The Penn State Nittany Lions football team spent more than a century carving out a life for itself. Since way back in 1886, the Lions built themselves into an eastern power thanks to strong scheduling and the invaluable help of an English major from Brown who decided to make it his life work to show that a special blend of football and academics could thrive at an agricultural school in central Pennsylvania.Through its first 100 years program had racked up undefeated seasons and national championships, building a brand easily recognized from coast to coast. Then, in the early 1990s, Penn State decided that it had had enough of going alone. Penn State accepted an offer to join the Big Ten in all sports, playing its first football season in the conference in 1993. However, an argument could be made that Penn State hasn't really been a part of the Big Ten until now.
With much of the nation taking every possible opportunity to insult the Big Ten and point out its inferiority to conferences like the SEC and Big XII, the fans of the eleven schools that make up the country's most popular conference must rally behind Penn State to save its image.
When the Lions became the eleventh team in the Big Ten, the excitement generated in the Penn State program wasn't exactly matched by the other conference members. As a matter of fact, Northwestern didn't want to vote Penn State in until it was assured that it wasn't going to be sacrificed to make room for the Lions.
For the first few years, the traditionally Midwest conference did not take too kindly to the newcomer from the East. Situated about five hours east of Ohio State, the former easternmost school in the Big Ten, Penn State was certainly treated like an unwanted adopted brother by the other conference powers.
The Lions didn't help themselves when they whipped the rest of the league in historic fashion in just their second year as a member, becoming the first Big Ten school to ever go 12-0 and win the Rose Bowl. Over time; however, Penn State started to become assimilated to its new home. Intensifying rivalries with schools like Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin and others helped legitimize the Lions as an official member of the conference, but, perhaps ironically, it was the Lions' struggles that may have done the most to cement the Lions' place in the league.
When Penn State suffered through four losing seasons in five years earlier in this decade, it satisfied fans of the other ten schools to know that not even a team of Penn State's continued success could come in and dominate their conference. It had to bother those fans to see the Lions come into the Big Ten and put up double-digit wins in three of their first four seasons.
Of course, it wasn't just the Lions gaining from its new relationship. Penn State gave the Big Ten a doorway to the Philadelphia and New York television markets, it gave the league a third "national program" along with Ohio State and Michigan, it provided high-profile out-of-conference wins against schools like USC (twice), Texas, Auburn, Texas Tech, Nebraska, Miami, Florida State and Oregon and it provided success in bowl games. As a matter of fact, the Lions are responsible for 18% of all bowl game victories for the conference since 1993.
This season, after fifteen years as a member of the Big Ten, Penn State has seen the top and the bottom of the league standings. Forged by the fires of a decade and a half of close games, upsets and blowouts, the Lions are no longer the odd man out in the history-rich conference. This season, more than any other in the past, the Big Ten is depending on Penn State to save it from the attacks of pundits, experts and fans who have cruelly and unexpectedly turned on the traditionally-revered conference.
Now, it is Penn State that must carry the flag for the conference that absorbed it just a short time ago and prove that the Big Ten is not the paper thin league it has been wrongly labeled as. It is Penn State that must deliver back to the conference the respect it once had, by taking on a giant from the Big XII or SEC and be the one left standing. And, for perhaps the first time, it will be the entirety of the league's fans that will be in its corner.
Posts
3 comments:
such a great story joe. The Big Ten is only a few more big bowl game losses from becoming a mockery in Division One football. That's a sad thing to say considering the Big Ten is the nation's oldest Division One athletic conference. It's time for the entire league to rally around the Lions while they help fix our tarnished image.
In 2005, when Penn State beat Ohio State at home, the Buckeye fans were still telling me how badly Penn State sucked even after the game. This year, in Columbus, more than a couple fans were telling us that they hope we win it all and that they'd be rooting for us. I think they realize how much the Big Ten needs a shot in the arm and PSU is the last team left that can give it to them this season.
I really hate to say it, but I agree with both of you. If Penn State does in fact go to the national championship and loses, then I think the big 10 will lose all remaining respect from the "experts" and the rest of the nation.
I really feel that if we played against any one of the "better" teams, we would beat them. This is because we are one of only 2 teams that play BOTH offense AND defense (the other team being USC). Here's to winning out and getting a shot at the national title!
Post a Comment