Monthly Archives: February 2020

02.21.20
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The Indescribable Feeling

Photo Courtesy of Charlie Shuman

As far as the Penn State experience goes, it’s hard to top getting the opportunity to dance at Penn State THON for 46 hours.

Likewise, it doesn’t get much better than running through the stone-surrounded tunnel of Beaver Stadium and onto the field with 107,000 fans cheering you on. 

Letterman Charlie Shuman ’18, ’19g is one of the few Penn Staters to have experienced both. 

He played for coach James Franklin and the Nittany Lions from 2014-18. He danced in THON not once, but twice as a student in 2017 and 2018. 

“They’re two different things, but at the same time they both bring these emotions out of you,” Shuman said.  

It was always Shuman’s dream to play football at Penn State. 

Originally committed to Old Dominion, the 6-foot-8 offensive lineman elected to instead join the Nittany Lions as a walk-on, becoming a part of James Franklin’s first recruiting class in 2014. 

“Running out of the tunnel at Beaver Stadium on gameday for the first time, that was a dream come true for me,” Shuman said. “To put on the Penn State uniform, run through that tunnel to 107,000 screaming fans cheering for you, it’s special.” 

Photo courtesy of Charlie Shuman

Shuman’s other Penn State dream was to dance at THON, the world’s largest student-run philanthropy committed to enhancing the lives of children and families impacted by childhood cancer. 

He first got involved with the organization his freshman year at University Park, joining the Penn State Student Athlete Advisory Board’s (SAAB) THON committee, later serving as the committee’s fundraising chair. 

As his role grew with the THON committee, so too did that desire to become a dancer. 

In 2017, he finally realized the dream, representing SAAB on the dance floor with fellow members Carly Celkos (field hockey), Jessica O’Neill-Lyublinsky (women’s fencing) and Megan Schafer (women’s soccer). 

“Being down on the dance floor is just absolutely incredible. It’s indescribable to people that are outside of Penn State that don’t really know what THON is,” Shuman said. “You take away the memories you had with the other dancers that were down on the floor with you, spending 46 hours with. That group of people that were my dancing partners, it’s something that will carry with me for the rest of my life.”

Because the annual dance marathon takes place during winter workouts, Shuman had to coordinate his involvement as a dancer with his responsibilities as a football player. 

Not that he needed permission from Franklin and the other coaches in order to dance, but Shuman wanted to make sure the Penn State staff were cool with his involvement with THON and the rearranged schedule that came with it.

There wasn’t any hesitation in Franklin’s support for Shuman. 

“He was incredible with (his support),” Shuman said. “We’re going through the middle of winter workouts during THON, so some of our toughest offseason workouts. He was like ‘Absolutely. That’s an incredible opportunity. Take a day off or two here and there if you need to.’ And at the same time, he still wanted me to be around the (Lasch) Building when I could and still be a part of the workouts. He and the staff were just tremendous with their support.” 

The entire week leading up to THON in 2017 and 2018, Shuman said Franklin, the staff and other players were constantly checking in on him to send messages of encouragement. 

Photo courtesy of Charlie Shuman

Ahead of THON 2018, team members also sent over words of encouragement to Nick Scott ’19, Shuman’s teammate who was preparing to dance at THON for the first time. 

The dance floor experience was made that much better for Shuman, knowing a teammate would be right there beside him for the 46 hours. 

“It was a blast. I love Nick. Still today, we talk about that experience of dancing together,” Shuman said. “Obviously, when we danced together I had gone through it once before. It was my second time and his first time. So, I’d joke with him a little bit and rip on him to see if he could do some things better than I did. We had a blast down there. It’s cool to have a teammate down there, a guy you spend so much time with.” 

Before he graduated in December of 2018, Shuman helped make one more THON-related impact at Penn State. 

Through an initiative taken with Shuman, Scott and quarterback Trace McSorley ’18, Penn State football decided to make a change to the players’ iconic uniforms with the addition of the THON logo on the team helmets for a game with the Wisconsin Badgers in November of that year. 

The THON logo sticker was once again featured on the helmets during the 2019 season in a game against the Buffalo Bulls. 

“We wrote a letter to (Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics) Sandy Barbour  and Coach Franklin. They were completely on board with it,” Shuman said. “You know, that’s a tough thing to navigate. Changing any part of the uniform can be difficult, especially at Penn State. They were completely on board with it, though, because it’s something Penn State students and student-athletes are passionate about.”

Ahead of the game against the Badgers in 2018, ESPN ran a segment on the decal and THON itself, something Shuman was particularly proud of because it spread the THON message to a larger audience.  

“To put that out there on a national stage like that, it’s the attention that THON deserves, really,” Shuman said. “The 40-odd years it’s been around, it deserves something like that. And hopefully it can keep growing.” 

Photo courtesy of Charlie Shuman

With his athletic career — and THON dancing days over — Shuman has since returned home to New York where he’s working on his doctorate in physical therapy at Nazareth College.  

He’s also helping coach varsity football at Pittsford Sutherland, his high school alma mater, keeping those football juices flowing as best he can now that he’s no longer suit up himself on Saturdays. 

The student experience at Nazareth isn’t quite the experience he got at Penn State. Nor is the experience of coaching football the same as running out of that Beaver Stadium tunnel as a player. 

“People outside of Penn State in general, I don’t think they realize how special it is,” Shuman said. 

“They don’t understand that atmosphere at Beaver Stadium. They don’t realize all of the incredible things that we get to experience as students. THON Weekend, especially. It’s something that’s about so much bigger than Penn State and to try and share that with the rest of the country is so important.”

Shuman will be returning to Happy Valley for THON Weekend 2020, supporting a friend of his who will now be dancing in THON for a third time. 

This past weekend, he also decided that he will shave his head and his beard if he can raise $1,000 dollars in THON donations by the time THON concludes on Sunday, Feb. 23, keeping that THON spirit alive even as an alumnus. 

“I haven’t shaved my face since probably my junior year of college,” Shuman said laughing. “We’ll see if I get there.”

02.20.20
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Putting things in perspective

Nick Scott THON (2)

Penn State letterman and team captain Nick Scott danced in THON in 2018, saying that he was inspired to participate after meeting Four Diamonds families during the football team’s annual trip to the Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey. Photo credit: Nick Scott via Twitter.

Nick Scott ’19 still speaks with a sense of awe.

THON will do that, giving you a feeling of wonder that perhaps you can’t find anywhere else.

Scott knows that as well as anyone.

If you ever saw him on the football field, or anywhere on campus, chances are Scott was smiling. That was one of the things that stood out about him. Clearly, he loved playing football, and enjoyed being a student-athlete at Penn State.

For most people, that’d be enough. Not for Scott, though. Motivated by the football team’s annual trip to the Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey, Scott wanted to get involved with THON, the world’s largest student-run philanthropy. The annual event at the Bryce Jordan Center is the culmination of a year-round fundraising effort to fight pediatric cancer through research and awareness.

Scott danced at THON in 2018, along with teammate Charlie Shuman ’18, ’19g, saying the team’s trip to Hershey was a huge reason why he got involved. It was in Hershey where Scott first learned what Four Diamonds families go through and the sacrifices they make. He spent time with children going through strenuous battles and listened to their inspiring stories.

Seeing that on the forefront, as he described it, left an impression.

“That was one of my favorite times of the year,” he said last week. “In terms of college kids, we think we go through so much, but in retrospect, it’s nothing compared to what some people go through every day of their lives. Being able to meet people and hear their stories, it motivated me to want to do more to help others with all they may be going through.”

Scott is on the other side of the country now, pursuing a professional football career after the Los Angeles Rams selected him in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He talked about his time with THON after a morning workout, saying what he remembers most about dancing is how much of an emotional experience it was.

“You start thinking about how young these kids are and all the things that they go through on a day-to-day basis, yearly basis, and just the strength of the families and the support system they have,” he said. “It creates an extremely high sense of community and love for one another. It just puts things in perspective.”

191208_RamsSeahawks_WN_5170

Scott appeared in all 16 games for the Los Angeles Rams in 2019, recording eight tackles and also catching a pass for 23 yards. Photo credit: Will Navarro/Rams.

Scott knows a little something about perseverance, too, albeit in a little different way.

He arrived at Penn State as a running back, and then shifted to the defensive backfield during Saquon Barkley’s highlight-fueled freshman season — Scott once endearingly said, “I tell people all the time, there’s 26 reasons I moved to safety.”

Scott emerged as a standout in the secondary for Penn State, excelling on special teams, too, and earning distinction as a team captain. He was a leader in multiple ways, humble and eager to contribute any way he could. Some players might’ve been stubborn and not wanted to switch positions, for example, while Scott turned the situation into a positive on his way to the NFL.

He scooped a fumble and scored a touchdown against Indiana in 2017 when the Hoosier returner botched a punt, a good example of how Scott always seemed prepared to make a play when called upon. He also sealed a win against Wisconsin a year later with a last-minute interception.

Looking back on this past season for Penn State, Scott jokingly recalled watching the team’s season opener and sounding astonished that the team kept playing — “I was watching the TV, and thought, ‘Dang, even though I left, they still really do go on without you.’”

It was a weird feeling for Scott, who added, “I feel a huge amount of pride for the guys, I know how hard they work, day in and day out,” rattling off a long list of former teammates and defensive backfield mates, including Journey Brown, KJ Hamler, Garrett Taylor, Jonathan Sutherland, Lamont Wade, and others.

“I always look forward to supporting those guys and watching them play,” Scott said. “I think Penn State fans and alumni and lettermen can be excited for what’s in store with Coach Franklin at the helm the next couple of years. We were good this year, but I think this coming season, we can have even more young talent that’ll be old. So, I’m really looking forward to what we got in the future.”

As Scott alluded to, he’s still very much connected to Penn State. That’ll continue next month, when he attends The Hope Gala, an annual THON fundraiser founded by the Alumni Association’s New York City Chapter. Both he and Shuman will be there, with Todd Blackledge ’83 emceeing the event on March 21 at Gotham Hall.

Tickets can be purchased online and include dinner, dancing, and a silent auction.

It’s not surprising that Scott continues to make time for Penn State, and specifically for THON. He was friendly and cordial on the phone, and he spoke with enthusiasm and appreciation for his time in Happy Valley.

“I’m always up for talking some Penn State,” he said, “it takes me back.”

This week, all eyes turn to the BJC.

“It’s really beautiful how so many young people can come together for such a great cause, especially at a time like this, where a lot of people see this generation as so self-centered,” Scott said. “To see kids pouring their hearts out for other families and students and children is pretty amazing. It’s a great feeling, and it definitely enhances the Penn State experience.”

02.11.20
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A Team That Was Needed

Penn State head coach Rob Cooper during warm ups before the game against Binghamton March 26, 2019, The Nittany Lions won 5-3. Photo: Penn State Athletics

Penn State baseball’s First Pitch Dinner and Silent Auction always represent a special night for the program. 

The banquet includes a dinner, silent auction for alumni, fans, families and friends in attendance, and is the first official introduction of the team ahead of a new season. 

In seasons past, former players would attend with a tradition of presenting the current team with their jerseys. 

This year, the banquet took on the theme of “Honoring the Decades,” recognizing members of the 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 Penn State baseball teams. Extra recognition was given to the 2000 team, which advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals. 

But this banquet took on even more of a special meaning for coach Rob Cooper. 

As the 2020 team made its entrance into the room, Cooper was moved to see his players sporting pink ties with their suits, honoring Cooper’s wife Maureen ‘Mo,’ who was diagnosed with breast cancer last August. 

The players also presented Maureen, who serves as the Director of Commonwealth Campus Athletics for the Office of Ethics and Compliance at Penn State, with a bouquet of flowers.  

“I said at the banquet and I told my players, if there was ever a year I needed to coach this team, it was this year,” Cooper said.  “I love em’. Love em’ for what they’ve done for her and for us.”

The pink ties and presentation of flowers followed a batch of great news just a few weeks earlier for the Cooper family. 

On Jan. 10, she completed radiation treatment and Cooper captured the moment on Twitter when Mo rang the bell to celebrate.

“She’s doing great,” Cooper said. “She doesn’t need chemo(therapy), which is huge. The love and support from the Penn State community, the State College community has been special. And also what our coaches players have meant to my family over this time. It’s been a real emotional thing in a good way, because those guys have done a lot to help my family, help myself.”

Junior pitcher Kyle Virbitsky, who’s entering his third season playing for Cooper, said there was never any question from the team about getting behind Mo, Rob and the rest of the family.

“One of the big reasons I came to Penn State was the family atmosphere that existed,” Virbitsky said. “Both my parents went here and Coach Coop recognized that, opened his arms to us all the time. When Mo went through that, there was no question she was going to get our support. She might as well be a member of this team. She’s like our second mom. Anything we could do to help, we were absolutely going to do it.” 

Cooper said coaches have offered to help the family in a number of ways, whether that be picking up his youngest son Jake from high school and baseball practices to bring him home or picking up groceries and other items the family might need. 

Coaches and players alike also let Cooper know that if he wasn’t able to attend a practice or meeting, that they would be sure that things would continue to run smoothly in his absence. 

The sixth-year coach tried to maintain a sense of normalcy through it all, though, spending as much time around his team as was possible. 

“Well, when I’m (with the team) it’s kind of like a sanctuary,” Cooper said. “It’s definitely a chance to not worry as much for a little bit. Take your mind off things. When you have a bunch of guys that truly care about you, it makes things a bit easier to deal with. I needed a group like this to help my family and myself get through this.”

Cooper has long been a leader in the fight against cancer, even before Mo received her diagnosis. 

Since Cooper arrived at Penn State for the 2014 season, the baseball team has supported the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation’s Baseball Vs. Cancer campaign, raising nearly $50,000 as of this past December. 

The program also hosts annual Vs. Cancer and Penn State THON games that have welcomed THON families and featured team members shaving their heads postgame. 

The efforts have helped raise support for Penn State Children’s Hospital’s Four Diamonds and its mission to conquer childhood cancer by assisting children and their families through superior care, comprehensive support and innovative research.

In December, Cooper was named an inaugural Baseball Vs. Cancer ambassador. Consisting of current and former coaches, players and members of the media, Baseball Vs. Cancer ambassadors represent the athletic community’s shared resolve to raise awareness and funds for a world without childhood brain tumors.

“It’s a very high honor,” Cooper said. “It’s something that means a great deal to me. Regardless of what my wife has been through, I would have done it, because of what it means to me personally. Now, this year, it obviously hits a lot closer to home.” 

Trips to the Penn State Hershey Medical Center had a profound effect on Cooper, before and during trips there with his wife for her treatment. 

“You look around and you see these kids there. They’re six, seven, eight years old,” Cooper said. “You see them in hospital beds and in hallways and they’ve got tubes in them. You just want to help give those kids a chance, man. They haven’t had a chance to experience a lot of the stuff we’ve got to experience.” 

“So, this initiative and being an ambassador means a lot to me. It’s something I’m very proud of.”  

Sophomore third baseman Justin Williams believes how much the players and community rallied behind Cooper and his family during Mo’s treatment is a testament to the person Cooper is beyond his role as a baseball coach, demonstrated by him being named as Vs. Cancer ambassador. 

“Not only is he our coach, he’s a friend to everybody on the team,” Williams said. “We’re around him every day and we are going to do whatever we can to support him and his family. I think that speaks to the culture were building here, the culture he’s helped create.” 

Virbitsky echoed Williams’ sentiment that Cooper is much more than their coach. 

“He’s also like our second dad. I can go to him with anything. Any problem I’ve ever needed help with, he’s 100 percent always been there for me,” Virbitsky said. “I love playing for the guy. Was more than happy to rally the troops for him and Mo just let them know ‘Hey, we’re right here behind ya.’”

02.06.20
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Passionate and prepared, McGloin ready for XFL

Matt McGloin_Guardians Twitter (1)

Matt McGloin will lead the New York Guardians into their 2020 season opener Sunday at MetLife Stadium. “It’s definitely exciting to have the opportunity to continue to play this game at a high level, it’s something that I’ve always wanted,” McGloin said after a team practice last week. Photo credit: New York Guardians.

Matt McGloin ’12 figured it was only a matter of time.

He had worked too hard, invested too much time, and overcome too many hurdles to see his professional career end while still in his 20s.

The Pennsylvania native walked on at Penn State, eventually earning a scholarship and becoming a fan favorite for his fiery demeanor and unwavering grit. McGloin maximized his time with the program, working his way up the depth chart, becoming the starter while leading the team through an inspiring and challenging 2012 season and quarterbacking Joe Paterno’s 409th win.

Then, after he went undrafted, he played his way into a starting role for the Oakland Raiders, throwing for 1,868 yards and 11 touchdowns in 13 games from 2013–16.

Seemingly, there was always somebody ahead of him on the depth chart, a never-ending series of obstacles to sidestep.

However, McGloin kept grinding, still believed, and continued to train while he searched for a roster spot with another team. He competed with himself this past year while out of the NFL, adding five or 10 pounds to his sets, or increasing his workout by a few reps.

Anything to get a little bit better.

Cameras weren’t rolling (he wasn’t doing this for an audience), and his future was unclear.

The entire time, though, McGloin couldn’t shake the feeling that another opportunity was surely on the horizon, right?

“To be honest with you, in the back of my mind, I didn’t believe my football career was over,” he said. “I didn’t know if I’d have another chance in the NFL or what would happen with the XFL. I didn’t know, but I didn’t feel like my career was over.”

He stayed positive and remained in shape, doing everything he could to be ready when his next chance arrived.

Last fall, he was proven right.

The opportunity came in the form of a new league with a familiar name, as McGloin was assigned in October to the New York Guardians of the rebooted XFL, which will feature a 10-game regular season starting this weekend.

“It’s definitely exciting to have the opportunity to continue to play this game at a high level, it’s something that I’ve always wanted,” McGloin said Friday, following a team practice.

“I’ve got some experience playing professional football, but I still believe I can get better as a quarterback, better as a player, and better as a leader. That’s my mindset, to improve every day and prove that I can go out there and win games, week in and week out.”

Back in the Huddle

Originally launched for one year in 2001, the XFL is the brainchild of WWE owner and entrepreneur Vince McMahon. The inaugural (and only) season featured some memorable highlights — years later, fans might still remember Rod Smart wearing “He Hate Me” on his jersey — as the league gave many fans their first glimpse of professional football beyond the NFL. Penn State fans might recall that Wally Richardson ’96, ’03g also played in the league, starting most games for the New York/New Jersey squad.

Now, the XFL is back, and so is McGloin, with the Guardians kicking off their season Sunday, hosting the Tampa Bay Vipers at 2 p.m. FOX will broadcast the contest from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Extra special for McGloin, who will wear No. 14, is that his family and friends can watch him play — MetLife Stadium is less than a two-hour drive from his home in Northeast Pennsylvania. Folks have been telling McGloin’s family that they’re heading to the game Sunday, and the proximity takes on even for more significance for McGloin and his wife, Bailey, after they welcomed their first child last year.

In all the excitement and preparation, it’s worth noting that Sunday’s season opener will be the first professional (regular season) action for McGloin since 2016. The last three seasons have seen him sign with a handful of NFL teams — he was briefly reunited with Bill O’Brien in Houston — though nothing stuck. He was with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018 and it looked like things had worked out, though a late roster cut abruptly changed that outlook.

McGloin figures Sunday will be exciting, and also that he’ll be nervous.

For him, that’s a good thing. It means he still cares about football, that he’s still passionate about the game, that he still craves the opportunity to lead a team.

Matt McGloin_Guardians Twitter (2)

McGloin was assigned to the Guardians in October, designated as a Tier One quarterback by the XFL. Of the eight such signal-callers, McGloin boasts the most NFL experience, throw for more than 1,800 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Raiders from 2013–16. Photo credit: New York Guardians.

It’s been a quick turnaround for McGloin and his teammates, and they all understand that. It helps to have a coach with nearly 40 years of experience, he said, mentioning Kevin Gilbride, who coached in the NFL for nearly a quarter-century after some time in college and a few seasons in the Canadian Football League.

Some of the XFL rule changes have been incorporated to make the game faster-paced than the NFL, while also giving teams more of an opportunity to come back. You can check out the complete list online. For McGloin, it means a team is never truly out of the game. For fans, it should translate into a product more conducive to television.

The Guardians have been posting some fun content to Twitter, and there are several videos that showcase McGloin during practice. Of all the Tier One quarterbacks in the XFL, McGloin holds the most extensive NFL experience — most QBs don’t have any experience beyond college and NFL practice squads — putting the former Nittany Lion in position to lead the Guardians to a title.

“Coach Gilbride chose me to be the quarterback here because I can make good decisions,” McGloin said. “I’m accurate and timely with the ball, and that’s the way I play the game. … They trust that I’m going to get us into the best possible play. I think that’s where my game has gotten better, understanding coverages and fronts. That’s what Coach Gilbride has seen out of me.”

McGloin said it’d be unfair to compare the team’s training camp to anything he experienced in the NFL, though communicating is still paramount. Most of the coaches and players don’t have history with one another, though McGloin said that’s what is so special about football.

“You meet different people and work with different people,” he said. “It’s been a fantastic journey so far.”

Penn State family

McGloin stayed busy in the fall, and if you thought you saw him roaming the sidelines at Beaver Stadium, you’re right. After attending the football team’s media day for a local outlet in August, Penn State Athletics asked McGloin to co-host a live postgame show from Beaver Stadium for the 2019 season.

From there, his role quickly expanded, and he spent the season as a sideline reporter for Penn State football, working directly with Steve Jones ’80 and Jack Ham ’71 during broadcasts. McGloin fit right in, looking and speaking the part of a seasoned analyst, also appearing in weekly video previews on the team’s social media channels that feature massive followings.

McGloin provided invaluable insight, teaming with feature content specialist and on-air talent Mitch Gerber to give a firsthand account of what Penn State’s coaches, players, and fans could expect week-to-week.

Speaking about the raucous atmosphere at Ohio State or the famed pink visitor’s locker room at Iowa gave McGloin a chance to discuss his playing career in a way that was always topical and timely, lending an authenticity that you can only get from a player who’s been there, done that.

“He provided a completely different dynamic,” Gerber said, adding that McGloin’s ability to explain complex ideas in a way that makes sense for the average fan is similar to Tony Romo’s approach.

That comparison is notable, considering the former Dallas Cowboy quarterback has quickly ascended the broadcasting ranks ­— he reportedly made more than $3 million last year — and multiple outlets will likely compete over him this year after his contract with CBS expired.

It was fun being back on the field, McGloin happily acknowledged, and he speaks with the thrill of a fan when mentioning the partnership with Jones and Ham: “Those guys are awesome,” he said. “It was definitely a lot of fun and a great season at Penn State. I was really happy to be part of it and watch it up close.”

Part of what makes the broadcasting duo so iconic is that they’re intertwined with Penn State football, and yet they’re also approachable.

McGloin is much the same way.

He’s attended alumni chapter events over the years, with his likable personality and easy demeanor winning over crowds. He definitely has a presence — like any accomplished quarterback — while also remaining welcoming.

He also recognizes the importance of the Penn State network.

Shortly after joining the Guardians, McGloin got connected with the Alumni Association’s New York City Chapter, attending a recent alumni event with Bailey and a few team representatives in October.

Set in the city’s meatpacking district, Chapter President Linde Miles ’09 said the happy hour-style event was designed for young Penn Staters to meet fellow alumni and network. It was the first time that Miles met McGloin, and she was impressed, even if the QB wasn’t what she was expecting.

The Guardians’ senior director of marketing emailed her and said that a Penn State graduate with the XFL was interested in attending the event, and he asked if that was possible.

Miles’ reaction? Sure, and she figured it was someone with an administrative position or similar role. Instead, in strolled McGloin, who attended with Bailey and a few team representatives.

Miles instantly recognized McGloin from his days as a Nittany Lion. She had graduated by the time he became the starter, though she returned for a few games in 2010 and 2011 and saw him play at Beaver Stadium.

“We were floored that he would want to come out to an event for our chapter,” Miles said. “Everyone was kind of starstruck, including myself. He was so down-to-earth. They were all really welcoming and wanted to get to know the chapter and what we do.”

McGloin_Linde

McGloin connected with the Alumni Association’s New York City Chapter in October, shortly after joining the Guardians. “We were floored that he would want to come out to an event for our chapter. Everyone was kind of starstruck, including myself,” said Chapter President Linde Miles, pictured with the former Nittany Lion.

“It was awesome,” McGloin said of attending the NYC Chapter event. “The Penn State family has always been great to me, and I can’t thank them enough for their support over the years.

“I’ve always said this and have always felt this way: It takes a different person to be a Penn State student-athlete, and a different person to be part of the Penn State family. It’s a special group. The longer I’m out of school, the more I realize how special and important it is. My love for the University continues to grow, and I’m very lucky and very blessed to have attended Penn State.”

The NYC Chapter is planning to attend the Guardians’ home game on April 4, and you can learn more and buy tickets online. Miles worked with the Guardians to secure a discounted group rate, and $3 from every ticket will benefit the chapter’s scholarship fund. Additionally, the first 20 fans to purchase tickets will receive entry into a postgame autograph signing with McGloin and some teammates, and Miles figures it should be a really fun day.

She spoke highly of McGloin, saying “I think his leadership was paramount to the (2012) team continuing to go and push through, and I’m excited to see that leadership again here in the city.”

McGloin is similarly thrilled.

After spending most of his time in the NFL on the West Coast — away from his family and friends — he’s returned home to play in one of the biggest markets in the country for a league that seems primed for a lengthier run this time around.

So no, McGloin’s not done yet, and maybe not for a while. He’s only a few months past his 30th birthday, is still in great shape, and now has an opportunity to quarterback a team to a championship.

More than anything, McGloin has just wanted a chance, and now he has it.

“I was preparing, and now I’m ready for this opportunity,” McGloin said. “I felt like something would come along, I felt like something would happen. That’s always been me. I continued to believe in the process, and I stayed positive, and I’m ready for Week 1.”

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