The Sunday Afternoon Quarterback #1: Polyamorous at Penn State (and Beyond)

Football season is back and with that comes my husband’s enthusiasm for all things Penn State and football related. We started this blog series last year as Shelbee’s Sunday Morning Quarterback, a weekly post where my husband shared college football highlights and I wore something blue and white to represent Penn State. I am rebranding it as the Sunday Afternoon Quarterback because we never could quite get it together and posted before noon on Sundays.

While I have no concept about football terms, game rules and regulations, or anything of the sort, I know that there are many women who do understand, follow, and love football. I have joined a fantasy football league this year in the hopes that I will learn something. But I probably won’t. I also know that there are some football-loving men who read my blog. So we are going to continue this series for all of you. Plus we really do have fun with it. Be sure to check back here on Sundays throughout college football season for details about Saturday’s Penn State games (and other college football highlights) brought to you by my husband, Jeff, The Sunday Afternoon Quarterback.

Before turning it over to Jeff, however, I have to explain my post title. Apparently, there was lots of familial confusion about the nature of our very happy and fulfilled marriage. Perhaps I have been too cryptic in the bits that I have shared here. So let me be very clear. My husband and I have been a non-monogamous, polyamorous couple for coming up on three years now. This was a decision that we made together after lengthy conversations that lasted for weeks, months, I don’t really remember, before we actually made the leap. There was no cheating that started the whole thing, just a mutual acceptance that neither of us were really all that comfortable with a lifetime of monogamy, regardless of how much we love one another and our children. Nothing we do is done in secret from each other, although much of it has been kept secret from everyone else, well, because judgments are harsh and abundant and ugly. Misconceptions and misunderstandings combined with lack of communication can cause way more drama than I prefer. That being said, we are who we are, and we will do what is best for us, but the only pictures that will be shared in this post from a family event will be of my immediate family (Jeff, our children, and I as well as few of our friends who don’t really care about what we do in our marriage) because I imagine that based on the backlash, no one else wants their names or images attached to such debauchery as consensual non-monogamy. What was supposed to be a fun family event (and I imagine it was for the children who know nothing of these happenings), it was pretty much the most uncomfortable I have ever felt in my entire life. Completely and totally alone and alienated in a stadium of 100,000 people. Not to mention that I can’t even understand why people pay actual money to sit in a hot, overcrowded stadium on horrendously hard bleacher seats to watch football on a huge television screen because you can’t really see the field anyway. I will watch the games from the comfort and safety of my own polyamorous home from now on. And now, I turn it over to Jeff, the Sunday Afternoon Quarterback.

#15 Penn State Nittany Lions 79 – Idaho Vandals 7    

It has been 242 days since Penn State’s last football game and for those of you who know me or read my Sunday Morning Quarterback posts last year, you will understand why those 242 days have felt like an eternity. Over the summer, it was decided that the season opener would be the annual game that my family would attend together and for a few reasons. First, my niece would be having her birthday party at our tailgate (a special experience for her since it was her first Penn State game). Second, it would be my youngest son, Ralph’s first game as well. Knowing his inability to sit still for three hours led to not wanting to spend a lot of money on his ticket. Third, I figured Idaho wouldn’t have much of a chance of upsetting Penn State and nobody wants to attend a game only to watch their favorite team lose. Finally, the long Labor Day weekend made travel plans easier and we would all be able attend.  

As we woke up bright and early Saturday morning, it was already looking to be a beautiful day for a tailgate and some Penn State football. When my dad arrived, we packed up his truck and set off for State College, hitting the interstate around 8:00 a.m. and arriving at our parking spot around 10:30 a.m. We just had a daily parking pass, but lots of folks tailgate for the weekend in RVs. If that is something you are interested in, check out Pennsylvania RV rental offers. Upon arrival, we began to set up our tailgate location, lay out the food and take some family pictures right away so we wouldn’t forget. We played games of corn hole, washers, and catch. We ate and drank and everyone seemed happy enjoying the beautiful weather. 

As it neared time to begin the walk into Beaver Stadium, we were surprised at our tailgate by a longtime friend of mine, John, and his family. John was my boss when we were stationed together as Army recruiters in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is responsible for taking me to my first ever Penn State game and many others after that until the Army does what the Army does and moved us apart.  As we tried to figure out how long it had been since we had seen each other last, we realized that it was when we brought his daughter to her first Penn State game when she was 6 months old. She is now 11.

Game time was upon us as we made our way to our seats about 13 rows off the field in the north end zone, which works out really well for half of the game when the Nittany Lions would be scoring right in front of us. However, for the other two quarters, we had to rely on the giant screen at the top of the stadium to watch the game. 

Idaho elected to receive the opening kickoff and on 4th and 1 would be stopped by Micah Parsons and the Nittany Lion defense. Penn State took over on the Idaho 34 and Sean Clifford began his career as the new signal caller by driving the Lions to the Idaho 3 before he would fumble, setting up a 28 yard Jake Pinegar field goal.  Penn State 3-0. 

Following a three and out and an 18 yard punt on the Vandals’ next possession, the Lions went back to work at the Vandals 35 yard line. Three plays would result in zero yards and a 53 yard field goal by Jake Pinegar. Penn State 6-0. 

The Penn State defense, which looked dominant all afternoon, would hold Idaho to another three and out, giving Penn State the ball back on their 46 yard line after the punt. It would take Penn State five plays to go 53 yards with Journey Brown capping it off with a 23 yard run and Penn State’s first touchdown of the season. Penn State 13-0. 

After another three and out, which would be the theme of Idaho’s offense, it would take five plays again for the Nittany Lions to hit pay dirt with Ricky Slade going in from 1 yard out. Penn State 20-0. 

After trading possessions in the next series, the Lions would take over on their 45 yard line. Sean Clifford would need only three plays before finding a streaking KJ Hamler for a 36 yard touchdown right in front of our seats and a 27-0 lead. 

The teams would trade punts over the next three series before the Lions would strike again. Pinned down at the 5 yard line, it would take only three plays before Devyn Ford took the handoff and scooted around the left side untouched for an 81 yard touchdown run and a 34-0 lead. 

Ford would finish with 107 yards on the ground becoming the first freshman to rush for over 100 yards in the season opener since Curt Warner in 1979. The defense again forced a punt giving Sean Clifford the ball back at his 24 yard line, needing only four plays before finding Hamler open again in the end zone for a 21 yard touchdown pass and a 41-0 lead. Jake Pinegar would close out the half, hitting his third field goal at 38 yards as time expired.

Penn State would receive the 2nd half kickoff and immediately went back to work going 75 yards in five plays. Sean Clifford would complete his first three passes on the drive for 67 yards with Journey Brown carrying the final two plays for 8 yards and a 51-0 lead. 

Cornerback John Reid would need one play before giving the ball back, intercepting Mason Petrino and returning it 25 yards to the Idaho 6 yard line. With Clifford done for the day, back up Will Levis would take over and need four plays to extend the score to 58-0 when Noah Cain plunged in from 3 yards out. 

After back to back punts and a 4th down stop by the Lion defense, Levis would once again lead the Lions to the end zone. Engineering a 14 play 72 yard drive, Levis would cap it off with a 4 yard touchdown pass to Brenton Strange and a 65-0 score. 

At this point in the game, the stadium began to empty out, including my family (except my wife and kids who vacated before the first quartered ended) as we went back to our tailgate to finish celebrating my niece’s birthday with birthday cake. The Vandals wouldn’t be held scoreless though as Mason Petrino would find Logan Kendall for a 1 yard touchdown pass. Penn State 65-7. 

The Nittany Lion back ups would tag on two more touchdowns for a final score of 79-7. The Nittany Lions will be back in action again next week against Buffalo.

I also want to congratulate Army on their 14-7 win over Rice along with Cal and their 27-13 win over UC Davis.

Until next week, WE ARE…

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee and Jeff

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