MMQB - Nonplussed

Nonplussed (adjective):

1. Surprised and confused so much that they are unsure how to react
2. Not bothered, surprised, or disconcerted; unperturbed

The best way to describe Penn State fans’ reaction to this past weekend’s loss is nonplussed. Because I have seen two very distinct, very different reactions to the loss, and nonplussed hits both of them.

First, there are the people who are rather upset by the loss. Not necessarily by the final score, as it’s well within the realm of what many people predicted, but rather by the way in which the game played out.

Another year, and another game that Penn State played Ohio State close only to see the Buckeyes make a few big plays and pull away. Another year of “what if” and “if only.”

These people are nonplussed.

Second, there are people like me, who watched the game expecting the worst, while hoping for the best. When Penn State went up 21-16, I hoped for the best, while expecting Ohio State to respond rather quickly. Three plays later it was 23-21, and the rest as they say is history. I expected it, said “ah there it is” and went about my day.

I, and people like me, are nonplussed.

The English language is a funny thing sometimes. It can be understood through tough thorough thought, though. Womb is pronounced woom, tomb is pronounced toom, but bomb isn’t pronounced boom (though, c’mon, it really should be). Something really good can be egregious, or something really bad can be egregious.

But the kneejerk reaction I had when the clock struck aughts was that I was simply unfazed by the loss. While others raged on Twitter and the message boards, I shrugged my shoulders and enjoyed the rest of my Saturday.

We were all nonplussed.