Things that make you go hmmmm . . . human lions, flying marshmallows and 95,000 people shouting at the top of their lungs.

As bizarre as these activities seem, they are considered staples at Penn State home football games.

Anyone who has attended just one game in Beaver Stadium is sure to have witnessed, if not participated in, some tradition.

But, while it may take only one game to learn what these traditions are, we may never know exactly where these traditions came from.

"Since there is such a turnover of students, if a new tradition starts, after about four years it gets really difficult to pinpoint exactly who started the tradition and when," said John Black, associate director of the Penn State Alumni Association.

The ambiguity over when and why traditions were formed, however, does not deter most students from participating with full force.

We want the lion! We want the lion!"

At her first Penn State football game, Jenn Rue (sophomore-division of undergraduate studies) joined in the chanting. She had no idea why she wanted the lion, but she continued nevertheless. Once she realized what was going on, she thought to herself, "There's no way he'll make it to the top."

The lion did, of course, as he does every game to the delight of the fans.

"The first time I saw the lion passed, I was sure he was going to die before he made it to the top. He could really get hurt," said Lori Parsons (sophomore-English).

Other students said they love the lion simply because he draws the crowd into the game.

The first lion mascots were not so popular. Previous lion mascots dressed up as traditional African lions and appeared at only a few games each season, Black said.

Black attributes "the modern era of Nittany Lion mascots" to Bob Welsh, who donned the Lion costume in the early '70s.

During Welsh's stint as mascot, the traditions of the blanket toss, one-armed push-ups and passing the lion began.

While none of his antics were pre-planned, Welsh would try just about anything to generate school spirit, Black said.

So strong was his desire to get fans cheering, that Welsh was willing to dive into the crowd and depend on the fans to guide him safely to the top of Beaver Stadium.

Once Welsh found a stunt that fired up the crowd, he incorporated it into his routine. Today many fans couldn't even imagine a game minus the mascot.

When it comes to singing and chanting other cheers, students and alumni both participate heartily.

At least once every quarter "We are! Penn State!" echoes through Beaver Stadium (and perhaps all of Happy Valley).

Although the cheer is now a mainstay, Black said it took a few years to get the crowd to participate fully.

The "We are! Penn State!" cheer didn't become a tradition at Beaver Stadium until the 1978 season, when the Lions went 11-1 and finished fourth in the nation, Black said.

Ron Peterman (junior-elementary education) said the cheer is his favorite because "it involves the whole stadium, not just a select few, like passing the lion."

The wave, like the "We Are! Penn State!" cheer, is another activity that involves the entire crowd, though it is one of the few traditions here that is not a Penn State original.

Black said the wave became popular at Beaver Stadium soon after it became standard at professional sports stadiums across the country in the early 1980s.

While many traditions at Penn State games are revered by alumni and current students, there are a few exceptions.

One of the most peculiar activities that has become standard is marshmallow throwing, which limits itself to the student sections. Although its origin is unknown, marshmallow throwing began about a decade ago, Black said.

While some students hurl the white lumps onto the field to protest bad officiating, others just fling them for no apparent reason. Sometimes marshmallow wars are so violent that fans become more interested in the action in the stands than the football game.

"It makes the game more interesting," said Parsons, despite the fact that she fell victim to misguided marshmallows at the Boston College game.

"It was really gross because the marshmallow was all melted because the guy who threw it had to smuggle the marshmallows into the stadium in his pants. It got stuck in my hair, but it didn't hurt or anything."

Lee Gianonne, the Penn State cheerleading adviser, said marshmallow throwing is problematic and should be ended.

If ducking marshmallows each game was't enough, students this season must dodge flying plastic cups. This newest diversion in the stands has also has been criticized by stadium officials and students alike.

Removing goal posts after Penn State football victories has also spurred opposition from many students, alumni and officials.

Last year's victory over Notre Dame and this year's victory in the Kickoff Classic against Georgia Tech brought excited fans to Beaver Stadium. After the Notre Dame game they illegally removed the goal post and carried it to the Old Main lawn. Tightened security seeks to prevent such behavior from becoming tradition.