It's been a shitty past few days though considering all the drama here at Penn State about Joe Paterno and more importantly his ex defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. JoePa announced his retirement today and honestly nobody could have expected it would come this way. Drama and scandal have not been common with the PSU coaching staff and the extent that this has gotten to is just crazy.

I'll be at the game on Saturday, which JoePa may still be at. But I won't be surprised if the last home game turns out to be the last JoePa game. Sad and shitty.

My parents randomly sent me this in the mail today! Sweet!

I went to the football game last weekend and it was fun. I'm glad it's football season again, fall is the best time of year for a sports fan. I signed up for cable again, cuz it's always frustrating when I have to miss Penn State games because I don't have ESPN or something. I had canceled my cable maybe 9 months ago cuz I hadn't been watching anything really, but I was time to change that.

So today the cable guy came. He hooked up the box and all, got it working... then when he left i undid all this connections and hooked it up how I wanted. haha.

I've been poking around on my new hundreds of tv stations for a while now. But there were two things I watched tonight that really sort of epitomized the two sides of me. For like 2 hours I watched UFC. Ultimate Fighting. Blood soaked fighters beating on each other. Perhaps it's my recent resumption of karate training that let me enjoy MMA again, but I had a blast watching it.

But what did I find myself watching after that? Oxygen. The Notebook was on... It's a good movie! It's all about second chances. Who doesn't wish for those now and again?

If there is an opposite to MMA I think the Notebook might be it.

I always wanted to take that class. It's actually the single most popular gen ed class on the Penn State campus. But I never had the combination of being an upper classman (to be able to schedule such a popular class) and having a girlfriend who attended Penn State at the same time. Sad, I know.

But Tae Kwon Do meets as a club and it's open to staff like me. I'm not certain if I will do TKD or Tang Soo Do, my old school (which I'm hoping to hit up tomorrow night). But today I was all ready and willing to go do some front kicks in the dojang. And I got confused on the room. Gah!

But despite it all, today had a amazing freak autumn coolness to it. It almost smelled like fall, with the cool breeze on your skin and a comforting chill that I always associate to one autumn, many years ago... the most vivid, important and beautiful time of my life. Certain cool autumn winds take me there.

For a moment.

The team won't officially announce it's name and logo until May 11th, but the internet has already uncovered the identity of the new Philadelphia soccer team! The Philadelphia Union, hearkening back to the famous "Join or Die" political cartoon by Ben Franklin. I am so totally excited about this.

sccaflagger74 from the Big Soccer Forums posted these screenshots he got from an apparel shop that accidentally put some Union gear on sale. It looks like they have really captured the tradition of the city and it's importance (notice the 13 stars), without falling on the old standby of the liberty bell. This is a great logo, and the name just works. I had originally really expected them to go with AC Philadelphia, but this whole combination sure exceeds my expectations.

I get the feeling this site was not supposed to put this merchandise on sale yet. It's since been removed from the site. Woops!

The scarves look fantastic!

More details to come!!

Here's a closeup of the scarf:

I've created a Philadelphia Union Wallpaper available here!

“This is to the Philadelphia Fan
To laud your passion as best I can
Your loyalty is unsurpassed
Be the Fightins in first or last
We come to the park each day
Looking forward to another fray
Because we know you’ll be there
We know you really care
You give the opposing pitcher fits
Because as one loyalist shouts, ‘Everybody hits’
To be sure in Philly, there might be some boos
Because you passionate fans, like the manager, hate to lose
Your reaction to the action on the field that you impart
Spurs us as broadcasters to call the game with enthusiasm and heart
We feel your passion through and through
Philadelphia fans, I love you.”
– Harry Kalas, 2002

Being right in the center of the state, Penn State Eagles fans have the unique position in Pennsylvania of being surrounded by about an equal number of Philly sports fans and Pittsburgh sports fans. Neither in Philadelphia nor in Pittsburgh is the rivalry between the two towns as apparent as it is right here in the middle of the state. And so, with the Steelers being in the Super Bowl, I find it difficult to root for them.

And yet, on the other hand, the Cardinals are the team who knocked out my beloved Eagles. So I'm not sure how I could root for them either.

So I'll watch the Super Bowl tonight on principal. But I won't like it.