On Second Thought

As I reflect on the nightmare that was the Northwestern game this past Saturday, I realize that perhaps my recap was a bit harsh.  At one point I even said something like, "There are no bowls for that kind of effort, unless you count your own toilet bowl."  A bit melodramatic.  It's true . . . I haven't seen that much sucking since I toured the Hoover Vacuum Factory.

The game of football often comes down to a few inches or a couple of plays (or in some cases a couple of freaking seconds on the clock!)  Even as crappy as we played most of the day, we were only down 8 points before the Hackenberg's pick six, that was then followed by his fumble.  That was a nine point swing on basically two plays.  You change two plays against Rutgers or UCF and this team is 2-3.  Unfortunately, for whatever reason, we couldn't make those plays on Saturday.

But the end of the season it is not.  There are a lot of games left to be played, a lot of opponents who have their own issues and struggles, and an exciting group of players who will entertain us later, even if they failed to make us happy in Happy Valley last weekend.

But while it is not the end of the season, it is the end of a perfect season.

Granted, no one expected Penn State to go undefeated.  But be honest.  Didn't the thought cross your mind?  Didn't you start to think that this team could just find a way?  Even down 20-6, didn't you expect Hackenberg to suddenly ignite, do that thing he does with his arm and just start scoring?

Didn't you start to look ahead . . .oh, the wolverines are struggling . . . we could go into the Ohio State game undefeated.  Don't you look away from me.  Look me in the eyes and say you didn't start thinking about it!  Didn't you want it to happen so badly, that your brain started thinking it could happen?  Didn't you want to see Penn State crash the final four party in their first post-sanction season?  Can you imagine the look on Emmert's face when that happened?  Or even some members of our own BOT?

Damn it!  You wanted that to happen!  I know you wanted it.  We all did.  We all wanted to see James Franklin do a Terry Bowden at Auburn impersonation, but actually compete for the mythical national championship instead of a perfect season with an asterisk.

And when it didn't happen, not only were we disappointed that we didn't beat Northwestern, but we were disappointed that we didn't see our dreams come true.  It's only natural to over react and panic.

And then I wonder . . .

Did the players start thinking it?  Coaches talk a great talk about one game at a time.  James Franklin went out of his way to make that point.  Doth the coach protest too much?  Maybe the kids were trying too hard, instead of playing loose and free.  Lifting the sanctions freed this team in one way, but bound us to how important winning each game is now.  They knew they were 4-0.  They saw tape of Northwestern.  You have to live under a rock and have never heard of Geico not to know about the troubles Brady Hoke is having in Ann Arbor.  Those players knew the score!  Yet, they couldn't play hard enough to win.

Multiple people have discussed the game with me, and almost everyone asks why our players weren't playing with the intensity of the Northwestern players?  I can't answer that, but our team enthusiasm did seem to be muted.  We played tight, uncomfortable and tried too hard.  And how can that be with over 100,000 fans, beautiful weather, and the best atmosphere in college football to play a game?  It's almost unfathomable.

One player having a bad day?  Maybe he's catching the flu.  Maybe he had a rough week in classes.  Maybe his girlfriend is giving him crap about something.  Maybe his mom is sick.  Just a usual athletes slump.  Who knows?  But the whole team???  How is that possible?

We all know our offensive line is having troubles, but at what point do these guys get tired of getting pushed around and start pushing back?  Every time your quarterback is hurried, that's your fault.  Don't you want to get up the next play and just hammer the enemy back?   Franklin talks about getting off the bus and going after them.  He talks about determination and playing with a chip on their shoulders. The word swagger was thrown out there.

So where was the swagger last Saturday?  What happened to attacking them as soon as they got off the bus?

I don't know.  But whatever cosmic alignment of forces brought about the complete team failure we saw is unlikely to occur again in this season.  That is not to say they won't lose more games--there are teams that are playing better with full scholarship complements that are simply going to be better than we are, no matter how well we play.  But I still think that Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, and Temple are still winnable games, as well as the trip to Ann Arbor.

 It does seem that every team has their best game against us.  The wolverines were 7-5 in 2005 yet were the only team to beat PSU.  Iowa in 2008 couldn't beat Pitt, but managed to knock us out of #3 in the nation.  But if those same cosmic forces that aligned against us last week choose to align against the buckeyes or the Spartans, then watch out.

Silly me.  We have no chance of winning those games.  The bandwagon fans are already dusting off their 5-7 and 6-6 predictions they hid away after we started 4-0.  Smug they are, now.

But you know and I know that those little doomsday bastards were thinking undefeated season somewhere deep in their puny little gray matters.  They'll never admit it.  They never said it.  They staunchly stand by their dismal predictions.  But deep down, they were just as disappointed as the rest of us.  The difference is they will now revel in being so smart at predicting a bad season.  They are football gurus.  We should bow down and lick their shoes clean.

Personally, I'd rather be disappointed with high expectations, than satisfied with lower ones.  And I don't think I'd like the taste of shoes.

Dunkin Donut And Coffee

 Someone left a sacrifice on my Penn State "altar."

I did not know Dunkin Donuts was the PREFERRED COFFEE of Penn State Athletics. You learn something new every day!

Shoop! There It Is!

Having been blogging about Penn State football since the mid 1990's, you'd think I would finally be able to post a game recap without forgetting something.  As if!

But while thinking back over the game notes, I realized I hadn't mentioned how great a job Bob Shoop did as defensive coordinator.  The second half was tarnished a bit by the performance of Holman at QB, but then those things happen.  When you prepare for one type of QB, and then suddenly face another, it's not always easy to adjust for that.  And Holman certainly looked like a better passer.

So here are some more thoughts that I forgot to hit yesterday:

* Zettle is a FORCE.

* Penn State played the 1st quarter with no headset communication.  Maybe that contributed to the disparity between the stats and the points.  Apparently, the NCAA doesn't have rules like the NFL, which would have equalized the situation by not allowing UCF to use their headsets.  Despite the set back, we prevailed.

* Penn State had TWO receivers over 150 yards on the day.  That's the first time in school history!

* Ficken Kickin Good--we all know he hit the game winner, but he was 4-4 on the day!

* Forgot to mention the parachutists--the PSU guy hit the stadium, but the UCF rep landed along some train tracks off the mark!  Talk about your omens from the sky!

* Did anyone notice how well we did on first downs?  I meant to look back on this but forgot.  Especially in the first half, we kicked butt on first down, leaving a LOT of 2nd and short situations.  If you look at the second down situations in the first half, Penn State had 5 second and one's, 2 second and two's, and was second and six or less 11 out of 14 second downs.  (One second and six was actually a second and one that became a second and six after a five yard penalty.)  In the second half, there were 11 second down opportunities, and PSU was 2nd and five or less 5 of those times with three second and one's.

* The running game didn't generate much yardage, but as you can see above, it didn't have to in order to keep the sticks moving.

* Hamilton and Ficken pulled in Big Ten Players of the Week Honors--not something I forgot, but worth noting at this juncture.

Some great articles were written across the pond.  Johnny Watterson of The Irish Times writes:

But first the cast and inventory: two parachutists, one on the pitch the other on the railway track; a choir of 17; two three-storey sized flags; two marching bands; three Irish Army soldiers and four marines, all bearing flags; a team of Penn State dancers and two teams of cheerleaders; soft drinks engineers; chair arranging executives; four lieutenants of the tape measure; two team rosters of 100 players each; eight team captains; 24-ish coaches and two F16s drowning out the Star Spangled Banner. Gridiron loves its hardware.   

But Penn State had a quarterback called Christian Hackenberg. “Hack”, a young man in just his second season, threw for 454 yards on Saturday, breaking Zack Mills’s single-game school record of 399 yards. 

The most important of those yards came in the run-up to Ficken’s winning field goal as “Hack”, with composure beyond his years, engineered the territory and kept the ball in Penn [State] hands.  

As it sailed over the posts at the Hill end on a trajectory towards Nally, Croke Park became the Bull Run in Pamp lona. The Penn State bench burst on to the pitch and cheerleaders were thrown in the air.

Aisling Crowe describes it as theater and sport colliding:

It was a jaw dropping, awe inspiring sight when first glimpsing the transformed interior of the stadium before the University of Central Florida clashed with the Penn State University. It was Croke Park but not as we know it. The surreal panorama spread out before your eyes. A shrunken pitch surrounded by athletic cheerleaders, acrobatically somersaulting into dangerous positions, marching bands putting a brass spin on some classics including the theme tune to The Sunday Game and flagbearers, mascots and whatever else was needed in the way of support.
The truly awesome scene was in the middle of the pitch where 200 athletes prepared to begin their college season, hopes and dreams spread out before them and the glory of last season behind champions University of Central Florida. 

The clock counted down the minutes to kick off, and a parachutist clad in the Penn State blue and white landed in the middle of the pitch. The UCF Knights parachutist went missing in action, his radar slightly wonky. He came up a little short of the pitch and landed on the train line behind Hill 16. Saturday afternoon shoppers suffered the convenience that shadows the commuter daily as trains were delayed while the errant knight was rescued.  

The NFL may be America's game but the college version is giving it a run for its money.
This may have been a spectacle but it was also a serious sport. Every tackle, every intercept, every pass that found a runner was greeted with a roar the like of which is usually only heard when the referee blows the final whistle in an All-Ireland final. 

Anyone with dismissive attitudes towards American football would have had their prejudices seriously challenged by the on-pitch action. The first collision from the opening kick off saw the helmet of one of the Nittany Lions fly through the air, knocked from a head with the force of the impact. 

They followed Flynn's advice to the letter in Croke Park with razzle dazzle to beat Banagher but the sequins were not some frippery tacked on as a distraction. Sport and theatre collide with spectacular results in American football. The sparkle and the show are an integral part of the spectacle but there is real steel behind the stardust that was sprinkled on Dublin yesterday. 

The author had Sam Franklin kicking the winning field goal, but otherwise it was a good report.

And if you are really bored, here is an Irish message board with some locals regaling their thoughts such as these:

That's was a great game! My first time ever seeing live football, only got sucked in in the last few years. Now I reeeeeally want to see if I can get tickets to one of the Wembley games! The Penn State support was great, really cool to be in the thick of it. 

Fantastic game. Made a converted out of my brother who begrudgingly came along, moaning right up to the start about how ****e AF is. He was screaming at the pitch at the end and has just called me to find out when the next one is.. 

The Penn State head coach stayed for a little while by the tunnel to start up chants with the fans as he left the field, crazy guy  [He's a WILD and CRAZY guy!]

Just home from a thoroughly enjoyable day. Went with Penn State in all our bets, all came in, Outright win, 1st Touchdown and over 43.5. Some show, great entertainment and at least the rain stayed off. Managed to get a vid of the National anthem and the F-16's too. 

Fecking savage day. 8th game I've been to (3 college, 5 NFL) and first I've seen settled by the final play. Had the over backed too so happy out. Pity it wasn't in the Aviva, looked silly looking down on an empty hill all day, mind you, the ESPN crew did a great job of avoiding that. Jesse James is a legend, plus that WR, thing he was number 7 for Penn. Great day out. Penn state fans were a credit. Really, really great day. 

Apart from the empty stand and rip off programme, great day. Sat with some Penn State fans amongst the UCF hoarde in a great spot. Wife very pregnant and we had planned to ship a few mins before the end. Glad I didn't, what a finish! Super atmosphere, some slick game play from QB#14 and WR#7 for Penn. The Wife got right into it too but was puzzled why the game, apart from stoppages, just seem to pause quite often? When I told her it was for commercial breaks she cracked up 😁 The noise was cool, the F16s very cool, mexican wave fun and I cannot wait for the NFL reg season to K.O!!! 

Really enjoyed that yesterday. Penn State fans were great even if I was cheering for UCF. Great second half of football. Not sure what it looked like on TV but looking around, it felt quite cavernous. My mate was more interested in the gargle but I really got into it.  [Gotta love the gargle!]

Great day out - great game. First time to go to a game "in the flesh" - absolutely loved it. First two qrts I thought Penn State were gonna walk away it (despite only leading by a single score). UCF's rushing game was poor and the passing game was non-existant - only for their defence , they would have been buried. 3rd & 4th Qrt's - UCF's Qrtback remembered he could throw and the drama went up a notch. To have the game decided on the final play with 3 secs left on the clock - just brilliant (even if I was a tiny bit gutted for UCF).   Will definitely go to the next one (if/when it happens). 

Good day. One of the closest games I've seen live, score wise. Atmosphere was okay were I was sitting . Wish I had a chance to do this every week. 

Great game. Really enjoyed it, and was a bargain for e20. My seats were great. Very happy that it was close, as it was a good way to show my friends from here the sport. A blowout would have sucked. . . .A few small things about it did bother me though. The quality of the replays was shocking. I remember a big important offensive PI call happened, and I looked up to see the replay of it, but all they showed was the QB throwing the ball... Hill 16 being closed was also odd and looked awful behind the goal. That last field goal was one of the most exciting finishes to a game this weekend, and will have been all over sports highlight reels in the states last night, and the backdrop is an awful, empty terrace, which is a little embarrassing. The PA system was also terrible, especially for the ref. Could barely make out what was being said half the time. [Sounds like a "true" PSU fan--c/o replays, empty seats and the sound system!]

I have yet to read any reports of "bad" PSU fans.  And the reports from Penn Stater's sound like they were treated exceptionally well by the locals.

No TAILGREATING Allowed

Apparently, Penn State Athletics has decided not to continue the tradition of TAILGREAT at the Bryce Jordan Center.  This was a pre-game pep rally of sorts featuring the Blue Band and cheerleaders at the BJC before each home game. According to WJAC:

"We [were] notified that the Tailgreat would be no more due to some budgetary concerns," Blue Band director Richard Bundy said. It was the plug being pulled on Penn State Blue Band's Tailgreat show, a free pep rally before every home game. "I think it was an event that was rather unique in the way it was presented so we are working on trying to see how that will affect our game day activities for the Blue Band," Bundy said.

I think the BOT notified the Blue Band by a note delivered by a messenger in the dark of night.

A statement from Penn State Assistant Athletic Director for Football Communications Jeff Nelson said Tailgreat wasn't giving the Blue Band enough exposure. "We did not feel that Tailgreat was accomplishing the level of interaction among our more than 100,000 fans and exposure for the Blue Band that is deserved," Nelson said.

Onward State provides more specific speculation on the costs . . .

A Blue Band source tells us that the reason for this cut given by the Athletic Department was primarily financial. Tailgreat costs approximately $70,000 to put on each year, most of which goes to BJC staffing and rental, and the Athletic Department decided that this cost was too great. This comes just days after the Athletic Department purchased more than 800 iPads for student athletes, which, even conservatively at $300 each (much less than retail), still runs more than three times what Tailgreat cost. The source also indicated that the Athletic Department says it’s working on a “new event” for the Blue Band to participate in during the pregame hours.

Opponents of cancelling the tradition cite the ability of band parents to see their son or daughter perform when they might not be able to afford the cost of a Penn State football ticket.  Others liked being able to hear the band's halftime show, which they might not be able to do as well or as clearly inside the stadium. 

What I found interesting in the whole bit was the allegation that the price tag was a problem.  Granted, $70,000 looks like a huge figure (and considering what we are now paying our head coach, the sanction costs, and those darn iPads it is certainly not a negligible amount) but that works out to $10,000 or less per game depending on whether there are 7 or 8 home games in a season.

 And weren't there corporate sponsors at one time???

 A little googling found me this excerpt from a book about the Blue Band, A Century of Pride and Precision, where on page 169 it talks about this "new tradition" in 1996.  The book notes that the event was a joint project sponsored by AT and T, Wal-Mart, the Alumni Association, and the Nittany Lion Club.  The original TailGreat charged an admission fee that was dropped in it's second year to promote better attendance.

 I would think Penn State, even in this sanction-era, should be able to find a half-dozen or so sponsors to pony up $8000-$10,000 to keep the show going if they wanted to.  Which makes me wonder if they don't want to.

 I have to be honest here.  I've never been to a TAILGREAT.  Talked about going to it.  Thought about going to it.  Had it on my Penn State Bucket List, so to speak.  Alas, I will never have that chance, barring a change of heart by the athletic department.

 Maybe attendance and interest has waned in recent years.  Maybe they will come up with a new tradition that is even better.  Maybe no one will even notice.

 Have you ever been to a TailGreat?  How do you feel about losing this gameday event?

OB Gone Completely

This post, with a title playing on Obi Wan Kenobi, is a day or two late, and more than a few dollars short.  But alas, I was away in Phoenix when the bad news broke, just another cracked brick in the wall of a rather regrettable 2013 year.

O'Brien on his way to Texas.

I honestly don't know how I feel about Bill O'Brien leaving the Penn State program, but like grief, my emotions are going through a five stage process.

Denial.

They are just rumors.  There were rumors last year.  Had he stayed, there would have been rumors next year. 

Maybe this is just a chess game to get more money, better facilities, a different AD--the rumors were nearly endless as the talks heated up between OB and Houston.

In the end, they weren't just rumors.

Anger.

Who wouldn't be angry?  OB was the best thing that happened to Penn State since the fall of Joe Paterno and the whole Sandusky Scandal surfaced.  While it would minimize the efforts of players like Mauti to say that Bill saved the program, it would certainly have been more difficult for the players to remain united if the coaching vacancy hadn't been adequately filled.

But OB was just on the cusp of greatness.  Hackenberg was progressing.  There was hope that Allen Robinson would stay as part of the revitalized Penn State offense (and hopefully he still will!)  There were rumors that perhaps even more sanctions might be reduced in the off-season, such as the bowl ban--already OB was armed with more scholarships than originally decreed.

The future was looking bright and there appeared to be some stability to a program that had more instability in the past two years than in the previous century.

Bargaining.

This is a stage of grief and has nothing to do with this situation at this point, so let's move on.  We will probably never know what went on behind the scenes and who did or said what.  OB apparently told David Jones of the Patriot News this:

“You can print this: You can print that I don’t really give a ---- what the ‘Paterno people’ think about what I do with this program. I’ve done everything I can to show respect to Coach Paterno. Everything in my power. So I could really care less about what the Paterno faction of people, or whatever you call them, think about what I do with the program. I’m tired of it.

“For any ‘Paterno person’ to have any objection to what I’m doing, it makes me wanna put my fist through this windshield right now.”

This talk with Jones apparently occurred on December 4th.  Reading that now, is it any surprise that O'Brien left?  With road rage like that, who would stay in a job that created such adverse emotion?

It does beg the question of WHO these Paterno people are that he refers to?  Sue Paterno?  Bloggers?  Fans?  Coaches?  PSU administrators?  BOT?  Again, we will never know for sure who pissed him off, but Bob was apparently a ticking time bomb with some anger management issues.

Depression.

The sky has fallen!  Woe is me!  The end is near!  Oh, the inhumanity!

Acceptance.

The dude has done moved on.  Let's get to work on a replacement before we lose any recruits.

Seriously, though, I'm not sure just how I feel about this.  I am obviously disappointed, but not surprised.  In an era where the average coaching tenure is 3.9 seasons, one would be blissfully ignorant to expect O'Brien to be coaching at Penn State 10+ years from now (and that article is from 2010 and Joe Paterno's years skew that number higher than it would be if recalculated today--and those numbers might include Tressel and Bobby Bowden as well, depending on their endpoints.)  It sure would have been nice for him to hang around another 2-3 years for Hack and the guys he convinced to stay with him, but then what can you say?  The NFL was HIS DREAM!  Isn't that what this is all about?

This is unfortunately the message being taught to our young people today.  It is OK to screw others if the self-benefit is above a certain level.  There is a price above which loyalty and courtesy have no currency.  It is OK for O'Brien to chase HIS dreams, even if in so doing, he may harm the dreams of others.  And the reality is this:  unless Penn State hires an unemployed coach, whoever replaces OB will be doing the same thing to the team they leave behind.  And Penn State fans, if we like the choice, will all be down with that, right?  Hypocrisy is often no further than the nearest mirror.

There are at least interesting choices available at this point (perhaps moreso than two years ago when O'Brien was named). . . Al Golden appears to be the front runner if you believe the Internet rumors.  James Franklin just guided his Vanderbilt team to a victory over Houston in their bowl game, so he has not even had the opportunity to interview yet, if he is even interested.  Mike Munchak was fired today as coach of the Titans.  Is that good/bad timing or what?  I have not even gotten over OB leaving yet, let alone started to worry about who the next coach should be.

But time is a valuable commodity and cannot be wasted.  We don't want to lose any players or recruits at this point, so there is some need for haste.  But haste makes waste, and we don't want to make a hasty choice we might later regret.

I would love to know if there have been inquiries from other coaches/agents around the country, but again, we will never be privy to that information as no current coach will want it known that they are pursuing a job opportunity elsewhere.  But it makes me feel better believing that a few great coaches out there would be interested enough in the job to reach out and touch someone, even if that someone is Joyner.

As an aside, I found it refreshing to hear that Mark D'Antonio doesn't have an agent--you need to call his wife.  I don't think we need to call her, but I wonder if she called Joyner and Co.?  It's fun to fantasize about things like that, and we could certainly do worse than him with whoever ends up with the job.

For O'Brien . . . None of this was his fault.  He took the job BEFORE the sanctions were announced, and I believe he did make the best of what he had to work with given the circumstances.  But he is being decidedly obtuse if he thought he would follow a legend like Paterno without there being loyalists who would criticize his actions. 

I do not wish him well, though.  I must admit that if he fails at Houston, I will feel a certain amount of pleasure, retribution, and justice.  I still cling precariously to the hope that good people will win out over evil or greedy people.  Maybe this is part of God's plan.  And perhaps wishing ill will is not a very Christian way to think, but my Ten Commandments don't have a Thou Shall Not Wish Ill on Thy Enemies commandment.  There is that whole Do Unto Others Golden Rule, but I'm okay with that.  Bill is certainly welcome to wish ill on me and take pleasure in my failings any time he wants.  It can work both ways.

In the long run, I think Penn State will be better off.  Things are certainly more stable now and while we might lose a few recruits, it will be more difficult for players to transfer, as the usual transfer rules will now apply, which they did not when Silas fled with others.  O'Brien said he considered the NFL the ultimate job, so in that respect, he has kept his word.  If he doesn't want to be a Penn Stater, and if people who support Joe Paterno annoy him, then good riddance.  We can do better than that.

After all. . . WE ARE . . . PENN STATE!

Was O'Brien here too?

The above picture apparently was taken in the Buckeye locker room after their loss to Clemson.  An angry player, Bill O'Brien, or the ghost of Woody Hayes?  You decide.

BUCKEYES GO DOWN AGAIN!

How sweet it is!

Urbie's win streak at THE ohio state went down to MSU and tonight, his undefeated record in BCS games went down as well.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy and fan base!

Of course, Urban showed remarkable restraint in not punching out any Clemson players.

Clemson wins the Orange Bowl 40-35 with #5 throwing a pick to seal the deal.  Fine job!  well played, sir!

THANK YOU CLEMSON!

Weekly Game Guide: The Bucks Stop Here Edition

Another week of college football is upon us, as Mississippi State leads Kentucky 21-10 at the half.

Cow bells ring . . . can you hear them?  During the game . . . can you stand them?

They're clanking in cheer, now I'm deaf in one ear

Cheering in a Southern Football Land.

Sure--Penn State has it's own Cowbell Man.  But that's one cowbell . . . in 108,000 fans.  Not a whole gaggle of clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caliginous junk!  But I digress.

Penn State travels to Columbus, OH to take on the Nuts of Columbus in a late brawl on Saturday evening.  Penn State is hoping to build on it's emotional, if not pretty, win over the wolverines in their last outing, while the Bucknuts need a marquee win to improve their BCS ranking, which is currently fourth, behind Alabama, Florida State and Oregon.

Let's face it . . . . the Big Ten is not impressive this year.  Both Iowa and Northwestern are at 4-3 and NW has not won a Big Ten game yet.  Wisconsin is 5-2, and that was a respectable win.  Buffalo is also 5-2, but this was the University they beat, not the Bills.  They beat Cal, who is now 1-6, with a lone victory over Portland State.  Did you know Cal was that bad?  The bucks defeated Florida A & M by a score of 76-0, but FAM is 2-5 and Ohio State is the only FCS team they have faced so far (they beat Mississippi Valley State and Savannah State.)

Maybe a 4-2 Penn State team that somehow lost to Indiana for the first time ever won't improve their rankings, but struggling to beat a Penn State team that lost to Indiana will likely hurt them.  And if they lose, well then you can probably kiss a date with the national championship game good bye.

And it would be Urban Myers' first loss as THE head coach at THE Ohio State College.  I can't even begin to tell you how much I want to blog about Urban's first loss this Sunday.  I'd give up a Klondike Bar to see that happen!  Aside from winning the lottery, I can't think of anything I want more right now than a win over the Buckeyes this Saturday.

But enough about me.

In the Big Ten Conference this weekend:

The Hawkeyes are favored by 4 over the Wildcats.  GO HAWKS!

Michigan State is an 11.5 point favorite over the Illini.  I still can't bring myself to root for Illinois after their little recruiting expedition to Penn State in our darkest hours.  GO SPARTY!

Minnesota hosts the Cornhuskers, who are favored by 10.5 points.  This is a hard game to pick.  We have to play both teams, so from a strength of schedule point of view, it's a wash.  Nebraska is ranked, which makes a win by us look better, so we'll have to pick the Huskers here.  GO BIG RED!

THEM, Wisconsin, Indiana and Purdue are all off this week. 

Future Big Member Rutgers is favored by 8 over Houston.  GO KNIGHTS!

Future Big Member Maryland will try to upset the reeling Clemson Tigers, thought Clemson is favored by 13.  The game is at Maryland.

And in games of interest outside the Big Ten:

Notre Dame (favored by 19.5) plays Air Force.  GO FALCONS!

Alabama is favored by 28 over Tennessee.  Interesting.  ROLL TIDE ROLL.

Oregon is favored by 21 over UCLA.  GO DUCKS!

Florida State is a 29.5 point favorite over NC State.  GO NOLES!

UCF is a 22.5 point favorite over UConn.  GO KNIGHTS!

Until Ohio State loses, I have to keep rooting for Alabama, Oregon and F$U.

Weekly Game Guide: Hackenberg on the starboard side! Edition

Penn State has a bye week which gives us a chance to relish again the 4OT victory over the previously undefeated wolverines last week.

You can see a panoramic view of the game here.  I tried to find myself, but I was blocked by some people standing in front of me.  Down in front!  So much for my fifteen minutes of fame.

The game was far from perfect, but in the end, Penn State made one less mistake than THEM.  But the game was not about the Four OT's, the blocked field goal or the miss by Gibbons.  It was everything about losing a lead, and fighting back against all odds.  The team never quit.  The coaches never quit.  The Devin squared tandem of Gardner and Funchess are going to score points on a lot of teams.  And although Gardner was playing Funchess while our secondary seemed to be playing Funcheckers, our coach made some gutsy calls late in the game while Hoke seemed to be reading Paterno:  By The Book and playing conservatively not to lose.

Was the QB sneak in regulation brilliant or a poor call that just worked out?  It had already failed earlier in the game, albeit I think that fourth down was slightly more than a yard, rather than inches.  But what if Hackenberg hadn't made it?  What if it took them twenty seconds to unpile the mass of bodies on the goal line, with no touchdown signal.  With no time outs, the clock may have run out on what is now one of the best wins in the O'Brien era.

It's funny how Sunday Morning (or Thursday evening) Quarterbacking works that way.  When you win, you tend to forget about the bad calls.  When you win, there are no bad calls.  If the players execute, the coach looks like a genius.  If the kid boots the field goal wide, the coach looks like a conservative jerk who should have played to win.

But even some visiting fans had a good experience, the outcome notwithstanding.  Although not this guy . . .

What's worse than losing in 4 OTs?

From the above article . . .

This weekend was a different story. As the few Wolverine fans trickled into Beaver Stadium they realized that the structure was possibly even more impressive than our very own Big House.

The white out stands for what separates the Penn State game environment from that of Michigan. During a maize out, Michigan Stadium has one maize section where the students stand and a mixed bag of maize and blue throughout the rest of the bowl. Fans don’t put much stock in participating in the game atmosphere but simply want to watch their team win. It’s tradition.

But in Happy Valley every single fan is ready to cheer like crazy for Penn State from the opening kickoff. The white out was breathtaking. Over 100,000 strong were decked out in all white and shaking white pompoms as Bill O’Brien led his team onto the field. This scene was unlike anything our little group of Michigan students had ever experienced.

Though it has a smaller capacity than the Big House, Beaver Stadium is built entirely above ground and is much more intimidating both inside and outside. Second and third decks keep all of the sound in while reaching up much higher than the final rows in Ann Arbor. If you’re wondering how a structure like this can be safe, you aren’t alone.

Penn State’s famous chant is the Zombie Nation cheer, which gets the entire audience involved in jumping and screaming along. Because it was one of the things I was really looking forward to, I asked our host, a senior at Penn State, about Zombie Nation.

“There’s a new rule that we can only do it two times each game,” he told me. “We were doing structural damage to the stadium so they had to limit us.”

At the suggestion of damaging a concrete structure like Beaver Stadium I was astonished, but when Penn State came back and tied the game with under a minute remaining in regulation, Zombie Nation blared and the back wall of the stadium was visibly wavering back and forth with the Nittany Lion faithful.

It was the most incredible atmosphere I’ve ever been a part of, and I wasn’t even in an appreciative mood.

Following such an emotional win I expected to be mercilessly harassed by the Penn State students all night, but was surprised when they continued a trend set before the game. . .  It was extremely strange. We weren’t sure how we felt about the hospitality because it didn’t feel right, but it was much better than being harassed in Columbus or East Lansing. After the game there were fans that laughed and jeered at us, but the number that told us good game probably outnumbered them.

Even though they always seem to beat Michigan in recent years, and they ended our undefeated season, it’s hard to hate Penn State fans because of how cool they were; both when they were sure they would lose and after they had won.

I have been to Michigan Stadium thrice, and have been a-maized at how quiet those games have been except for the odd play or two every now and then.  My experience outside of the Penn State section was BAD.  The two games I sat with other PSU fans were positive experiences, except for one loss.  The stadium is built into the ground, so it doesn't look like much outside on street level.  But it is a really big bowl that doesn't hold the sound in well.  We'll see how Indiana fares in that venue this week.

Speaking of this week, in the Big Ten . . .

THEM is favored by 9 points in Ann Arbor over the Hoosiers.  After losing to Indiana, I guess we have to root for the wolverines.  Did I just type that out loud?  Even if we can't win a Big Ten Title, that doesn't mean we can't win a fantasy title, does it?

Iowa travels to Columbus to take on the Bucks who are favored by 16.5 points.  GO HAWKS!

Northwestern is favored by 12.5 and expected to bounce back against the Gophers.

The Boilers travel to face the Spartans in East Lansing.  Sparty is favored by . . .wait a minute till we add this all up . . . 26.5 points!  I hope Purdue wins, but I gotta say, Sparty wins this one.  No OTs will be required.

The Badgers, favored by 11.5, head to Illinois.  ON WISCONSIN!

Penn State and Nebraska are both off again.

Future Big Ten Team Maryland is favored by 6.5 over Wake Forest.  GO TERPS! 

Rutgers is off.

In games around the country:

Miami (FL) is leading UNC 13-7 in the second quarter, but quite frankly, I've been watching the Pens who are up 2-1 on the Cryers at the end of two periods.  Philly accidentally scored a goal with 2 seconds left to actually make this a game!

Notre Dame is favored by 3 over Southern Cal.  GO TROJANS!

Stanford is favored by 5 over UCLA.  Hmm.  GO BRUINS!

Alabama is favored by 28.5 over Bret Beliema's Hawgs.  ROLL TIDE ROLL!

F$U is favored by 3 over Clem's son.  GO TIGERS!

Can You Hear Me Now?

WARNING:  This is a rant.  If that is not your thing, please scroll down to the next entry, or try another web site.  Perhaps this one that shows every plane that is currently flying.  Or this one which shows a random cat picture and plays a random song.  Or you can find out if your computer is on or off at this site.

The stadium experience has certainly changed over the years.  Of course, what hasn't changed over the years?  Have these changes been positive?

I like the Jumbo-Tron picture.  That's a plus.

But how about showing more scores continuously on the scroll bar under each of the upper decks?  Yeah, I know we have to sell some Berks Hot Dogs and the like to pay the bills, but can't we run a crawl like ESPN and most sports networks do continuously?  You already have us here.  In the seats.  Who cares if we're interested in how well Sacramento State is doing against Podunk U?  Shows us the scores!

I don't like the nearly continuous stream of background music that won't stay in the background.  It's like we're living in a movie soundtrack.  Every play, emotion or pause has to be highlighted with a sound clip.  This is not a plus.

Now I fully understand that the University is trying (or maybe not) to cater to the students and the "younger" crowd.  And if you are in that category, I'm sorry that I don't understand your constant need for external auditory stimulation.  In case you haven't noticed, and you probably haven't if it isn't posted on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Vine, but those of us that are more bald fat wrinkled mature don't walk around with ear buds in our ears 24/7.

I liked Sweet Caroline. I'm sorry, but BOM BOM BOM I do.  I liked the crowd singing and the guy on the video screen swaying and directing with his arms.  Oh, like you don't have a guilty pleasure!

I like Zombie Nation.  I like some of the music played to pump up the crowd.

I just don't need it continuously.  Even when the stadium announcer was talking, the music was trying to overcome his voice.  It's not that I need to hear him announce that it is third down (when it was really fourth down, although you can't be sure because YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY HEAR HIM!), because I can see the scoreboard through my early cataracts and I can even see the marker on the sideline.  But why do we have to play music while he's talking?  Maybe he should just stop.

When you watch a game on TV at home, there isn't a constant soundtrack.  Do you blare your stereo while watching the game?  If you do, WHY? 

This year, the University has been sending me emails to choose a song for the Blue Band to play during the game from a pre-arranged list.  Okay.  That's nice, I suppose.  For 60 seconds, we have control over what is played.  Woo Hoo!  (Did we even hear a woo hoo! last week after a big play?)  The other 3 and a half hours we are deafened by noise that makes waterboarding seem humane.

No Sweet Caroline!  BOM BOM BOM!

And what is with the new bag policy?  I can't bring my stadium cushion with the pocket that holds a poncho and my game program into the game?  It has a Penn State logo on it (someone paid for a license the cost of which was passed on to me) and yet Penn State won't allow it in their stadium?  Because of security?  Give me a break!

Raise your hands . . . who feels more secure at the game knowing that little old ladies have to keep their pills and extra depends in a clear plastic bag?  Like you couldn't bring a handgun or some C4 explosives in your pocket?  I'm sorry.  It doesn't make me feel safer, and in fact, it annoys the living shit out of me.  When did I start living in Russia?  If you feel you have to infringe on my rights to be safe, then stay at home and watch it on TV.  I guess I could do that too, but then my rant wouldn't be much of a rant.  I'd be waving the white flag alongside Rodney Erickson.

The University appears, at a time when stadium attendance across the nation in general is declining, to be trying to turn fans away; to discourage people from coming.  Fancy videos and pleas by O'Brien to fill the stadium aren't going to bring people to watch Penn State beat EMU 45-7.  There is no fan loyalty anymore because the University threw loyalty out the window like a baby with the bathwater when it adopted the STEP program.

I'm sorry Mr. Fan who has sat on the 50-yard line for half a century at ticket face value.  You now owe us $600.  Per year.  And oh, by the way, you still have to buy the ticket.  What did they think would happen to their fan base when they treated people like that?

Our marketing gurus apparently think loud music and obnoxious stadium policies are more attractive than making the fan happy.

There has been a steady erosion of the stadium experience over the years.  No re-entry after half-time.  Brilliant!  No alcohol at the tailgates during the games.  Brilliant!  No bags!  No silence!  No fun!  No soup for us!

I had five extra tickets this past weekend that I couldn't GIVE AWAY for free.  Apparently the stadium experience just doesn't beat an HDTV and the comforts of home, where you can control the sound and take a bag in the house if you want to because this is America dammit!

As an aside, I can't fathom not being able to give away a ticket.  Had someone called me Sunday morning and said they had an extra ticket to the Steeler game, I would have been there.  (I'm glad I wasn't after the way they played, but that's another rant altogether!)  Seriously?  I would go to a game with appendicitis if I had the chance at a free seat.  I have skipped weddings and numerous family functions over the years to be at Penn State games.  I don't understand how any plans are so set in stone you couldn't be there.  Okay--if you are on a beach in Hawaii, then I'll forgive you for declining.  But you wanted to get some yard work done?  You have to visit your niece?  That's about as transparent as the girl who turns you down for a date Saturday night because she has to wash her hair!

And maybe that is the big problem.  The stadium experience isn't attractive.  Why wash your hair and get all dolled up for that?

I'm not arguing to worm hole our way back to the seventies with ONLY the band playing and no replay or entertainment whatsoever.  But I think it needs to be done in moderation.  If you want to have alumni/ticket holders vote, let's ask some real questions . . .

Do we want all this security bullshit?

Do we want to be able to re-enter the stadium at halftime with a hand stamp and ticket stub?

Do we want to have bottled beer at tailgates?

Do we want to bring our own stadium cushions WITH or WITHOUT pockets?

And then, change your policy accordingly.

Until then, I guess we have to just be happy picking a song.  Unless it's Sweet Caroline.

Billboards

Photo from Twitter.

We Are . . .

Penn State!

Is there any other response?

Apparently, there is, at least in Orlando, Florida.

My family and I spent a couple of days at Universal Studios Florida while vacationing at Disney World.  One of the attractions at Universal Studios is a simulation-type "ride" called Disaster!  As an aside here, any attraction billed as a "ride" should actually be a ride, but we did end up in a doomed subway car that shook, so I guess that was pretty much the ride right there.  But I digress.

A few members of the audience are selected as cast members, and everyone proceeds through a process of filming a disaster-type movie.

After the casting session, the "associate director" instructs the audience that when he yells "We Are . . ." the audience is supposed to respond by yelling back, "Moving On!"  And then you actually move on to the next segment of the "ride." 

Was this guy hired by the Board of Trustees?

Of course, much to the horror of my teenage children, I yelled out "Penn State" the first time he yelled "We Are."  Well what would you have done?  I actually said it every time he yelled it, but at a low enough level that my wife and children wouldn't be embarrassed and desert me.

It's actually very ironic that the response they were looking for was MOVING ON and the film is a disaster flick.

What think you?

Ticket Sales Up

The following seat availability chart compares the seats listed on the Virtual Venue Website as being available last May, compared to today. 

There appears to be a net of 688 fewer seats available since last May, with relocation starting just this past week.

The percentages at the bottom are based on a stadium capacity of 107,282 seats--so there is 13% of the stadium seating still available.  There is a new $200 level seating this year, WCU, WGU, EGU, ECU. These numbers are still lumped in the $400 level in the totals.

SECTION	Donation	Seats Available	Seats Available	Delta
		5/1/2012	3/31/2013
WB	$400	246	262	16
WC	$400	22	70	48
WD	600-2000	44	45	1
WE	600-2000	5	3	-2
WF	600-2000	31	80	49
WG	$400	22	48	26
WH	$400	269	236	-33
WJ	$100	16	41	25
NA	$100	29	32	3
NB	$100	53	69	16
NC	$100	93	98	5
ND	$100	135	81	-54
NE	$100	169	90	-79
NF	$100	95	63	-32
NG	$100	199	86	-113
NH	$100	176	68	-108
NJ	$100	209	80	-129
NK	$100	225	76	-149
NL	$100	73	66	-7
EJ	$100	16	35	19
EH	$400	421	421	0
EG	$400	57	78	21
EF	600-2000	77	106	29
EE	600-2000	1	0	-1
ED	600-2000	108	77	-31
EC	$400	87	102	15
EB	$400	76	58	-18
WBU	$100	2	7	5
WCU	$200	573	554	-19
WDU	$600	712	696	-16
WEU	$600	336	345	9
WFU	$600	724	699	-25
WGU	$400	498	464	-34
WHU	$100	2	43	41
WJU	$100	61	57	-4
NAU	100-400	135	153	18
NBU	$100	110	115	5
NCU	100-400	193	204	11
NDU	100-400	148	155	7
NEU	100-400	195	188	-7
NFU	100-400	156	140	-16
NGU	100-400	114	118	4
NHU	100-400	108	114	6
NJU	100-400	188	240	52
NKU	$100	0	0	0
NLU	100-400	2	0	-2
EJU	$100	301	97	-204
EHU	$100	10	73	63
EGU	$200	1291	1274	-17
EFU	$400	1000	955	-45
EEU	$600	870	745	-125
EDU	$400	1406	1361	-45
ECU	$200	1542	1477	-65
EBU	$100	1	27	26
SAU	$100	53	173	120
SBU	$100	185	209	24
SCU	$100	189	204	15
SDU	$100	137	145	8
SEU	$100	54	39	-15
SFU	$100	9	19	10
SGU	$100	31	29	-2
SHU	$100	133	147	14
SJU	$100	141	162	21
SKU	$100	167	138	-29
SLU	$100	128	134	6
TOTAL		14859	14171	-688	13%
				0
100		4441	4015	-426	28.33%
200-400		5104	5044	-60	35.59%
600+		5314	5112	-202	36.07%

Weekly Game Guide: Boilermaker Edition

Purdue is making me thirsty!

Miami is clinging to a lead over Va Tech in Thursday Night Football.  GO CANES!

This Saturday, Penn State travels west to face Purdue.  The Lions are favored by 3.5.  GO STATE!  BEAT PERDUE!

In the Big Ten this weekend:

THEM is favored by 11 over Minnesota.  GO GOPHERS!

Ohio State is a 27.5 point favorite over the Illini.  Let down after last week?  I doubt it.  But I'll still be rooting for Illinois.  Hey!  We could be co-division champs, couldn't we?

Nebraska is a 1.5 favorite over the Spartans, but I think Sparty opened as the favorite.  Whatever.  GO HUSKERS!

Indiana is actually favored by 2.5 over Iowa.  Wow.  GO HOOSIERS!

Wisconsin and Northwestern have a bye.

In games of previous opponents:

Navy is favored by 16.5 over Florida Atlantic.  GO NAVY!

Virginia is a 10.5 dog to NC State.  I've given up on the Cavs.  Whatever.

Temple is a 16 point dog to Louisville.  GO OWLS!

Ohio is playing tonight as a 15.5 point favorite over EMU.  GO BOBCATS!  Thois just in . .  Ohio won 45-14!

In other games of interest:

Alabama is favored by 9 over LSU.  ROLL TIDE ROLL!

Oregon is a 7.5 point favorite over USC.  QUACK.  QUACK.  GO DUCKS!

K State is an 8.5 point favorite over Okie State.  GO WILDCATS!

ND is still a 17 point favorite over Pitt.  HAIL to Pitt?  HELL NO.  But I hope ND loses somewhere along the line.  Might as well be this weekend.  Or not.  Damned.  GO PITT.  Maybe.

The Scarlet Better

I don't know about you, but I'm scared!

Red at night, Sailors delight, or so the old adage goes.  But Scarlet at night was not a Lion's delight, as the Buckeyes bullied their way through the Penn State White House to a 35-23 victory before the best crowd of the season in Beaver Stadium. 

Scarlet is just an arrogant variation of red, or a suspect in Clue--you decide.

Have you ever gone to the bathroom to poop, and instead of a simple dump, wipe and run, it's just a big old mess?  You keep wiping and there's just more poop.  You don't know where it's coming from.  You wipe so much you're sore and red scarlet, and you're still covered in it.  Saturday night was kind of like that, except the shit was sitting behind me, wearing a scarlet Ohio State shirt.

I really don't have a problem with someone coming to an away game and rooting for their team.  But can't you sit in the visitor's section?  And if the only ticket you can find is from a Penn State traitor that sells out for a few bucks-eyes, could you at least be a good sport instead of a sore winner?

After every Ohio State score, the bastard would ask aloud (very loud), "Why is it so quiet in here?  Anyone?"  He would also hoot after every successful buckeye play.  I never really knew what hooting and hollering was before, but he clearly 'hooted.'  It was an annoying sound like fingernails grating on a chalkboard.  When fans were doing the WE ARE . . . PENN STATE!  Cheer, he was yelling Ohio State, instead of Penn State.  Quaint, but do Penn State Fans yell P - E - N - N when Ohio fans in Columbus spell their state?  I saw a foursome of Buckeyes (foureyes?) doing their YMCA imitation with O-H-I-O in our north end zone.  You don't see Nittany Lion fans contorting to spell out P-E-N-N in the Horseshoe do you?   Maybe they do--but they should not.  And then there was the ubiquitous, "let's go Buckeyes," with the emphasis placed so it sounds like Ba - Kize.  It was like some scarlet bird cawing aloud.

And while Chuck (see comments on the side bar) doesn't think that the referees care who wins the game, I'm sure the conference that pays their wages does.  And the real sad part is that the Ba-Kize were the better team on Saturday night, with or without the plethora of yellow flags (defensive holding on a punt that certainly didn't look like holding anyway--  give me a break Chuck!)--and more importantly, the lack of yellow flags on egregious PI passes (on Allen Robinson, and on the fake field goal) and non-calls on obvious holding that sprung Toni Braxton free several times to sing and dance in the Penn State secondary like he was on dancing with the stars with Hines Ward.  Hines Ward he will never be, though.

For the first time this season, I think the team took a step back.  Up to this point, each game seemed to show some improvement somewhere on the field.  The offensive game plans of O'Brien have been laudable, and perhaps eventually good enough to land him Coach of the Year honors.  But Saturday night, the offensive play calling seemed uninspired, and perhaps too hell bent on establishing a running game with Belton, particularly on first down plays.  While Ohio State enjoyed third and short yardage situations most of the night, Penn State often found itself in third and long, and too much pass pressure on McGloin by the Buckeye D to make an effective play.

And just like the opening game against Ohio, the lack of offensive continuity and the ability to control time of possession, ended up with a tired defense in the fourth quarter that just could not keep Ohio State from scoring.

McGloin, who looked like a Heisman contender last week, looked like an AFLAC pretender this week, although the play-calling was a factor, and the fact that our offensive line looked like it forgot to show up.

We also shot ourselves in the foot several times with stupid penalties (false starts), the obligatory pick six (I swear we average one per every Ohio State game since entering the Big Ten, but I probably exaggerate there,) and the inability of our return game to set up any decent field position.  I do credit the special teams with the block and recovery for our first score, but in the final analysis, it was too little to make a difference, and couldn't over come the rest of the poor special teams plays.  Butterworth had some good punts to pin the Bucks deep, but also shanked one to give them good field position.  Call it a wash there.  The failed fake punt was poorly executed, but there should have been pass interference called on that one.  But as the scarlet dick behind me said, "that was just good defense."  Yeah, and that (was it Hartline?) catch that bounced off the turf a few years ago was just a good catch.

The Buckeyes were the better team.  My fingertips are burning just typing those words, but I really wonder how we might have done if we hadn't had to battle the refs as well.  But that is what it is, and we Penn State fans are whiners.  Do you think maybe we'd stop whining about the bad refereeing if we actually saw some fair refereeing?  Makes you wonder.

BY THE NUMBERS:

Penn State tied Ohio State in first downs and almost in total yardage, but only had 32 yards in the rushing game.  The time of possession actually favored PSU in the second half, but the Buckeyes had a 2:1 edge after the first, which I think ultimately gassed our defense.  This is going to be a bigger problem moving forward as the sanctions keep the depth chart thin.

Penn State was averaging 4.5 penalties per game.  We doubled that production thanks to the zebras.  Bonus checks all around, boys!

INTANGIBLES:

The Drum Major stuck both flips, but it didn't help us.  Matt Freeman twirled fire batons during halftime without setting himself on fire, so we had that going for us.

Someone dressed up as a Joe Paterno statue for Halloween.  Points for ingenuity.

Erickson was booed at half time.  It's not like he doesn't deserve it, but it is what it is.  Some fans were outraged over the Academic procession that failed to even mention the football team's academic achievements as a slap in the face.

Attendance was 107,818.  Probably won't see that kind of enthusiasm for the rest of the season, unfortunately.  (I hope I am wrong.)

Penn State won the toss and elected to defer.  It was an interesting choice--this week and last--but it initially looked like it would pay off as the Lions held on the first series and forced a four and out (first play was a first down, then a three and out) and a punt.  But then PSU fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half, recovered to set up poor field position, and then McGloin threw the pick six that pretty much quenched the mojo for Penn State, and negated the deferral.

THE BIG (TEN) PICTURE:

Northwestern beat Iowa 28-17, taking a little shine off our marquee win in Iowa City last week. Minnesota defeated Purdue 44-28.  But don't worry.  The Boilers and the refs will have their A-game on next week.   MSU beat the Badgers 16-13.  Those pesky Spartans just won't die, will they?  Nebraska beat THEM 23-9.  Indiana beat Illinois 31-17, so hopefully they won't feel the need to win any more Big Ten games.  Or, maybe we can't pencil that one in as a win yet.  Who knows?  It will be interesting to see how O'Brien can regroup this team, because let's face it.  This was our bowl game.  There is no post-season to play for, and while a conference division title is still possible, it is certainly not likely.  Can he regain the enthusiasm we saw building last week?

SHEDDING TEARS:

1.  Leggo my Legaux--Munchie throws a pick and comes up short as Cincy loses to Louisville 34-31 in OT.
2.  Temple lost to Pitt 44-17.  I have never been so disappointed by Hooters in all my life.
3. Ohio lost to Miami (OH) 23-20.  Our SOS is just being shot to hell here!
4. USC lost to Arizona 39-36.  Chuckle.
5. Rutgers suffers their first loss to . . . wait for it . . . KENT STATE.  35-23.  Now there's some irony right there in that score. 
6.  Denard Robinson not enough to beat the Huskers--lost 23-9.
7.  Oklahoma--lost at home to the 12 point under dog Irish.  Damned.  I'm actually going to have to root for Pitt next week.  Otherwise, USC may be our last hope to keep the Irish out of the BCS Title game, since BC and Wake Forest are a combined 6-10 on the season so far.

LOOKING AHEAD:

Penn State heads west to play Purdue in West Lafayette. 

The Boilers are a few points short of a good season, almost upsetting the Irish and the Buckeyes.  So far, here is their season:

W  Eastern Kentucky 48-6
L  Notre Dame 17-20
W Eastern Michigan W54-16
W Marshall 51-41
L THEM 44-13
L Wisconsin 38-14
L Ohio State 29-22 (OT)
L Minnesota 44-28

This is a test of the resilience of this team.  I think we have the senior leadership to regroup, but then I thought we had an offense that could score more than 23 points against the Buckeyes (16, since we can't count the blocked punt as offensive points now can we?)  This will also be a coaching test.  In the NFL, one loss in a conference doesn't necessarily eliminate you from contention.  In college, though, it can theoretically eliminate you not just from the National picture, but from winning the conference.  Hell, Oregon may go undefeated and watch Notre Dame play Alabama for the whole ball of wax.  Oh, the inhumanity!

Nittanyville

Weekly Game Guide: Ottumwa Iowa Edition

Oregon takes on Arizona State tonight as the Ducks try to edge Florida out of the #2 BCS spot.  The Ducks are favored by 10.  But I like the weather in Arizona better.  GO SUN DEVILS!

Two touchdowns in the first 1:12 of the game (score 7-7)!  That's some fine defensive football right there.

Iowa is still favored over the Lions, but the line has dropped to 2.5. GO STATE!

In the Big Ten:

Michigan State is a 9.5 point dog to "little brother" in Ann Arbor.  Can the schizophrenic Spartans pull the upset?  I certainly hope so.  GO SPARTANS!

The Buckeyes are favored by 20 over Purdue.  Can the Perdue Ovenstuffers stuff Braxton and the Bucks?  I don't think so.  But I'll be rooting for the Boilers just the same.  GO PURDUE!

Wisconsin is favored by 17 over Minnesota.  What the heck?  GO GOPHERS!

Indiana faces off against the Midshipmen of Navy.  Navy is favored by 2.5 points.  GO NAVY!

Iowa has a football team???

Nebraska is favored by 7 over Northwestern.  GO WILDCATS!

Illinois is off, and no one will likely notice.

In games featuring previous opponents:

Ohio has a bye week.

Virginia is favored by 3.5 over Wake Forest.  Virginia has beaten only one FBS school:  Penn State.  And they should have lost that one too!  GO CAVS!

Rutgers is a 4.5 favorite over the Owls.  GO TEMPLE!

In other games of interest:

The Irish are favored over BYU by 13.  Please God, help BYU win.  Throw the Mormons a bone.  Besides, adversity builds character.  Notre Dame needs some character building.  Please.  GO COUGARS!

Florida is favored by 3.5 over South Carolina.  GO GAMECOCKS!

LSU is favored by 3 over Texas A & M.  Yeah.  we really like Les Miles.  Not.  GO AGGIES!

Weekly Game Guide

Boise State is playing BYU on a Blue field in Idaho as I type.  The Broncos are ranked 24th and favored by a touchdown.  They are scoreless at the half.  GO BRONCOS!

Penn State takes on the Angry Birds of Temple this Saturday as a 9 point favorite.  Rumnor is that there may be rain, which could keep the scoring down, and might favor the under dog.  GO STATE!  BEAT OWLS!

Let's see what other games of interest we have this weekend . . .

Pitt is playing Gardner-Webb.  Who?  What?    The hyphenated Runnin' Bulldogs, winless in the Big South conference will hope to catch the panthers napping after what was probably an emotional win over the Turkeys last week.  I don't see Pitt losing this game, but I like bulldogs.  GO BIG SOUTH!

Michigan State will take out their Irish frustration on Eastern Michigan.  Sparty is a 32.5 point favorite, which is about fifth as favorites go.  Bama is 51 over Florida Atlantic, Ohio State is 37.5 over UAB, Tennessee is 35 over Akron, and  Mississippi State is 34.5 over S. Alabama (also known as "not-the-Crimson-Tide!")  I don't care much for old "time-out, ice the crowd" Dantonio, but what the heck, Go Sparty!

Wisconsin is a 16 point favorite over UTEP.  Like Bielema even less.  GO UTEP!

Iowa is picked by 17 over Central Michigan.  You know, no matter how much Iowa plays like crap early in the season, they always play like the friggin Pittsburgh Steelers against us.  GO Chippewas!

Illinois is favored by a mere point over La. Tech.  I really don't care.

Minnesota is picked by 2 over Syracuse.  I don't like orange.  GO GOPHERS!

Northwestern plays South Dakota.  GO WILDCATS!  No reason at all.  Just trust me on this one.

Nebraska plays Idaho State.  I-dy, I-dy, I-dy, O!  Oh, what the heck.  GO HUSKERS!

And then there's that little game between Notre Dame and THEM.  This is stressful.  Who do you root for?  Beelzebub or Satan?  It's always the lesser of two evils in this game.  And THEM might just be the greater of those.  GO IRISH.  No!  Wait.  Can we root for a cancellation?  Natural disaster?  Whatever.

Purdue has a bye.  Ain't that special?

Navy plays VMI (no line.)  GO NAVY!

Ohio plays Norfolk State (no line.)  GO BOBCATS!

Virginia is a 17 point under dog to TCU.  GO CAVALIERS!

Penn State is Credible

This conclusion is drawn by Temple Football Forever.  Truth be told, there aren't many blogs about Temple football (and there is probably a really good reason for this.)  Doesn't forever seem like a terribly long time?  Almost reminds one of purgatory, only it lasts longer.  But I digress.

According to TFF:

Penn State is largely an outsider getting insider treatment. [from the Philadelphia media] 

I have a feeling Penn State will be an afterthought very soon, but the Lions' 34-7 win over a solid Navy program gave them some credibility that it did not have after losses to Ohio and Virginia. 

Penn State is credible now. 

I don't think they will be by the time the Owls next face them on Aug. 30, 2014. Two years of 15 scholarships will do that to a program. 

So this is the year to beat Penn State.

Get your after-thoughts here!  I would think that 2014 would be the year, since PSU will supposedly be less credible then, but I guess that won't be a marquee victory for the Hooters like this year should be.  Either way, I think the plan is to kick us when we're down.  Reading on confirms their evil plan--win now while we're on the way down, not after we've crashed at the bottom . . .

The Lions can still lose to Temple this year and finish with a respectable season in the Big 10.

Despite the defections, they have enough talent leftover to be dangerous the rest of the way.

More defections and lack of scholarships will take a larger toll in ensuing years.

The next time they lose to Temple, they will be struggling to 1- and 2-win seasons.

If the Owls want a win over Penn State to mean anything, they better take advantage of the opportunity now.

This is pretty heavy prognostication from the supporter of a team that just returned to the Big Least conference in time to celebrate its demise.  Temple is like the stranded castaway being saved by a boat that ultimately crashes on the reef as it leaves the island.  They'll be sitting in the dust watching the tail lights as Pitt and Syracuse move on as fast as they can get out of Dodge.  But do you see what I've done here again?  I've gone and digressed.

And don't think I didn't notice that little gem about PSU having a respectable season in the Big Ten even if they lose to Temple.  While Temple might be able to handle Indiana with no problem, I don't see any other Big Ten team that would consider the Mighty Owls a threat to their season.  If Penn State can't beat Temple, I don't think it follows that we could have a good Big Ten season.  If I can't beat my amateur neighbor at golf, I surely wouldn't have a good season on the tour against the likes of Tiger Woods if you catch my drift.

My faith in my football team is my weakness.  His overconfidence is his.

In his Monday post, he writes about their "secret weapons."

Temple travels to Penn State on Saturday afternoon (3:30, ABC Regional) and brings with it a couple of "secret" weapons in Kevin Newsome and Montel Harris. 

Secret to Temple fans because they only saw Harris play a couple of downs against Villanova and Newsome hasn't played a down yet on offense or defense. 

Both, though, are great athletes and potential playmakers who can make a difference against Penn State.

So that's where Newsome ended up.  I guess it was a secret.  Or I didn't care.  If he hasn't played defense since high school, I really can't say that I am concerned about him becoming an All-American safety by this Saturday.  In fact, that might work to our benefit.  Can they also convert a punter to defensive back?  But shhhh.  I'd keep that a secret too.

So did Penn State's win over a solid Navy team lend it credibility, or is that just rhetoric for "I'm worried about Temple having a chance now?"

Penn Staters Showed Their Colors

Penn State won the ESPN Wear Your College Colors Contest and the $10,000 prize for the general scholarship fund!