Arrival into Indianapolis

 

One of the main reasons I love Penn State is because of the large alumni network. No matter where you are or what you are doing if you say you go or went to Penn State University you share a special bond that no one else may understand. For example, I don't think I mentioned in my last blog that Kait Sawyer, the one that drove me to Indianapolis for the Super Bowl,  did not know me prior to my entering her car to embark on a seven hour car ride. However, she knew that I went to Penn State and was friends with one of her roommates at the Super Bowl and that was all that she needed to know to offer me a ride and split gas along the way. I do not think we thought driving through the night would be as difficult as it turned out to be. Not because we left around 10 p.m. and arrived in Indianapolis at 8 a.m. but because as soon as we arrived we took a 1 hour nap and were off the work until 6 p.m. that night. Talk about a LONG day. I can now officially say I know the definition of what people in sports say when they truly had a long day of work.

After an entire day of classes, driving about 10 hours in the car and working an entire day at the Media Headquarters in Indianapolis I cannot say I was falling asleep at work because the atmosphere and excitement that filled me when entering the city was more than any triple shot venti latte from Starbucks could do. As we entered the city there were no words to explain the feeling that rushed through me. The first thing in sight was the entirely wrapped Super Bowl XLVI Media Headquarters shown in the picture above. (It was built solely for this Super Bowl, insane right?) Indy apparently goes all out and I LOVE IT! The first thing we had to do before anything else were to pick up our media credentials for the week. (I'm not going to lie I felt kind of important when I had that wrapped around my neck leaving the credential pick up room. AND we even had our own mailboxes filled with assignments for the next few days!)

Walking around, soaking in the atmosphere and familiarizing myself with "my home" for the next 6 days was the first thing I did. Radio row was unlike anything I have ever seen before and the picture I posted does not do it justice because I could only snap a quick corner view of it! This is where all of the radio stations live for the week during Super Bowl conducting interviews with celebrities, football players and others. I was able to help out in here for a while, which was exciting to see how celebrities become real people when they are sitting so close to you answering questions. It was a day that was completely filled with awe but the day did not end when the work day ended for us at 6 p.m. Mike Signora, the NFL Vice President of Football Communications and a former Penn Stater, treated all of the Penn State volunteers to an amazing dinner at the Indianapolis Colts Grille. He is one of the biggest Penn State fans I have ever met and it was so great to see how he loved all Penn State students and really wanted to know our feelings and thoughts on the recent events at Penn State. Like I said earlier, ALL Penn State alumni and community, no matter if you are the NFL VP of Football Communications or a student, we shared a special connection at dinner which was amazing. He has been an amazing help to all Penn State students seeking opportunities to work and volunteer in the sports industry and it was an honor to meet and have dinner with such a great Penn Stater.

After dinner there was no way any of us could function without sleep any longer and decided to get some rest for the bright and early morning we had in a few hours!