Illinois Recap

Just some closing thoughts on the awesomeness from Saturday night:

On Offense:

+

+

+

=

(HT: BHGP)

On Defense: As my mother put it, "What's with your middle linebacker? He seemed lost" If my mother figured that out, I suggest we start looking into moving personnel around. Sorry Hull, but it looks like you are the odd man out. We all really want you to do well, but you are just not getting it done.

My final thought before moving on is that I don't believe we should be ranked that high yet (some have us as a top 5 team). We are still relatively untested on the road, and have OSU coming up in a few weeks. That, and we haven't beaten Michigan since the Clinton administration. We also have to play in Madison; although I do feel better about this since they bedshitted against Michigan.

My mood will remain as "cautiously optimistic" until said games are completed.

Movin' On: Purdue

On Thursday evening I leave for Purdue. Me, 16 friends, 2 RVs, 9 cases of Old German, and West Lafayette. I will be trying to blog with updates on this trip to show the rest of you why one should try and make it to at least one away game per year.

What do I expect out of PSU? I will be happy if we don't revert to the vanilla offense, and we come away with a victory. That is all. Low expectations, truthfully, but the past two trips were to Notre Dame (2006) and Michigan (2007). And now you understand why.

My First Trip to Erie

Sweet Joepa's prostate, what a weekend. Very intense. And by that, I mean my brain was so booze-rattled and culture shocked, that I finally awoke this morning. Let's see...

Thursday

Left work around 1 for Pittsburgh, and was informed that coach Paterno was in the hospital due to heart attack. Thoughts of diverting from Pitt to State College were creeping into my mind. Luckily, the reports were a bit overstated, and I didn't have to alter my route. Yes, I am that selfish.

Arrived in Pitt around 6ish, only to be surprised by the amount of homeless people donning Penguin attire. Freaky. I also noted that Pitt looks much better in the fall. I don't know why. Maybe it's because the weather was ultimately shitty on Thursday.

Met up with my friend Frank-he's an old pledge buddy of mine and a huge Pens fan. As in even when attendance was pitiful, he still went to all the games he could. I respect that. Went to a bar that had Yeungling on special (weird, eh? Pens vs. Flyers, in Pitt, and they went with the Eastern PA beer) for $2.

Figure 1-1: Sweet Nectar of the Gods

AHHHHHHHH-gotta wash that road dust down, and the family Yeungling's incredible panacea eased all tension out of me (Note to self: Yeungling always tastes better in PA). That, and from living in DC, I forgot what real wings taste like. Thanks, Quaker Steak. Things were good all around.

Enter the Flyers game-nobody at the bar but me really saw Lupul's shot go in. Not that I blame the Pitt fans. Fleury just hasn't let in anything from over 15 feet this series. Let's just say the room quieted noticeably when I stood up and cheered. And then someone tried to hit me with a broom.

So I pretty much watch the game chain-smoking, just praying we can at least win one to gain some shred of dignity back within the organization, all whilst talking among those laid-back country folk. Good people. Flyers win, I'm drunk and happy, and go to pass out over Frank's place watching Red Dawn. Missed the infamous "AVENGE MEEEEE!" line (see below), but still, it's Red Dawn.

Figure 1-2: Damn, I miss the commie-fear of the 80's

Friday
Left Pittsburgh around 9AM for 120 miles on route 79 toward Erie. Holy tits, there is nothing out there.

I get into Erie around 11, get my bearings (the town is surprisingly intuitive in layout), and treat myself to an incredible breakfast at some joint called Butch's after witnessing the awesome size of McDowell high school. Excellent food, great coffee, and cheap. Spent the afternoon among friends and their new kid, as well as taking the tour of the town. The weather seemed to hold up.

What do I think of Erie? Well, everywhere north of the amusement park is unique. Looks like solid fishing/campgrounds. The back roads remind me alot of the State College, or Lehigh areas. The only criticism here was the lack of street signs. However, the main drags remind me of Jersey. Tons of liquor stores and distributors, and the roads are in incredibly poor shape due to the temperature extremes that are imparted on the town. And cheap floozies everywhere.

Back to the Liquor. I have never seen prices so cheap. 6 hours of consuming, and I only spent 30 dollars. At one place, my tab included 1 Redbull and vodka, 4 vodka tonics, and 5 beers. The total? 23 dollars. Using beer math, this would equate to somewhere around $70-$80 in DC. So you see, I had to keep drinking.

Erie 1 Me 0

Saturday
I have never missed a tee time in my life-I may have been a smidge tardy once or twice, but I have never slept clean through one. First time for everything, I guess. Regardless, I rallied to get there for the back 9, and actually postponed my hangover 'till after lunch. It was at that time, I collapsed and detoxed. Kind of felt like this:

Fig. 1-3: Never has heroin been so awesome

Ok, a slight exaggeration maybe, but you get the point. Erie was in my veins and trying to rip me apart with its madness.

Saturday night, we all go to this Italian drinking club called the Aurora Nova. Lots of Italians. Zac over at EIFL did an excellent report on the goings on; especially when it comes to Asians and gaming.

Speaking of non-hetero Asians, Rob once again brought the house down in karaoke at the bar we went to.

I did well-no blackouts were awarded to me, so I didn't forget Asian Rob dancing on a table at the club to Whitney Houston with a 60 year old.

Erie 1 Me 1

Sunday

I was told I woke up around 10, left at 11, and got home by 530 that afternoon.

Sunday was kind of a blur of farms, interstates, tolls, and apparently, one Penguins goal after another.

Final Thoughts

I am definately going back, preferably sometime in the summer or fall. I just hope I realize that I need to take Monday off next time.

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.