1. Beating X was the best experience I have had at a Football game

We all dislike St X; and although I don’t think many of us have a great reason for it, we all still do. X week is one of the most fun weeks of the year for players and students alike. It’s safe to say that a good chunk of kids in the cheering section wanted the win as bad as the players did. We haven’t beaten X in football since 2008; we haven’t beaten them at Balaban Stadium since 2003. These things just made the victory all the more sweet.

Beating LaSalle at home in 2010 was awesome, so was the win on the road against Moeller last year. But in my experiences as a student watching football in the cheering section, there was no greater feeling than when we beat St. X this year.

2.  Austin Cipriani; ladies love him, cornerbacks fear him

First off, have you seen that kid’s hair? Absolute perfection. The “Cipriani comb over” has become a staple in Austin’s day to day life and it’s no secret that the ladies love it. Along with his good looks, Austin is the leading receiver in the GCL. Cip has 419 receiving yards on the season, no small task. He’s caught 35 balls, four of them for touchdowns, while averaging 12 yards a catch.

“It feels great to be the leading receiver in the GCL. I attribute all my success as an individual to my QB and the big guys on the offensive line.” We’re going to need Austin to keep up his production if we hope to finish this season the way we should. According to the GCL’s statistic website (which only goes back to 2004), no Panther receiver has finished the season leading the GCL in receiving yards. Max Mazza and Josh Jones came close finishing second, but if Cipriani can hold on he would be the first to do so since 2004.

3. Andy Dalton; I want to root for you but at the same time I think you’re terrible

Andy Dalton’s up and down play makes me, along with most Bengals fans, go crazy. The guy has taken us to two playoff appearances which is no small feat. Dalton strung together a few drives against the Packers that were incredibly impressive. He looked great and gave fans what they hoped for this season. But it’s plays like throwing that interception in the red zone against the Patriots that are enough to make people question his abilities. Consistency at quarterback, more than anything, is what the Bengals need. The talent on this team has proven to be able to win despite Dalton’s bad play. Dalton’s got to improve, and continue to improve. I hate to say it, but the way Dalton is playing so far this season makes me think he wouldn’t be a starter anywhere else in the league, other than the Jags and teams that have injuries. Take away AJ Green and this guy would be fighting for a back-up job. I personally believe in the guy, but this season has to be a make or break one for him if the Bengals wish to meet the potential they have.

4. I love Tony Romo, go ahead and tell me how bad he is

Say what you will about Tony Romo, I’m aware he is not the most clutch player in the league. Everyone has to have a favorite player, a guy to root for, and for me it’s Romo. I love the fact that I’m the only guy I know who likes Romo, I don’t want all of you on the bandwagon with me and Tony. We don’t need you. But people talk about Romo like he’s the worst Quarterback in the league which couldn’t be further from the truth. Romo went toe to toe with Payton Manning a few weeks back. Romo had five touchdowns; he also threw for 506 yards which is a Cowboys single game record. 506 yards is the 12^th most yards thrown for in a game in NFL history. Only 15 guys in the history of the NFL have thrown for over 500 yards, and Romo is one of them. The group consists of all-time greats like Dan Marino, Warren Moon, Boomer Esiason, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees. But yet we all forget about this just because he threw one interception, and then we go on to blame the game on him instead of the defense that allowed 50 plus points.

5. The Panthers are making a deep run in the playoffs

Yes, Moeller won GCL in the pit. Just typing that sentence makes me want to vomit. The loss was discouraging; the team looked outmanned and overpowered. But at the end of the day, it was just one game. As of Oct. 17^th the team is 5-2, with their two losses coming from two very good teams. This young team is only going to improve with time. Sophomore Payton Ramsey is getting better and better as he gets more snaps under his belt. This team is banged up; when the playoffs come around they will be healthier. There is no reason for Elder football fans to be discouraged. This team is still capable of great things and I think they are going to show us just how good they really are when the weather gets colder.