Not To Be -- USC. Minnesota Go-pher Cover. All Hawk and No Action. We're Ready, R.U.

Simple phrases, yet so much more. Witticisms that incite Penn State fans into a frenzy, ready to rip the throats out of their opponents, ready to die for the good ol' blue and white.

From days before game time until months -- even years --afterward, those slogans are displayed by the Nittany Lion faithful as symbols of their appreciation, love and loyalty.

Yet the words do not come from the expected sources. Joe Paterno doesn't scream them with a sneer worthy of Mohammed Ali at pregame press conferences. Chris Berman doesn't blurt them out with a chuckle and grin on "ESPN SportsCenter." Joab Thomas doesn't paint them on Old Main.

No, those catch phrases come from the most humble of sources, yet probably the most fitting. They come from the fan, the average "Joe Nittany" or "Jane Lion" seeking an outlet for Penn State pride.

Those phrases have been displayed on buttons distributed by Mellon Bank since 1972, when Mellon predecessor Central County Bank began the distribution as a promotional gimmick, said Margy R. Haagen, director of marketing for Mellon Bank.

Since that fateful year, the buttons have blossomed into much more. On campus, in cities across the country -- and of course on game day -- fans proudly display what some consider to be their birthright.

"We have alumni from all over the country calling us to find out how to get the new set," Haagen said. "There are collectors across the country. These buttons are displayed everywhere and kept for years. It's really taken off."

Mellon Bank printed 312,000 buttons for the upcoming football season, and although the bank has no true distribution system and no way of knowing how many people will come to Mellon Bank offices to get the buttons, no extras are expected when the season winds to a close, Haagen said.

Erin Bried (sophomore-political science) said she enjoys seeing everyone wearing buttons around campus and at the football games.

"I think it's great to see not only the University but also the community get involved in school spirit," Bried said. "The students really support the downtown community and it's nice to get a little bit back."

Chris Kohne (senior-business logistics) has been collecting the buttons since his freshman year and said he looks forward to getting the new button every week during football season.

"I love those buttons," Kohne said. "Walking around campus and seeing buttons on everyone reassures me that Penn State is really behind their football team. It just seems like everyone has them."

Selection of the buttons' phrases is a difficult task. Mellon Bank sponsors a contest every year and receives countless submissions that take about seven days to enter into a data system, Haagen said.

Many rounds of elimination then occur, with winners receiving notification by mail. All final decisions are made by Mellon Bank officials, she said.

Winners receive a $25 check, but that's not the end of their reward, Haagen said. The real reward is that they get to see their submission on thousands of fans at the game.