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This Is Getting Old

Linebacker U

First off, driving was definitely the way to go.  With four capable drivers, Tom-Tom, and a Blackberry, we navigated around traffic and to the hotel with little to no issues.  On the way down, we stopped at my Uncle’s house in North Carolina and my friends got introduced to barbecue chicken with coleslaw on top.  Let’s just say their eyes were opened to a new way to eat.  We drank double-hop brewed South Paw, a Miller product that you drink in the South with your left hand.  We spent about $225 in gas to cover the 2200 miles, never paying below $2.49/gallon and always getting gas millage better than 22.  The cheapest gas was in Columbia, South Carolina, the most expensive was in Tyrone.  We stayed at The Lodge (our name for the Econo Lodge we used to make it sound nicer) for $46 a night.  It is about 15 miles from the Citrus Bowl and just a few minutes from Universal Studios.  We went to Universal’s City Walk, running into some of the Blue Band, for New Years which was an amazing decision.  The alcohol was reasonable and the atmosphere was fun.  We ate at the Hard Rock Cafe, which apparently is the biggest one in the world unbeknownst to us.  After toasting Champagne and grabbing a few hours of sleep, we departed for the Capital One Bowl.

One word best describes January 1st, 2010.  Rain.  Lots of it.  Here I thought Florida would be sunny and warm.  Somehow the crappy weather that plauged Penn State’s entire season followed us to Orlando.  Dressed in a t-shirt and without a poncho, I froze my ass off in pre-game and the first quarter.

The View from the Penn State Student Section

We sat pretty close to the Blue Band, which was nice because we could hear everything they played.  We were right at the LSU goal line, where Penn State kicked the game winning field goal.  The field was crap, the refs did their best to rival it however.  How can you say it’s fourth down after an intentional grounding on first (which was iffy at best) and a run play on second?  Then, they forgot that when the defense accepts a holding penalty the offense gets the down back so it would still be second down.  Also, Penn State’s game winning field goal was snapped from the 4 yard line when it should have been snapped from the 3.  These were Conference USA refs…what the heck were they doing reffing a Big Ten SEC game??  Give us some ref officials please!  We kept joking that they were going to call icing on Joe Paterno and give LSU 3 more points.  After a much closer game than I expected after the first half, the Lions proved to be the better team edging the Tigers 19-17.  It felt good to see Darryl Clark get the MVP after the signature win of his career.  After watching him, Sean Lee, and Navorro Bowman direct the Blue Band, our group headed to a local sports bar to catch the rest of the games.

We drove straight back to PA the next day.  Leaving Orlando at Noon and arriving in Tyrone at 8am.  I watched the sun set and rise in the same car ride.  We left 50 degree Orlando and ended in 0 degree Tyrone, a rude awakening to say the least.

Before food each person ended up paying $176 dollars, you can’t beat that for two nights in Orlando and a good football game.

So, Happy New Year and Go Lions! Beat Tigers!

2003 BCS Fiesta Bowl (2002 BCS National Championship Game) – Ohio State Buckeyes (31) vs. Miami Hurricanes (24) (2OT)

2005 Big Ten Football Game – Penn State Nittany Lions (17) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (10)

2006 BCS Orange Bowl – Penn State Nittany Lions (26) vs. Florida State Seminoles (23) (3OT)

2006 BCS Rose Bowl (2005 BCS National Championship Game) – Texas Longhorns (41) vs. Southern California Trojans (38)

2007 BCS Fiesta Bowl – Boise State Broncos (43) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (42) (OT)

2008 Stanley Cup Finals Game 5 – Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Detroit Red Wings (3) (3OT)

2009 Super Bowl XLIII – Pittsburgh Steelers (27) vs. Arizona Cardinals (23)

2009 NCAA Big East Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal – Syracuse Orange (127) vs. Connecticut Huskies (117) (6OT)

2009 Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 – Pittsburgh Penguins (2) vs. Detroit Red Wings (1)

2009 Women’s Volleyball NCAA Championship – Penn State Nittany Lions (3) vs. Texas Longhorns (2) (22-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-13)

Here’s to a new decade full of excitement.

1. The matchup will have higher ratings than the Orange Bowl.

PSU – LSU is a better matchup than Iowa – Georgia Tech (Orange) and the ratings will show.  This can be used for future leverage if ever Penn State finds itself in this situation again.  If you look at the ratings the Orange Bowl has received since Penn State met Florida State in the unforgettable Triple Overtime thriller that is now the final meeting between the two greatest college football coaches of all time, Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden, they have been pathetic.

2009 Virginia Tech – Cincinnati 5.4 rating.

2008 Kansas – Va Tech 7.4 rating.

2007 Louisville – Wake Forest 6.98 rating.

2006 Penn State – Florida State 12.3 rating.

Basically it took the Orange Bowl two years to meet what Penn State brought them in the 2006 edition.

2. It will be one of the best bowl games.

When the Big Ten number 2 and the ACC Champions meet, the fans don’t watch and those who do fall asleep.  Just look at the ratings from the last few Orange Bowl’s…numbers don’t lie.  Also, Texas showed the nation that they are not as good as we thought by sneaking by Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship Game.  Whereas Alabama flexed against Florida, making them the definite number 1 team in the land.  Look for a dominating National Championship Game with Alabama laughing past Texas.  This leaves Ohio State – Oregon (Rose), Cincinnati – Florida (Sugar), TCU – Boise State (Fiesta), Florida State – West Virginia (Gator, solely because it is Bowden’s final game), and PSU – LSU (Capitol One) as the best five bowls.  I would place PSU – LSU as second or third on that list.

3. We get one of the best broadcasting crews with Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, and Erin Andrews

Need I say more?

4. Penn State finished 3rd in the Big Ten. It’s what we deserve when you look at how the season played out.

In the early 2000s, we would have been pumped about going to the Capital One Bowl. Enjoy it people!