Reliving the glory days?

As a Philadelphia sports fan born and raised, legendary Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bill Lyon has always, to me, epitomized sports writing. Lyon's been retired since 2005, but still contributes to the paper every once in a while.

Sunday, in Lyon's first column since Roy Halladay's October 6 postseason no-hitter, the 33-year veteran of the Inquirer noted that the success of the Temple, Villanova and Penn football teams reminds him of the glory days, when college football was the main attraction for Philly sports fans. About Penn, he writes of Al Bagnoli's success in keeping the Penn football legacy alive, hearkening back to the late 19th century when "The Flying Wedge was all the rage."

As with all of Lyon's work, the piece is well worth a read, especially now that he's retired and only occasionally shares his gems. It also brings to light the amazing fact that Penn was once "deemed the best collegiate football team in all the country," something too few current students realize. So as the Quakers march on in search of their fifteenth all-time title and eighth under Bagnoli, remember to have some historical perspective on how this season fits into a longstanding tradition of excellence at Penn. Franklin Field may be as empty as ever each Saturday, and Penn no longer has an impact nationally, but Bagnoli is continuing to create his own glory days.