Beaver Stadium Has Sold Its Soul
[Everyone needs to read this. - CG]
A lament about the increasing commercialization of Beaver Stadium.
9 months ago
Nittanian
100 comments
0 recs |
Email
PrintComments
Wonderfully written article.....Howeva!
This over-commercialization of Beaver Stadium has been happening for years, from the JumboTron’s incessant posting of donors to the next R’nR band that’s coming to the BJC. The announcement of scores (maybe about 10/game) like Colorado 10—Ball State—3 with 13 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter does not cut it…WHO CARES!!!! Gimme the sPitt score, I hate them so I’m hoping they lose…..always put pictures of the students screaming on the screen instead of pertinent replays and of course Guido play more piped in Muzak instead of letting the BlueBand play!!!! The wrap around score-ticker sposored by that phone company shows ads for the phone company—imagine that! Oh yes, and in the South end zone let’s honor the State College High School chess club for remaining in “check” for over 3 weeks straight….that will impress recruits on the sidelines even more than Bama pounded our butts….I’ve going to PSU games for a long, long time and as a season ticket holder (multiple) the forced ambiance is quite boring as the Kids say. Since we don’t fill up the stadium anymore except for the couple of big games (maybe Homecoming too)—it’s hard to make a buck when selling your tix because of the STEP….as attendance decreases, will the top echelon change or just remain mired in the past thinking that memories of the 60s through the 90s will suffice….look, I’m old and hope that I get older, but some things have got to change and change sooner than later.
"The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God." The Government is like the Mob, you can check out, but never leave.
Hate to disagree...
But, I really don’t think it’s a big deal. I was attending PSU when the university made the original deal with Pepsi and then the Nike swoosh was put on the uniform. Those were bigger controversies than whether or not Livin’ on a Prayer was played over the speakers. I have to say that I think all of this “overcommercialization” of the football program talk is overblown. Watch the University of Maryland / Under Armour intro. Or Oregon’s mucus origami uniforms. We’re fine. We graduate players. We are Penn State… and that hasn’t changed.
I just don't want to die without a few scars. ~Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club, Chapter 6
Nearly everything in this article is wrong.
E.g.:
I’m sure that the "Mic Man," that generic, faceless male cheerleader, hasn’t been the one introducing Penn State as they crossed through the tunnel, or starting chants.
Mic Man predates my matriculation (1997), so is at least a 15-year phenomenon.
And when Tamba Hali sacked Troy Smith to seal the deal on the biggest win in the past decade, "Song 2″ didn’t come over the loudspeaker. Neither did Zombie Nation.
Actually, Zombie Nation did come on. That is why it’s so popular, it’s associated with the 05 breakout.
I just don’t know on what level I can deal with an article whose premise is that the stadium is quiet because they priced Old Man Euler out of his front row seats. Was this person not there to see the quiet 80s/90s crowds?
I never had the pleasure to experience a Nittany Lion game before this new era, but I imagine it couldn’t have been more different.
Oh, apparently yes.
Please stop promoting this drivel. The atmosphere sucked on Saturday because we got crushed. If we were beating up on them it would have been electric. This is not rocket science.
by elefantstn on Sep 14, 2011 10:27 AM EDT reply actions 7 recs
Yea the Ohio State 2005 part is definitely wrong. The zombie nation might not have been as loud. But I remember being in the student section and it played nearly the entire second half. And I’m almost positive it was played after Hali got the sack.
Agree.
I was in the south upper end-zone and the place was shaking. What is with the mass negativity? Last Saturday was one freak’n game against the probable SEC champ. Our graduation rate is near 85%. Everyone should relax and enjoy the fact we aren’t O$U.
I just don't want to die without a few scars. ~Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club, Chapter 6
by LB31Monster on Sep 14, 2011 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The Older Fans
have generally just sat there for as long as I have been going to the Beav (1985), My wife and I comment on this all the time.
"You can't handle the truth!"
"the atmosphere sucked on Saturday"
see, I DON’T think it sucked on Saturday! At least not for the pre-game through at least the first quarter. Yeah, once they started scoring, around mid 2nd quarter, the atmosphere died down…but I was pretty proud of how we presented ourselves to Bama at the beginning. And even the students and the alumni were LOUD coming out after the half, from where I saw at least.
Fire Dan Snyder
by Cari Greene on Sep 14, 2011 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions
Feedback I've heard from 'Bama fans
and seen reported from visiting recruits (admittedly, both are small sample sizes) suggest that the initial atmosphere was duly impressive. I don’t think anyone expects that will sustain itself if events on the field don’t feed into it.
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
So much this
I don’t mind griping about certain things that have changed, that’s a fine opinion to have. I personally disagree and think the atmospher at Beaver Stadium is much much better than when I was in school (98-02). But, the writer was just flat out wrong multiple times. Is this one of Old Man Euler’s grandkids?
by speedomike on Sep 14, 2011 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed
I was there the same years and I have missed maybe 3 home games since graduating. The atmosphere is much louder and much more exciting than pre-expansion and pre-zombie nation. Now with the seat changes the section I am in is a nice mixture of people screaming and actually standing! I didn’t mind it, the actual football on the field sucked, nothing else.
"That's why you don't play! 'Cuz you're no good!" -Joe Paterno
There's a few you missed.
For the record, I agree with the gist of Devon’s article, but I think his case is hurt by the innacuracies in the article.
But I’m sure that it was only recently that Penn State rebranded itself "The Greatest Show in College Football,"
Guido didn’t come up with “The Greatest Show in College Football.” Sports Illustrated on Campus dubbed PSU football “The Greatest Show in College Football” in 2005, largely in reaction to the 2005 game vs. OSU. Guido & Co. took that accolade and ran with it, and ever since then we’ve been “The Great Show.” (I’m pretty sure this is due to the fact that using “The Greatest Show…” would bring up trademark infringement issues with Ringling Bros. Seriously.)
But look at that 2005 Ohio State game, the one that we all remember fondly. That day, it wasn’t an entire stadium of white-clad partisans cheering on their Lions, just those who chose that over blue.
The White Out in 2005 WAS organized – it was a student only White Out as opposed to a whole stadium “White House” (the first of which was 2007’s ND game), but it was indeed organized by the Athletic Department – just as every White Out/White House has been other than (I believe) the 2008 White Out v. MSU which started out as a student-driven initiative and then was co-opted by the Athletic Deptmt.
The Whiteout has been an ingenious revelation, unlike the failed Code Blue of years prior
Code Blue and the White Out debuted in the same year – 2004. (Again, both were engineered by Guido & Co.) The first White Out was the 2004 homecoming loss v. Purdue; for obvious reasons, the Athletic Deptmt. generally chooses to pretend that PSU v. OSU in 2005 was the first. The 2004 Northwestern and MSU games were declared Code Blue. Ironically, in its first year, at least on the field, Code Blue was more successful – while Code Blue resulted in a win (a surprising & decisive one), the White Out was a painful loss driven by offensive ineptitude. The White Out survived because the Athletic Department determined the effect was more impressive in Beaver Stadium, but many other teams – soccer and volleyball among them – now use Code Blue.
Where I wholeheartedly agree with Devon is that the Athletic Department has been unsuccessfully trying to artificially recreate the 2005 OSU atmosphere ever since that game. This is both unnecessary and pathetic, as (a) 2005 was a once in a very long time event and truly recreating that would necessarily involve a half decade of suckitude far worse than losing to Alabama, and (b) the games that have most approximated the OSU 2005 atmosphere in terms of excitement and fan involvement (Illinois 2008, MSU 2008, UMich. 2010) have been driven by stellar offensive performances and not anything organized by Guido and Co.
There ARE some examples of how Guido and Co. have added to the fun of certain games with particular song choices:
-playing “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” during the 3rd quarter of the extremely wet 2008 Illinois game (when the game was already pretty well in hand)
-playing “Let It Snow” during the 2008 MSU game after the Blue Band had opened the game in literal white out conditions due to snow
-playing “Dynamite” during the 2010 UMich. game which pretty much became the anthem for the party that was Beaver Stadium during that game
One thing that all of these have in common though is that they were just icing on the cake of what was already an incredible stadium atmosphere due to the team’s performance. That, and Guido & Co. would then usually try to overuse these same songs later on. As a seeming spur of the moment song choice in what was literally a downpour, “Have You Ever Seen The Rain?” was a lot of fun – that doesn’t mean it should be used every time it rains at Beaver Stadium. Ditto for “Let It Snow.” “Dynamite” was a fun song to use in the Mich. game that then they used it constantly at every game thereafter and it just became worn out.
I think the big takeaways are:
-Let the game experience breathe, and to a certain extent, be organic.
-There’s some really stupid crap that needs to be cut out entirely. The “Beat Bama” cheer was pathetically dumb. The lyrics on the jumbo-tron look like something from a kid’s sing-a-long video. Playing “Tell Me Something Good” during a official review just comes off as pathetic pandering. Honestly, all of the above make me embarrassed to be wearing Blue & White at Beaver Stadium when they happen.
Enough is enough, Guido.
by PSUMark2008 on Sep 14, 2011 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
Great post, great history
Obviously, I agree with everything here.
As a seeming spur of the moment song choice in what was literally a downpour, "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?" was a lot of fun – that doesn’t mean it should be used every time it rains at Beaver Stadium.
Exactly. And ditto to all the “stuff that needs to be cut out entirely” at the end. +1
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
Can't say I disagree
Though the piped in music does kill the atmosphere
"We're going to do all we can to get this team right, to go after that national championship" - Devon Still
by ICEICETHATGUY13 on Sep 14, 2011 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions
(Slightly)
"We're going to do all we can to get this team right, to go after that national championship" - Devon Still
by ICEICETHATGUY13 on Sep 14, 2011 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Va Tech Blog
Good article there on how they are planning to increase revenues while not totally screwing the older season ticket holders. Although as I posted above those fans are not exactly vocal in the stadium.
"You can't handle the truth!"
PSU did not totally screw older season ticket holders. Charging more for 50 yard seats than ones in the endzone is hardly an unreasonable practice. It’s not like people didn’t have the opportunity to move to cheaper seats if they couldn’t afford the new prices.
To put it a different way — when you get an awesome, well below market deal for decades (as season ticket holders on the sidelines had been getting), you aren’t being “screwed” by no longer getting a fantastic bargain. PSU rewarded fan loyalty for years by allowing people to continue to get premium seats at bargain bin prices.
by Laaaaazzz on Sep 14, 2011 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I agree with this wholeheartedly.
Fire Dan Snyder
by Cari Greene on Sep 15, 2011 8:00 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
It would take a Rich Rodriguez type level salesman to convinve me otherwise
"my dad says Michigan used to be good"
by hbeach08 on Sep 15, 2011 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I graduated in 1988
The Mic Man was there back then.
I like some of the changes over the years, and don’t mind some of the piped in music. A big driver of the changes is that in the 1980s, there were fewer games on TV, so there were not so many TV time-outs. The flow of the games not on TV was much better, due to much more action on the field and much less dead air time. I think some of the piped in music helps to bridge some of the down time.
My $0.02 – I never want to hear “Great Show”, “Greatest Show” or any other combination of that phrase ever again.
by dontcallmescooter on Sep 14, 2011 10:45 AM EDT reply actions
Excellent point...
with the TV timeouts!! There was less time for the music on breaks.
I just don't want to die without a few scars. ~Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club, Chapter 6
by LB31Monster on Sep 14, 2011 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, I caught my first 'Down in Front' of the season
WHILE STANDING DURING A TV TIMEOUT. I turned around, steamed, and saw the sad-sack oldhead who said it and it kinda fizzled me. Dude looked like he had been waiting to yell that all week.
So I just politely asked him to be more judicious and gestured to the non-action and red-hat guy on the field.
I honestly think "The Great Show" is the dumbest sounding name I've ever heard.
If you want to make video packages on the atmosphere and use Herbstreit’s direct quote to lead them off, fine. But “The Great Show?” Terrible.
The rebel, I make more noise than heavy metal . . .
by Adam Collyer on Sep 14, 2011 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions
The overuse of that phrase has managed to make Beaver Stadium a wildly overrated experience.
by Chris Grovich on Sep 14, 2011 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions
It is an increasingly generic experience
What is unique about playing Sweet Caroline, Livin’ on a Prayer, Seven Nation Army, Zombie Nation, etc.?
Washingtonian and Penn Stater -- My blog features the triumph of hope over experience that is being a DC sports fan (especially the Nats) as well as the Nittany Lions, life in BeltwayLand and other things I find interesting. @doubleuefwhy
Seven Nation Army
I think Blue Band has played Seven Nation Army enough so that I associate it with us, but there’s nothing special about the other songs.
We certainly weren’t the first stadium to use Seven Nation Army, but we have made it our own with “We are Penn State” and I can’t imagine it not being played in beaver Stadium.
I’m pretty apathetic about Sweet Caroline and Living on a Prayer though. And while I don’t mind piped in music, I agree with the “more Blue Band” idea.
As an aside, regarding novel songs, during the ISU game, they played the “Doop” song that Philadelphia Union and then the Flyers play after scoring goals. I suspect it would be unique for college football (since it is a German Techno song that I’ve never heard in the US). This is the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx-Jmq8k_Ps
He may have gone away and come back.
I was there from 94-98, and I swear he wasn’t there the whole time. Maybe I’m wrong.
by Chris Grovich on Sep 14, 2011 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Mic Man was there from 92-94 and and 98 on from what I can tell.
So maybe you just missed him? But yes, we made fun of him, too. I think Mic Man always gets made fun of.
"This is BSD, the crazy stirs itself," dwf5095
Follow @Paige2PSU
In 1995
It was a chick who talked through her nose. I can still hear here…
Washingtonian and Penn Stater -- My blog features the triumph of hope over experience that is being a DC sports fan (especially the Nats) as well as the Nittany Lions, life in BeltwayLand and other things I find interesting. @doubleuefwhy
by WFY on Sep 14, 2011 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Dude
we used to break his balls every week for being terrible.
by Tailgate Shogun on Sep 14, 2011 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions
No, I remember that part vividly.
I just don’t know if he was there the whole time. I seem to recall a “wait, who the hell is this guy?” moment.
by Chris Grovich on Sep 14, 2011 8:28 PM EDT up reply actions
He was there 88-92.
When I say Blue, you say White
When I say Joepa you say Terno
When I say Nittany, you say Lion.
When I say Win, you Say Win……..
He may be a target of our mockery, those little Mike-man call backs are instrumental in my indoctrination of my 6 yr old into Nittany Lion-dom.
Please don't follow me on twitter.
by rahpsu92 on Sep 14, 2011 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Except his mic never worked properly
which only added to the mockery. I remember the student section used to get on that poor kid incessantly.
" …en I ss… …pa, …oo say …erno!"
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
by PSU_Buch on Sep 14, 2011 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The Mic-Man doesn't bother me
but the “Beat! ….. Bama! ….” recording sounded silly.
by Nittanian on Sep 14, 2011 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Yes. Yes it did. Completely.
___
Black Shoe Diaries
SBN - Pittsburgh
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Sep 14, 2011 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions
But it worked 60% of the time...
no, , no I guess it really didn’t. At All.
Please don't follow me on twitter.
I thought both Beat and Bama
actually had a pretty good game. The team just needed to make some more plays for them, and I think we’re going to use both again this week.
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
by PSU_Buch on Sep 14, 2011 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I Can Do Without
Sweet Caroline and Living on a Prayer. Although I do sing Hey Baby to my wife. Guess she’s keeping me since it has been over 25 years.
"You can't handle the truth!"
by nits4ever on Sep 14, 2011 10:49 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Reply FAIL
the “+1” below was meant as a reply to this.
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
Ditto. I like Hey Baby and I dig the use of "Dynamite" if only because it sounds awesome when the student section sings along to it.
Even Pops Collyer likes the song now.
The rebel, I make more noise than heavy metal . . .
by Adam Collyer on Sep 14, 2011 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions
+1
I do this too, and your post (er, comment) made me smile. THIS is what the Penn State stadium experience is all about.
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
SWEET CAROLINE SUCKS
We are not the god damn red sox. I don’t want to hear that shit in my stadium.
by Artiefufkin10 on Sep 14, 2011 11:43 AM EDT reply actions 14 recs
agree
don’t just look at other stadium memes and copy. hate that. some work, others are tedious
My grammer skills need improved.
by BMAN13 on Sep 14, 2011 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
and seriously
has anyone asked WHY we sing it?
by Mr. Rosewater on Sep 14, 2011 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Because it is on the top10
Nationwide Stadium songs list that Guido pulls from.
Please don't follow me on twitter.
The Nationwide Top 10 Stadium Songs
“Nationwide© is On Your Side!”
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
by PSU_Buch on Sep 14, 2011 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
You just earned yourself
10 Curley Bucks – redeemable for one Berks Stadium dog.
Please don't follow me on twitter.
by rahpsu92 on Sep 14, 2011 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Long Time Red Sox Fan here
and I don’t care for the song in Fenway either.
"You can't handle the truth!"
It was a great tradition.
You know, back when it was a stadium wide drunken sox fans bellowing into the night.
Now it’s the only thing the pink hats care about. They don’t know what’s happening on the field, but boy when they get to stand up and show off the outfits they planned for 3 days while singing Sweet Caroline do they (think they) look cute!
BSD Wentworth
Co-Founding Partner
Chariman, Hiring Committee*
*Accepting Applications
by PSUinBOSSton on Sep 14, 2011 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Winning ruins so much.
Seriously. I think that is why I have liked perenially underperforming teams so much.
Baseball: Angels and Phillies
Basketball: LA Clippers and 76ers
Hockey: Flyers
Football: Eagles (and to some extent the Redskins – I know you can’t like em both)
I’ve found that after the Angles and Philles reeled in their first and/or recent championship, I really didn’t bother follow them as closely.
It may be counter intuitive, but I think so much fandom is spent on rooting your team to the top (expecially if they’ve toiled in mediocrity for decades), once they’ve taken the prize, I’m spent.
Or maybe after winning, the smell of hipster-come-latelys is so great I just can’t take the stench.
Please don't follow me on twitter.
There is no bad seat in Beaver stadium. And no university sells more tickets to students- at a HUGE discount, may I remind you. I am an alumnae and have tix in the opposite endzone of the students. Great seats AND at 5x the cost. IF they graduate they will find out soon enough just how truly lucky they are! We turned down 50 yd line tix because the crowd is old and rude. ‘down in front’ is the politest thing they say.
The student section is in a great location with the best fans in college football!!! WE ARE!!!
p.s. Love it or hate it, I heard a lot of people singing along with the lyrics on the jumbotron. It is liked by many. Given the response it is likely here to stay.
by PSUinOH on Sep 14, 2011 11:44 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I noticed song lyrics on the Jumbotron and was horrified.
I mean, seriously? Seriously.
by Chris Grovich on Sep 14, 2011 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Generally speaking
I thought it was nice to read something like this from a current student. Some of the facts might be a bit sketchy (Mic Man is actually pretty Old Skool, so I thought it was funny when they brought him back), but that also happens with the Collegian and most student journalism really, because the sense of collective memory at Penn State, while probably better than at most major institutions, doesn’t extend back very far. In all honesty, it has probably improved through forums like BSD, where current undergrads can absorb stories about the past. I am encouraged that succeeding generations of Penn Staters are trying to explore and embrace our traditions, even if they stumble along the way.
As to the actual substance of the piece, I believe the author does make some legitimate points. Unlike most frequent visitors here (from what I can discern), I am not a Guido hater. I give both Greg Myford and him quite a lot of credit for helping sustain the fanbase through the Dark Years and laying the groundwork for the renaissance by trying to innovate and adapt the stadium experience to the changing times. As someone points out above, the pre-2005 crowds were notoriously tame, and I believe their work had the powder keg primed and ready to explode at maximum yield when Calvin Lowry picked off Troy Smith that night in early October. Getting 100,000+, all dressed in white, singing Credence as lights illuminated the mist falling on a revenge win against Illinois, that was a genuine moment, as was getting the entire stadium dancing (including me with a bum leg) to Dynamite against Michigan last year.
I think the problem has become the common trap of finding something that works and then going back to the well far too many times. “Oh, the ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain’ thing was cool against Illinois? Then we should do sing-a-longs to generic pop standards at every game!” “If you liked Zombie Nation, you’ll love Song 2, and hell, if you loved them both, why not just pipe in music between every snap? You can never have too much of a good thing, right?”
I remember reading a quote from Guido back in 2005 regarding the emergence of Paternoville, a story I will surely share with my kids one day, where he said the greatest thing about it was that SID and Sports Marketing had nothing to do with it, something along the lines of, “If we had tried it, we would have screwed it up.” It was a beautifully self-aware sentiment that captured the zeitgeist of that season. Yet here we are now, six years later, inundated with self-congratulatory “GREAT SHOW!!!” nonsense.
Recently, I read testimony given by George Lucas to Congress back in the late 80’s or early 90’s, where he warned against emerging technology that would allow classic films to be altered, and the irony reminded me of Guido’s musing from 2005. Just like Lucas, who once had the clarity of vision to warn against the dangers of digital revisions to celluloid classics, today endlessly tinkers with the near-perfection of the Original Trilogy, Guido and Co. cannot seem to help themselves but to overindulge in the atmospherics that, when deployed judiciously and in response to (not anticipation of) fan behavior, have elevated the Beaver Stadium experience to new heights.
It’s a fine line, and I think we’ve crossed over it a fair step, but I also believe it’s a short and easy trip back to the happy medium. Much like this team’s quest to realize its potential this season, whether we get there remains to be seen.
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
by PSU_Buch on Sep 14, 2011 11:45 AM EDT reply actions 5 recs
I'm disturbed by the shamlessness of it.
I think the problem has become the common trap of finding something that works and then going back to the well far too many times. "Oh, the ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain’ thing was cool against Illinois? Then we should do sing-a-longs to generic pop standards at every game!" "If you liked Zombie Nation, you’ll love Song 2, and hell, if you loved them both, why not just pipe in music between every snap? You can never have too much of a good thing, right?"
This is precisely my problem. Those of you have been reading my stuff for a little know that I criticize Guido and company for endlessly trying to recreate that Ohio State game. I mean, the guy has “Branding” in his actual job title. He’s done a lot of good too, mind you, but a lot of the in-game stuff is just way too corny and desperate.
The passage by Buch above is just a smaller example of it. There are things that happen organically — you can’t duplicate the rising pressure and emotion throughout OSU ‘05 and the subsequent explosion. That night can’t be matched, and you know what? We shouldn’t even try to match it.
We have to look at this stuff in the light of the realities of running a huge program like this. I get that there has to be advertising. I understand occasional piped-in music. But the constant sound effects and pop songs are just an assault on the experience. It’s like a corny NBA game, where sound effects are being played as the ball is brought up the court. Why? Why are you doing that?
by Chris Grovich on Sep 14, 2011 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions
Ohio State in 2005 can be matched.
But you know what’s going to match it? A superior team on the field, against an equally superior opponent, playing for the highest stakes possible the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Then you will have that atmosphere again. I guarantee it.
The problem now is everybody expects that kind of magic from a middle-of-the-pack team. That’s not how it works.
Bring Nebraska in here after Thanksgiving with one of us ranked #1 and the other ranked #2 and see what the hell happens. People will say O$U in 2005 was just another JoePa routine beatdown of Pitt.
by Ab4PSU on Sep 14, 2011 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
That's ultimately what this is all about
If we were playing Nebraska in that type of setting, I wouldn’t care if they played David Hasselhoff’s greatest hits as long as there was a great game on the field.
Although a stadium-wide sing-a-long to Hasselhoff might be epic all on its own
Seriously, what could be better than everyone busting out “Du” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0VAr3J2NoI
Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?
I hope I know about it in
advance so I wear my leather pants!
Or maybe I’ll just wear them to every game hoping.
Please don't follow me on twitter.
by rahpsu92 on Sep 15, 2011 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Disagree
OSU in 2005 wasn’t just about two great teams playing each other. It was about vindication for a PSU team, coach, and fanbase that had all but been dismissed from the national consciousness.
Yes, we could still have an awesome, fun, and crazy gameday atmosphere. But OSU 2005 can’t be matched unless we go through another “dark age.” And where we’re at right now might be bad, but we haven’t lost to Toledo or had a 4-6 hockey game over the last five years.
Simply put, OSU 2005 was a unique game in that it went beyond solely what was occurring on the field that night and encompassed what had happened on and off the field since the end of 1999.
by PSUMark2008 on Sep 14, 2011 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Absolutely
I have nothing sarcastic or humorous whatsoever to say about the Temple Owls.
Beat Temple.
by ReadingRambler on Sep 14, 2011 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions
They need to let the game day experience breath, no pump in music/ads during every break
Hire Mike Pettine Jr!!!!!!!!
Oh and PSU isn't the great show in CFB or doesn't have the best student section...not even close
Go to an Army or Navy game…much better experience
Hire Mike Pettine Jr!!!!!!!!
by SweepTheLeg on Sep 14, 2011 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Great observation
I went to a game at West Point while I was in high school, incredibly cool and very different from PSU. I wouldn’t necessarily say it was better, but highly recommended for any college football fan.
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
Maybe not now
But when those accolades were given, back in 2005 when Herbstreit said PSU had the greatest student section he had ever seen during the OSU 2005 game, yes they were true.
Well, the quality of student in 2005 was at an all time high
/2006 grad
"We gon' get down. We gon' do the do. I'm going to hit these mother****ers" - Dock Ellis, May 1, 1974.
Cool story alert...
I was at the TLA in Philly on Friday night for a show. To get the crowd pumped for the opener they played not only Sandstorm by Darude, but also Zombie Nation. And the “We are Penn State” was chanted by many in the venue during that.
Even though some of us are so sick of that by now, I thought it was neat hearing it on South Street.
I just want to hear the damn Blue Band.
I have nothing sarcastic or humorous whatsoever to say about the Temple Owls.
Beat Temple.
by ReadingRambler on Sep 14, 2011 12:34 PM EDT reply actions
I think the piped in music can
be traced back to the 1992 game vs. Miami. PSU played at Miami the year before and I recall in the run up to the game at home that year there was a lot of talk about Miami piping in music the previous year.
Sure enough come game time they had these pathetic little PA speakers set up on stands to blast the crowd with music.
So yes, once again, we can blame The U.
Please don't follow me on twitter.
Hey, good point, rah
I still remember walking to the stadium that game and hearing PE (the real one) blasting over the stadium speakers. My brothers and I were like ‘yo, what up!’ Then we get in early enough to watch warmups and discover the music’s being played by Miami for Miami.
So bummed.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing
The first time I can remember piped-in music was for the Penn State-Miami game in 1992. If you think the current stuff is bad, this was even worse. I can remember a short clip of “2 Legit 2 Quit” by M.C. Hammer, but that’s about it.
"Another One Bites the Dust" after tackles
sigh
"I wouldn’t trust Craig James to report on sixth-grade volleyball." Stewart Mandel on Craig James, who allegedly killed five hookers while at SMU.
In short, FIRE GUIDO
Seriously, I see him on a perp walk from the football building, down Pollock Ave to the bus station so he can be sent back to Pittsburgh.
Washingtonian and Penn Stater -- My blog features the triumph of hope over experience that is being a DC sports fan (especially the Nats) as well as the Nittany Lions, life in BeltwayLand and other things I find interesting. @doubleuefwhy
by WFY on Sep 14, 2011 1:35 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Onward State is
written by the students. Who in my opinion have no room to complain about anything in the Beav. They complacently gave up 40 yard-line seats which had been the province of students going back to when the stadium was a horseshoe and the running track surrounded it. (Talk about selling it’s soul… You’re what?! Putting permanent stands in the south endzone?! And blocking the view of Mt. Nittany?!?!? Namesake of our beloved Lions!?!) For decades students have waited patiently to become seniors so they could sit in the “premier” seats on the sideline. When told they were all being pushed into the endzone, did these current students protest, get upset, mobilize en masse to denounce this travesty? No. Aside from a letter to the Collegian here and there, nothing. I heard more alums upset about it that current students.
My opinion… these kids sold their souls for ipods.
*
by Smee on Sep 14, 2011 7:54 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
im a student and agree with everything you said.
hard to find kids that care enough about football. its all about social impact and it sucks. as fun as the student section can be, i probably wont miss it very much.
I share your general indignation
But I think you’re being a little too hard on the students. What power do they really have? How could they tell the AD to cram their plans to re-congfigure the seating? Organize a walk-out? I wasn’t a student during the whole discussion, but if I were here’s what I’d have done:
1. Been pissed
2. Complained in conversation, in a letter to the editor, on the internet or perhaps even in a letter to the AD
3. Realized I can’t do anything about it
4. Sat in my end zone seat the next season
What more could you expect?
Also, I’m more for tradition than the average fan, but it’s crazy to still complain about blocking the view of Mount Nittany. I used to sit pretty much directly across in the North addition and look at Mount Nittany and take pictures, and it was awesome. But having thousands more fans and the resultant increase in stadium noise is also nice. I mean, the mountain is still there, you just can’t see it as well from inside the stadium.
The kids never sold their soul for iPods…they were just offered iPods in order to go along with the plans of the people who really sold their souls.
"We gon' get down. We gon' do the do. I'm going to hit these mother****ers" - Dock Ellis, May 1, 1974.
by OctaShields on Sep 15, 2011 2:02 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Seventy plus comments
And I don’t believe there was a mention of the loss of the damn lion roar. Bring it back. Dammit.
Didn't really recall it being used, and I was there
In any case, it doesn’t seem as prevalent as it once was. Or as prevalent as I believe it should be.
They generally play it during 3rd downs when we're on defense
And they like to mix it in with the weird heart beat thing that started at OSU 2007. It can sometimes get a little drowned out.
Yeah you're right
I just feel it has become marginalized over the past couple of years, not unlike the Blue Band.
They play the longer version more now
When I was a freshman in 06 this was the only roar they played: http://www.hark.com/clips/lmnfxtdxml-nittany-lion-roar
Now the one they play is like double the length… it’s weird. Can’t find a link for that though.
Formerly known as kmart93
@kmart93
Black Shoe Diaries
by Kyle_Martin on Sep 14, 2011 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions
The original roar sounds too much like Sex Panther
"I wouldn’t trust Craig James to report on sixth-grade volleyball." Stewart Mandel on Craig James, who allegedly killed five hookers while at SMU.
I remember
one roar recording ending with a snort. Wha?
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
SHOP THE BLACK SHOE DIARIES STORE
