Friendliness comes to mind when mentioning Penn State and Beaver Stadium. Happy Valley is not only a joyous place for the home team, but fans wearing the opposing colors are greeted with welcoming arms, as well. Perhaps it's because Nittany Lion fans know that wherever these fans came from, they must have traveled a tremendous distance. University Park, Pennsylvania is hidden in a valley amongst the Allegheny Mountains and the famous Mount Nittany. Lion fans arrive days before kickoff parking their RVs in the many open grass lots around the 110,000 seat arena. Tailgating at Penn State is tops in the Big Ten conference. Fans start early and celebrate late. Thanks to Penn State's youthful octogenarian legend, Joe Paterno, Nittany Lion football has become a winning tradition and a place where all college football fans should visit. The coach even has his own Ice Cream at the Berkey Creamery, a hotspot on campus prior to the game. Folks fill up on Peachy Paterno and enjoy the beautiful campus surroundings. Penn State University really is its own community and the folks soak in every corner of campus prior to the game. Another hotspot is the Lion Shrine, where the class of 1940 donated the now famous Nittany Lion statue. Fans wanting a photo with the lion should plan ahead as the line to get a picture can stretch to an hour long. The stadium itself is not a beauteous wonder from the outside as it sort of looks like an unfinished construction project. However, the inside is imposing as the large bowl is enhanced by a double deck behind one end zone and a triple deck behind the other. The Blue Band kicks off the festivities by ripping off "Fight On State" and the Nittany Lions charge through swinging gates lead by an energetic Paterno. The crowd is deafening, especially when one end screams "WE ARE" followed by "PENN STATE!" echoed from the opposite side. The fans at Beaver Stadium are accustomed to winning, but there is very little pompous behavior to be found. Penn State could be the poster child for college football with its behemoth stadium lost in the middle of a gorgeous Pennsylvania landscape and surrounded by rabid fans harboring a proud tradition.
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