The Ultimate Underdog
Let me tell you a little story about the Underdog....
In 1948, Wally Triplett was told that he was not welcome in Texas because of the color of his skin. His Nittany Lion teammates, led by Captain Steve Suhey, took a stand and let SMU officials know loud and clear that "WE ARE playing with Wally, or we don't play at all". Thanks to Wally Triplett’s 4th quarter touchdown, Penn State fought their way to a 13-13 tie against the mighty Mustangs in that year’s Cotton Bowl. Wally would go on to become the first African-American to be drafted by the NFL. During his years as a Nittany Lion, a cheer as synonymous to Penn State as the Nittany Lion shrine, was given its first breath of life.
Let me tell you a little story about the Underdog....
In 1966, a man who originally wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and practice law landed a job as head coach of Penn State's football team. At first the Brooklyn native had no desire to make his living in the middle of cow fields in central Pennsylvania. His first season ended with an even record and a world of doubt. 45 years, two National Championships, five undefeated seasons and an abundance of Success with Honor later, Joe Paterno and the number 409 remain as synonymous to Penn State as those classic black shoes, basic blues and white helmets with the single blue stripe.
Let me tell you a little story about the Underdog....
In 1986, the Nittany Lions faced a Goliath dressed in green and orange. A bully, full of trophy winners and future NFL stars. A team overloaded in swagger. They traded suits for fatigues and declared a game of war instead of a game of integrity. That night, in the Arizona desert, Penn State stared that bully in the eyes, punched him square in the jaw and walked away with a 14-10 victory over the "unbeatable" Miami Hurricanes. 29 years later, that win remains one of the greatest upsets in the history of college football. It gave the Nittany Lions their second National Championship in four years.
Let me tell you a little story about the ULTIMATE Underdog....
In 2011/2012, Penn State went toe to toe with another bully, perhaps the largest of them all. Penn State was stripped of wins and was accused of fostering a culture other than one of Success with Honor. Penn State’s players were encouraged to walk away from the football program. A few of them did. The rest? They stood their ground. They refused to let one man's actions define them. They refused to let anyone run them under a bus. In short, they weathered a storm unlike any other that had ever swept through a college campus.
As all the dust settled on four years worth of uncertainty, an underdog arose. The underdog of all underdogs. He never started a game in high school. He came to Penn State and was told he did not belong. He was accused of not having what it takes to be a Nittany Lion. He could have quit. Instead, he went to work and persevered. In 2015, he became a testament to the notion that hard work and perseverance pay off. He proved the doubters wrong. His name is Carl Nassib and he is one of six Nittany Lions that remain from Joe Paterno's last year at Penn State. This week, the fruits of labor have fallen upon Nassib. On Wednesday afternoon he was presented the Hendricks Award, given annually to college football’s top Defensive Lineman. He was also announced as a first team All-American by CBSSports and capped his day being named the nation’s best Lineman/Linebacker, winning the Lombardi Award. He followed that up on Thursday by being named a Walter Camp and Sports Illustrated first team All-American.
He led the nation in sacks and tackles for loss despite missing the last two games, both of in which his absence was clearly felt. Our hats go off to Carl for all he's done, not just for the football team but also for the community. The word “underdog” is as synonymous to Penn State as the Nittany Lion Shrine, JoePa, 409, and those black shoes and plain Blue and White uniforms. This week Carl Nassib cemented his legacy as the Ultimate Underdog in Nittany Lion lore.
In 1948, Wally Triplett was told that he was not welcome in Texas because of the color of his skin. His Nittany Lion teammates, led by Captain Steve Suhey, took a stand and let SMU officials know loud and clear that "WE ARE playing with Wally, or we don't play at all". Thanks to Wally Triplett’s 4th quarter touchdown, Penn State fought their way to a 13-13 tie against the mighty Mustangs in that year’s Cotton Bowl. Wally would go on to become the first African-American to be drafted by the NFL. During his years as a Nittany Lion, a cheer as synonymous to Penn State as the Nittany Lion shrine, was given its first breath of life.
Let me tell you a little story about the Underdog....
In 1966, a man who originally wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and practice law landed a job as head coach of Penn State's football team. At first the Brooklyn native had no desire to make his living in the middle of cow fields in central Pennsylvania. His first season ended with an even record and a world of doubt. 45 years, two National Championships, five undefeated seasons and an abundance of Success with Honor later, Joe Paterno and the number 409 remain as synonymous to Penn State as those classic black shoes, basic blues and white helmets with the single blue stripe.
Let me tell you a little story about the Underdog....
In 1986, the Nittany Lions faced a Goliath dressed in green and orange. A bully, full of trophy winners and future NFL stars. A team overloaded in swagger. They traded suits for fatigues and declared a game of war instead of a game of integrity. That night, in the Arizona desert, Penn State stared that bully in the eyes, punched him square in the jaw and walked away with a 14-10 victory over the "unbeatable" Miami Hurricanes. 29 years later, that win remains one of the greatest upsets in the history of college football. It gave the Nittany Lions their second National Championship in four years.
Let me tell you a little story about the ULTIMATE Underdog....
In 2011/2012, Penn State went toe to toe with another bully, perhaps the largest of them all. Penn State was stripped of wins and was accused of fostering a culture other than one of Success with Honor. Penn State’s players were encouraged to walk away from the football program. A few of them did. The rest? They stood their ground. They refused to let one man's actions define them. They refused to let anyone run them under a bus. In short, they weathered a storm unlike any other that had ever swept through a college campus.
As all the dust settled on four years worth of uncertainty, an underdog arose. The underdog of all underdogs. He never started a game in high school. He came to Penn State and was told he did not belong. He was accused of not having what it takes to be a Nittany Lion. He could have quit. Instead, he went to work and persevered. In 2015, he became a testament to the notion that hard work and perseverance pay off. He proved the doubters wrong. His name is Carl Nassib and he is one of six Nittany Lions that remain from Joe Paterno's last year at Penn State. This week, the fruits of labor have fallen upon Nassib. On Wednesday afternoon he was presented the Hendricks Award, given annually to college football’s top Defensive Lineman. He was also announced as a first team All-American by CBSSports and capped his day being named the nation’s best Lineman/Linebacker, winning the Lombardi Award. He followed that up on Thursday by being named a Walter Camp and Sports Illustrated first team All-American.
He led the nation in sacks and tackles for loss despite missing the last two games, both of in which his absence was clearly felt. Our hats go off to Carl for all he's done, not just for the football team but also for the community. The word “underdog” is as synonymous to Penn State as the Nittany Lion Shrine, JoePa, 409, and those black shoes and plain Blue and White uniforms. This week Carl Nassib cemented his legacy as the Ultimate Underdog in Nittany Lion lore.
