Through all the speeches from former players and alumni, there was one that stood out above the rest. Phil Knight never went to Penn State. It's unclear if he had ever been to State College before. But aside from Jay Paterno, Kinght's ten minute eulogy of Joe Paterno was the one that touched the heart of every Penn Stater who was lucky enough to watch the "Memorial for Joe" event Thursday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center.
For months, and in some cases years, media outlets have asked me time and time again what Coach Paterno means to me and to this university. Though I still struggle to explain it, Coach Paterno's passing may have given me part of the answer.
The Penn State women's basketball team extended its win streak to five games after beating Michigan 77-56 in Ann Arbor on Thursday. Led by 23 points from Maggie Lucas, the Lady Lions never trailed en route to an easy road victory.
The Lady Lions remain in Michigan for their next match-up on Sunday. At 3 p.m., Penn State will take on Michigan State in East Lansing. The teams met once already this season, with the Spartans coming out 75-65 victors. However, since that January 7 game, the teams have been going in opposite directions in the standings. Michigan State has lost its last four games, including a home loss to a struggling Illinois side. The Spartans will not prove an easy contest, but look for a Lady Lions win on Sunday.
Over the past few days, there has been an outpouring of support from the Penn State community to honor the late Joe Paterno. Another special recognition could ensure that the man who helped build Beaver Stadium will forever be linked to the football program.
It has been a long and sad couple of days for us here in Happy Valley. With the passing of our beloved Joe Paterno, we once again are reminded of how precious life is and how important it is to live for more than just ourselves.
With that in mind, we are reminded that THON is just a few weeks away and the Penn State community has an opportunity to come together for some music, fun and fundraising for a cause which we all hold so dear.
The Songwriters Club will be hosting concerts tonight and tomorrow night that will feature many student acts to benefit THON.
Penn State President Rodney Erickson spoke to the UPUA and briefly took questions at the beginning of Wednesday's legislative meeting. Erickson touched on a number of topics, most notably his disdain for our pseudo-holiday State Patty's Day.