by Travis Normand

Penn State’s cheer is “We Are Penn State;” but what exactly does that mean now?

Going forward, what exaclty is the identity of Penn State going to be?

I know that Penn State’s mascot is the Nittany Lion.  I know that Penn State has very traditional, plain, blue and white football uniforms.  I also know that it is a large land-grant university.  Oh, and I know that Joe Paterno was the football coach.

Penn State and Joe Paterno had arguably become one and the same.  I am not sure where one stopped and the other started.  In fact, now that Joe Paterno is gone, it is almost as if Penn State is the most plain and unoriginal university of them all.  Without Paterno, Penn State has no identity — at least none outside of the current “scandal.”

I am sure that over time Penn State will once again find itself and its identity.  At least, I hope so.