ONE TEAM (245/366)

After all the scandal last year and the Sandusky trial this year, I wasn't sure what we would be walking into when we headed to the Penn State Football home opener.  I lucked into the 4 tickets through work and decided to take the kids.  I was thinking about the Pitt Game which was tonight, but I am glad I chose not too.  By the time we got home, it was raining and thundering.

Now it has been ages since I have been to a college football game.  I grew up attending Staff Day with my dad and brother at Princeton University and we loved the football game that always followed the food extravaganza.  However, Ivy League Football has NOTHING on what we saw today.  In fact, I am sure the tailgating and the amount of fans we saw today would put most NFL fans to shame.

I told the kids, "We are not in PNC Park anymore".  In fact, you could have fit 3 times the crowd we usually have at a Pirates game into Beaver Stadium.  100,000+ going strong, cheering on their Nittany Lions.  "WE ARE.....PENN STATE" was heard as we entered the interior of the stadium and walked to our seats.  It was almost overwhelming and at the same time, you could almost feel the pride that the students, alumni and fans had for their team and their school.

I took so many shots that it was hard to pick just one, but I felt this one conveyed what we saw and felt today.  One Team.  One School.  One Community.

And not a single note of "Sweet Caroline" was to be heard, which I think was just silly.

Where it began
I can't begin to knowing
But then I know it's growing strong
~Neil Diamond