Coffee break: Penn State is Football

Today marked the beginning of the college football season at Penn State. Today, Penn State took on Indiana State in Happy Valley. And today, marked the first football game of being a Penn State Alum. 4 years at Penn State went like a blink of the eye, and as the crowds filed into Beaver Stadium today, I unfortunately watched the game from the flat screen T.V. in my family room instead of with 110,000 of my friends at Beaver Stadium. But nonetheless, today marked the beginning of Saturdays with the greatest show in college football. 'Tis the Season

This past week, quarterback coach Jay Paterno wrote an article about Penn State and the meaning it has to so many of its students, faculty, staff, alum, and fans. I wanted to do a follow up about Penn State and what is has meant to me the past for years. I know wherever I go, Penn State will truly be apart of me forever, and I will always be loyal to the white and blue. #WEARE

After initially compiling a list of what Penn State means to me, I discovered the more I wrote, the more that this could turn into a potentially long post. So in lieu of drafting a novel, I am going to break it down into a series of "Penn State is" posts. We'll call this first one...

Penn State is Football...

Penn State is the Friday before the big game. The enthusiasm on campus is incredible. You can feel the pride, excitement, and camaraderie of the Penn State student body.

Penn State is waking up to the sweet sound of Penn State fight songs on game day blasting from the apartment next door.

Penn State is looking out your window and seeing the early birds already marching down the streets of Beaver and College, dressed in blue and white head to toe.

Penn State is making the trek from downtown to Beaver Stadium.

Penn State is Football Eve. It's better than Christmas Eve. And JoePA makes an appearance.

Penn State is the tailgreat show and watching the Blue Band and Lionettes pump you up for the big game.

Penn State is tailgating in the fields before the game. It's seeing the thousands of cars take over the IM fields.

Penn State is meeting your friends for a tailgate by the tent with the Penn State Flag...and then realizing that every other tent has a Penn State flag.

Penn State is filing into Beaver Stadium at the student gate with chants of WE ARE coming from the people already walking up the ramps in Beaver.

Penn State is holding shoulders with your friends and swaying to the sounds of the Penn State alma mater.

Penn State is the male cheerleader yelling prior to the players entrance, "Are you ready to ROCK AND ROLL?!"

Penn State is when the team runs through the tunnel onto the field, followed by the beloved JoePA and the crowd goes wild .

Penn State is seeing JoePa on the sidelines, with his pant legs rolled up and all.

Penn State is the drum major running across the field and doing his opening game back flips.

Penn State is Blue Sapphire awing 110,000 with her baton-twirling tricks.

Penn State is the lion leading the stadium in #WE ARE, #PENNSTATE.

Penn State is a student leading the crowd with the Penn State cowbell.

Penn State is the student section yelling chants of JOE PA-TER-NO.

Penn State is the blue band.

Penn State is the blue band performing the halftime show when they created special formations for each song.

Penn State is when the whole blue band turned into zombies to do the MJ Thriller dance.

Penn State is being a part of the S-Zone, wearing the oversized shirts, and shaking the blue and white shakers as the camera pans on the Seniors.

Penn State is the Lion's version of the Revolution of Dance.

Penn State is scoring a touchdown and looking through Beaver Stadium to see people being thrown up in the air to count the points.

Penn State is cheering "We want the Lion."

Penn State is passing the lion up the stands of Beaver.

Penn State is dancing to "SHOUT" right before the start of the second half.

Penn State is the lion being raised on the platform to do one-arm push ups when the score is 41-0.

Penn State is the whole stadium singing "Hey Baby" at the end of third quarter.

Penn State is when the audio for Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" went out on the speakers and the whole stadium continued to shout the lyrics in unison.

Penn State is tailgating after the game, when the lights die down, but the tailgates live on.

Penn State is seeing JoePa's 400th win after a come from behind win against Northwestern.

Penn State is going to watch the Nittany lions in sun, snow, rain, sleet, or wind. It's knowing when you're there that you are with 110,000 of your greatest friends. It's the feeling you get when you chant WE ARE. Penn State is football, and the blue and white bring a show like no other in college football. Miss you dear old State, Congrats on a great home opener! Until the next "Penn State is..."

Some of my Penn State Football Memories

First Tailgate as a Student-Freshman Year