Well once again the tailgate activities and the day itself exceeded the football game.  The Homecoming weekend brought back an old roommate who now lives in Southern California named Debbie M.. She graduated from PSU in 1976 with a degree in Ceramic Engneering and secured her first real job at Corning Glass Works here in State College. We shared a five bedroom home in Boalsburg known as The Boalsburg House (more stories to follow). Her nickname was Maggie and she had to put up with four male roommates who had not quite mastered good housekeeping skills. Thank god I had just started dating Amy and she lent a hand at keeping the house from turning into an Animal House. After a couple of years Maggie met the father of her now three children and ended up relocating to California.  Now her middle child Amy (named after my Amy) will be graduating from PSU in Nuclear Engineering this spring. When I first met Maggie she was living in house directly across the street from the Lambia Chi fraternity house I use to hang out at. The White House housed 9 female coeds, two of whom I graduated from high school with. As you can imagine that house was a pretty popular hang out during our college years. Some great friendships were formed and even one marriage. Jeanie P., one of Maggie's roommates ended up marrying a Lambia Chi brother and one of my high school friends and classmates.  Jeanie P. comtinues to come back for Homecoming Weekend and tries to keep an eye on Maggie. It's hard to believe that thirty plus years have gone by and now our kids are graduating from PSU. Hopefully they will also form some strong bonds that will last the test of time. 

Well on the eve of the Penn State-Michigan game Amy is busy preparing food for the largest tailgate of the season. The Bill Jones Memorial Tailgate (Alg’s younger brother) consists of four reserved RV spaces on the corner of Fox Hollow Road and Park Ave on the northeast corner of Beaver Stadium. Bill’s roommate from college Rob J.'s RV parked on one end and Bill’s high school friend Kurt B.'s RV parked on the other end leave two full spaces for a large tent to house all of the food and a stage to accommodate the live band that play will play from 3:00 until 7:00 before the game at 8:00. Last year’s Ohio State night game drew almost 300 guests, most not known to us, however all had a great time. There have been claims made that as a result of the fun had by all at the Bill Jones Tailgates last year; Penn State decided to ban the consumption of adult beverages at tailgates while the game is going on in the stadium.  Not only did Penn State enact a new law, Bill Jones laid the law down, no longer could we call our tailgate, “The Bill Jones Tailgate” due to the risk management issues. That was the day we laid the old Bill Jones to rest and hence the new name “The Bill Jones Memorial Tailgate”. In closing if any of you find yourself at Beaver Stadium for a football game, stop by and pay your respects to the friends of the Old Bill Jones.                                        

Location(s) Beaver StadiumState College, PASee map: Google MapsBeaver Stadium, the 93,967-seat home of the Nittany Lions, will be even larger when the 2001 season opens.

Location(s) Paterno StatueState College, PASee map: Google MapsFor over 50 years, Joe Paterno has led the Penn State Nittany Lions to conquer insurmountable goals.