Out in the farmlands that make up the Intramural Fields, I noticed something amazing.
My exact positioning I could not really say, for I was at the time a blip among that massive mob of tailgaters that envelope Beaver Stadium before every Blue and White game. Or at least every Blue and White game that I have been to.
Weaving between cars on my way back to a tailgate I stopped for a moment on a slightly elevated portion of my journey. I did a panoramic of my surroundings and turned to my friend.
“This is pretty impressive,” I said. “There are so many people here.
“This is not even an official game.”
My ‘zen’ moment did not rub off on my partner, who turned to me, shrugged it off with a ‘yeah’ and kept walking.
When thinking about how to write this column about Blue and White weekend, I tried to think of a Blue and White memory that stood out. Like the first time I saw the mass of pom poms that form a White Out or the ’fast wave,’ the mere magnitude of this moment stood out to me.
I will attempt to sum up some major ideas or moments I have accumulated about Blue and White weekend in my short but thorough four-year career at Penn State. The first comes from my little moment in the Intramural Fields.
This weekend is more than just a practice for the Penn State Football team. It is a practice for Penn State Football as a whole.
At the Penn State Student Book Store there is a shirt that reads ‘State College, A Drinking Town With A Football Problem.’
I am not even going to touch the first portion of this slogan. The latter, though, stands true.
The experience at a large football school is like none other. Down to the simple salute between the Nittany Lion and the Drum Major, the tradition and passion is something completely different than you will experience at any professional football game.
It is rare at any offseason scrimmage, no matter the sport, that you will see such large attendance and enthusiasm.
Though my parents may disagree, I have been somewhat a part owner in a pair of NFL season tickets since I was nine. Or at least I have attended games like an ticket-holder.
The preseason tickets have almost reached the point of being the baggage that comes with season tickets. And that is a game where you are playing a different team.
College sports are an exception.
The fireworks, the tailgating, the music, ESPN2, and the large crowds are all part of a football weekend at a major football programs. This one just happens to be in April.
Pay attention to the game.
My first Blue and White weekend, I was excited about seeing a certain player.
A redshirt freshman named Daryll Clark had played just five game, but had shown signs of having a strong and accurate arm. I wanted to see the future quarterback of Penn State.
The same would be true of sophomore Kevin Newsome my junior year.
Both years Penn State had a returning starting quarterback, but like other college sports football has high player turnover. The maximum a player can possibly start, barring injury, is four years, and most do not end up starting close to that long.
Even if the starting quarterback is set in stone, it will not be long before he isn’t. With redshirt junior Matt McGloin, freshman Paul Jones, and Kevin Newsome all vying for a starting position, nothing is set this season.
Combined with the fact that 17 Penn State players were seniors, this should certainly be an interesting weekend.
A majority of positions have been defined during the regular season. Blue and White rosters are wide open.
It is essentially the beginning point in Penn State’s season. The more one knows, the more gripping it will be.
With all the issues involving State Patty’s day, liquor licenses, and student drinking in general, it is important to remember the good in students.
On April 16, 2007 in Blacksburg, Va., a Virginia Tech student went on two separate gun sprees that ended up killing 32 people.
As part of a tribute to those students the Penn State S-Zone was turned into the VT-Zone during the 2007 Blue and White game. This was something I was proud to be a part of.
Whenever one thinks about the negative side of students, it is important to remember the positive potential that comes from such a large group of people. This is one of those moments.
From something as powerful as VT-Zone to something as simple as the massive amount of Paul Posluszny Buffalo Bill jerseys that appeared in 2007, I have accumulated a bundle of Blue and White weekend memories in my short time here.
While most years this weekend symbolizes the beginning of a new season for me, this one seems a little more like an end. The Blue and White weekends I have experienced have been fun, and I am certainly looking forward this weekend.
For underclassmen: Enjoy each one and remember to stop and notice everything, even the crowd. To the seniors: You are just one dropped class away from Blue and Weekend 2011…
Just kidding. Congratulations.
