We Are Penn State Football – Conclusion

Continued from “We Are Penn State Football – Part III”

“Being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It’s not about winning. It’s about you and your relationship with yourself, your family and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn’t let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is you did everything you could. There wasn’t one more thing you could’ve done. Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart, with joy in your heart? If you can do that gentleman – you’re perfect!”

– Coach Gary Gaines, “Friday Night Lights”

Early Wednesday morning Penn State Football proved to the College Football world they were a team who were about as perfect as one can get.
The pre-game rituals were all the same; Penn State music played loudly throughout my house and the living room was draped in Penn State merchandise. Approaching the game I tried as best I could to keep my emotions inside but I found myself soon letting those emotions out just as fast as the players on the field. Tonight had finally arrived for me and Nittany Lion Nation. The 2006 Orange Bowl couldn’t have turned out any better.

With first sending out my greatest sympathies towards juniors, RB Tony Hunt and LB Paul Posluszny, I have to admit I was more then happy to see Austin Scott finally show up and play a great game. Before last night’s game I had no respect for Scott at all. He was supposed to be the next Maurice Clarett but never showed up once for a god damn game in his three seasons at Penn State. It was about time he gave something back and without his great, clutch performance, Penn State might have ended up on the other end of the 26-23 final score.

Most of the time it works out that way when you aren’t expected to play or expecting to play, boom you go into the game and make a big play and/or have a great game.

Ethan Kilmer may be God on a football field. Having never played High School Football, Kilmer made it look easy out there and really seemed to be the only Penn State offensive player open the entire game. The touchdown pass he brought down before the end of the first half got me going again. After giving up the longest punt return in Orange Bowl history and then topping that off by letting Florida State go 40 plus yards on a dump pass, I was more than happy to see Penn State put up big points before the 1st half closed out.

Minus the countless penalties registered by the Seminoles and the 20 punts by both teams, in many ways the 1st half of the Florida State/Penn State game looked much like the game the Nittany Lions played vs. Northwestern early in their season.

As bad as the second half was offensively, the great defense showcased by both teams was enough reason to keep most fans watching what was quickly become a classic. Back and forth both teams went and every drive it seemed as if Penn State started in their own end-zone while Florida State was on the 50 yard line.

My favorite part of the entire game besides the eventual game-winning field goal was when Florida State quarter back Drew Weatherford was pressured and called for intentional grounding while falling into his own end-zone. It was possibly the ugliest way to get points but that’s how the first points of the 2nd half were put on the board.

No one said it had to look pretty out there.

After Florida State tied the game freshman kicker Kevin Kelly of Penn State had a chance to win the Orange Bowl with a field goal.

Wide left.

Florida State ran out the clock the Nittany Lions won the coin toss and decided to start on defense for the first over-time.

Seminoles kicker Gary Cismesia’s field goal attempt went wide left.

Kelly with another chance to win the game, wide left AGAIN. Flashbacks of the New York Giants/ Seattle Seahawks game ran through my head and an eerily similar moment had come about in Miami. Just as Kelly had missed the field goal, Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden thought the ball had gone in and actually started walking towards Joe Paterno for the after-game handshake. Bring back any memories Jeremy Shockey?

I kept thinking to myself there was no way was this happening. Kelly had two chances to win the game and had blown both of them, not even coming close with both kicks. But because Cismesia had also missed, the game remained tied at 16 and moved into the 2nd OT.

After Scott ran for his 2nd touch-down of the game Florida State answered just as quickly and after more than four hours of football there was to be a 3rd OT.

What team would back down first? It seemed as if the game would never end.

Cismesia came on for his 2nd attempt of OT to give the Seminoles a lead and when the ball got in the air, I thought for sure it was going in. The Penn State Football Gods must have reigned down on the ball and it hooked drastically to the right before hitting the upper half of the goal post.

Michael Robinson led his team onto the field for what would turn out to be his last drive as quarterback for the Nittany Lions. As he entered the field, I recall the broadcasters mentioning how he had “that look” about him, almost as if they were saying he was ready to end the game right now.

A few plays later that responsibility was put into the hands of Kelly, who now was given a 3rd chance to win the Orange Bowl for Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions. The ball went up and I knew, as did Kelly, this one would go through the up-rights and the game was over.

Penn State believed in themselves and never gave up on each other, even after Kelly missed three field goals, or the exchange on the Seminoles’ four yard line was botched. When momentum was on Florida State’s side, Penn State never backed down and played as best they could for four quarters and three OT’s. They lived in the moment and did the very best they could. Penn State even came away with the elusive and historic victory.

The third time really does work like a charm. 12:59 am was the official reading on my clock when the Penn State players swarmed Kelly on the field. I celebrated with what was left of my family downstairs and for the first time in a long time I felt secure.

The 2006 College Football season is just upon us. For the first time ever I have a good feeling about the upcoming season. I’m sure the same can be said for all Penn State fans because Penn State is back, hopefully to stay.

The Orange Bowl was the last game to be played by players such as Robinson, Alan Zemaitis, Tamba Hali and my personal favorite, Calvin Lowry. Many more that were such a great part of this great team will also depart but these Nittany Lions are clearly different from anyone who has ever come through Happy Valley. These Nittany Lions can appropriately be given the title “warriors”. Through all they suffered and all they overcame, it will be tough to replace such a great group of players.

There is a future at Penn State. Hunt looks to be back next season and capitalize on his 1,000 rushing yard season. Austin Scott may now choose not to transfer out of Happy Valley and stick around giving the Lions a formidable one-two punch.

While the details have yet to be released, all Penn State fans are hoping the knee injury suffered by team leader Posluszny won’t be enough to damage the great player’s reputation. If he does return for his senior campaign he will be joined by another great young linebacker Dan Conner. The tradition of “Linebacker U” continues to keep on growing.

The “Fab Four”, Derrick Williams, Justin King, Deon Butler and Justin Norwood hope to continue their early success and build an even more explosive Nittany Lion offense.

Anthony Morelli right now looks like the projected starter when Penn State plays host to Akron for the season opener. While he is no Michael Robinson in his running ability, Morelli takes more of a Kerry Collins’ approach at quarterback and with great receivers, Morelli may become a fixture in what could become a scary formula very soon for opposing teams.

Kevin Kelly will return as Penn State’s kicker and hopefully learn from his mistakes and grow into a great kicker.

Joe Paterno has proven a point to us all and you can be sure he will look to continue his great success just as he had in most of his previous 40 seasons at Penn State. The rest of his coaching staff will most likely return and if everything goes to plan there looks to be very few, if any, bumps in the road for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State has turned its campus into the likes of USC in a matter of a year and things don’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. Penn State will have another Top 10 recruiting class for the second season in a row.

It’s funny when you talk to College Football fans about Penn State’s season this year. So many people will say to me, so Penn State had ONE good year, don’t get too excited they still suck.

There is a haunting reality I’d like to point out to all fans who judge Penn State on their recent lousy past.

Penn State Football is always good. Always has been and always will be. People say they’ve had one good year so they suck when in reality they have had three, four or five bad years during the past 40 year span. Penn State Football is a powerhouse, a tradition that lives on strong today and hopes to continue its great legacy for the next 40 years and beyond.

The next time you see a Penn State fan, ask him or her about what it’s like to wear the blue and white proud. Ask them about the tradition, the tailgating, Joe Paterno. Ask them who they are and everyone will give you the same response.

I don’t know if tradition and rituals at other College Football programs are as fun to be around as Penn State’s. I do know some fans have the same passion and get just as crazy about their team as Penn State fans such as myself. But if there is one thing that separates Penn State Football from other College Football programs it’s Joe Paterno himself. JoePa has done so many things for Penn State you would have to go across the ocean before you would be able to find someone who didn’t know this man. He is the President of Penn State and a true example of class, dignity and winning.

Joe knows football.

Pride and success with honor are the words to describe Penn State Football. Year after year, night after night, the players who put on the uniforms have gone out not for themselves, but for the glory of Penn State. That formula has transcended into decades of success and still is a factor in the success of current Penn State teams. If there is a College Football program out there more glorious then the one in Happy Valley, please point it out to me.

It is a privilege to be a fan of such a great program like Penn State and is something I plan to pass on to my kids and their kids and on and on. We are a family, a team, and a symbol of greatness. We all put on College Football’s most distinctive uniforms. We think about those before us. The walk-ons, the All-Americans, and the legends that made sure to uphold the tradition. We are all the black shoes, white helmets and plain uniforms of one of America’s most successful programs. We are winners and we are heroes. Fight on State and for the Glory of Old State. Go State Go and Roar Lions Roar.

We Are… Penn State.

Copyright ©2006 Colin Cerniglia. All Rights Reserved.