#penn state football events

[bobby-r2d2-floyd]

behind the glass part one | (tgm x nhl)

note: i've finally sat down long enough to actually write this and im so excited that it's finally here!

warnings: a few swear words, nothing too bad. not a lot of dialogue, mostly background stuff, time jumping, mentions of the covid-19 pandemic

beta'd by the lovely @sarahsmi13s

word count: 4.2k

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The first time your parents took you to a hockey game, it was 2008 and you were 13 years old. You remember it was glass seats, home-shoots-twice side right off to the left of the net for the Pittsburgh Penguins in Mellon Arena, affectionately named The Igloo for the white domed top and it being home to the Penguins. 

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins Two Headed Monster, had a combined 68 goals and 148 assists that season. They both racked up career 100 goals with Crosby earning his 200th career assist and 300th career point. Malkin earned the Art Ross trophy as well as the Conn Smythe trophy with a nod to the Hart Memorial trophy, whereas Crosby only received a nod for the Mark Messier Leadership Award. 

The Penguins had a decent regular season that year as a team. 45 wins to their 37 losses (28 in regulation and 9 in overtime) but they went on to beat the Philadelphia Flyers, then the Washington Capitals, then the Hurricanes over in Raleigh before finally beating the Detroit Red Wings for the Stanley Cup at the Joe Louis Arena.

Your dad used to joke that you didn’t blink the entire time that you were there, not even during the intermissions between periods. From that moment forward, you were hooked. Hockey consumed your life, you begged your parents for the chance to go again, and again, and again. You went to every home game that took place on weekends. The glass seats were a gift as a back to school surprise, but you never minded sitting further back if it meant you had a better view of the ice. 

Over the next 12 years you must have attended nearly 500 games (professional and college), and when you weren't at the games, you were watching them on TV. You, with the help of your parents and grandparents, cultivated your childhood around the sport. Games, practices, meet-the-players events… you attended as much as you could; you even played on a rec team for a bit. 

In high school you convinced the head of the newspaper to let you write all four years instead of just your junior and senior years. You specialized in sports, aside from hockey, you were well educated with baseball and football. You graduated high school with a full ride to Penn State University where you double majored in digital journalism and telecommunications and received a certificate in sports journalism. 

You thanked whatever god there was above that you managed to bag a position with the Penguins as an assistant photographer for the team. You became a permanent fixture on your favorite team during year one of their back-to-back Stanley Cups, one away at San Jose (2016) and the second one at Nashville (2017) and you were just as over the moon as the players were as you watched Sidney lift the cup for the third time in the last decade. 

As you made your way onto the ice, you threw some of the Predators players condolences and “good game [insert player here]” as they worked their way off the ice. 

You had developed a close bond with the Russian half of the Monster, and with his wife at home with their newborn son, you made sure to facetime her as Geno skated up to you with the cup, cheering to her in their native tongue. You leave him to talk to his wife while you go off and take pictures of the rest of the players and staff that made it out to Nashville while they’re still celebrating on the ice before moving into the locker room. 

The summer of 2017 was a whirlwind event. 

Between attending cup celebrations for the friends you made on the team and then almost immediately getting right back to it with pre-season at the Penguins practice facility, UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, in Cranberry. 

On a rare day off, you and fellow Penguins photographer Leland Hawkins were at PNC Park watching the Pirates play the Cubs when the news came through.

“Jesus Christ.” you mumble as you look at your phone screen.

“What?” Leland asks, eyes not leaving the field as she shovels popcorn into her mouth.

“San Diego just announced that they were approved for their own NHL team and they broke ground on an arena that’s expected to be complete prior to the start of the 2020-21 season,” you paraphrase aloud as you scan the article. “We just went through a draft with Vegas and now we need to go through it again?” 

“You’re joking, right? We just lost Fleury and now we’re about to lose ANOTHER person? Unbelievable…” Lee mutters before taking your phone from you and reading the article for yourself. 

You watch as Rizzo hits a line drive to left field to take first base and you smile a bit, he was your favorite player after all, but the Pirates were the home team. Either way you would be happy with the outcome. 

Expansion drafts were never fun for anyone. You remember the hot coal feeling in your stomach as you watched Marc-Andre say his goodbyes to Sid, Geno, and Kris. Players he had known for his entire career to go somewhere completely new. 

“I hope I never get asked to go somewhere new. I don’t think I could ever leave this view,” you say as you kick your feet up on the seat in front of you, stealing Leland’s popcorn as you look out past the outfield to the Allegheny River and the Pittsburgh Skyline. For it being Father’s Day, the park wasn’t that packed considering the weather was absolutely beautiful. 

“Yeah I think I could. Isn’t there a Navy base in San Diego? All the hot seamen.” 

“Is there even a market for another team there? There’s already three teams in California, two of them are not even three hours away.” you say before cheering as Rizzo crosses home plate, bringing the score to 3-0, Cubs. 

“New York has two basically next door to each other and then there’s the New Jersey team, ALSO right there.” Leland tries to rationalize and you shake your head.

“Madison Square Garden is in Manhattan and the Barclays Center is in Brooklyn, there’s a forty-ish minute difference and the Prudential Center is an hour away from Madison,” you correct her before standing. “Want anything from concession?” 

“Get me a beer please? And why do you know all that?”

“I make it my job to know!” you yell back as you walk away from her. 

While in line, you scan through the article again. The old Pechanga Arena will be demolished and then rebuilt to become a new top of the line facility, not too much different from the newer Little Ceasar’s Arena in Detroit, and will only be a 15 minute highway drive from Petco Park. 

You shake your head and slip your phone back into your pocket before ordering two beers and a couple of pretzels before pressing the thought of another expansion team to the back of your mind. 

The rest of the game flies by and the Pirates lost the series 7-1 which you weren’t surprised by. Tthe Cubs are a good team who’re just coming off the tail end of winning the World Series only eight months prior. 

The news of another expansion was the talk of the locker room the next time you were at the Sports Complex. You were sitting in the hallway leading up to the locker room taking pictures when a little blond boy came running up to you.

“Lens!” You hear and you have barely enough time to set your camera down before you’re being knocked over by Nikita Malkin.

“Nik! What are you doing here?” you laugh as you wrap your arms around him.

“Gonna skate with daddy,” he says, his English is good but you know that Anna and Geno speak Russian primarily at home. 

“That’ll be fun, gonna score some goals on Muzz?” He nods and you smile, “Good, score one for me.” you say before he bounces off and you manage to get a few photos of him and Geno walking down the hallway. 

During the first half of the 2017-18 season the Pens were 19-21 and 28-14 in the back half. They managed to take second in the metropolitan division and head into the playoffs, where, unfortunately they had a second round exit after losing to the Capitals in game six. 

As sad as you were for the team to go early, you were thankful for the opportunity to take a bit of a break. You and Leland were able to travel around Europe for a few months before reporting back to Pennsylvania before the players were due to return. 

You were taking some pictures of new players’ jerseys that were hanging up when you heard the door open. You look over and see the captain standing there and you give him a small smile. 

“Hey Sid. Ready to be back?” you ask as you move over to the next stall.

“Oh yeah, hopefully we’ll make it past round two this year,” he says and he takes a seat and starts pulling stuff out of his duffle that he had slung around his shoulder. 

“Well, you never know. I’m just glad Ovechkin can finally shut up now about not having a cup,” you say and he laughs. His rivalry with the Russian has always been a big thing on the ice, but off you knew that the two were friends. 

“Right, happy for him though,” he says before looking over at you. “What happened to Leland? Doesn’t she usually do this?” 

“She actually moved to Denver. So it’s just me now. Well, at least until my assistant gets here.” you say and he laughs.

“A promotion? Good for you. You always deserved it.” He hesitates, “No offense to Lee.” 

You smile and nod, “I’m sure she wouldn’t take any offense, Sid. How was your off season?”

“It was good, Nate and I did a lot around Cole Harbour. Spent a lot of time relaxing at home, played a bit with Taylor while she was in town. What about you?”

“Went to a lot of Pirates games, helped Lee move, spent a lot of time outside with my younger siblings, hung out with some of the WAGs that stayed in town..” you say before taking a seat next to him. “Did you read that on top of the San Diego expansion, Seattle is getting a team now too? Making the even 32 teams and odd 33? Wonder who will be next.”

“Yeah I heard… It’s weird though, that Bettman has allowed so many expansions.”

“It’s Bettman, are you surprised? Why does he do half the shit he does?” You roll your eyes, your disdain for the NHL Commissioner very evident on your face. 

“Don’t say that too loud, he might hear you,” he bumps your shoulder and you laugh.

“Right, the last thing I need is to be fired, or worse… transferred.”

“Hey, you work for Mario and he loves you. He won’t let you leave.” Sidney tells you and you can tell he’s being honest. Crosby may be many things, but a liar? Never.

You notice the proximity between the two of you and you take a deep breath, his cologne filling your senses before you clear your throat and stand up. “I uh.. I’ll leave you to change. See you on the ice, Cap.” 

You shake the thought of being so close to him off, he’s Sidney Crosby and you’re just a photographer for the team. 

You wait for Sid to take the ice before moving down to the bench so you can get pictures of him without the glass being in the way. 

You remember the day that he got drafted to the Penguins in 2005, you remember all the things that everyone had said about him, “he was going to save the Penguins”. All the injuries he had, all the concussions, the year of missed games… He was one of the best skaters in the game after some of the legends. Watching him skate is the reason that you took up skating yourself, he was your on ice hero but you would never tell him that. 

After taking some pictures of him skating, you make your way out from behind the bench so you can head up to your office and get started on picking what pictures to send to the digital media team. 

Before you know it, the season is already ending with a first round exit, swept by the Islanders despite winning 44 games in the regular season. 

By the time March of 2020 rolled around, the Penguins had 40 wins and 29 losses, a comeback that they needed. 

Until everything came to a standstill. 

Commissioner Bettman paused the season due to the threat of Covid-19. All non-essential positions were suspended due to the virus. 

For the next four months you didn’t leave your home. All groceries were ordered from people who were brave enough to do Shipt, you taught yourself how to actually cook, spent a lot of time talking to your parents over Zoom, you started to write more, making mock articles to get back into the swing of the journalism aspect of your job again. 

By the time that July had come around there were two hub cities named for the play-offs, Toronto and Edmonton. You traveled with the Penguins to Toronto for the modified tournament but left after the Canadiens knocked out the Penguins after three games.

September 28, 2020 the Lightning were crowned Stanley Cup Champions, and the 20-21 season began officially on January 13, 2021. Only 56 games would be played before the Cup would be returned to the Lightning again only a few short months later. 

The San Diego expansion draft took place just after Stamkos raised the cup for the second time. 

You watched as players got drafted to the San Diego Tomcats, shocked as some teams traded away some of their best skaters, knowing that they didn’t go lightly. Just like what happened with Vegas when Fleury left, you felt a sinking feeling in your chest. 

You watched as the last six players were drafted: first was Bradley Bradshaw, center from the Capitals; Reuben Fitch, left defense from the Predators; Mickey Garcia, left wing from the Rangers; Jake Seresin, right wing from the Stars [you rolled your eyes at his name, good luck Tomcats]; Javy Machado, right defense from the Bruins; and the fortieth man drafted was Robert Floyd, goalie from the Blues. 

Floyd and Bradshaw were the two you recognized the most between the six of them. Both were on cup winning teams in the last five years so you were surprised to see them there, but then again they weren’t the only Cup winners on the team, some guy named Brigham Lennox from the Lightning was also there. He was going to be a cocky asshole. 

You were driving into PPG Paints the next morning when you got the phone call, it was a number you didn’t recognize so you were hesitant when you finally did answer.

“Hello?”

“Hello, is this Y/N Champaign?” a deep voice asked from the other side and you sucked in a breath before answering.

“This is.”

“My name is Beau Simpson, I’m calling to inform you that you’re being relocated to San Diego. You’ll need to be here when players report for training.” he says and you pull over to the side of the road.

“Sir I’m employed directly with the Penguins, not the NHL-”

“Oh I know. You’re being sent over by recommendation of Mario Lemieux.”

“Oh.” 

“I know you’re comfortable with the Penguins, I know that you’re from Pittsburgh so it’ll be hard leaving home. But I’ve seen your work both on the ice and off, as well as behind the glass. You’re talented and as a new team, we could use some talent everywhere it counts.” he says, and you throw your head back against your seat.

“Of course, sir. I’ll be on a plane before the afternoon.” you tell him and you can hear the relief in his voice.

“Wonderful. Bradley Bradshaw will meet you at the gate, he was the first one here so he can get you to the facility.”

“I’m assuming this is an office phone, so I’ll email you the details of my flight.”

“Don’t worry about it, Mario already has them. I’ll pass your number along to Bradshaw.” he says before the line goes dead and you look at your phone as the line disconnects. 

You pull back into the road and continue your drive, the last one to PPG Paints as a home team member. 

Mario is in his office when you make your way upstairs. A gentle knock on the glass alerts him to your presence and he gives you a smile, “come in.”

“Beau Simpson called me while I was on my way over.” you tell him as you sit down across from him.

“Yeah, he called me last night. I’m sorry I didn’t-”

You hold your hand up and stop him, “don’t worry about it. It’s… okay. It’ll suck leaving the team and everyone behind but new opportunities, right? Plus it’ll be nice seeing the sun for longer than three out of twelve months.” you joke and he cracks a smile and laughs with you.

“You’ll be missed.”

“I know.” 

He passes you an envelope and it has your last check as well as a flight itinerary and contract for the Tomcats for you to read through on the plane. “Well, I’m sure you have some owner stuff to do so I’m gonna go say bye to the team.” 

He stands and pulls you in for a hug, you were close with everyone, players and staff, so it wasn’t surprising when he pulled you in gently. “I’m gonna miss you, kid.” 

You pull away and give him a gentle squeeze on his arm before walking out of the office and down to the ice, stopping along the way to say goodbye to familiar faces in the hallways. 

You take a look out to the ice, you watch as the team laughs and smiles, passing the pucks to each other as they all run their own drills. Coach Sullivan is the first person to notice you, skating over and leaning against the boards. 

“No camera today?”

“No.. not today… or tomorrow… or next week.” you say and his smile drops. 

“No, where to?”

“San Diego.” 

“Well, they just got a great person added to their team, it sucks it comes at our loss.” he says before blowing his whistle, getting the attention of all the players. Sidney is the first to skate over to you, slowing down before hitting the boards.

“What’s going on?” 

“I’m being relocated. So I just wanted to come by and say goodbye to the team.” you tell him with a sad smile. He opens the gate for you and you set down your paper work on the bench before taking his hand and stepping onto the ice. 

One by one, all players new and old (mostly old) pull you in for a tight hug, ignoring the sting of the hard pads digging into you at odd angles. You laugh as Geno hauls you into the air before setting you back down on the ice, only slipping a little bit but he’s quick to steady you. 

After wrapping up your goodbyes, you head back to your apartment and pack up just the necessities before meeting your mom downstairs. 

“You ready sweetheart?” she asks, helping you with your camera bags and you sigh.

“As ready as I’ll ever be to move away from the two homes I’ve ever known.” you tell her and she gives you a small smile. 

“You’re going to be just fine over there.” 

“I know, it's just… this city means so much to me. It’ll suck only being back for a few games a season.”

“And holidays.” she says and you laugh.

“And holidays.” you confirm and she smiles.

The drive to the airport went too quick for your liking and before you knew it, you were in the air above the steel city, watching as the skyline and the yellow bridges fade into the distance. 

Six hours later you were landing in Fightertown, USA. Stiff from the flight, you do your best to work out all the kinks and cracks that your body goes through as you walk over to baggage claim. It’s easy to find your gear bags due to the giant Penguins logo on the sides, and the small bright yellow suitcase came shortly after. 

You turned your phone back on and the first notification that you get is from an unknown number and a text that reads

Waiting for you at the Starbucks in term. 2. See you soon! -Rooster

“Rooster? Who the fuck is that?” you mumble before making your way to the Starbucks. You do a quick scan of the area, you know what Bradley looks like, so you know that none of the people around you are him. 

15 minutes go by when an out of breath, lanky brunette walks up to you.

“I am so sorry I’m late, I was here but then I had to go to the bathroom and then there was some kids that recognized me and-”

“Take a breath, I’m not mad.”

“Okay, give me a minute,” he takes a few deep breaths before holding out his hand, “I’m Bradley Bradshaw, or Rooster, if you want.”

“Rooster?” you ask, his palm large and warm against your own as you introduce yourself as well and you take the moment to take him in, his brown hair is already sun bleached at the front and he dons a pornstache that he somehow manages to pull off.

“Yeah, Ovi started calling me that when I joined the Caps so..” 

“Oh trust me, I am well versed with Ovi nicknames. He used to call me chicken because my family had chickens a few years ago.. He’s the one who started calling me Lens, actually.” you say as you stand up and pull the handle up on your suitcase.

Bradley is taking the strap of your gear bag when you grab it from him and he looks at you wide eyed.

“Sorry it's just.. There’s a lot of expensive equipment and-”

“Hey, it’s okay. I get it. Would you rather carry it or…?” 

“Yeah, sorry I know it's weird and I know everything is packed really well, but I know it was probably thrown around during loading and unloading.” you say and he gives you a small smile. 

“Well, then I’m taking this.” he says as he takes the handle of your suitcase from you. “Welcome to San Diego, Lens.” he says as you make your way to the front where his Bronco is waiting for you. 

You two make idle small talk as he makes the short drive from the airport to where the new Pechanga Arena is located.

“It’s going to be weird not seeing you in the Caps uniform anymore.” you say as you climb out of the car and he laughs. 

“Yeah, but it’ll be nice to see you everyday now.” he says and you notice the flirty smile on his face and you roll your eyes. 

“Just remember to smile for the camera, Bradshaw.” you chirp back to him as he opens the door for you. 

Standing in the vestibule of the arena, you take everything in. The Navy timeline that wraps around the wall, the Top Gun memorabilia that's displayed behind glass. Bronze statues of the old San Diego Gulls members standing proudly. Bradley gives you a gentle nudge before looking up and you do the same, a replica F-14 Tomcat is hanging, wings in, right above your head. 

“Wow… I’ve been to Little Caesars many times over the years, for various reasons, so I knew a little bit of what to expect but this is… Amazing.” 

The two of you wander down into the bowl seating and you watch as the ice gets painted, the steel blue and slate gray of the logo is being carefully brushed onto the stark white ice. You follow him around the rest of the arena, a small tour of the locker room where there’s various players in a state of undress after a voluntary workout before going to the offices. 

Your office was a bit bigger than the one at PPG, the only difference was the F-14 that was painted on the wall instead of the Penguin from the 90’s that you loved so much. 

“Simpson, Coach Kazansky and the rest of the coaching staff are going to be waiting in the review room whenever you’re ready. It’s down the hall to the left, and then it's the third door on the right.” Bradley says before leaving you to settle in.

You pull out your phone and send a quick text to your mom that you landed just fine and were already settling into your new office before you put your hands on your hips and let out a sigh as you looked around, it’ll be a long road of making your office comfortable like it was back home, but you honestly couldn’t wait to see what this new city would bring you. 

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[lboogie1906]

Charles L. Blockson (born December 16, 1933) is a historian, author, bibliophile, and collector of books, historical documents, art, and other materials related to the history and culture of African Americans, continental Africans, and the African diaspora throughout the rest of the world. He curated two university collections related to the study of African-American history and culture: the Charles L. Blockson Collection of African-Americana and the African Diaspora at Pennsylvania State University and the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University. Born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, he is the oldest of eight children born to Charles and Annie Blockson. During a history lesson his fourth-grade teacher, a white woman, asserted that "Negroes have no history. They were born to serve white people." He went home and told his parents, who assured him that African American people do have a history and taught him about prominent African-American men and women. That statement launched his lifelong journey to unearth, collect, and preserve the history, culture, and contributions of African descendants. Book-collecting excursions led him to the Salvation Army, antique shops, church bazaars, and Philadelphia, where he discovered many bookstores. He became well-known among book and artifact dealers, and his passion for collecting has taken him around the world, inspired him to write books, and made him one of the foremost experts on the Underground Railroad. Educated in Norristown Area School District, he excelled in athletics, including football and track and field. A star athlete at Norristown High School and Penn State University, he won state and national honors and participated in the Penn Relays. While in high school and college, he would go to bookstores when traveling to participate in sports events. He is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and has three honorary doctorate degrees from Lincoln University, Holy Family University, and Villanova University. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/CmOo4DUrP5E/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[mullet-man05]

ANOTHER COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME DAY

STARTING IT OFF RIGHT WITH OHIO STATE – PENN STATE

GETTING WARMED UP FOR THE MAIN EVENT, OREGON – MICHIGAN

[watchworldlive]

Will Levis' Girlfriend: Who Is the Mysterious Lady Behind the Star QB?

Many are keeping their eyes on Will Levis, the rising star in the NFL. His undeniable brilliance on the field is a testament to his skills that remain unmatched, but viewers are also curious about knowing the woman who has caught the eye of the athlete off the field. So, who's Will Levis' girlfriend, and why does she receive so much attention? If you ever were curious about the mystery woman, you are not alone. Her life outside Will Levis' football career and how she supports one of the league's hottest new quarterbacks.

Will Levis: A Quick Recap

Before getting the details into Will Levis' girlfriend, let us touch on why the QB is such a big deal. Because of the commotion he caused in college football, Will Levis started playing for Penn State before transferring to the University of Kentucky, where he easily became one of the top quarterbacks, known for his rocket arm, football IQ, and expertise as a leader. Of course, with victory comes attention, and fans can't help but wonder: who's standing by his side in the spotlight?

Who Is Will Levis' Girlfriend?

Now, for the juiciest part—who is Will Levis' girlfriend? Although Will has managed to keep most of his personal life pretty private, we do know that Gia Duddy is Will Levis' girlfriend; she is also quite a popular social media influencer and college student. The two have apparently been together for a pretty long time since they often pop up on each other's feeds on Instagram. If you are keeping up with Will Levis meteoric rise in the football world, you may have noticed Gia cheering him on from the stands every step of the way.

Gia Duddy: Beyond "Will Levis' Girlfriend"

Not everybody knows Gia just as Will Levis' girlfriend. Gia is actually living life to the fullest! Gia currently attends Penn State University and is building a personal brand through social media. With thousands of followers on Instagram and TikTok, Gia is riding a tide of fame. She talks of her adventures, lifestyle tips, and peeking into her relationship with Will-all without giving too much away, of course. So, she's not just riding on her boyfriend's fame; she's carving her own path.

How Did They Meet?

As many people are wondering how Gia Duddy and Will Levis met, it just so happens they met back in their college days. Both will be attending Penn State University when they met and started dating. While Will did transfer to Kentucky for further professional development, so to speak, in football, this long-distance doesn't seem to have hurt the relationship all that much. Instead, it brought them closer, showing the world that they are more than being a part of the glamorous life of the football world.

Long-Distance Love

Things are not easy, of course, considering a long-distance relationship; with one half being a college athlete and now a professional football player. But Will and Gia made the best out of it. They have been open about how they make the best out of their relationship. Most of the time, they're visiting each other, making schedules for trips in between Will's football games and Gia's school. If that's not relationship goals, we don't know what is!

How Does She Keep Up With Him?

Everyone has a good support system behind their success story, and Will Levis is no exception. Gia was seen cheering him off in his games, whether high-stake matches or casual team events. She has also stated how proud she is to see Will through her social media accounts and makes sure everyone knows that she's not just there for the fame; she cares about him and his success. Game Day Cheerleader: Gia frequently sits in the stands flaunting her Will jersey colors, cheering him on as if he were her favorite player.

Emotional Support: Being an NFL superstar cannot be easy, and Gia has apparently kept Will's head game after game. It seems she's been there to support Will through all the wins and losses.

Public but Private: While Gia is extremely active on social media, Gia and Will keep much of their relationship private. They share a little glimpse of life together but don't overshare to keep their relationship real and not for the consumption of the public.

Why are people so interested in Will Levis' Girlfriend?

Let's face it-hear about celebrity relationships! But with Will Levis and Gia Duddy, there is a little more depth of interest. Will Levis shifted from being a college football standout into being one of the new NFL stars, which put him in the limelight, and naturally, fans want to know more about his person who has been by his side through it all. There's something mystique about Gia because she fills Will's life without overshadowing his accomplishments.

Social Curiosity

This generation of fans is accustomed to staying abreast of their favorite athletes' lives on social media. So, when Will hasn't been posting much on Instagram and Twitter, followers have had to rely on Gia's social media posts to learn about their love story. From cute captions to pictures from their vacations, Gia gives a glimpse behind the scenes of their lives together—though not too revealing, of course!

Conclusion

While dominating the football field is Will Levis, an unsuspecting love interest in his private life is Gia Duddy. She can be said to be the most influential person in his life even from college days to the time when Will's career in the NFL keeps on coming to the forefront while furthering her interests and goals. Their love life is this refreshing reminder that love can thrive under public scrutiny and behind every star athlete is a partner who keeps them grounded. Fans will of course follow along with Will's journey on the gridiron, but many will also keep an eye on the woman who has stood by his side through it all: Game-day cheering to social media snaps, Gia Duddy is proving to be a whole lot more than just "Will Levis' girlfriend."

[templefade-blog]

Penn State White Out Game: History and Highlights

The Penn State White Out game is one of the most iconic events in college football. This spectacle, known for its sea of white-clad fans, electrifying atmosphere, and unforgettable moments, has become a staple in the sport. This article delves into the history and highlights of the Penn State White Out game, exploring key moments and why it holds such significance. The Origins of the White…

[southjerseyweb]

Penn State NIL Collective to Host Major Fundraising Event in New Jersey - Sports Illustrated

Penn State football coach James Franklin will headline Happy Valley United's We Are at the Shore NIL event in New Jersey.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 2.1 (after 1950)

1950 – The first prototype of the MiG-17 makes its maiden flight. 1957 – Northeast Airlines Flight 823 crashes on Rikers Island in New York City, killing 20 people and injuring 78 others. 1960 – Four black students stage the first of the Greensboro sit-ins at a lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. 1964 – The Beatles have their first number one hit in the United States with "I Want to Hold Your Hand". 1968 – Vietnam War: The execution of Viet Cong officer Nguyễn Văn Lém by South Vietnamese National Police Chief Nguyễn Ngọc Loan is recorded on motion picture film, as well as in an iconic still photograph taken by Eddie Adams. 1968 – Canada's three military services, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force, are unified into the Canadian Forces. 1968 – The New York Central Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad are merged to form Penn Central Transportation. 1972 – Kuala Lumpur becomes a city by a royal charter granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. 1974 – A fire in the 25-story Joelma Building in São Paulo, Brazil kills 189 and injures 293. 1979 – Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returns to Tehran after nearly 15 years of exile. 1981 – The Underarm bowling incident of 1981 occurred when Trevor Chappell bowls underarm on the final delivery of a game between Australia and New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). 1991 – A runway collision between USAir Flight 1493 and SkyWest Flight 5569 at Los Angeles International Airport results in the deaths of 34 people, and injuries to 30 others. 1992 – The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bhopal court declares Warren Anderson, ex-CEO of Union Carbide, a fugitive under Indian law for failing to appear in the Bhopal disaster case. 1996 – The Communications Decency Act is passed by the U.S. Congress. 1998 – Rear Admiral Lillian E. Fishburne becomes the first female African American to be promoted to rear admiral. 2002 – Daniel Pearl, American journalist and South Asia Bureau Chief of The Wall Street Journal, kidnapped on January 23, is beheaded and mutilated by his captors. 2003 – Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during the reentry of mission STS-107 into the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts aboard. 2004 – Hajj pilgrimage stampede: In a stampede at the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, 251 people are trampled to death and 244 injured. 2004 – Double suicide attack in Erbil on the offices of Iraqi Kurdish political parties by members of Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad. 2005 – King Gyanendra of Nepal carries out a coup d'état to capture the democracy, becoming Chairman of the Councils of ministers. 2007 – The National Weather Service in the United States switches from the Fujita scale to the new Enhanced Fujita scale to measure the intensity and strength of tornadoes. 2009 – The first cabinet of Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir was formed in Iceland, making her the country's first female prime minister and the world's first openly gay head of government. 2012 – Seventy-four people are killed and over 500 injured as a result of clashes between fans of Egyptian football teams Al Masry and Al Ahly in the city of Port Said. 2013 – The Shard, the sixth-tallest building in Europe, opens its viewing gallery to the public. 2021 – A coup d'état in Myanmar removes Aung San Suu Kyi from power and restores military rule. 2022 – Five-year-old Moroccan boy Rayan Aourram falls into a 32-meter (105 feet) deep well in Ighran village in Tamorot commune, Chefchaouen Province, Morocco, but dies four days later, before rescue workers reached him.

[wikiuntamed]

On this day in Wikipedia: Wednesday, 20th December

Welcome, ยินดีต้อนรับ (yin dee dtôn rab), ようこそ (yōkoso), ongi etorri 🤗 What does @Wikipedia say about 20th December through the years 🏛️📜🗓️?

20th December 2022 🗓️ : Death - Franco Harris Franco Harris, American football player (b. 1950) "Franco Harris (March 7, 1950 – December 20, 2022) was an American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions and was selected by the Steelers in the first..."

Image licensed under CC BY 2.0? by Governor Tom Wolf from Harrisburg, PA

20th December 2014 🗓️ : Death - John Freeman (British politician) John Freeman, English lawyer, politician, and diplomat, British Ambassador to the United States (b. 1915) "Major John Horace Freeman , PC (19 February 1915 – 20 December 2014) was a British politician, diplomat, broadcaster and British Army officer. He was the Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford from 1945 to 1955...."

Image by Bassano Ltd

20th December 2013 🗓️ : Death - Pyotr Bolotnikov Pyotr Bolotnikov, Russian runner (b. 1930) "Pyotr Grigoryevich Bolotnikov (Russian: Пётр Григо́рьевич Боло́тников; 8 March 1930 – 20 December 2013) was a Soviet Track and field athlete who competed mainly in long-distance running events. He was the winner of the 10,000 metres at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Born in Zinovkino, Krasnoslobodsky..."

20th December 1973 🗓️ : Event - Assassination of Luis Carrero Blanco Assassination of Luis Carrero Blanco: A car bomb planted by ETA in Madrid kills three people, including the Prime Minister of Spain, Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco. "The assassination of Luis Carrero Blanco, also known by its code name Operación Ogro (English: Operation Ogre), had far-reaching consequences within the politics of Spain. Admiral Carrero Blanco, who was also the prime minister at the time, was killed in Madrid by the Basque separatist group ETA on..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0? by Heralder

20th December 1922 🗓️ : Birth - William Soeryadjaya William Soeryadjaya, Chinese-Indonesian businessman and co-founder of Astra International (d. 2010) "William Soeryadjaya, a.k.a. Tjia Kian Liong (Chinese: 謝建隆; pinyin: Xiè Jiànlóng; Wade–Giles: Hsieh4 Chien4-lung2; 20 December 1922 – 2 April 2010), also known as Oom (Uncle) Willem, born in Majalengka, was a Chinese Indonesian businessman who co-founded Astra International, Indonesia's largest..."

20th December 1820 🗓️ : Death - John Bell (farmer) John Bell, American farmer (b. 1750) "John Bell Sr (1750 – December 19, 1820) was an American farmer whose death was attributed to supernatural causes. He is a central figure in the Bell Witch ghost story of southern American folklore. In 1817, Bell contracted a mysterious affliction that worsened over the next three years, ultimately..."

Image

20th December 🗓️ : Holiday - International Human Solidarity Day (International) "International Human Solidarity Day (IHSD), observed on December 20, is an international annual unity day of the United Nations and its member states. Its main goal is to recognize the universal value of solidarity by making member states aware of global objectives and initiatives to reduce poverty..."

[brandonmcadory17]

Due to internal conflicts as to whether college conference commissioners, an NCAA president and/or professional sports commissioners can and should impose severe penalties and lay the hammer down by handing down serious punishments for college programs and professional sports teams who knowingly cheat against others just to unfairly gain advantage, I have decided to not have anything to do with people on Discord, Instagram, Twitch and YouTube anymore because instead of having to hold Michigan responsible for allowing the impermissible recruiting and scouting taking place on purpose, they decide to deem me as a selfish ass person and accuse me of going after Michigan for no apparent reason when they could have and should have read the rules and we could have meaningful conversations about it instead of having to disrespect me for something that has absolutely nothing to do with them because at the end of the day sending strong messages to teams for cheating is just the way it should be whether God or anybody else from in person and on the Internet likes it or not. Having God being present is the most important thing to do, but God has dropped the ball Today because instead of following suit with the Big Ten in punishing the Michigan Wolverines in college football for impermissible scouting in regards to Connor Stalions , God has decided to look the other way and gave Michigan a victory over Penn State in a 24 - 15 score because of other people's feelings. He could have stood his ground into punishing Michigan rather than rewarding them and I'm just disappointed in him about that because he could have and should have enforced punishment towards Michigan rather than listening to people on social media who clearly and personally hate Michigan State because they probably didn’t like what Michigan State was able to do in the last decade in college football and if Michigan State was able to do something great in college football in 2021, then why Michigan State wasn’t to do able to do so in 2022 and in 2023? Because God has looked the other way and reward the people who bitch moan and groan when he didn’t really have to do that because all they do is disrespect about fucking sports events that clearly have nothing to do with them. As a result, I have announced that I have decided to refuse to root for the Detroit Lions from the NFL and Michigan Wolverines in college football because all certain people from the internet do is get personal about Michigan State having to be a success football program while having to push me away just for to have something to do with my dad without giving me anything in return. Me and certain people on social media could have had meaningful conversations about holding my father accountable and responsible for simply crossing the line while giving him second chances and not giving me a golden opportunity to tell my side of any occasions whatsoever and I’m sick and tired of IT. All they do is play some sort of game with me. I don’t wanna hear about people complaining about me not wanting to go to Ann Arbor, Michigan to watch Michigan Football and not being in Detroit to go see the Detroit Lions when I clearly have a right to have absolutely nothing to do with it. Can WE JUST do something without HIM? Jesus Christ. It’s no wonder I couldn’t figure people out. From now on, I should never ever have anything to do with people who are on Discord, Instagram, Twitch and YouTube who like to incentivize cheating in sports because they just don’t care about being fair about Michigan and Michigan State, they just simply despise me because all they want to do is cover for Michigan football and refused to go back and read the apologize when I’m right. Michigan has no business having a 10-0 as they already have as they want to,do is to distract. Give me a God damn break!!!

[yatescountyhistorycenter]

The spirit of '75

By Jonathan Monfiletto

The Penn Yan Academy Athletic Hall of Fame recently inducted two groups of people who never threw a touchdown, hit a homerun, kicked a goal, shot a basket, or anything of that sort – at least not in this capacity – yet nevertheless had a tremendous impact on the school district’s athletics programs and student-athletes that continues today.

Formed in the wake of defeated budgets that saw the school district limited to austerity spending, the ’75 Club – started before the beginning of the 1975-1976 school year – and the Activities Booster Club, or ABC Club – started 16 years later for the 1991-1992 school year – both kept school sports going when athletics programs and extracurricular activities were cut from the budget.

Each time, the respective group set a certain fundraising goal to fund an entire school year’s worth of sports teams. Each time, community members, local businesses, and parents rallied around the group to exceed its fundraising goal and support the sports teams. Each time, the group received thanks and praise from those involved with the Penn Yan Mustangs.

The first mention of the ’75 Club comes from the August 28, 1975 edition of The Chronicle-Express, when the district unveiled its austerity spending plan following the third time in three months its budget had been voted down. Because of this rejection, interscholastic athletic programs, transportation beyond mandated limits, student supplies, and some equipment purchases were prohibited from the budget. However, the purchase of six new buses was permitted because voters had approved that proposition.

A sidebar to the larger article noted the ’75 Club, which had previously approached the Board of Education and sought permission to raise money for sports programs, had already received $1,419 toward its goal of raising $2,000 by September 1 and a total of $5,160 by September 12. The group planned to fund the varsity and junior varsity football teams along with girls soccer, field hockey, cross country, junior high football, and cheerleading.

The group raised this money by accepting donations from whoever wanted to contribute and holding fundraisers, such as the first advertised event that saw Penn Yan Academy cheerleaders scooping ice cream at Seneca Farms and netted $104 for the group. The group also sold memberships – $2 for adults and $1 for students. The proceeds of admission to football games also went to the ’75 Club. The day before the final deadline, it was reported the group had exceeded its original goal for the fall sports programs by more than $1,500.

In October, the school district put up for a vote three propositions – one of which called for the expenditure of funds for interscholastic sports. Once again, though, voters rejected that plan, and once again, the ’75 Club went to work raising money for the winter and spring sports programs. The new goal was set at $10,687; three football games netted $4,000 in ticket sales toward that goal, with two games left to go by the end of October.

When the school board officially approved the ’75 Club’s plan to fund the winter and spring sports programs, as The Chronicle-Express reported on November 20, that number was listed as $12,740. The article states the group had raised $8,495; $5,710 of that amount funded the fall sports teams, and $2,785 was left over to go toward the winter and spring effort.

By April 1976, that effort had once again been successful, and the ’75 Club wound down the year with two final fundraisers. It also aimed to shift its focus from financing school sports program to providing moral support for those programs and funding improvement projects outside of the regular school budget.

As reported in December, some of these projects included improving the track facilities and increasing seating capacity in the football stadium, so the group continued to seek memberships and donations. Later projects included reseeding and resurfacing the football field and renovating the upper sports field on the west side of the elementary school.

Sixteen years after the ’75 Club was established, a similar group came to the forefront after another rejected budget and called itself the Activities Booster Club. As The Chronicle-Express reported on August 21, 1991, the ABC Club organized to achieve a goal of providing extracurricular activities and sports programs during the 1991-1992 school year. Having received the permission of the school board, the group needed to submit the first payment of $24,108 for the fall sports season by September 4.

It planned to raise this money by holding a series of fundraisers throughout the year and by assessing each athlete $50 to participate in sports for the year. If a student couldn’t pay that money, then he or she could work off the fee by working in the community and helping out at the various fundraisers. While the ’75 Club focused solely on sports programs, the ABC Club sought to support all students in all extracurricular activities.

Once again, local businesses reached out to support the club’s fundraising efforts. The week after The Chronicle-Express announced the formation of the club, the newspaper contained an advertisement for a fundraiser hosted by Mac’s Dairy Bar – 50 cents from each flurry sold during a certain time period would go toward to club’s goal. The club also advertised an upcoming can and bottle drive.

Indeed, the ABC Club – as reported by The Chronicle-Express on September 11 – made its first payment on time. The check of a little more than $24,000 included $17,000 generated by the students themselves through the energy they put into the various fundraisers. Also, more than 1,000 individuals and 200 businesses had contributed in some way to the effort.

In October, Morgan’s Grocery advertised giving 20 cents for every gallon of homogenized or 2 percent milk sold at the store throughout the month to the ABC Club. Again, there was another can and bottle drive. Firefighters in Branchport even held one of its pancake breakfasts to benefit the club, and the Loyal Order of the Moose held a prime rib dinner for the club.

In November, five local hair salons – calling themselves the Professional Hairdressers of Penn Yan held a Cut-A-Thon. In this event, haircuts cost $6 and all of the proceeds went to the club. In December, Indian Pines Fruit Stand hosted a Christmas tree sale and divided the proceeds between the ABC Club and the Whitman Activities Club, a similar organization formed in the neighboring Marcus Whitman school district when that district’s budget was also defeated.

At the end of November, in the next-to-last mention of the 1991 Club in the newspaper aside from an ad for the tree sale, the group thanked the community for its encouragement and support. The group had met its first two payments in September and November and expected to meet the final payment in April.

The ’75 Club and the ABC Club both kept sports programs and extracurricular activities going – and thus students and the community motivated and encouraged – during difficult times for the Penn Yan school district. Now, both organizations are enshrined in the Hall of Fame along with athletes, coaches, teams, and other people and groups who have left their mark on the Penn Yan Mustangs.

[sports-teller]

New Post has been published on Sports-Teller.com!

New Post has been published on https://sports-teller.com/list-penn-state-football-2023-promo-schedule/

List of Penn State Football 2023 Promo Schedule

Which Penn State football 2023 promo schedule, white out & theme games will the Nittany Lions offer at Beaver Stadium (University Park, PA)? Prepare to be absolutely amazed by an extraordinary lineup of Penn State Nittany Lions promotions in 2023 that will ignite your senses like never before. Get ready to go on an amazing journey filled with breathtaking moments that captivate you from start to finish. List of Penn State Football 2023 Promo Schedule Are you going to a Nittany Lions game this season? Looking for a themed event to watch or a promotional day to attend? With the … Read more

[sportsnewsinusa]

The Big Ten Power Play: Assessing the Challengers and Storylines for the 2023 Season

As summer gives way to the thrill of the impending college football season, conference media days events throughout the nation signify the unofficial commencement of gridiron action. Amid this fervor, the Big Ten conference is all set to command center stage as its 14 teams convene in Indianapolis for a two-day precursor to their 2023 season campaigns. The Battle of the Titans: Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State Leading the Big Ten pack is Michigan, seeking a third consecutive conference title for the first time since the 90s. Challenging the Wolverines' dominance are formidable opponents such as Ohio State and Penn State, who are likely to top most preseason polls. Add to the fray a myriad of contenders from the Big Ten West as the conference introduces three new coaches, setting the stage for an electrifying season ahead. A Third Title in Sight for Michigan Under the leadership of head coach Jim Harbaugh, Michigan has raised the bar for expectations in the 2023 season. Boasting an impressive roster that includes starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy and arguably the country's best running back duo in Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, Michigan is tipped to comfortably navigate through most of their schedule. The team's quest for their first national title since 1997 will be put to the test in their Big Ten East confrontations with Penn State and Ohio State. Read the full article

[govandalsncaa]

#23 Vandals hold on for 35-32 win over #20 Penn State.

During his radio show this week, Coach Idaho Coach said that he wanted to see a complete game from his Idaho Vandals (4-0. 1-0) football team this week. While he didn't quite get that, he did get a gutsy effort that allowed his team to preserve their undefeated record with a 35-32 win over Penn State (3-1. 0-0).

Just like last week, Idaho started slow and fell behind 10-0 early in the 2nd Quarter. The Vandals though would answer, just like last week, scoring 14 points in the final 3:58 of the half to take a 14-10 lead into intermission.

Idaho would extend the lead to 21-10 on a Dylan Thigpen 1 yard touchdown run with 3:41 remaining in the 3rd quarter, and it felt as if the game was firmly in Idaho's grasp. But, the Nittany Lions would not go quietly. After falling behind 21-10, Penn State scored 14 points in the next 1 minute and 20 seconds to take a shocking 24-21 lead with 2:21 left in the 3rd quarter. How did they do it? After Thigpen's score to stake Idaho to an 11 point lead, the Nittany Lions responded in just 3 plays. Then, on the Vandals' ensuing possession, Akim Mills threw an interception, and just 3 plays after that Penn State found the endzone again, to take the 24-21 lead.

The Vandals were able to keep their composure, despite the stunning turn of events. On Idaho's ensuing possession, Akim Mills found a wide open Kevin Barnett for a 21 yard score to restore Idaho's lead at 28-24. After a huge defensive stop, Idaho would go up 2 scores on a Dylan Thigpen 2 yard touchdown run for a 35-24 Vandals lead with 5:37 remaining in regulation.

Penn State would once again respond. Capping a long drive with a 12 yard touchdown pass and a successful 2-point conversion, the Nittany Lions climbed to within 35-32 with 3:52 still on the clock.

Dylan Thigpen did the rest from there. Running behind his physical offensive line, Thigpen and the Vandals were able to bleed out the remaining 3:52 on the clock and hang on for a well earned 35-32 victory.

On the day, Akim Mills completed 18 of 25 passes for 207 yards, to go with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Dylan Thigpen carried the ball 31 times for 158 yards and 3 touchdowns. Kevin Barnett led the Idaho receivers with 5 catches for 76 yards and a score. Defensively, Lee Washington was the player of the day, intercepting two passes, that proved to be huge in the Idaho victory.

Coach Idaho Coach spoke with the media after the game.

"Well, I still don't think we have put it all together, but we are really glad to have won this game. Penn State is a great team. Their play calling on offense is awesome, and they were able to have us off balance for a lot of the day. It was just a battle out there, and to be honest, I'm not really sure how or why we won the game, but we did. Dylan Thigpen was huge late, and looking back, that defensive stand early in the 2nd quarter, that held them to a field goal turned out to be huge.

I thought Akim got better as the game went on, and part of that was our play calling, we didn't have a great gameplan this week, and our coaches need to be better. We have now started two games in a row behind by double digits, and frankly a lot of that had to do with our X's and O's. We will be having some extra meetings this week so that we can get on the same page.

Our fans were awesome, the recruits that were in town loved our campus, the Dome and obviously the win. Now, we get back into conference play and have to step our game up again."

Idaho travels to take on new conference foe, BYU in Provo on Saturday.

Final Score:

Vandals: 35

Penn State: 32

[casaamigosaz]

Casa- Saturday 10.19.19 Penn State game https://casaamigosaz.blogspot.com/2019/10/casa-saturday-101919-penn-state-game.html

[scotianostra]

William “Bill” Jeffrey passed away on January 7th 1966 in New York

Bill Jeffrey is a bit of a hero to some of us Scots, if there is anything better than beating the English ourselves at football, having a real connection to anyone else beating them comes a close second.

Jeffrey was born in Edinburgh on August 3rd 1892, a promising footballer his career ended before it really started through injury and he immigrated to America in 1920 where worked as a mechanic with the Altoona Railroad Shop on the then-active Pennsylvania Railroad. The shop’s employees, like those of many businesses and factories of the time, formed their own “soccer” team that played against other local squads, according to an article from the World Heritage Encyclopedia.

He coached a few teams and was recognised for his skills in doing so, Bill ended up in charge of The Nittany Lions of Pennsylvania State University, he took them on a  65-game unbeaten streak.

It’s not for his success as a college coach that we Scots should be remembering Bill Jeffrey for, his finest hour came on a much bigger stage, when he was selected to lead the United States Men’s National team at the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. His team beat a star-studded England squad 1-0 in one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. The American team, composed entirely of amateurs with day-jobs, was considered a severe underdogs.

At the time, the English had a reputation as the “Kings of Football”  with a post-war record of 23 wins, 4 losses, and 3 draws. They had beaten the Italians 4–0 and the Portuguese 10–0 in Lisbon two weeks before that.  The US team had lost their last 7 games.

England  star man Stanley Matthews,was out injured but still had players like Alf Ramsay, Billy Wright and Tom Finney  the American team included a teacher, dishwashers and a guy that drove a hearse for a living, they were missing one of their stars due to him not getting time off his work!

“We have no chance,” recently appointed coach Bill Jeffrey told the press, he also declared his players “sheep ready to be slaughtered”. In its typical style, the Daily Express newspaper wrote: “It would be fair to give the U.S. three goals of a start.”

Newspaper headlines in most World Cup nations trumpeted the shocking upset, except ironically in the United States and England. There was only one American journalist at the World Cup: Dent McSkimming of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; he could not persuade the newspaper to pay for the trip, and had taken time off work to cover the event.

Afterwards, a number of books and newspapers in England suggested that the U.S. team had arrived “through Ellis Island”, meaning that the team was made up of imported players. In actuality, eight of the starting eleven were American-born, while the other three, Gaetjens, McIlvenny, and Maca, were not U.S. citizens, but had declared their intentions to gain citizenship. The U.S. was cleared of any wrongdoing by FIFA in a hearing.

Bill Jeffrey went on coaching the college team for another 3 years before he moved to Puerto Rico where he taught and coached for several years. He died of a heart attack in 1966. He is a member of the US National Soccer Hall of Fame and the Penn State “soccer” stadium is named Jeffrey Field in his honour, he is seen in the suit to the right in the team photo.

He died of a heart attack while attending NCAA soccer meetings in New York. He is buried in Centre County Memorial Cemetery in State College, Pennsylvania

[jeanmoreaudefensesquad]

I think we should talk about the Orange Notes.

Because, okay, listen--I was a band kid in college. All of us loved band. None of us wanted to be at any sporting event (I mean, that's a bit of hyperbole; I'm a hockey fan so I enjoyed playing at those games).

Which is to say, those kids only nominally signed up for all this. They were like hell yeah play some music maybe get a thousand dollars in scholarship--oh fuck what is happening???

That's not to mention--exy games are Friday nights in the fall. You know what is Saturday days/evenings, depending on the size and importance of the school, also in the fall? Football games. And the Orange Notes are mentioned as being the campus band, which means they're also the football marching band. Do you have any idea how pissed I'd've been in college if I had to give up my Friday evenings and all day Saturday? It was bad enough playing one day a week at sporting events I didn't want to be at.

And this is on top of--if they're also a marching band, like my college band was, they're practicing a few times a week to have that field show down. Field shows take a lot of work, and that's if you're doing the same one every week. I was at a small school (~3000 students total), so we did one show for the whole season. My brother goes to a Big10 school where football game attendees can get up to 100,000+ (the one I went to came in at almost 106,000), and he's in the band there. They do a different show every week. Their rehearsals are insane.

When I was in band, we played at every home football game (except for the one that was the weekend of fall break), the nearby (within 3 hours drive) away football games, hockey games, and basketball games. But we didn't do more than one event a weekend. During football season, that was it. After the season ended we would play at either a hockey game, which was either Friday or Saturday night, or a basketball event on Saturday day (the women's and men's teams played back to back, so we stayed through both, which was a nightmare for a lot of non-sport related reasons).

But--no matter how the band feels about being at a sporting event, they're doing Band Things. They're playing pep songs, they're cheering, they're playing the fight song. The band can be some of a team's biggest fans, and the ones that always stand by them. Even when, say, the starting strikers can't get along. They're still there playing ten-measure stand tunes and cheering for the good things.

And the Orange Notes went to Evermore for the championships! Which, if that had been me when I was in college band, I'd've been a nightmare about. A quick google search shows that it's almost six hours from Columbia SC to Charleston WV, and Palmetto's campus is like 45 minutes south of Columbia, iirc. So the band sat on a bus for like seven hours to play at this game. Do you know how much of an absolute bitch I would have been if that was me in band? Never mind all the other drama that happened, I would have been awful just because of the travel!

So anyway I think the Orange Notes deserve more love because wow do they do a lot for the exy team.

(One final note: I used to think that Orange Notes was such a dumb name, and then I remembered that Penn State's famous marching band is the Blue Band and then it felt less stupid)