Fall Saturdays (LB)

 LOOKING BACK - Every once in awhile I repeat a blog that appeared here before.  Fall is my favorite season.  I love the cooler temperatures, the beautiful changing leaves and especially football.  On most weekends I expect to be in front of my television watching Penn State play and on most Sundays I hope to be sitting there watching the Eagles play.  I look forward to days like these.  So here is a previous Fall blog about my interest in football..

         Fall weekends have always been one of my favorite times of the year, because of football.  For about 68 years this is how I spent by Fall Saturdays. 

          When I was in high school for seven years I played in the band and we attended and performed at every football game.  Then when I was in college I traveled for four years as chief statistician with a very successful Susquehanna University football team.  Then for 25 years I covered area high school football games for the Lancaster Sunday News.

          But next came one of the most exciting events in my Fall schedule - Penn State football games.  The first couple of years I was able to purchase tickets from some friends.  I also began to advertise for tickets in the local weekly newspaper.  I was often successful in using a Penn State ticket line on my computer.

          However I also learned that many folks have extra tickets and they would offer them for sale the day of the game.  So we made a sign that said simply "We Need Two", placed it in the window of our car and began the drive to State College.

          And that worked!  PSU fans knew what it meant. Usually we were stopped by somebody with tickets to sell before we reached Harrisburg.  One time we stopped at our local Turkey Hill and somebody saw our sign and sold us tickets.  Only once were we not successful.  For the big PSU-Alabama game we were stopped near Lewisburg and were offered tickets at $25 over face value.  We refused, stopped at Lewisburg for a brief visit with my wife's sister, drove home and watched the game on television.

          We never had to pay more than face value and we got to sit in all sorts of locations in the stadium.  That was fun.

          Then we found a gentleman in Columbia who had season tickets and seldom used them. For many years we became a frequent buyer.  Those seats were great and easy to get to.  And they were right near the handicapped parking which we used.  Easy in, easy out.

          Things changed when he died.  They moved the handicapped parking away from the stadium.  They ran shuttles which were easy to use going to the game.  But they would not send the shuttle back after the game until it was full.  That made an early departure to beat the traffic very difficult.

          Later, after we stopped going to the games, they moved the handicapped parking to another part of the town which meant you had to use the shuttle.  It was just too far to walk.

          We miss the tailgating.  That was amazing.  The setups, displays and variety of foods were incredible.  Some folks don't even go to the game, they tailgate, stay at their cars and watch the game on television.

          When we were more able we often walked downtown before the game and shopped in the college stores.  If we were there on the right weekend the Ag Building had a tremendous show featuring flowers and produce.  And there were vendors and displays around and in the Bryce Jordan Center.  So many interesting things to do before the game.

          And I enjoyed the pregame events in the stadium.  The warm-ups, the cheerleaders and the appearance of Joe Pa.  Then came the band and their great sound.  But the highlight was the appearance of the drum major who did his traditional flip at midfield.  And when he landed upright on his feet, the crowd went wild.

          Of course there was the excitement of the game.  The crowd noise and participation was incredible.

          But alas, all good things must come to an end.  Now that we have trouble walking we have been forced to give up this experience.  

          Now instead we trade the experience for a short walk to our living room,  sitting on a recliner instead of being crunched in a small bleacher seat, watching the game on a large television, going to our own bathroom instead of waiting in long lines, getting a snack without paying inflated prices, and avoiding the heavy traffic going home.  And when there is rain, hail, sleet or snow, we are comfortable in our home.

          But I still miss the excitement of being there!