So much has changed . . .

1982, 1986, and 1994 were glorious years for Penn State football fans. Those of the faithful who remember these, as well as many of the other winning seasons, have lived through a dought for the past 11 years. There's so much to say about JoePa and his staff never giving up or losing faith, the call for Joe's retirement, and the 180 degree reversal in the program's design . . . I'll leave that to the sports writers and analysts. As I struggled to stay awake last night to get the outcomes of the Miami and USC games (trust me, after tailgating and celebrating the PSU victory - it was a struggle) the thought popped into my head that so much has changed since the 1994 Big Ten championship . . .

I watched the 1995 Rose Bowl on a 25" Crossley television that has less than perfect cable reception . . . here I was watching the Lions on a 42" widescreen HD television w/digital HD cable feed . . . perfect, you are on the field images . . . I could split the screen and watch 2 games, but who'd want to?

The Internet is an amazing innovation - instant information and anything you need to know about college football odds, stats, forecasts, updates, etc. 20 years ago, USA Today, Thursday editions, was about the only place you could get stats. You'd have to wait 24 hours+ to get poll updates, odds, scores, etc. - today, it's immediate and real time. You can watch game video, listen to interviews, and follow games on "game trackers" if you have a mind to.

In spite of all the technological improvements, some things never seem to change. Most commentators still have an anti-Penn State bias and drool over the possibility we might lose a close game, the Lions still look great in their "travel whites", and Johnsonville Bratwursts, Nittany Lions franks, and Bass Ale remain tailgate favorites of mine.

The eleven years of waiting for the Lions return to glory hasn't been wasted . . . it's been a time when new friendships were forged, a time when my family and friends learned to come together in the shadows of losing numbers on the scoreboard, and a time when we never once lost faith in our beloved Lions.

It's been 11 years . . . this is a season to cherish . . . one more "big game" in about 45 days.