Wow

Well I have a lot to say in this blog so if you're starting to read now, go grab yourself some popcorn and a drink because you'll be here for a while. I missed my blog last night so now I have some serious thoughts to get out.

First off, I was encouraged to watch Joe Paterno's memorial service on Youtube by someone very dear to me. I probably come across as a "Penn State Hater" because I tend to call it things like The Cult or Cult State University.

My view of it as a cult only applies to those feeble minded alumnus who said they won't support the school anymore because they hired a non-Stater as their new head coach. To me that is asinine. After what happened with the program this year they needed to bring in an outsider. Tom Bradley deserved a spot on the new coaching staff, but I see why he didn't get one.

As a whole Penn State is a great university. I've been told you wouldn't understand it unless you had Penn State blood in you. And I don't have any Penn State blood in me. Everyone in my family has gone to Pitt. We're a panther family through and through. But I can tell that Pitt doesn't give nearly the same sense of belonging and family that Penn State does. None of my relatives who went to Pitt are still actively involved there and for the most part they don't have any school spirit.

Penn State just isn't my cup of tea though.

I realize that what I'm about to say is a broad generalization, but it's my opinion and this blog is about what I think. So here goes.

I don't think I would fit in at Penn State. To me, Penn State is a university built on being a part of something bigger. It is a huge family. I don't need another family. That isn't what I want out of college. I want a place where I'm going to grow as a person and where I can be an individual and not be swallowed up as a part of the whole. I've been to Penn State once, for the blue-white spring game two years ago. I had a great time tailgating and sitting watching the game. I just don't see myself  as 1 out of another 39,000 undergrads. I'm sure at Penn State you can be an individual, in fact I know you can be. But I wouldn't fit in there. It may be Happy Valley, but I don't think I'd be very happy in that valley. I think I'd be much happier waking up with New York City as my campus. At Fordham i would be 1 out of 9,000 undergrads and at St. John's 1 out of 15,000. I feel that I would fit in better in New York.

I don't mean for that to bash Penn State at all. My cousin Andy goes to Penn State and he absolutely loves it. But me and Andy are polar opposites of each other. I'm sure Penn State has kids like me, hell they might have 5,000 guys like me. But I like to think none of them are the same as me. And I don't think a single person will ever understand why I don't buy into Penn State.

Yes they have great alumni connections and yes you can show up to any game at Beaver Stadium and be greeted by 100,000 other Nittany Lion fans. That isn't what I'm looking for though.

The video I mentioned before wasn't about Penn State though, It was about Joe Pa. I'll leave the link for you so you can watch it if you haven't already seen it and then I'll leave my comments on it after.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIXCvTH8844

Jay Paterno starts off by saying he is proud to look at his driver's license and see the same name his father had. That's special. To feel that strongly about your father and the name he has created for himself, it's evident that Joe Paterno was something special. Not just to the football players either. He impacted an entire school for more than 40 years.

He goes on to mention a story from when Joe was in college and he took a stand against a fellow fraternity brother who was denying admittance to a Jewish student. Joe took the blame for placing the black ball in the ballot box and covered up for the real black baller. That's something that speaks volumes to me. the fact that he was willing to come across as the bad guy so that someone else wouldn't have to own up to what they had done. Joe Paterno was special at an early age, that much is evident.

The next story came from Joe's high school years. Even in high school Joe Paterno had as Jay put it, "Belief in excellence over success, excellence defined internally, success externally." I believe in that statement wholeheartedly. If you feel as though you've won, then that really is all that matters. The quote by John Adams that followed was a great quote as well.

 "No matter how high, or low my estimation in the eyes of the world. My conscience is clear."
-John Adams

Jay says Joe never sought celebrity, and that fame was accidental. I believe that 100%. Joe Paterno seemed to be a humble man. He was a man who saw that he could make a difference and he did.

I got teary eyed towards the end of the video listening to all the people thank Jay and his brother.he stories they shared with him were touching.

This video showed me, a non-Stater, just how great a man Joe Paterno was.

He was a father, a coach, a husband, a grandfather, a philanthropist, a figurehead, a Bear, a Nittany Lion, a loving man, but in the end he was just a man. A man who in his 85 years affected countless lives. He made the type of impact I would like to make someday. Sadly there will be a shadow cast on his legacy due to the actions of another man. And looking back there might have been more Joe pa could have done. But for every person who chooses to remember him for that, there are many, many more who remember him for the great things he did. We're only human after all, and our flaws come out eventually. Unfortunately being the figurehead he was, Joe's flaws are magnified and he was vilified. Joe Paterno is no villain though. He was, and will always be, one of the most influential people ever.

This blog is quite long, but I hope I got my point across on how I feel about Joe Paterno and Penn State. I respect Joe Paterno so much, and hope to one day make an impact like he did. And as for Penn State, it's a great place to go to school. A great place to learn, and a great place to spend 4 years making memories.

Back to the topic of prom for a second though, I'm lost. Dave has a date, Ty knows who he's going to ask, and I think I know who Jared's going to ask. I'm still clueless as to who I'm gonna ask though. I'm sure it'll work its way out. I have 3 months to find a date... okay less than that because soon the number of available dates will be severely reduced. I'm not worried though...trust me I'm not...I'm really not...

I know of one mother who wants me to take her daughter to prom... just kidding that's like something out of an 80's film...or is it?

Wow I've be at this way too long.

Hope you enjoy.

NP: The Motto- Drake