Running Diary, Penn State-Notre Dame. Part IV

Note: This is the fourth and final installment of this weekend's feature, a running diary of the Penn State-Notre Dame experience from our Foxy Correspondent on the ground in State College.

Still Saturday, September 8
12:43 pm: It's a good thing I packed my Colin Cowherd koozie this morning. I vow to drink every beverage that touches my lips with my hands warm and cozy (koozie). Special thanks to the Herd

1:57 pm: I just started watching the WVU and Marshall game. WHY IS PAM WARD DOING A CRAPPY BIG EAST GAME?! SHE SHOULD BE DOING A CRAPPY BIG 10 GAME...NOOOO!

1:59 pm: I have been informed that the Gopper (a restaurant that made many a delivery to my apartment) was busted this summer for a drug ring. This is crushing news.

2:16 pm: I am now walking up to the stadium to commence tailgating.

2:20 pm: Girl with shirt that says "Notre Dame Sucks....Just ask God" just walked by me. I'd like to congratulate Penn State fans on coming up with very hilarious tees for this weekend.

...tailgating commences....

3:11 pm: I have finally found someone to fill my Colin Cowherd koozie with a beer. Hooray beer!

3:21 pm: Just talked smack to a ND fan. He actually said "at least we went to a BCS bowl" to which I responded, "Yeah, I wish we could have [been embarassed] by LSU with all of America watching." He turned away before I could get in a comment about how that did not bode well for Brady Quinn and his hair gel during the draft.

4:05 pm: Am I seriously drinking a Busch Light?

4:30 pm: I guess when this many people are accessing the two cell towers in State College phones are bound to malfunction. This means that I am waiting at the gate for my friends who actually got tickets and am going to have to find them the old fashioned way. I have about given up when I randomly find a group of girls that I know who are looking for the same group I am. We decide to just go in and being girls we had to immediately use the facilities. We walked out of the restroom and lo and behold, there are our friends! SO COOL! (been tailgating awhile)

5:08 pm: Getting to our seats was absolutely insane. I can't believe how rowdy these people are and how loud it is just walking in. The kids behind me just offered me some ice out of a bag. What?

5:09 pm: I realize we are a hilarious distance from the actual field of play...but who cares?! IT'S NOTRE DAME!!!!!! Also we have a lot of sitting to do before the game starts. I am getting really nervous. We can't lose to this team. They are very bad. I hate realizing that there's a chance that could happen. It's awful.

6:02 pm: KICKOFF!!! It is NUTS in here!! Starting before kickoff...since about when the band came, I've been smiling uncontrollably. It's a little silly. I can't put into words how much I love college football AND Penn State AND JoePa AND seeing an entire stadium of people in white. It was...wow.

Game Notes:

1. To the girl sitting in front of me: You're wearing a fanny pack. And I know you think it's okay because it says Gucci on it but what you're failing to see is that it's still a fanny pack. A really expensive one, but you still look like an idiot. Also that boy you keep flirting with thinks you're annoying.

2. The first series had me concerned. Charlie Weis the offensive genius had The Emu just throwing these pansy dump passes right next to the line of scrimmage. We let it work for a bit then hunkered down and the defense looked incredible. I think The Emu's longest completion was 7 yards.

3. Okay. We need to talk about the offense. Now I know we're not going to win a national championship...hell, we may not even win the Big 10 (and what a dubious distinction that would be!) but there are some things I need to get off my chest. Every game we win this season will be in spite of Anthony Morelli. He is not even serviceable. He's bad. He has no touch on the ball. He makes terrible decisions and I think I am more effective reading defenses. The worst part of this is that Penn State has been able to do very well when the quarterback is average...or worse. Think back to the Miami camo game. Remember that guy's name? I seriously doubt it. BUT what that team did have was a good o-line and a good running game (and a national championship). This team has neither. I started to get excited that the running game got going later in the game until I came to a horrible realization. NOTRE DAME'S DEFENSE IS TERRIBLE! Not to mention the fact that the offensive juggernaut which Charlie Weis the offensive genius has put together was going 3 and out every time they were on the field. This was a very crappy, very tired defense. All of a sudden we're creating holes, Austin Scott doesn't look like he misses practice to smoke weed- this is awesome! And then it hit me- this is a very very bad no good terrible just go eat worms Notre Dame defense. Color me nervous for the rest of the season.

4. The stadium looked AMAZING. The only people not wearing white were the green Irish types. And even some of those fools had on white. Good job, jerks.

5. This was the first game of my last season in the student section. NOOOO! But as I sit here with tired legs and swollen ankles like some kind of old lady I am kind of relieved. Standing and yelling for 3 hours is exhausting. But...I would do it over and over again if I could.