Time to Move On...

0:01.

That still sticks with me. Just when I think I've turned the corner and gotten over it, someone or something will remind me of 0:01. And, it still sucks.

But, it's time to move on. Time to see if this team folds like a house of cards, or displays the character and courage most of us expect from a Joe Paterno-coached team. After three grueling weeks of Big Ten play, we get our first bottom feeder conference opponent (I don't care what the polls say, Michigan is still one of the top 25 teams in the country). This is the classic letdown game. This is a game that the Lions could lose, or could blow up and hang half a hundred on the Illini (can I still call them that?).

Seems to me, by reading the stuff I've seen, that the attitude of the team is actually pretty good. Was interesting to read that the 3 hour delay in Ann Arbor may have been the best thing that happened to the team. Could be one of those moments that define the legacy of the departing players, and starts the legacy of the new blood of the program.

Speaking of new blood, here's to those who said JoePa can't recruit the talent anymore. For those who read this (all 2 of you) and don't know, Chris Bell, a 5-star recruit from right here in Virginia has committed to Penn State. Bell is a 6-5, 203 pound WR with 4.38 speed. In his own words, Bell said that he didn't want to "miss Penn State's rise to the top." That's refreshing.

State also got a commitment from Aaron Maybin, a DL from Maryland. What is nice to see is that PSU can still recruit as a "Beast of the East" like they used to. They also are getting folks from Va Tech's backyard. Nice. Rumor is that LeSean McCoy, the top RB in PA (who broke his ankle) is looking at PSU, too. Could mean a bright future for the Lions. Way to go, Joe.

Got to see the Lady Lion Volleyball team dismantle the Wolverines. Not a substitute for the football game, but nice to see nonetheless. PSU women's volleyball is #3 in the nation. Lady Lion Soccer is #1. Football is #12. Can anyone say "Sears Trophy?"

Former PSU alum, LaVar Arrington, has been the center of a media circus here in northern Virginia. Seems that the coaches of the mighty Redskins think that LaVar is a loose cannon, undisciplined and not all that bright. Hmmm. Maybe three Defensive coordinators in three years has something to do with that. This guy is a freak. He's a monster off the edge, and can cover any tight end in the league. I have a hard time believing that the Redskins D is better with LaVar on the sidelines. Kudos to LaVar for maintaining his decorum through this. Shame on Joe Gibbs. Just as he never had any intention of sticking with Patrick Ramsey this year, he has no intention of letting LaVar see the playing field, no matter how he spins it.

Jay, Kelley, Leslie and all...please stay safe this weekend. A lot of my family lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and Wilma seems to be bearing down on them. You know, guys, Montana hasn't ever had a hurricane...something to think about.

Tomorrow I will put out the keys to the Nits/Illini game, if anyone cares.

For the Glory...

Heartbreak

How much does Penn State's 27-25 loss to Michigan hurt? Pretty damned bad. But, there's no shame in the way the team played. They may not be "back," but they sure played hard today. The seniors need to see that they have 4 games to write the rest of their Penn State story. The freshmen need to remember how this hurts, and try like hell to keep it from happening again. The season still has the potential to be special. A 9-2 record is still possible...even 10-1 isn't out of the realm of possibility.

I hope they go to Illinois and take out their frustrations.

Some observations:
--Run D looked suspect...especially up the middle
--Pressure on the QB was non-existent in the second half
--Hunt had a great game
--Stop throwing the damned screen to him...takes too long to develop, and it never goes anywhere
--DWill is hurt...may be an arm injury
--Why is Zemaitis still playing so damned soft on the corners. A jam on the receiver disrupts the play

You know, before the season, if anyone told me that we'd be 6-1 after the Michigan game, I would have taken it. But now, I'm upset and disappointed. I, too, drank the Kool Aid thinking that PSU may go to a BCS bowl. I forgot that we had 7 wins over the last 2 seasons prior to this season.

This one hurts.

Another Saturday, another test

Penn State goes to the Big House today for, what I think, is the last big hurdle on their schedule. Yes, Michigan State is another road game, but I think Michigan, today, is the more difficult game.

Folks tend to forget that Michigan was a top-10 team at the start of the season. They lost a tough game to Notre Dame early, and I think that kind of upset the balance. However, I still think they're among the most talented teams in the country...and they're going to be pissed. Not a good combo.

Some of my key points to the game:
--PSU secondary vs. Michigan WRs: Steve Breston and Jason Avant are two of the fastest WRs in the conferenece...right behind Ginn and Holmes. I'm not sure that the D can get the kind of pressure they did on Smith last week, so the cover guys are going to have to be solid today.
--RB Michael Hart: This guy is scary good. If he's on today, this game could be ugly. If the running game is effective, Penn State won't be able to put 8 in the box like last week. Could lead to some long drives, and the defense could tire like they did at Northwestern and earlier.
--Turnovers: 13 in the first 4 games, 0 in the last 2. If we don't turn it over, we will be ok.
--3rd Down conversions (both offensive and defensive)...on 2 of the three scoring drives vs OSU, the Lions picked up key 1st downs via the air. Drive continuing plays will be big to keep the D off the field. Defensively, well, get off the field. No long 3rd down pickups...that means that the D must be effective on 1st and 2nd downs.
--Michigan's Injuries--2 starting safeties and a DE are out. We need points. Get the lead early, and make Michigan one dimensional.

So, with that...today's predictions:

OSU 30, Mich St. 21
LSU 24, Florida 14
USC 47, Notre Dame 21
Wisconsin 34, Minnesota 28
Texas 29, Colorado 14
FSU 38, UVa 17

and,

PENN STATE 27, MGOBLUE 20

For the Glory....

Happy Valley? You Could Say So.

What an unbelievable weekend to be a Penn Stater. A prime time affair in one of college football's greatest settings. If you have any blue and white in you, you can't help but be extremely proud.

Let's recap, shall we?

First, starting last Sunday, tents spring up in a makeshift village, forever known as "Paternoville." By Saturday, 100 tents cluster around the student entrance. Earlier in the week, players, Pres. Spanier, and the namesake of the village pay a visit to the faithful. I was lucky enough to be a Stater during the magical 1994 season, and never, NEVER saw anything like this.

Saturday morning, with the rain falling, hundreds of students and supporters fall in behind the ESPN Gameday set. The signs are out, the voices are still strong, and dare I say most are still sober. Oh, and best sign? "Our #7 is better than yours." I get the feeling watching the show that the hosts are still not entirely sold on Nittany Nation, and may have begun doubting the choice of venue.

Saturday evening...stupid Iowa/Purdue game goes long...switch over, dammit! Finally, they cut to the stadium and goosebumps hit as I get the first glimpse of the "white out." You have got to be kidding me!! This is absolutely amazing.

Finally, game time...what is there left to say that hasn't been said? It was a classic Big Ten matchup with two defenses knocking the snot out of anyone on offense. Some notes:

--Paul Posluzny is the best linebacker in the Big Ten, if not the country. No disrespect to the OSU boys, but Sluz came out huge on Saturday. 3rd straight week as Big Ten defensive player of the week. Lost in the shuffle was Dan Connor's return to the starting lineup. He only had 12 tackles and a sack. Linebacker U is back.
--Tamba Hali may be the best DE we've had in 20 years, including Courtney Brown and Michael Haynes. The guy never quits. The hit on Smith is the biggest play in recent Penn State history.
--The D has more sacks this year than they did all of last season, and currently leads the Big Ten in that department. I love when your front four can get pressure on a QB.
--Kudos to MRob for growing up so fast in the QB spot. Great game of ball security and smart decision making. Wonder how good he'd be if Paterno let him take the reigns last year instead of his misplaced loyalty to Zack Mills?
--Quietly Tony Hunt is having a great year. That 3 yard gain on 4th down was monstrous, since it looked like he was going to be stopped. He's taking good care of the ball this year, and his blocking is outstanding. A burner or Ki-Jana type back he's not, but he's just what this team needs.
--The freshman 4 are unflappable. Curious to see how they handle the Big House...though, Michigan's secondary is not as strong as the Woodson days gone by.
--Anyone notice that the O-line didn't give up a sack for the second game in a row? Rivera, Hartings, Johnson, Greeley...maybe not, but they're solid.

Anyway, as Paterno has often stated, if you're solid on defense, solid in the kicking game, and win the turnover battle, you've got a good shot to win the game.

So, yes, I am thrilled with the victory, and thrilled with the #8 ranking (heck, some of the BCS polls have us at #1). But what makes me even more proud is the praise and press that the university is getting as a whole. Announcers constantly noting the stadium atmosphere, Herbie and Corso paying homage to the "Best Student section in the Country"...how proud was I? In a national spotlight, the university put its best foot forward, and came out looking like the world class institution it is. Well done, Dear Old State, well done.

Now, so not to bask too long in the warming glow of sweet, sweet victory...we gots to go to Ann Arbor in a couple of days and take on a team that has owned us for the last 6 meetings (twice shutting us out, and once coming into the Beav and dismantiling us 34-8). I remember the win over the Maize and Blue in '94, how crazy that was. I would love to have that history repeat itself. More to follow on this later, but first....

THE LADY LION SOCCER TEAM IS #1 IN THE NATION!!!
Move over UNC, there is a new power on the block! The Lady Lions finish out their Big Ten season vs Ohio State on Friday, en route to their 8th straight Big Ten Championship. This is the best soccer team no one knows about. Keep it up, ladies!!!

On a more depressing note, my fantasy team is now 1-4. I started DMcNabb Sunday, but should have gone with Bubby Brister or Steve Grogan. Goodness, the Eagles looked bad. Not sure this is just the "blip" folks think it is...two straight poor defensive performances and a non-existent ground game mean trouble in November.

All in all, it is great to be a Nittany Lion right now. I'm a very proud alum.

For the Glory...bigtime!!!!

Ohio State Eve

Another big game tomorrow. I think this will be the true "are we back?" game. Still not sure if we can hang with the Buckeyes for 60 minutes, but am anxious to see how they do.

A couple of tidbits to think about:

• PSU always plays tOSU tough. It is really our rivalry game (more than any other opponent in the Big Ten). Even when PSU has been down, they play the Bucks hard. JoePa's 324th win came against the Buckeyes in 2001 when PSU ended up going 5-6. Safe to say that this year we have a little more talent on both sides of the ball--especially the offense--than we have in a while.
• The weather calls for rain tomorrow. Does this neutralize the speed of both teams, or make it that much more important? I think a slog-it-out game favors PSU, since they seem to have a better running game. Either way, rain will make things difficult.
• The last time ESPN Gameday was at Penn St was prior to the Arizona game in 1999. We fared ok in that one, as I recall!

I think that if the Nits hang on to the ball and don't give up a big special teams play, they can keep the game close late. If they do that, who knows. Here's hoping for a good game.

This week's predictions:

Georgia 24, Tennesse 20
Air Force 30, Navy 27
Michigan 27, Minnesota 21
Purdue 28, Iowa 17
Boston College 34, Virginia 10
Louisville 30, UNC10

And, in the game of the year for Lions fans...

PENN STATE 24, OHIO STATE 17

For the Glory....