis, and then they rented a bus – another six hours or so - from Minneapolis to Iowa City to get to their event. They made it, but it was a very rough travel day.
The travel problems for Penn State served as a foreboding for the game itself. Nothing was going to go as planned.
The plan was to win. We were playing a team that had an overall record of 5-4. Iowa had lost to Pittsburgh, Northwestern, Michigan State, and Illinois. We were undefeated, looking towards a national championship, and had a weekend off after upsetting Ohio State at Ohio Stadium, an incredible victory! We were ranked #3 in the country. We had a quarterback, Darryl Clark, who was injured at Ohio State, but who had nearly two weeks to recover from his concussion. And we had a backup quarterback, Pat Devlin, who led the team to victory after that injury happened.
Iowa played us tough at Kinnick Stadium. But we were winning well into the 4th quarter. Then, things started falling apart.
Unlike the Penn State Alumni Association, the Penn State football team couldn’t make the necessary adjustments late in the game to achieve their goal.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Congratulations to Todd Thurman, 250 Games of "Rocky Top" Football
This week, I heard from an avid Tennessee football fan. He just wanted to introduce himself via email. Somehow he discovered my blog. His name is Todd Thurman, and he told me that he hasn’t missed a Tennessee college football game – away or home – since 1989. In his email, he stated that “I am glad there are fans elsewhere that love to follow their team as much as I do.”
We had a few email exchanges, because I wanted to learn more. Not only is this a remarkable attendance streak, it’s somewhat unusual. Todd Thurman is only 38 years old! He’s been going to home games since he was 7 and home and away games since he was 9. He elaborates, “I have missed only 2 games since November 1985 (Boston College in Boston 1987 and UCLA in LA in 1989). My dad had always been a big fan and had gone since he was a teenager, but it wasn't until 1978 that we finally got season tickets. My great-grandfather was a fan and probably started our ‘hobby’. He would occasionally take my dad to Knoxville to see a game, but my favorite story is of he and my great-grandmother taking a train to Miami to see Tennessee beat Oklahoma 17-0 in the 1939 Orange Bowl.” Wow. What a legacy! Rocky-Top is certainly in his lineage!
The attendance streak was a father-son "hobby". He went to all those games with his dad. How special! And how bittersweet yesterday’s 250th game must have been. His dad died in June, and this is Todd’s first football season without him. I hope he's focused on cherishing all those memories to help ease such a profound loss.
I just wish he had also seen a win at Florida yesterday! But Tennessee gave Florida a tough game, so he must be proud of the way they performed.
According to Todd, “I always tell everyone that I feel very fortunate and blessed to be able to go to all of the games. I have a wonderful wife (I was well into my streak when we got married in 2003, so she knew what she was getting into) and I have two great daughters. I'm hoping to pass along my hobby to one of them.”
Wow again. Todd is young enough he could make it to 500 games in a row, or even more! He’s young enough to even surpass Giles Pellerin, the USC fan who attended 797 straight USC games in a row. Pellerin died at halftime of the USC-UCLA game in 1998, at the age of 92. He was lauded at college football stadiums everywhere whenever USC visited. Including Beaver Stadium in the early 1990’s. Terry and I remember being very humbled by his dedication.
But of course, you have to be very lucky - also very healthy - to avoid the many life events that can interfere with such records.
In fact, Todd and I talked about being superstitious on even predicting attendance streaks. Anything can happen to break one. That’s why, when I planned a surprise celebration for Terry’s 200th, it was actually his 203rd. I wanted to make sure he actually achieved it first. That’s why I didn’t mention Todd Thurman earlier this week. I didn’t want to jinx his 250th game by announcing it prematurely.
At Penn State, Mike and Sylvia Hudacek, from Plymouth, PA., achieved perhaps the longest Penn State attendance record. Penn State President Dr. Graham Spanier introduced Sylvia Hudacek at an away game pep rally several years ago. Even after Mike was unable to attend most away games, Sylvia kept going. We talked to her at that game. She told us she never kept records of how many games, but at the time, we figured it must have been around 280 games or more in a row - both home and away. Unfortunately, the Hudaceks' long streak is no longer active. But their dedication to Penn State football will always stand as a remarkable achievement.
Then there’s my colleague Fred Hurvitz, also a Marketing Instructor at Smeal College of Business. He hasn’t missed a Penn State home football game since 1959! In fact, the last game he missed was the 1959 Syracuse game at old Beaver Field. He has not missed a single game at Beaver Stadium (present site) which began operating in 1960. He doesn’t often go to away games, but still, a home-game streak that lasts 50 years is an outstanding achievement. Congratulations, Fred!
John Black, writer of the Penn State football newsletter for the Penn State Alumni Association, hasn't missed a Penn State football game anywhere since the mid-1970's. Even though it's his job (and his travel is reimbursed by Penn State) it's remarkable that there hasn't been a miss in all those years.
Who else is out there that you know of who has a story to tell about their attendance – following Penn State or another team? Perhaps even a different sport? It would be fun to collect stories. How you got involved, how you manage it. What your experience has been. The sacrifices you have made. This could be a fun way to celebrate all those records that everyone keeps! And, of course, the incredible passion behind your dedication.
If you know someone who has a story to tell, please forward this blog, or email me at cmtodd@aol.com.
We had a few email exchanges, because I wanted to learn more. Not only is this a remarkable attendance streak, it’s somewhat unusual. Todd Thurman is only 38 years old! He’s been going to home games since he was 7 and home and away games since he was 9. He elaborates, “I have missed only 2 games since November 1985 (Boston College in Boston 1987 and UCLA in LA in 1989). My dad had always been a big fan and had gone since he was a teenager, but it wasn't until 1978 that we finally got season tickets. My great-grandfather was a fan and probably started our ‘hobby’. He would occasionally take my dad to Knoxville to see a game, but my favorite story is of he and my great-grandmother taking a train to Miami to see Tennessee beat Oklahoma 17-0 in the 1939 Orange Bowl.” Wow. What a legacy! Rocky-Top is certainly in his lineage!
The attendance streak was a father-son "hobby". He went to all those games with his dad. How special! And how bittersweet yesterday’s 250th game must have been. His dad died in June, and this is Todd’s first football season without him. I hope he's focused on cherishing all those memories to help ease such a profound loss.
I just wish he had also seen a win at Florida yesterday! But Tennessee gave Florida a tough game, so he must be proud of the way they performed.
According to Todd, “I always tell everyone that I feel very fortunate and blessed to be able to go to all of the games. I have a wonderful wife (I was well into my streak when we got married in 2003, so she knew what she was getting into) and I have two great daughters. I'm hoping to pass along my hobby to one of them.”
Wow again. Todd is young enough he could make it to 500 games in a row, or even more! He’s young enough to even surpass Giles Pellerin, the USC fan who attended 797 straight USC games in a row. Pellerin died at halftime of the USC-UCLA game in 1998, at the age of 92. He was lauded at college football stadiums everywhere whenever USC visited. Including Beaver Stadium in the early 1990’s. Terry and I remember being very humbled by his dedication.
But of course, you have to be very lucky - also very healthy - to avoid the many life events that can interfere with such records.
In fact, Todd and I talked about being superstitious on even predicting attendance streaks. Anything can happen to break one. That’s why, when I planned a surprise celebration for Terry’s 200th, it was actually his 203rd. I wanted to make sure he actually achieved it first. That’s why I didn’t mention Todd Thurman earlier this week. I didn’t want to jinx his 250th game by announcing it prematurely.
At Penn State, Mike and Sylvia Hudacek, from Plymouth, PA., achieved perhaps the longest Penn State attendance record. Penn State President Dr. Graham Spanier introduced Sylvia Hudacek at an away game pep rally several years ago. Even after Mike was unable to attend most away games, Sylvia kept going. We talked to her at that game. She told us she never kept records of how many games, but at the time, we figured it must have been around 280 games or more in a row - both home and away. Unfortunately, the Hudaceks' long streak is no longer active. But their dedication to Penn State football will always stand as a remarkable achievement.
Then there’s my colleague Fred Hurvitz, also a Marketing Instructor at Smeal College of Business. He hasn’t missed a Penn State home football game since 1959! In fact, the last game he missed was the 1959 Syracuse game at old Beaver Field. He has not missed a single game at Beaver Stadium (present site) which began operating in 1960. He doesn’t often go to away games, but still, a home-game streak that lasts 50 years is an outstanding achievement. Congratulations, Fred!
John Black, writer of the Penn State football newsletter for the Penn State Alumni Association, hasn't missed a Penn State football game anywhere since the mid-1970's. Even though it's his job (and his travel is reimbursed by Penn State) it's remarkable that there hasn't been a miss in all those years.
Who else is out there that you know of who has a story to tell about their attendance – following Penn State or another team? Perhaps even a different sport? It would be fun to collect stories. How you got involved, how you manage it. What your experience has been. The sacrifices you have made. This could be a fun way to celebrate all those records that everyone keeps! And, of course, the incredible passion behind your dedication.
If you know someone who has a story to tell, please forward this blog, or email me at cmtodd@aol.com.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
A More Balanced Offense; A Much-Improved Temple Team
It was a picture-perfect day at Beaver Stadium. There was a deep blue sky and a pleasant 60-ish temperature. The kind of day where you just want to hang around outside and enjoy the last hint of summer before the fall brisk air takes over. Which is exactly what we did. We weren’t in a hurry to get home after the game.
It was just too wonderful enjoying the tailgating after the game with our guests and new friends, Tara and George. Tara and I had collaborated on an intense class project this past year, and – to make a long story short – I discovered that she just doesn’t follow Penn State football, even though she has lived near State College for the last fifteen years. She had been to only one other game, when she first moved here. Those were pretty good if not awesome teams in the mid-1990’s, but the Penn State football experience for whatever reason didn’t make an impression.
For someone like me who moved to State College specifically because of Penn State football, that’s a bit of a disconnection for me. But I also understand. Not everyone is a football fan, even in this football-crazed town. And there was a time, not that many years ago, that I wasn’t a football fan.
In any case, I thought it would be fun to invite her and her husband to a game, so they could experience it from our perspective –wonderful easy-access tailgate spot, decent seats, loyal regulars surrounding us.
We had a wonderful time with a pre-game and post-game tailgate, as well as the game itself, and the weather certainly was a factor in it being a very enjoyable day.
I was worried about it raining or something. I’ve always said that the first thing that you have to do to convert a non-football fan to a football fan is to bring that person to a game with good weather. The next thing you have to do is to make it a good customer experience. Both of those things happened today. The final thing that has to happen is to win, because that puts everyone around you in a good mood. That happened too. My guess is that Tara and George will be back. We will certainly invite them again. Our one criterion for a repeat invitation is that we win. That means they bring luck. (I’m not serious, but you all know what I mean.)
The crowd was a little slow getting to Beaver Stadium; perhaps they too were enjoying their tailgates too much. The student section never did fill up. The same could also be said for the rest of the stadium. It wasn’t packed. It was a bit more comfortable than usual sitting in the stands; there were empty seats here and there.
The official crowd number was 105,000. We were betting that it was less than 100,000. We’ve never quite understood how they do that count anyhow!
The game itself was a solid 31-6 win. We had a much more balanced offense: 173 yards passing; 186 yards rushing. We were able to get a decent running game going against Temple’s defense; it appears that the young offensive line is beginning to get it together to create some opportunities for different plays.
Evan Royster, our tailback, put on a very good performance, running for 135 yards and one touchdown. Daryll Clark was 16 of 26 with 2 touchdowns and one interception. He mixed up his passing – 8 different receivers caught his passes. On defense, Josh Hull and Sean Lee were outstanding, 13 and 12 tackles respectively. Our new kicker, Collin Wagner, who was somewhat shaky against Akron and didn’t attempt a field goal against Syracuse, made the one 27-yard field goal with no problem. That was a bit reassuring.
There were a few disturbing things. First, Darryl Clark’s interception – it was a very poor throw that appeared to be simply bad judgment, not consistent with his usual precision. His prior interceptions weren't really his fault. Second, Temple’s surprise onside kick early in the game – Penn State fell asleep on kick coverage and Temple recovered. Kudos to Temple for being bold enough to try it! Fortunately for us, Temple could not capitalize on that opportunity. We also had some stupid, unnecessary penalties that caused some long gains to be negated.
On the other hand, Penn State is reporting that a number of players weren’t playing at 100% percent due to colds or mild flu symptoms. Including Evan Royster, who played pretty well for someone who wasn’t feeling up to par!
Temple deserves a lot of credit. They were able to make some big plays against our defense and get into position to score two field goals. They were more competitive than we’ve seen them in the past few years. They were disciplined. They just don’t have the depth of talent-yet-to compete with Penn State for four quarters. My guess is that they will continue to improve under Al Golden’s coaching. We hope they have great success in the MAC!
So…on to the start of Big Ten play. Iowa comes to Beaver Stadium next week. They’re beginning to look more formidable to me. Why? They found a way to win 17-16 in their first game against Northern Iowa by blocking two consecutive field goals. They rolled over Iowa State, 35-6, their in-state rival, and a Big-12 conference team. Today they had a solid 27-17 win against Arizona, a Pac-10 conference team. They’ve passed an adversity test we haven’t faced, and they have succeeded against stronger opponents. Plus, they beat us last year and have beaten us before at Beaver Stadium. They should be confident coming into this game.
Are we ready for them? I’m really not sure until we play the game. More on Iowa later this week…
It was just too wonderful enjoying the tailgating after the game with our guests and new friends, Tara and George. Tara and I had collaborated on an intense class project this past year, and – to make a long story short – I discovered that she just doesn’t follow Penn State football, even though she has lived near State College for the last fifteen years. She had been to only one other game, when she first moved here. Those were pretty good if not awesome teams in the mid-1990’s, but the Penn State football experience for whatever reason didn’t make an impression.
For someone like me who moved to State College specifically because of Penn State football, that’s a bit of a disconnection for me. But I also understand. Not everyone is a football fan, even in this football-crazed town. And there was a time, not that many years ago, that I wasn’t a football fan.
In any case, I thought it would be fun to invite her and her husband to a game, so they could experience it from our perspective –wonderful easy-access tailgate spot, decent seats, loyal regulars surrounding us.
We had a wonderful time with a pre-game and post-game tailgate, as well as the game itself, and the weather certainly was a factor in it being a very enjoyable day.
I was worried about it raining or something. I’ve always said that the first thing that you have to do to convert a non-football fan to a football fan is to bring that person to a game with good weather. The next thing you have to do is to make it a good customer experience. Both of those things happened today. The final thing that has to happen is to win, because that puts everyone around you in a good mood. That happened too. My guess is that Tara and George will be back. We will certainly invite them again. Our one criterion for a repeat invitation is that we win. That means they bring luck. (I’m not serious, but you all know what I mean.)
The crowd was a little slow getting to Beaver Stadium; perhaps they too were enjoying their tailgates too much. The student section never did fill up. The same could also be said for the rest of the stadium. It wasn’t packed. It was a bit more comfortable than usual sitting in the stands; there were empty seats here and there.
The official crowd number was 105,000. We were betting that it was less than 100,000. We’ve never quite understood how they do that count anyhow!
The game itself was a solid 31-6 win. We had a much more balanced offense: 173 yards passing; 186 yards rushing. We were able to get a decent running game going against Temple’s defense; it appears that the young offensive line is beginning to get it together to create some opportunities for different plays.
Evan Royster, our tailback, put on a very good performance, running for 135 yards and one touchdown. Daryll Clark was 16 of 26 with 2 touchdowns and one interception. He mixed up his passing – 8 different receivers caught his passes. On defense, Josh Hull and Sean Lee were outstanding, 13 and 12 tackles respectively. Our new kicker, Collin Wagner, who was somewhat shaky against Akron and didn’t attempt a field goal against Syracuse, made the one 27-yard field goal with no problem. That was a bit reassuring.
There were a few disturbing things. First, Darryl Clark’s interception – it was a very poor throw that appeared to be simply bad judgment, not consistent with his usual precision. His prior interceptions weren't really his fault. Second, Temple’s surprise onside kick early in the game – Penn State fell asleep on kick coverage and Temple recovered. Kudos to Temple for being bold enough to try it! Fortunately for us, Temple could not capitalize on that opportunity. We also had some stupid, unnecessary penalties that caused some long gains to be negated.
On the other hand, Penn State is reporting that a number of players weren’t playing at 100% percent due to colds or mild flu symptoms. Including Evan Royster, who played pretty well for someone who wasn’t feeling up to par!
Temple deserves a lot of credit. They were able to make some big plays against our defense and get into position to score two field goals. They were more competitive than we’ve seen them in the past few years. They were disciplined. They just don’t have the depth of talent-yet-to compete with Penn State for four quarters. My guess is that they will continue to improve under Al Golden’s coaching. We hope they have great success in the MAC!
So…on to the start of Big Ten play. Iowa comes to Beaver Stadium next week. They’re beginning to look more formidable to me. Why? They found a way to win 17-16 in their first game against Northern Iowa by blocking two consecutive field goals. They rolled over Iowa State, 35-6, their in-state rival, and a Big-12 conference team. Today they had a solid 27-17 win against Arizona, a Pac-10 conference team. They’ve passed an adversity test we haven’t faced, and they have succeeded against stronger opponents. Plus, they beat us last year and have beaten us before at Beaver Stadium. They should be confident coming into this game.
Are we ready for them? I’m really not sure until we play the game. More on Iowa later this week…
Friday, September 18, 2009
Favorite Jerseys? There Are So Many!
We're having a hard time with this favorite jersey thing. Plus, our memory has lapsed on exact numbers that players wore. Guess that's what happens when you age. So let's talk about players instead of numbers.
Terry's favorite players would include Curt Warner, D.J. Dozier, John Capelletti, Shane Conlan, Courtney Brown, Todd Blackledge, Kerry Collins, Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, Larry Johnson, Michael Robinson, Lavar Arrington, Paul Posluzny, Kevin Kelly, and many others that he can't remember at the moment.
Carolyn wasn't involved in Penn State football until 1987. But she would list Kerry Collins, Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, Courtney Brown, Larry Johnson, Michael Robinson, Lavar Arrington, Paul Posluzny, as well. And also Craig Fayak, Anthony King, David Macklin, Maurice Daniels, Justin King, A.Q. Shipley.
We both agree that Darryl Clark, Sean Lee, and Jared Odrick are on our list for this year's team. Some others might emerge during the season.
Perhaps we should choose Adam Talliaferro. We were at Ohio State when he was injured, attended the prayer meeting at Old Main that week, and celebrated when he ran out on the field after a long and hard recovery. He represents all that is good about Penn State football.
So favorite number? Sorry, there are too many to pick one!
Terry's favorite players would include Curt Warner, D.J. Dozier, John Capelletti, Shane Conlan, Courtney Brown, Todd Blackledge, Kerry Collins, Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, Larry Johnson, Michael Robinson, Lavar Arrington, Paul Posluzny, Kevin Kelly, and many others that he can't remember at the moment.
Carolyn wasn't involved in Penn State football until 1987. But she would list Kerry Collins, Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, Courtney Brown, Larry Johnson, Michael Robinson, Lavar Arrington, Paul Posluzny, as well. And also Craig Fayak, Anthony King, David Macklin, Maurice Daniels, Justin King, A.Q. Shipley.
We both agree that Darryl Clark, Sean Lee, and Jared Odrick are on our list for this year's team. Some others might emerge during the season.
Perhaps we should choose Adam Talliaferro. We were at Ohio State when he was injured, attended the prayer meeting at Old Main that week, and celebrated when he ran out on the field after a long and hard recovery. He represents all that is good about Penn State football.
So favorite number? Sorry, there are too many to pick one!
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