We were making our way to our seats in the Yankee Stadium press box early Saturday afternoon when we ran into Steve Kuebler and Pete Gergely. Our friend and College of Comm alumni relations director Mike Poorman pointed out that these two stadium regulars are also Penn Staters who work in game-day operations — specifically the complex, high-tech scoreboard set-up in the new version of this classic ballpark. Continue reading
Classic Appeal
Probably more than anyone, Sweeny Murti appreciates the parallels between the New York Yankees and Penn State.
In October, Murti ’92 finished his 14th season as the Yankees beat reporter for WFAN, the biggest sports radio station in the country. He was the perfect guy, in other words, to pen a chapter a few years ago for The Great Book of Penn State Sports Lists arguing why the Nittany Lions and Yankees have the best uniforms in sports. Needless to say, Continue reading
Another Phenomenal Fall
It’s another one of those perfect fall days in Happy Valley, the latest in a week full of them: a crisp, cool morning followed by a warm, sunny afternoon. Perfect autumn weather. Perfect football weather. On Saturday, of course, the (so-far) perfect Nittany Lions host UMass at Beaver Stadium, and they’re heavily favored to improve to a (still) perfect 4-0. Continue reading
Strike Up The Band
“It’s not Penn State without the Blue Band.”
Those are the wise words of my 6-year-old daughter, uttered as we walked across the Samuel Beckett Bridge on Thursday en route to a public display of American college football spirit. And indeed, it wasn’t really college football without a band, Continue reading
Blue and White (and Green) En Route to Dublin
We’d barely gotten out of the car and stepped into Terminal C at Newark Airport on Monday afternoon when we saw them. There were couples, extended families, groups of six or eight, all of them—dozens of them—clad proudly in Penn State gear. And of course, we were all headed the same way. Continue reading
Legends of ’94: The Oral History
Unbeaten, Unstoppable, Uncrowned
An Oral History of the 1994 Penn State Football Team
* * *
Twenty years ago this fall, in just their second season of conference play, the Nittany Lions put together one of the greatest seasons in Big Ten history. They did so with one of the most dynamic offenses ever seen, a star-laden group full of play-makers and future pros. They did it with style, running off a string of blowouts and, on those rare occasions it was necessary, pulling off memorable late-game heroics. They did it with a gritty, overlooked defense and a veteran coaching staff that adapted perfectly to the talent on hand.
To mark the 20th anniversary of Joe Paterno’s last undefeated team, we’re proud to present the definitive oral history of the 1994 Penn State football team. Based on interviews with nearly 30 former Lions—players, coaches, and staff—it’s their story, in their words… Continue reading
The Legends of ’94: Part 5
Unbeaten, Unstoppable, Uncrowned
An Oral History of the 1994 Penn State Football Team
Part 5: The Grandaddy of Them All; dreams of a 1-2 matchup for the ages; memories of the Joe they knew; and 20 years later, a team that looks just as perfect as it did in the fall of ’94.
The Legends of ’94: Part 4
Unbeaten, Unstoppable, Uncrowned
An Oral History of the 1994 Penn State Football Team
Part 4: A blowout in Bloomington ends up deceptively close and costs the Lions in the polls; a surreal trip to Champaign features a crazy hotel stay and an even crazier game, setting up a comeback for the ages.
The Legends of ’94: Part 3
Unbeaten, Unstoppable, Uncrowned
An Oral History of the 1994 Penn State Football Team
Part 3 opens with Penn State’s first ever trip to the Big House, an epic occasion in which the game lives up to the hype; an injury-plagued and overlooked defense shows a knack for answering the call; a Homecoming romp over some cupcake from Columbus; and a historic collection of skill players combine for what might be the most unstoppable offense in college football history.
The Legends of ’94: Part 2
Unbeaten, Unstoppable, Uncrowned
An Oral History of the 1994 Penn State Football Team
Part 2 kicks off with the ’94 Citrus Bowl, where an upset of Tennessee hinted at the success to come; after an offseason of cohesion and commitment, Penn State opens the ’94 season in dominating fashion; and a closer look at the diverse cast of characters who make up the Lions’ all-time-great offensive line. Continue reading
The Football Letter Blog 