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Homecoming
PA Theta Sets New Record and takes 2nd Place Overall in Homecoming 2006! We h ad 1st Place locked up until judges declared Air Band routine with Phi Mu was "too sexual" - and the problem is? We've always had the talent to win individual events in the past, but this is the first year we've had the manpower to compete in all events. “We tried to win it all. That meant getting involved in more than just the float and mad hatter. It meant doing things like Nittany Pursuit and Air Band,” Homecoming Chair Dave Dunn explained. “The best part was all of the brothers were involved. Most of the guys from the Spring 2006 class ran the Nittany Pursuit, and we won.”
That’s right! For the first time in years, the actives won the Nittany Pursuit – a Homecoming spirit-points event that sends its participants out on a scavenger hunt. “We basically went out there with about six guys and found everything with ease. I never would have thought it was that easy!” Grant Stephens ’10 said.
Along with Nittany Pursuit, spirit points were acquired through a number of activities, which included going to mandatory meetings, sending as many brothers as possible to a Homecoming-sponsored ice cream social (hosted at the Hintz Family Alumni Center), picking up and dropping off props and documents on time and most favorably – food eating contests.
Grant Bacharach ’07 and Mike Riefner ’10 were a part of the Homecoming Pizza and Wing Eating Contest. G.B. ate 4 slices of pizza in a little over a minute. Thereafter, the rest of the competitors withdrew from the competition, crowning Bacharach the champion. Riefner capitalized on an empty stomach and took home the gold in the wing-eating contest. “Simple talents like that can mean all the difference”, Adam Anderson ’06 laughed. And they do! The actives placed first in the spirit points competition.
Another difference from last year was a new sorority. In years past, the actives worked with Omega Phi Alpha (formerly known as Theta Alpha Pi). This year, Phi Mu (formerly known as Theta Kappa Pi) hopped on board, and everyone was prepared to work hard to win it all. “We thought it’d be good to branch out and do it with another sorority. It paid off really well,” Social Chair Josh Phillips explained. “We came in 2nd place overall and had a great time! I think it was really beneficial to switch.” As soon as the sorority stepped foot in the chapter house, they were ready to work. Many of the girls went down the basement and began design for the float skirts, while a few of the other sisters set time aside to prepare for the Air Band competition.
“Looking back, I wish to myself that the Air Band crew kept their ‘sexy’ antics out of their presentation,” Tim Pawloski ’10 laughed. The Air Band crew took stage on competition night with high hopes of a first place trophy. This year, the crew dressed up as Sesame Street characters and danced to the hit 70’s song My Sharona (The Knack). They incorporated a series of creative scenarios inspired by the Sesame Street theme with Oscar the Grouch ruining the rest of the gang’s fun.
In the end, a standing ovation was an understatement for Phi Delt and Phi Mu. “We had a great dance – when the guys and girls performed it, everyone loved it and was cheering,” Chris Moss ’10 commented. However, the Homecoming overall committee had different plans for Phi Delt and Phi Mu. The adult judges loved the performance. However, illustrative dancing, dynamic flips and twists and an overall humorous performance somehow led to a disqualification from the student judges.
“The judges thought it was inappropriate for Homecoming. Then you look at other events we participate in, like Greek Sing, and other organizations did some questionable routines and the judges let it slide,” Continued Moss, who was an active member of all of these activities. The dancers even made the Daily Collegian the following day. “Other highlights of the evening included an educational take on "My Sharona" by Phi Delta Theta and Phi Mu dressed as Sesame Street characters,” Matthew Spolar of the Daily Collegian reported in the October 19th issue. “I don’t understand why we were disqualified, really. I saw more provocative dances on the stage at THON this year. A Homecoming overall commented that our dance wasn’t ‘something we associate with homecoming.’ THON is in front of hundreds of kids – if that stuff can be associated with THON, then our harmless routines can’t be that bad.” Air Band performer, Kevin Haslam noted.
The actives had a lot to overcome this year. If it wasn’t worrying about spirit points or a fear of disqualification, it was Mother Nature. Throughout the week, the clouds were dark ink blots in the sky. There was a sign of heavy rain, but it didn’t fall initially.
“On Thursday night – the most important night, since we had to put the float together – the rain started coming down. I went out and purchased a tarp, but the rain tore right through it.” Dunn sighed. The wind blew out a plethora of pomps. Many of the actives and Phikeia spent most of Friday morning repairing the holes. In the end, the float looked amazing, but it was about a quarter-inch too tall. “It honestly was the best float out of all of them, simply because everyone did their part to make it look good,” Mike Riefner ’10 said. “At times I doubted it – there were so many things you had to do, but we all got together and we made it look really good. It’s a shame that they were so strict with height policies.” Finally, the mad hatter placed again this year, finishing third. “I thought this year’s mad hatter was a lot better, seeing Oscar pop out of a trash can. It was very unique and it was something no one else had – his head even turned! I’m probably going to carry the mad hatter every year if I’m allowed to,” Rob Leo ’09 said.
A few setbacks didn’t hold the actives back from placing higher in the overall competition. The brotherhood felt like they would have won the whole competition had it not been for questionable officiating. There will always be high hopes, now, as we only have one more spot to jump to achieve our goal! Moss concluded, “We just have to keep doing what we’re doing. We'll just be bigger and stronger next year. As our Chapter continues to grow in size and talent, next year should be the year – the 1st place trophy!”
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