And so begins....

...another year as a PSU fan. Like the cherry blossoms that chicks dig here in DC, rebirth for PSU happens about every time this year.

Signing day for recruits has come and gone. If they opted for PSU, they clearly showed faith and good decision making by choosing the foremost producers of men outside of a military academy. Anyone that didn't is a loser and we don't need'em.

The obligatory know-nothing JoePa retirement fluff pieces produced at a rate of 3 a minute are published. What is substantiated? Nothing. What is conjecture? Everything.

Regrettably, the obligatory legal infractions have also occurred, leaving most of us too stunned with Quarless' stupidity to properly react. Snapping us out of the daze was Ridenour letting us know that he still exists, albeit in his own original way.

And spring practice has started, which gives us reasons to remember why we root for PSU in the first place. And that is the promise of football, and tailgating. Actually, that order is wrong; it should go tailgating, football, tailgating.

We look at these kids in spring training and savor every morsel that comes out of practice, like Stephon Green's blistering 40 yard run, the enthusiasm of our returning lineman (all starters!).

In the football doldrums that is February-April, we are reminded, on April 1, that spring is indeed smiling at us once more, with promises of sunshine, women wearing less, sitting outside at the cafe enjoying an iced-t, and enjoying a peek at our upcoming glory in the fall.

On a more personal level, autumn is now even more exciting in that this is the time of year we get together for our annual trip to a PSU away game. Pictured above is the crew who went to Michigan last year. Note the boundless enthusiasm displayed by all at 9 AM (Not pictured: same group at 7 PM staring at each other and silently fueling each others anger. Also, Sameena vomiting. Damn girl, you got soft).

This year we will be traveling to Purdue, and hopefully erasing the 0-2 curse these trips have wrought on our beloved Lions. So here's to 15 friends in two Winnebagos, all looking to a magical weekend in Purdue with eyes full of hope. And Old German.