LIO (Letter of Intent) Day
by Tom Hoffman, Pottstown, PA, PSU ‘98

Twas the night before LOI day, when all through the Beav
All the coaches were stirring, not one would dare leave;
The verbals were secured in the office with care,
In hopes that signatures soon would be there;

The players were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Sugar Bowls danced in their heads;
And JoePa in his whalepants, and Fran in his cap,
Had just geared up for a short winter's rap,

When out on the 20 there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The sun on the sideline of the freshly-cut turf,
Gave the lustre of mid-day internet surf,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a head coaching legend guru, and Al Golden were here,

With a little old italian, so lively and aglow,
I knew in a moment it must be St.Joe.
More rapid than the Eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now,JONES!! now, RUSH! now,MOORE and EZ!
On, Paxson! on Smolko! on, Williams and REED!
To the front of the tunnel! to the top of the wall!
Now 40 yd dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the Miami Hurricanes fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the bleachers the coursers they flew,
With the RV full of booze, and standup JoePas too.

And then, in a twinkling, turned up the heat
The prancing and pawing of each little cleat.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
An In-Home visit JoePa came with a bound.

He was dressed all in Nikes, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all fashioned with logos and Swoosh;
A bundle of Peachy Paterno he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a recruiter just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the hair on his head was still black, we all know;

The stump of his glasses, through his smile shown his teeth,
And the aura it encircled his head like a wreath;
He's done commercials for water and bread,
You know those linemen, they've got to be fed!

He was skinny and thin, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And got me to commit; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up to Bear's record he rose;

He sprang to his limo, to his coaches gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"WELCOME TO PSU ALL, AND TO ALL A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT!!"