Penn State (NCAAF): History/Expectations

[Abishai100]

The Penn State Nittany Lions are a storied program in college football (NCAAF).

With an all-time winning record of 878-387-42, the Nittany Lions are one of the iconic teams in American college football.

The Nittany Lions have 5 unclaimed national titles [1911, 1912, 1969, 1981, 1994] and 2 claimed national titles [1982, 1986].

Under legendary coach Joe Paterno [1966-2011], Penn State won national championships in 1982 and 1986, posted non-losing records in all seasons but five, and appeared in 37 bowl games with 24 wins. His teams also won the Orange Bowl in 1968, 1969, 1973 and 2005; the Fiesta Bowl in 1977, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1991 and 1996; the Sugar Bowl in 1982; and the Rose Bowl in 1994.

Paterno's only real rival was Notre Dame's legendary coach Lou Holtz, and the two coaches and their respective schools made the Nittany Lions and Fightin' Irish rivalry a fan-favorite and sports-writers' dream. Holtz saw the Fightin' Irish win a national title in 1988 and play two exciting Orange Bowl games against another rival Colorado. Paterno would add great 'color' to Holtz' stellar coaching run at Notre Dame.

After the new millennium, the Nittany Lions proudly contended season after season, winning conference titles in 2005, 2008, and 2016, and division titles in 2011 and 2016.

This year, the Nittany Lions are expected to be in the top 10 (in preseason polls), right behind old-rival Notre Dame (who is expected to be #9 at least).

Since televised collegiate-sports represents a social investment in broadcasted student-life/culture, media-access to Penn State-Notre Dame games reveals a continuing interest in student-athlete development in American culture and reflects a general 'American festivity' expressionism as presented in iconic (and politically-valuable) sports-culture films such as Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise).

Penn State suffered a terrible setback due to a ghastly abuse-scandal in the Paterno era which led to Paterno leaving the program, but they've been continuing to rebuild (and reorganize!). Holtz' commented that some of the management and egregious random punishments administered as simply 'expedient' was undesirable.

So even if you're not a big NCAAF fan or Penn State 'aficionado,' you too might get swept up in the student-fanfare waves seen in nationally televised Nittany Lions games this season [August 2018 - January 2019].

Besides, since Penn State is a Philly-sports team(!), you might get caught up in the thrill of cheering on the Nittany Lions this season (a team with high expectations!) after the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) won Super Bowl 52 and the Villanova Wildcats won the men's NCAAB national-title.

It's a great year to be in the Philadelphia area if you're a sports fan...

Cheers,





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"Two years removed from a Big Ten title and coming off a year ending with a victory in the Fiesta Bowl, the Penn State Nittany Lions are looking to remain in the thick of the Big Ten championship picture in 2018." -athlonsports.com [3 Reasons for PSU Optimism in 2018]

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[Abishai100]

Dynasty Dreams


Is local sports fanfare (televised) a sign of modern commercial inspiration (e.g., Rudy)?

As long as there are storied traditions in broadcasted sports, discussions about marketing will dominate modern attitudes about 'deux ex machina' so how impactful is sports-fanfare hyperbole (e.g., Hoop Dreams) on the lives of today's student-athletes?

Today's sports journalists (e.g., Dick Vitale) are very expressive, and that may affect what college athletes think about competitive dogma, no?

Anyway, I honestly doubt the Nittany Lions' loss of Joe Paterno will seriously dampen Penn State's college football program, so it's intriguing to investigate how media affects 'mob psychology.' Will Philly-area sports fanfare augment this upcoming NCAAF season for the Nittany Lions? Many Penn State fans hope it will...


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Who can argue that modern sports-culture and its link to media (i.e., TV) is pure merchandising euphoria?

How will this affect the 'psychology' of student-athletes?

Imagine that a movie-star (e.g., Tom Cruise) and a hypothetical idealistic Internet-blogger named Ajay (believing himself to be like Thomas Nast) decide to 'debate' about modern sports-and-media culture symbolic 'consumerism/merchandising propaganda.' Is this what new age TV/journalism is all about?

AJAY: Sports is all Jerry Maguire (sociologically!).
CRUISE: Are you cynical about media imagination?
AJAY: No, I like cinema/radio, but does it extend to politics?
CRUISE: I think media is an 'arm' of governance now...
AJAY: Maybe you're right; I'm a fan of politics-TV broadcasting (i.e., C-SPAN).
CRUISE: Are you a fan of The People's Court?
AJAY: I think its brain-candy, but I do like Law & Order (Dick Wolf).
CRUISE: Perhaps capitalism-legalese is an intellectual lens...
AJAY: That's what the academia-apologists say(!).
CRUISE: Movies such as Blue Chips are downright controversial.
AJAY: Americans like 'sports-fanfare intrigue.'
CRUISE: That's why they made the crazy movie The Fan!
AJAY: Penn State cheerleaders are 'media diplomats.'
CRUISE: Yes, people worldwide now have windows into collegiate sports culture.
AJAY: Is that an achievement of modern media?
CRUISE: Televised sports-rivalries promote consumerism optimism (e.g., Lakers-Celtics video-games).

"In my honest opinion, the 2018 NCAA championship win belonging to the Villanova Wildcats will remind people of the value of local-area sports-fanfare and why/how Penn State Nittany Lions college football will illuminate the marketing-appeal of televised collegiate sports in America! People care about how regional media affects national pride." -President Trump

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