“I know I’ve been ascending the soapbox quite a bit lately, and I promise to refrain from doing so in a bit here, but I’ll ask that you indulge me once more. See, yesterday as I got on the elevator, a co-worker and I struck up a conversation about the sporting event that sandwiched the Bruce Springstein concert over the weekend. After discussing what a great game it was, this individual lamented that we were now in somewhat of sports ‘black hole,’ with nothing going on until pitchers and catchers were to report. ‘Heavens to Betsy,’ I thought – is it possible that my obsession over college basketball is the exception, rather than the rule? I can understand the disinterest in the NBA regular season – it’s hard to expect the fans to care when the players don’t – and although I feel hockey players do try very hard, it just seems like they’re speaking another language. Not ‘getting’ hockey is as American as apple pie (though I admit, Midwesterners do share an interest in the puck game that goes beyond the rest of the nation’s. But as a transplant, I’m afraid this escapes me). So I ask him, ‘Well, what’s your college team?’ He replies, ‘Penn State.’
“Oh my.
“This hit me to my very core. The Nittany Lions are, of course, in the midst of their best season in nearly 20 years. They currently feature the conference’s most dynamic player, who is the runaway MVP at this point. They’re led by an undersized senior power forward who out-efforts his opponent every time he takes the floor. They’ve beaten two teams worthy of holding a top ten ranking at some point this season. And one of those wins came just two days ago. I submit that if you can’t get excited about this year’s Penn State team, you’re just not a Penn State fan. In fact, you probably need your head examined. …”