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It's only a game (except it isn't)

Just when I was finally heading into the acceptance stage after Tuesday's election, Penn State had to lose today. I was really starting to believe that PSU might actually end up playing for the national championship, but with a couple of minutes to go, I knew it was not to be.

Except I was still holding out hope. Just as when I went to bed around 10 Tuesday night and Obama had something like 200 electoral votes. I told myself that maybe McCain could pull it out. Once I knew PA and Ohio went to Obama, the chances were pretty close to zilch, just as I knew PSU was headed for its first loss when Iowa was on the 20 yard line (or thereabouts) and had almost no chance of missing a field goal from that close.

So now I am back to sadness or depression, or whichever stage that is. There is almost no way PSU can play for the national championship, and what makes it so hard to take is I feel as if this would have been JoePa's last, best chance. I love that man.

My eyes actually welled up with tears when the final score went up. But I also saw how happy those Iowa kids were, and I remember that feeling, when PSU beat top-ranked (or nearly so) Notre Dame in '90. The game was at ND, but that did not stop hundreds of PSU students from heading over to Beaver Stadium to start the celebration. I helped carry a goal post through downtown State College with people I had never met. I hugged strangers. Good times.

And that kind of sums up how, I am sure, many Americans were feeling Tuesday night. Sure, they probably thought their guy was going to win all along. But for so many African-Americans, from what I can imagine and from what I have read, until it really happened, it did not seem real, and even then, it was surreal.

I truly wish Obama becomes a great president. After all, we will all benefit from it. And, more importantly, I think it will help race relations. Sadly, some people may never lose their close-minded, hateful views, but I have to think his success can really open the minds of people "on the fringe," those not inclined to hate, but those who just don't know any better. That is dream worth dreaming and victory we should all hope for.
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Comments

Facie said…
And the Steelers make it two.

Because both PSU's and the Steelers' losses were pretty important (the Lions even more so), I could not even be happy for Pitt, which is a shame.

I do give props to both losing QBs, placing the blame on themselves. Ben is always good for that, something sorely missing in both Tommy Gun and Kordell. It really was a shame the Steelers had to lose, considering how badly Peyton played for most of the game. But he played well when he had to.

Oh, well.
November 10, 2008 at 7:01 PM
Mel said…
I'm with you (feeling some disappointment all around) but also with you in hoping that BO becomes all that his supporters think he'll, and also that he becomes someone I feel as if I have something in common with. It's improbable that all that can happen in one term, or even two... but it's not impossible.
November 10, 2008 at 11:14 PM
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