Tidbits

Cookies: A Football Tradition

Posted by Anne Yorks on Sunday, September 5, 2010

Football traditions are deeply embedded into every school’s identity. At Penn State, many traditions are for fun and school pride, like Old Main ringing the Alma Mater the Friday of a home football weekend, camping out at Paternoville, Whiteouts, and our ‘We Are’ chant. But so many of these traditions are also superstitious. Legend has it, that if the drum major lands both front-flips during the Blue Band’s opening march on the field that the team will have a solid win. If he biffs the first and lands the second, expect a weak 1st half and a strong 2nd half. If he flops down on both opportunities, hold on to your foam finger, it’s going to be a bumpy game. I can honestly say I don’t think it is fair to put that much pressure on one person, but I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and more times that not, the legend is true! Here’s hoping that we have a great drum major this year, oh yeah, and a great defensive line, too!

At Flour Box Bakery, I’m starting a new football tradition, a COOKIE tradition. I have created a selection of cookies with tons school spirit— great for any football party or tailgate.  Not a Blue & White fan? No worries. I will customize this collection to match your school colors! Don't forget - we ship cookies too! 

The football cookies!


The cheerleader cookies! 

  

Football Jersey Cookie!

Football Helmet Cookie!


And every tailgate needs a BBQ grill!


If you’re interested in ordering to help get this new cookie tradition started, click here to view the order page on the Flour Box website.

I can just imagine the headlines on the The Daily Collegian “Cookie Tradition Tips Penn State into Rose Bowl Contention”. Wow.

Yesterday, I worked on the field at the Penn State vs. Youngstown game.

Topher works on the Video/Display team (the big Jumbotron tv inside Beaver Stadium). He got me a job on the field carrying cable. It's so much fun!

But we have to get up SO EARLY! Here is the sunrise over Mt. Nittany. 


The jumbotron in Beaver Stadium is actually operated by the control room in the Bryce Jordan Center (our basketball/sports arena). Here is a little behind-the-scenes picture of half of the room. These are the monitors that display the feed from the stadium cameras. It's the crews job to jump from camera to camera to create the video that is displayed in the stadium. There are graphics and all sorts of elements that get added in. It all seems quite complicated to put together. But everyone works together and does a great job. Penn State has actually been tabbed as the 'Greatest Show in College Football' by Sports Illustrated. 

By the way - do you see the time stamp on the clock on the wall? 6:59 am! That means I was up and awake at 5:30am. Love those Lions a lot to roll out of bed that early!


Here I am with Camera 3. I don't actually operate the camera. 


I just help with the cable. It's a pretty sweet job. Before the game, the cameras are set up and we 'babysit' it while the camera gets 'faxed' - or it's settings are checked and adjusted. I take this time to enjoy a very quite Beaver Stadium.

 

At this point, there aren't many people on the field. The Operations crew, the telecomm people (setting up team headsets, etc), the National TV crews (like the Big Ten Network, ESPN, or ABC) our camera team, and the football team managers (loading equipment on the field).

This is our actual camera guy. We call him Spidey. He is a full-time camera/video guy, but also freelances as an authorized Spider Man character in his free time. That's why we call him Spidey. Plus, he does like to climb into the stands to get fan shots. 


Here are the Youngstown State football players' first moments in Beaver Stadium. The were dressed up and looking spiffy to be Joe's House. Good job, boys. 


And here are our Nittany Lions. Some of these guys are amazingly HUGE. I always wonder what the biggest guys eat for breakfast. Seriously probably what most people eat in a week. 


The Nittany Lion is so super cool. Is there any greater mascot? I guess we all have our favorites...but this guy did a series of backflips down the endzone ending with a twisty-round off type move - all with the costume on! What other mascots can do THAT?


I'm also a huge fan of the Blue Band. For me, they make the game atmosphere crazy cool. They play all the school songs, but this year they mixed in Lady GaGa's pokerface! What? Who does that? The Penn State Blue Band, that's who!

And as if I didn't need any other reasons to love them...I found this guy. Look close. He has a Charms Blow Pop tucked in his instrument. So funny. I guess he just needs a little sugar rush during the 3rd Quarter. That or he likes his lips to stick to his mouthpiece.


But the best part of the game is seeing my man, Joe Paterno. This guy is amazing! Here he is pregame - giving our freshman quarterback a peptalk. It worked! Bolden had a great first game and I think he has Nittany Lion fans very excited for the season.

Oh, Joe. So cute! Here he is ready to lead his team out of the tunnel and onto the field! 


Overall, Saturday seemed like a great way to start to the season! 

Let's Go State!

Have a sweet football season,

Anne