Finally.

I regularly read through The Daily Collegian online, and have been waiting for an issue like the one I saw yesterday. I have read the numerous articles about how the alumni would pull their funding from Penn State, and its athletics program, if the football team didn't start producing a winning season. And I have sat silently wondering when the students would understand that the alumni live for Penn State, win or lose.

In the mentioned issue, Alison Herget wrote a story ("Football culture, not record, keeps money rolling in" Thurs., Nov. 18). Finally, someone put it in print. Would the alumni ever pull their funding? The answer is no. The football team would have to fail completely for years before that ever happens.

The alumni may boo, and shame on us. The alumni might gripe and occasionally shout something offensive at the field. The alumni may argue on who is to blame: Joe Paterno, Jay Paterno, Zach Mills or Mike Robinson. But the alumni will always be there. We complain because we care.

The alumni are die-hards, extreme die-hards. In my area, Lackawanna and Wyoming counties, the alumni usually run three bus trips to football games, in addition to all of us who go on our own. There is already talk of running bus trips to all seven home games next year, and doing tailgate parties for the away games at the local campus. Why the increase? Because we love our team, win or lose. When Penn State needs us, we will always be there. After all, we are Penn State.