Blue White Illustrated

LAST WORD T I M O W E N | O W E N . T I M . B W I @ G M A I L . C O M he wait began in New York late last December. Then it lasted all winter, spring and summer, but when the impatience was finally alleviated with the arrival of Penn State's season opener at Temple, the game couldn't end quickly enough. For the first time since World War II, the Owls outlasted the Nittany Lions in a frustrating display of inconsistent of- fense, spotty pass protection and dev- astating injuries. After more than eight football-free months – with the last game being an encouraging 31-30 bowl victory over Boston College – this was not the way the season was supposed to start. That goes for the Nittany Lions. It goes for me, too. On the field, you need no reminder of what happened that day in Philadelphia. But off the field – in the parking lots, specifically – I'd like to share a story. I arrived at Lincoln Financial Field that Saturday about two hours before Penn State was scheduled to kick off its 2015 season. After making it through the traffic on I-95 and finding the lot marked on my parking pass, I figured I was in the clear to go find my seat and at last watch the game. Was I wrong. By the time I turned into Lot K – which also happened to be Temple's student parking area – every space had been taken. Not a single one remained. The friendly event staff failed to inform me of that seemingly pertinent fact and let me in anyway, ominously closing the gate behind me and having me learn my fate on my own. For nearly 90 minutes I cautiously traversed the aisles, weaving back and forth as I searched for a spot to leave my car. With the lot already overflow- ing and jam-packed with rowdy tail- gaters, I was obligated to drive through masses of partygoers who weren't ex- actly happy to see a vehicle approach- ing their tailgate. In order to get from point A to B, and with few traffic direc- tors present to help out, I had no other choice. Some fans were understanding and they guided me through the clusters of people; others were anything but. As I passed through, full cans of beer were routinely dumped on or thrown at my vehicle. (What a waste, right?) Other fans chucked footballs at the back of my car; one guy chased me down and threw a haymaker punch at my passenger-side window. And he was wearing Penn State gear. As I continued driving, it only got worse. After exploring Lot K for about 45 minutes, I found myself completely surrounded by a group, 20 or so deep, of what appeared to be intoxicated fans. One guy even tried to open my car door. I've seen the movies before; this almost felt like I was smack dab in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. To say that I had an uneasy feeling about what I was getting myself into is an understatement. Especially after hearing about the rising number of vi- olent incidents that happen outside college and pro stadiums. It seems like it's becoming a disturbing trend out- side of sporting events. In fact, just a couple weeks after PSU's game vs. Temple, video surfaced of a 35-year- old Minnesota Vikings fan being ruth- lessly pummeled by four 49ers fans outside their stadium in San Francis- co. Given the hostility of this crowd – Temple really does hate Penn State – I wasn't about to take any chances. With about 30 minutes until kickoff and with no place to leave my vehicle where I wouldn't run the risk of finding slashed tires and a broken windshield on my return, I cut my losses. I turned around, got out of that parking lot and was able to catch the game on TV at the home of a family member who lives in the area. After waiting since the holidays for college football to begin, it was a disap- pointing way to start the season. As it was for Penn State on the field. Few people expected the Nittany Li- ons to total only two first downs in the second and third quarters vs. Temple. While some might have foreseen strug- gles in pass protection, no one could have expected that they would give up 10 sacks. I anticipated traffic and tail- gating when I got to the stadium, for sure, but I certainly wasn't expecting that. You live and learn, though, and just as Penn State responded with back-to- back wins after that Temple loss, most notably its 28-3 win over Rutgers, I have kept the faith, believing that there is still reason for optimism. Similar horror stories emerged after Penn State played Rutgers in Piscat- away last year. Fights in the parking lots and in the stands. T-shirts being burned. Profane chants directed against PSU. With the Scarlet Knights return- ing the trip to State College, I feared reprisals. But early reports suggested otherwise. Certainly there was a small faction of PSU fans who weren't welcoming hosts when Rutgers came to town, as there would be with any team. But for the most part, it sounds as though the rela- tions were peaceful. At least, hopefully, they had room to park. ■ Asphalt jungle T

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