The holidays are always a hectic time for the Battistas as we travel to see my wife's family in New Castle, Pa., and my family in Pittsburgh for a week. This year was especially hectic as we returned home on Dec. 28 and left the next morning for six days in Dallas for the TicketCity Bowl.

Despite the outcome of the game and the challenging circumstances surrounding our football team, the people of Dallas couldn't have been more hospitable. The trip to Dallas was a fun experience for my family who attended a Dallas Stars-Boston Bruins hockey game, the Science Center, the Dallas Zoo, a tour of the "Jerry Jones Dome," better known as Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Tex., Gilley's of Dallas and it's mechanical riding bull (made famous in "Urban Cowboy") and a tour of the Sixth Floor Museum and the JFK Memorial Plaza.

While we were in the American Airlines Arena for the Stars-Bruins game, Jason Rademan, a 2000 grad and director of team services for the Stars, arranged for a behind-the-scenes tour of the facilities and operations for Rick Kaluza, associate athletic director of finance, and me. What an amazing facility that is also home to the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks.  We met recently retired NHL superstar Mike Modano and new Stars Owner Tom Gagliardi and chatted about Terry and Kim Pegula, who he recently dealt with at NHL meetings.

The Cotton Bowl room inside the Hyatt Regency in downtown Dallas was where we ate breakfast each morning, and it was packed full of history and memorabilia. A trip to tour the actual Cotton Bowl was part of Kids Play Day, where the families were treated to a magic show and lunch in the press box of the famous stadium celebrating its 75th year. We also attended a very nice dinner put on by the Penn State Alumni Association at Landmark room in the Hyatt. Of course, my 11 year old will tell you his favorite part of the trip was the impromptu touch football games in the expansive lobby in the conference center.

My family and I drove to Coppell, Tex., north of Dallas, on Saturday to spend some time with my former teammate and family friends John and Karen Davis. His home is full of PSU memorabilia and office is a hockey shrine highlighted by a framed 1980 Gold Medal Hockey jersey autographed by the entire team. The Davis' recently gave a significant gift to endow a goalie scholarship and name the head coach's office in my honor.

I want to make a brief comment on the way that our players and staff conducted themselves under very trying circumstances. They did it with class and dignity. I was very proud to be associated with them. Many of the staff have been friends of mine for 25 years and the prospect that many might be leaving saddens me to no end.  Too many good people who had nothing to do with the Jerry Sandusky scandal are getting hurt by the association.

I was back for half a day and was on a bus to Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies for one of the coolest sporting events ever. Our Penn State men's hockey team played an outdoor game as part of the NHL's Winter Classic in perfect conditions with light flurries and 26 degree weather in front of 5,000 brave souls who filled the entire Hall of Fame level of the ballpark to witness a piece of Icers history. We took a bus of staff and boosters to the game and immediately drove home following the game. Again the outcome was far less important than being a part of history.

So now I need a few days to decompress but alas, we have Pegula Ice Arena design meetings all morning.

Oh well, for the "good of the order" we must all make the best of the hand we are dealt.