Blue and White...and other stuff

Found a new site--definitely worth a look

2008-03-31T15:31:00.000-07:00

Stumbled on to a great Penn State website. Blackshoes Diaries is fantastic. Good information and a lot of places to voice your opinion or create a poll question.

Check it out!

I'm back

2008-03-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

Time to kick off Spring Practice stuff, so I thought I would start the old blog again. Not going to add much now, but things should definitely start heating up as practices continue.

On a different note, I am torn. Going in to this past basketball season, I really thought the Lions could win 18-19 games, make a push for the NCAAs or at least the NIT. When they opened the season with 2 road wins vs Illinios and Northwestern, I thought things were going to be different this year. After the disappointing loss to the Gophers, I still had hope.

Then Claxton went down, and I knew that all hope was lost, given what I had seen of the rest of the team. At least, I thought, they'll do so bad that DeChellis will finally get fired and we can get a big name coach to try to build a respectable program. So, imagine my surprise when the young Lions actually finished .500 after the regular season. On one hand, I was dismayed that DeChellis probably would get a pass on this season given the injury situation. On the other, I was incredibly impressed with the job he did with such a young team. You could really see the growth in guys like Jeff Brooks (though he is not as good a ball handler as he thinks) and DJ Jackson (still needs to take it to the rack more often).

Now, there is a nucleus of proven young talent, a Villanova transfer (Jay Wright said all the PC things about this kid, but let's face it, there is a reason that he's not staying at Nova), and a recruit from...TEXAS?? The expectations for this team should be sky high. Is DeChellis the right guy for this program? I still don't know, but I am willing to give him another year.

For the Glory!

Same Stuff, Different Saturday

2007-09-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

Next Saturday, I will put on my PSU jersey and my hat. I will put the Blue Band CD in the stereo. I will check Fight on State.com for the staff predictions. I'll probably still get nervous enough before the game to not want to eat. I will do everything I normally do before a Penn State game. Probably always will.

But, it's getting tougher and tougher to feel the same pride...to think that we are close to being the elite program we once were. No, I think I am starting to understand that we are now mentioned in the same breath as the Marylands, the Kansas States, the Auburns of the world. Usually a pretty decent team. Every once in a while a really good team. But, no longer a consistently dominant team. Even in our own conference we're not in the top tier. Heck, we are probably not in the second tier.

No once could fault the play calling today. 400 yards of offense should be good enough for most offenses. Three successive possessions beginning on the opponent's side of the 50 should mean a laugher...a rout. Not 3 points. Not 3 turnovers.

As I said last week, Anthony Morelli is not a Division 1 starting QB. Ok, he did look good in the first half. But, when there was pressure to make that one defining play, he came up well short (like his passes). Now, Joe is fiercely loyal to his seniors, but even he has to doubt whether or not his team can win (or will follow) with Morelli.

Kudos to Austin Scott for running hard. He definitely showed something. The running game was solid today...maybe should have been used more.

The defense looked unprepared to face an option offense. Not sure how this can be, since many of the same guys faced the same personnel in the same scheme last year...oh yeah, they struggled then, too. If the spread is so hard for Big Ten teams to face (see Michigan/App St), why don't more teams in the conference use it??

I'm not sure this team finishes .500 this year. They'd have to go 3-4 the rest of the way. With Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Indiana coming up, that might be a tall order.

For the Glory?

Same Old Story

2007-09-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

Before I settle down too much...

Anthony Morelli is not a Division 1 starting quarterback. Joe needs to take off the loyalty blinders and get someone else in there. This guy just doesn't seem to get any better.

The offensive line is awful.

Austin Scott should get no more carries this season unless Penn State is up by 30 points.

I am tired of the big game letdowns. We haven't won a meaningful big game since 2005. With Morelli under center, look for 4-4 in the Big Ten...at best.

This offense is starting to remind me of the Zack Mills lead team in 2004...except this one HAS wide receivers that can make plays.

#10 in the country? No one who has watched this team play all year could seriously buy into that.

Come on Joe, what kind of team do you think you have now?

Buffalo Report Card/Michigan Prep

2007-09-19T14:36:00.001-07:00

Well, I did correctly predict that PSU would score 45...I just didn't think they'd give up 24...

Quick recap and report card...

Quarterback: B
Morelli did have 4 TD's on the day, and did complete 20 0f 27 passes. But, he missed some easy throws, and Norwood bailed him out on the circus catch. His throws to Quarless were nice, and it shows that Quarless has the opportunity to be a big time receiving threat. Still waiting for Morelli to show the ability to consistently make the easy throws. Will be interesting to see if he has what it takes to put the team on his shoulders if they find themselves trailing in the 4th quarter on Saturday.

Running Backs: C/A-
The "C" is for Austin Scott. Bad exchange or not, he can't put the ball on the carpet like that. His grade would have been lower, but he did bust out a nice 40 yard touchdown run. The A- is for Kinlaw. What a nice job! This may be the one time where a running back by committee actually works.

Wide Receivers: B+
Norwood. Norwood. Norwood. Great catch. Butler had a nice game, too, though he was underthrown on the long pass in the 3rd quarter. Need to get him in the end zone. DWill still missing from the vertical passing game. And where the heck is Chris Bell?

O-Line: B+
Nice job run blocking, but still taking too long to assert themselves. I don't think they've given up a legitmate sack this season (aside from Morelli holding the ball too long).

Overall Offense: B

D-Line: They looked tired late in the game. They also had a lot of trouble defending the screen pass (as usual), and failed to put consistent pressure on the QB. Run defense was good again.

Linebackers: B
Connor and Lee were outstanding. Hayes and Sayles were tolerable. Too many third and longs given up. Lee's hit on the goal line was textbook.

Secondary: D+
No way Justin King can look that bad two weeks in a row. Where was his head?? The TD on the halfback option was laughable...

Overall D: C+
Too many lapses...ship's gotta get tighter against a now dangerous Michigan team.

More on Michigan soon.

For the Glory!

The Final Tuneup

2007-09-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

Imagine my surprise when I read in the paper that Penn State's opponent tomorrow was the University of Buffalo, and not the Buffalo Bills. Here I thought we'd get Poz back in Happy Valley one more time.

Even Joe would have trouble painting this game as anything other than a tuneup. Turner Gill (yes, that Turner Gill) brings his undermanned squad into Beaver Stadium for what should be a laugher. Yeah, I know that Buffalo hung 42 on Temple last week. Yes, I know that certain Big Ten schools have struggled with lesser foes. But I will go on record and predict a comfortable Lions win on this one...just how comfortable will depend on a couple of things.

--The Lions can't look ahead to UM. If they do, a repeat of the 1994 game vs Indiana is possible.
--The Lions have to put up 30+ in the first half. FIU was still somewhat in the game midway through the second quarter.
--The O-line needs to get nasty early. Buffalo will throw some things at them, but it shouldn't matter.
--Joe can't pull the reigns back. If the offense can put up 80 (see Cincinnati in 1991), then do it.

In the end, I think the Lions don't impress anyone by starting slowly. They pour it on in the third quarter and roll to a 45-3 win. The real season starts next Saturday against a desperate Michigan team.

In other news...

--Congrats to Dave and Monica on their recent engagement. Dave entrapped Monica by proposing at Disney World (like she would even say no there). Very happy for both of them.
--The Phillies are a game and a half out of the wildcard. Can you imagine their rotation should they get into a best of five series? Hamels, then um....Moyer?? Is Bobby Munoz available?
--The Eagles are a 7 point favorite Monday night vs the Redskins. Listening to the media here (in DC), you would think that this was the biggest affront to the Redskins ever. I take pleasure when the Redskins lose...especially when the Eagles beat them.
--Peyton (my oldest) graduates from green belt to purple belt in Tae Kwon Do tomorrow...she can no longer practice on me, since she can officially kick my butt.
--Peyton is also playing soccer for the first time this year. The league here is a lot different than when I played for the Hot Spurs in Holland PA. No goalie, no keeping score...what's up with that? Next they'll stop teaching the flop and the cleats up slide tackle.

More later....For the Glory!

When a 21 point blowout is disappointing

2007-09-11T11:11:00.001-07:00

One hurdle (if even a small one) down, 3 to go. Saturday's 31-10 win over hapless Notre Dame brought a small bit of redemption from last year's debacle....but not much. If Penn State's offense was even remotely decent, the Lions would have hung a 50 spot on the Irish.

Let's not forget that this game was 14-7 at the half.

On to the grades from this weekend...

Quarterback: C
Morelli made mistakes that will cost Penn State games later in the season. The interception wasn't awful...those things happen. But the fumble before the half and the constant high throws are things that need to be addressed. The throw to Bell was nice, but could have been broken up. Morelli needs a tuneup before the conference slate...welcome Buffalo!

Running Backs: B+
Scott took a while to get going, then fumbled on his first decent carry of the game. But, to the coaching staff's credit, they kept him involved in the game. His performance in the second half was reminiscent of Tony Hunt's in the Outback Bowl last year. Kinlaw needs more carries, and Royster needs playing time.

Wide Receivers: B
They didn't have much to work with. I'm still waiting for that one WR to instill fear in the opponent's defenses. Norwood made a nice adjustment on the TD catch, and Bell had a momentum-changing grab. Is DWill even playing WR anymore? When he signed with PSU, I expected him to be the deep threat that constantly found himself behind the secondary. Hmmm.

O Line: B
Pass protection was outstanding, run blocking continues to get better. This unit may not be spectacular, but they are definitely not a weak point yet.

Defense: A++++
For the second week in a row, the Lions have the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. LB Dan Connor (12 tackles, 1 sack) also picked up the national award. The entire unit was solid. The D line is fast, mean, and relentless...right Jimmy? They are getting better daily, and will be the best in the conference when all is said and done. The LBs are solid. Lee and Sayles complement Connor nicely. The secondary is serviceable...but, I will be more sold on them when they face a QB that goes downfield.

Special Teams: A
Punt return for a TD....65-yard kickoff return...not bad. Except for the one long return they gave up to Zbikowski, the special teams were solid. Kelly continues to impress on kickoffs.

Coaching: B
Hey, they know what is working right now.

Up next, Buffalo. The Bulls were routed by Rutgers in week 1, but destroyed Temple last week. Early line has PSU favored by 34.

For the glory...

Uneasy feeling--ND Game Time

2007-09-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

I wish folks had this game pegged to be a close one. I'm not comfortable with the calls for a woodshed beating. There is no way that ND will be as bad as they were last week. And, I'm not sure that Penn State is anywhere near as good as they looked last week. Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso both picked PSU to win big. Maybe they know something I don't.

If Penn State can run the ball, they should be ok. If the line comes out flat like they did vs FIU, don't be surprised to see the Lions down at the half. Morelli has to make a play or two early to get some confidence. A quick 3 and out on their first series will make for a long day.

The defense has to pressure Clausen early. Hit him...hit him hard...hit him again. Stop the run, and he will have no where to go.

Really unsure prediction: Penn State starts fast, fades, and regroups late for a 27-21 win over a very determined and underrated ND team.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to use the restroom...

I Guess it's Too Late for More Previews

2007-09-04T12:23:00.000-07:00

Unlike some other Big Ten programs, Penn State had little trouble with it's first foe this weekend. After a relatively pedestrian 59-0 dismantling of Florida International, it's hard to find worthwhile nuggets to glom on to. Nevertheless, here is the first installment of the Lion's Report Card.

Quarterback: B+
Morelli had a decent numbers day (23-28, 295, 3,0), but that should've been the case anyway. I think John Schaeffer would have put up good numbers against this overmatched opponent. However, Morelli still showed disturbing signs that he hasn't quite gotten over his penchant for holding the ball too long. Big Ten Network analyst Glen Mason echoed the sentiments of many fans when he urged Morelli to take the open, underneath stuff rather than going for the big play every time. More improvement needed next week.

Clark looked decent in mop-up time, and I guess we know who the third stringer is (Devlin).

Running Backs: B
Don't let the 200+ yards in team rushing fool you. Austin Scott and Rodney Kinlaw looked very mediocre in the first half when the game was still respectable. How much of that has to do with the O line is up for debate, but neither looked decisive when they hit the hole. Scott looked downright slow. The one bright spot for me was the play of Evan Royster. My money is on him being the starter in 4 weeks. He's fast, he can block, and he showed good vision. Lions must be able to run vs Notre Dame or there will be a lot of unhappy fans in the stadium.

Wide Receivers: B+
This group has the ability to make Morelli look really good. Norwood showed that an offseason playing basketball didn't hurt his hands, and Deion Butler looked good. He should have had a touchdown had he not been underthrown early. Chris Bell looked a little shaky, but could be good. Hooray for Mickey Shuler. Not exactly a Jerame Tuman-type TE, he showed flashes of competence. Quarless should still get the nod when he gets out of the doghouse, though.

Thought DWill looked very poor. Slow on the end around, and a big 3rd down drop on the sidelines. He may have come into the season 10 pounds lighter, but he doesn't look any faster.

O-Line: B
Pass protection was phenomenal. Early run blocking was atrocious.

Overall Offense: B/B+

D Line: A
Lots of depth. Looks like they have a healthy mean streak, too. Outside rush has to do a better job of containment, but the speed and power are definitely there. Odrick is a Jay Alford clone...which is a good thing.

LBs: A
These three (four, if you count Jerome Hayes) have a chance to be the best in the country. Connor and Lee were constantly making plays. No worries on this front.

DBs: B+
Their performance looked good, since the FIU QB had little time to throw and no running game to help take the pressure off. Lydell Sargent looked tough.

Overall Defense: A

Special Teams: A
Jeremy Boone looked good punting, and Kelly's kickoffs were routinely fielded around the goal line.

Coaching: A
I like the game plan to get Morelli off to a fast start. Not much to go on here, given the opponent.

Some ramblings:

--Good to see Joe run out with the team...wonder how sore he was Sunday
--Big Ten network debut was not good. Bad camera work, dead air...the saving grace is that most Lion fans didn't get to see it. Glen Mason might end up being a good analyst, but he needs some work
--Tough weekend for the Big Ten. Minnesota gets beat by the team that gave Paterno wins #100 and 300 (Bowling Green). Michigan....ugh...nevermind.
--No way that Notre Dame is that bad.
--Had my fantasy draft this weekend...my running backs are so bad, I'm thinking of picking up Christian Okoye

For the Glory....BEAT ND!

Penn State Season Preview--Wide Receivers

2007-08-28T16:58:00.001-07:00

Here I am, all ready to heap praise on the receiving corps (to include the stud tight end) and Quarless decides to get cited for underage drinking. In his presser today, Joe Pa mentioned that he (Quarless) is likely out at least 3 weeks. Would have been longer had the team captains not intervened...in fact, Joe probably would have kicked him off the team. Bravo to Morelli, Golden, and Connor for speaking up for their teammate...shame on them for letting this kind of thing happen. After the apartment fight in the Spring, you would have thought that the team leadership would have laid down the law, promising a blanket party to anyone that stepped out of line. Guess the message didn't get out to everyone.

Anyway, the receiving unit for the Lions should be pretty darned good. Butler, Norwood, and Williams all had more than 30 catches last year. Butler set the record for receptions in a game (vs Northwestern), and seems to be a consistent performer. Norwood is unreal. His toughness and hands more than make up for his lack of size. As I mentioned earlier, DWill showed up this year about 10 pounds lighter than last season. Last year he looked as if he had lost a step. Hopefully he got it back over the summer.

Terrell Golden is a decent slot option, but not one that will scare defenses. Chris Bell has the makings of a Randy Moss type receiver. Outstanding size and speed will make him Morelli's favorite target inside the red zone.

I'm not worried about this unit. If Morelli has time to throw, they will put up some big numbers.

Next Up--O Line and Defense

Oh, and the line for FIU is -38. Still, Joe says he is as nervous for this game as any opener he can remember. Sounds like a little bit of the Lou Holtz act. You know..."William and Mary? We can't beat them! Jeez...we're talking about William and Mary!!! There's no way we beat these guys."

Penn State Season Preview--Running Backs

2007-08-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

There aren't too many college running backs that can have 2 straight 1000 yard seasons, run for more than 3,000 yards in their career, and leave as unheralded as Tony Hunt did. The guy was a brute, often making most of his yards after first contact. His performance in the Outback Bowl single-handedly wore down Tennessee's defense, even when they knew he was coming.

Hunt was a luxury that Morelli doesn't have this year. 2007 running back duties fall on the enigmatic Austin Scott. Once a heralded RB prospect out of PA, Scott was destined to take his place with Thomas, Dozier, Warner, and Carter. Something happened on the way to stardom. Scott had trouble holding onto the ball in his first season. He got dinged up, and eventually lost his job to Hunt. Work ethic, weight, and discipline made sue that he never got the job back. His one flash of recent good-ness was the 2006 Orange Bowl where he ran for 110 yards and 2 TDs in the 26-23 win against Free Shoes University. Last year, Scott wisely redshirted, knowing that his chance to shine would be 2007.

Scott has the size to be a good back. 6'0, 215 pounds, Scott has the size to run between the tackles. While not a burner, he has the speed to get into the secondary. Scott's issues are pass catching and pass protection. Most die hard Penn State fans realize that Tony Hunt was an asset in the backfield. He led the team in receptions in 2004, and amassed nearly 900 yards receiving in 3 years. Hunt was also adept at blitz pickup, something that Scott needs to improve dramatically.

Scott's other issue is his health. He suffered an injury his senior year of high school, and had another injury in 2006 (leading to the decision to redshirt). If he can stay healthy, he could be good. His performance this year will have a huge impact on the success of the team.

Others in the mix: The talent in the backfield is untested, but by all accounts the youngsters are good. Evan Royster, Rodney Kinlaw figure to see quite a bit of time. Royster seems to be turning a lot of heads, and could be REALLY good.

Bottom Line: If Scott manages 1,000 yards this year, the Nits could be an 11 win team. If Paterno decides to go to the fatally flawed running back by committee, last year's 9-4 record will seem like a distant memory.

On a different note...

Next up: Wide Receivers

Interesting rules changes this year in college football. Moving the kickoff back to the 30 yard line will be huge, as the number of touchbacks should decrease dramatically.

Ran into Tony Hunt's uncle in a supermarket here (Stafford VA)...looks like I need to buy a #29 Eagles jersey this year.

For the Glory.

Penn State Season Preview--Quarterback

2007-08-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

I just read the last blog I posted (right after the Illinois game--a wholly unspectacular 26-14 win sealed by an Anthony Scirotto return of an onside kick for a TD). Wow, I was pretty unhappy. An Outback Bowl win over an SEC team makes things a little better, but still, 2006 was a disappointment.

A lot of pundits are really high on the Nits this year coming out of nowhere to contend for the Big Ten title. With a favorable home schedule (OSU, Wisky, Iowa, ND), and a cupcake non-conference slate (FIU, Buffalo, Temple), I can see where they get their optimisim.

I, for one, am now a proud sipper of the Kool Aid. I think this year could be a special one for the Nits, if some key elements come together. I'm going to spend the next couple of days breaking down the team, position by position (except where boring...like the O line...no one cares what I think about the center, right guard, etc). At the end, I will give some season-defining questions to start some thoughts.

Quarterback: It is now or never for senior Anthony Morelli. An uninspiring season last year has a lot of folks wondering if he has the ability to lead Penn State to a BCS bowl game. A lot has been made of his 11 TD/8 INT performance last year. ESPN analyst Robert Smith seems to think that Morelli's lack of accuracy (sub 60% completion rate) will be a major hamstring to the Lions' offense. Maybe. Or, maybe he has a breakout season a la Kerry Collins in 1994. I don't think THAT will happen, but I do think he will be better than he was last year. He'll have to be, since he doesn't have a proven horse in the backfield.

Morelli has a major league arm and good size. What he lacks is mobility (I think gravity must pull harder on him than others) and a quick release. Last year he seemed to hold the ball too long at times. It also seemed he stared down his receiver and never found his secondary or tertiary target. Hopefully Galen Hall and Jay Paterno have worked on this.

As for targets, Morelli has as much receiving talent around him as there is in the conference. Derrick Williams is looking to erase the memory of a bad 2006 and has come into summer practice about 10 pounds lighter than last year. Justin Norwood, Deion Butler, and Terrell Golden all return and provide experience. The wildcard of that group is sophomore Chris Bell. The tallest receiver in the bunch, Bell had an outstanding Spring game, and should provide a huge target inside the red zone. Andrew Quarless should also cement himself as the premier TE in the conference.

Others in the Mix: Darryl Clark, Pat Devlin, Paul Cianciolo.

Bottom line: If Morelli can effectively distribute the ball, and if Hall somehow decides to develop a passing attack that works the middle of the field, the offense could be hard to stop if there is even an adequate running game. If Morelli continues to show the deer-in-the-headlights mentality he showed at times last year, then Joe Paterno better hope his defense is ready to win games.

Next up: Running Backs

For the Glory

Embarrassing

2006-10-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

This team will go 6-6. No way they beat Purdue or Wisconsin on the road, and they may not get past MSU.

I am now convinced that Morelli is not the man to lead this team. Unless the playcalling is that bad, there is no way you check down to a 4 yard pattern on 3rd and 10. This happens over and over again. How long do you stay with this experiment before you chalk it up as a failure??

The O-line should sit all its starters and play the 2nd string. Levi Brown, Robert Price and especially Jim Shaw are playing well below acceptable. How do you not even get close to 100 yards against this defense?? I am disgusted. Thoroughly embarrassed to be a Penn State fan today.

If you wear a blue and white jersey today, you should be very upset with what happened today. How do you show well against OSU and Michigan and get 180 yards against Illinois????? What the hell is up with this. This is the worst I've felt after a win ever.

I am sick. Galen, get it together...Joe, get angry...

Disappointing Loss

2006-10-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

You know, I said at the beginning of the year, that I thought the Nits would be 9-3 with losses to OSU, ND, and Michigan. So far, that's played out, though I am less than confident about the 9 win part.

I really want to believe that Morelli is the man for the job, and that this is just a season of growing pains. But I don't know. I've not seen the maturation. I've not seen the game-winning drive. I still don't know where the crossing routes are...why they only throw to the outside...etc.

What happened to the O-line? There was nothing good there. How does an O-lineman not touch anyone, and give up a sack?? Price routinely looked like he wasn't sure what game he was playing.

Justin King is the most overrated defender on the team. He can't tackle, celebrates an incompletion (that was only incomplete because the guy dropped it)...seems like a case where his reputation preceeded him.

How can a 17-10 game be not as close as the score indicated? Scoring with 3:00 left, and getting the ball back for a game-tying drive would qualify as a close game in most folks' books.

Penn State must win vs Illinois by 7 touchdowns...

PSU 28, Minnesota 27 (OT)

2006-10-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

Good road win for the Nits. Morelli looked good, Hunt looked great. Where was the D on the last drive in regulation and the overtime TD?

More later.

Tough Loss

2006-09-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

28-6 was not indicative of the toughness of this game. OSU made the plays they had to when they needed them, and the Lions didn't.

Some recap thoughts:

False start at the goal line killed the Lions. Chalk it up to fan noise, nerves, whatever, it was fatal.
Not sure what's happened to the big play receivers. Only thing I can think of is that defenses don't have to worry about MRob breaking a play with his legs...or maybe defenses have started to realize these guys can change a game...or maybe Morelli hasn't learned to be comfortable checking his reads. Deion Butler has all but disappeared from the offense, and did DWill even play today (I know he did...)?
Tony Hunt is a hoss. If he even had a hint of speed, he'd be a first rounder.
Poz definitely looks a little slow...YSU was a smokescreen, and his lack of a burst was evident on Smith's scramble-escape-TD pass.
This team can still go 8-4, but the offense has to show up in big games.

The D played as well as I could have hoped, and the offense was invisible. After Connor's INT, the team HAD to score something. Getting one yard on that possession was laughable.

Oh well, next week is another game...

OSU Gameweek

2006-09-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

First, let me get the debacle that was the Eagles game out of the way. Losing a 17 point lead in the fourth quarter is the sign of a poorly coached team, plain and simple. After a dominant 45 minutes, the Eagles decided to play it safe, and it backfired big time. This team sorely needs confidence after last year, and can't afford to take any game for granted...which it seems like they did yesterday. Oh well, on to San Fran, which should be interesting.

PSU got rid of Youngstown St on Saturday, but looked far from sharp doing it. Morelli was dreadful, completing less than 50% of his passes (and not getting any to the sure handed Justin Norwood). Everytime he dropped back, it seemed he was looking big. There is enough speed on the edges of this team that they don't need to do that. Use the underneath stuff to open up the big stuff. Defenses can sit in 3 deep zones all day if they know all you want to do is go deep. What ever happened to the good old out pattern...the cross...the hook? I guarantee that OSU won't be giving up the deep stuff.

The running game looked good, but this was YSU. The special teams was awful, as Kevin Kelley missed 3 of 6 tries, all from less than 40 yards. 9 points off the board right there. Those points won't be a luxury next Saturday. In fact, they may be the only points the Nits get.

37-3 makes the game seem like a bigger rout than it was...but, don't the good D-1 teams put 40+ on the 1-AA schools? We struggled to get on the board until well into the 2nd quarter. Not good, my friends, not good.

More on the OSU game later this week...

On a personal note, I finished my first (and probably only) half marathon. I ran the Philadelphia Distance run yesterday. Nice course, nice weather, and I ran the time I wanted. The race was special to me for three reasons. First, my oldest daughter (Peyton) and I got to spend some good time together. Second, I got to see my sister and her boyfriend. They're the last of the family that still lives in Philly, so it's nice to have some roots there. Thanks for having us, guys. The third reason that the race was special is because my dad ran it a number of times. I remember going out to watch him a couple of times, and I thought it would be nice to keep the legacy going. It made me feel good to know that I was, even at my age, still kind of following in his footsteps. And no, dad, I didn't trip!

On to some other stuff:

Maurice Clarrett agreed to a minimum 3 1/2 year sentence for robbery and weapons charges...seems like yesterday he was leading the Bucks to their latest national championship. Hope he takes this time to get straightened out.

The rules changes this year in college football have a lot of coaches up in arms. In fact, I'm not sure I've heard of any coach that is in favor of the new rules. The rules are designed to speed up games by winding the clock earlier, among other things. I don't know about you, but I wish college football games lasted twice as long. I would be surprised if the rules aren't rescinded next year.

Looks like I was right about Chuck Amato getting the boot at NC State. The loss to Akron was bad. The "non-qualifier" argument was worse, and the blowout vs Southern Miss was disgusting.

In fact the state of college football in all of North Carolina is bleak. NC State is awful, UNC needed a miracle to beat Furman (yes, Furman), and Duke has recently hired Kathy Ireland as their placekicker.

Is there anything better in sports than seeing Notre Dame and Oakland lose in the same weekend? Nope.

Well, that's enough rambling for one post...more later.

For the Glory!

Unreal

2006-09-10T08:24:00.000-07:00

And, here they come. Folks who loved the Lions last year, touting every accomplishment as a resurgence of a dormant program have done the predictable about face after yesterday's game.

Some lovely snippets (from the CDT):
-- (on Poz's play) Poz is certainly not the impact player he was last year. The big plays, the jarring tackles in the backfield--they're just not there this year.

Ok, he's started slow, but don't you think that may have to do with opponents game planning for him? I thought he looked good yesterday. He was beat on a seam route by a perfect pass. I think even the great AJ Hawk would have been toast on that one. Leave Poz alone. He's fine.

-- (on the QB play) I think Daryll Clark fits the offense much better than Morelli. The options and QB draws were fatal mistakes.

Wow...off the Morelli bandwagon already. Come ON folks, Clark played well in mop up time. Morelli threw the ball well most of the game and needed some of his WRs to make a catch.

-- (on coaching) Why was State not prepared? Coaching I guess.

There are more on coaching, calling for Joe to retire. Unbelievable. The bottom line is Notre Dame is the No 4 team in the country. They played a solid game at home, and beat a young PSU team. Honestly, this is what should have happened--though maybe not so bad--else it would have been a MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR upset.

I thought the Lions would have a shot if they scored early (which they should have done). The D needs to find a pass rush, and the secondary needs some more time working together. This team can still be special, but don't expect an encore of last year. Folks have to be ready for a 9-3, 8-4 year. After 2003/4, is that so bad? This may not be the year, but things are definitely looking bright in the future.

Kudos to AF for giving Tennessee a run for their money. DeBerry going for the win was gutsy, not sure it was wise.

OSU looked tough. There will be no shame in dropping the 23 Sep game to them in Columbus.

FSU looks like the running game is still absent. 50 yards vs Troy? I thought Lorenzo Booker was the next Greg Jones...er...

Way to go Zips!! I turned it off after NCST took the lead with 1:07 to go. Chuckie Amato is gone after this year.

Ron Zook must wonder what the Hell is going on in Champagne. A 33-0 drubbing at the hands of mighty Rutgers?? Can the Big Ten relegate a team (a la the EPL)?

Eagles play the Texans today. Interested to see what kind of passing attack the Birds have. I think they win, but not convincingly.

Folks, relax. PSU will be fine. They will be good, and next year they will be great. This game will help them immeasurably this year. Get off JoePa's back, morons.

For the Glory...

Wow

2006-09-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

What a whuppin'. Not exactly what I had in mind...

4 quick observations:

1. Notre Dame is good. Their D is pretty doggone tough.
2. PSU's D line needs work...Quinn had all day to throw.
3. Charlie Weis is an a$$hole--fake punt up 24pts? Going for it on 4th and goal up 24pts? Remember, you have to come to Happy Valley next year.
4. Someone needs to work on the long snapper/holder thing. If PSU scores the FG on their opening drive, I think it's a different game.

Ok...4 more:

5. DWill looked lost out there...two costly drops, and only 4 catches for 12 yards? Return game was non-existent.
6. Play calling? Gadget call with DWill throwing? Going for it on 4th and 16 when your D has been on the field all day?
7. Poz looked good, TDavis looked ok, and Jerome Hayes will be a superstar
8. Daryll Clark looked alot like the old #12.

So this wasn't Akron...still, the boys looked not ready for prime time. If this team is going to be a good one, this week of practice is key. If they stumble, the prospects of a 6 win season are way too likely.

Arrrghhhh.

ND Game is Finally Here!

2006-09-09T06:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, there are some things I have to say before we get into the football portion of the program.

A couple of days ago, a friend of mine went missing from a US base in Kyrygyzstan. No one knew where she went. Last night, she was found (alive), and had reportedly been abducted. She got free, the news said, after she struck one of her captors when they brought her food. Thank God she is ok, and I hope that she fully recovers from this awful incident. Jill, my thoughts are with you and your family, and I am overjoyed that you are ok.

Now onto football.

What a Saturday of college football. I am stoked for the Buckeyes/Longhorns game tonight. If it's half as good a game as the one last year, then this should be fun. But first there is the little matter of the Lions' trip to South Bend. Right now the spread is ND -7.5. Some see the game close, others see a pretty convincing ND win, and a few souls see a Penn State upset. Let's break it down, and end with my prediction.

If, as Coach Paterno says, a team improves the most between games 1 and 2, then this could be a fantastic battle. Penn State needs strong play from both lines to be competitive today, and I'm hoping the get it...but not optimistic.

Keys for PSU:
-- Relax. Get over the mystique of ND and play football
-- Take care of the ball. If they turn it over, they lose.
-- Keep the D off the field. Convert on third downs.
-- Someone assert themselves as a dominant run blocker, please. A 76 yard effort on the ground will see PSU get beat by 3 TDs
-- Keep the big plays in front of the D. Sure tackling in the secondary is a must.
-- Pressure Quinn. Follow GT's game plan.
-- Be opportunistic. Take a chance, get a turnover, change the momentum.

Here's how I see it unfolding. The game starts out poorly for Penn State (as most road games do). A 3 and out, or worse a turnover gives the ball to ND in good field position. Quinn tries to exploit the young secondary early with long throws to his WRs. I see ND scoring first, and going into halftime with a TD lead.

The Lions will keep it close through most of the 3rd quarter, but will never really threaten the Irish lead.

The Irish will escape with a 24-17 win, and the Lions will drop out of the Top 20. I hope I'm wrong...in a good way.

Other games:
Akron 30, NC State 21--Zips are better after last week, and Amato's seat gets warmer
Tennesse 42, USAFA 10--Ugh
Florida State 37, Troy 7--D is too fast, and someone is angry after last week
Rutgers 30, Illinois 17--Zook says he wants to be on par with Rutgers??
Michigan 56, E. Michigan 17--Another easy win for THEM.
tOSU 28, Texas 17--Not sure this game is as close as the experts think. OSU pulls away late.

For the Glory...

Notre Dame Gameweek

2006-09-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

5 days until Penn State ventures into South Bend to take on the Fighting Irish. Not really sure what to expect. I know Notre Dame struggled vs Ga Tech, but I think that was to be expected. I don't see them that out of synch on Saturday.

I think the fact that the Nits went to a 3-4 defense on Saturday says a lot for the coaching staff's willingness to use the best players as effectively as possible. Sean Lee is going to have a monster career at Penn State, and getting him meaningful game experience will only serve the program well next year.

Some other observations from this past weekend:

Dan Connor looked awesome. If the coaching staff can keep him off of the phone, he should have a monster campaign.
I thought Tony Davis looked a little rough, and I was really disappointed with the tackling of Justin King. Jeff Smar....however it's spelled...is a big, physical receiver. King has to show more than he did vs Akron. Davis got beat a couple of times, and Scirotto was left on an island during the Zips final touchdown. I think the D-line is still not good enough to let the secondary play aggressive, so it is key to keep the big plays in front of the DBs.
I hope Levi Brown's "words of encouragement" were taken to heart by the other O-linemen. These guys are going to see all kinds of blitz packages from defenses a hell of a lot more athletic than Akron. I'm not sure the passing game is going to be able to set up the run if the running game can't get out of the blocks.
Would it kill Tony Hunt to get a little more emotional? I know he's a quiet, reserved guy, but if I'm getting hit 3 yards deep every time I touch the ball, then someone is going to hear about it. I would think he'd want to be a 1,000 yard rusher again, but you'd never know he was disappointed by the effort on Saturday.
DWill had more than 100 yards (all purpose) on Saturday. This guy has to get more than three catches per game. I guess it is a result of the wealth of talent they have at WR. And, with Chris Bell playing, it gets more crowded. My fear is that DWill becomes disenfranchised (if he's a team guy, then there is no worry, but...). In order to get Norwood, Butler, Williams, Bell, etc the ball, the game will now be 5 quarters with a minimum 50 pass attempts.
Ahhh for the days of a pass catching TE. Jordan Lyons had a couple of big drops. Where o where is Troy Drayton?
Deion Butler, for the first time I can remember, let a pass slip through is hands. It was perfectly thrown, just dropped. Chalk it up to the weather, which from what I hear was worse than it looked on TV.
I want no more games done by Pam Ward, though the broadcasts are better with Mike Gottfried (and not Dave Norrie).
AJ Wallace is FAAASSST. The #12 (like Stewart Mandel said) was a bit unnerving, since I immediately thought of MRob...
Odrick, Wallace, Bell are just some of the talented freshmen to get in the game. I hope this is a wise use of some redshirts--doesn't look like we're going to have a lot of 5th year seniors for the next couple of years. But kudos to the coaching staff on putting the best players on the field.
I think Penn State may have one of the fastest teams in the conference. And they're young. If they develop at all, speed in Happy Valley will be a luxury, and not centered on one or two players (Ernie Terrell, Chafie Fields).

Watching the ESPN Full Circle presentation of the FSU/Miami game...the matrix screen (ESPN2) almost gave my dog a seizure. And, I like Colin Cowherd, but sometimes it's just nice to watch the game normally...

Some of my predictions this past week were right on, and some were atrocious (USC/Ark). Will put out more this week.

For the Glory...

PSU 34, Akron 16

2006-09-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

Not a pretty way to start the campaign, but a win nonetheless.

This time last year, the reaction to a sloppy early season win was "Hey, it's a win..." This year, the reaction should be, "We're going to have to get a lot better to be competitive with Notre Dame next week."

The Good:

DWill: 3 catches for 49 and a TD, a near TD punt return; reverse late in the game was defenses well, but seemed to take too long to develop.

Anthony Morelli: 50% completion rate, 3 TDs, no INTs. Got away with a couple of questionable throws.

D-Line: Coaches used a modified 3-4 for much of the game, using Tim Shaw as a stand up DE. 5 sacks against a veteran offensive line is a good sign. I thought Josh Gaines looked quick.

The Bad:

Poz: Looked a little slow to the ball. I'm sure his knee is 100%, but his mind may not be just yet. Let's see how he practices this week.

Turnovers: Botched play between Morelli and Hunt, fumble by freshman AJ Wallace after a 40 yard kickoff return. Yeah, the weather was a factor, but...

The Ugly:

The Running Game: Aside from a reverse, the running game looked anemic. Hunt was hit in the backfield numerous times. O-line better improve a whole lot this week.

Fake FG: Why? Not sure why you show tricks out of the bag this early in the season.

Jason Ganter: See above...plus the fumbled snap.

Terrell Golden: 4th and 31 and you rough the punter?? I thought PSU had a smart team. That lead to 3 points and a bit of momentum.

In all, an unimpressive win, but a win. I think we're going to be double digit dogs to the Domers next week. If Joe is right, and a team improves the most between the first and second games, then maybe we have a shot. What I saw today doesn't look like a 10 win team.

For the Glory...

Oh No, O-Line

2006-09-02T14:53:00.000-07:00

Mid-game observations...

The O-line looks good in pass protection, but awful in run-blocking...Hunt is routinely hit in the backfield. This is a huge matter of concern

Poz looks a little slow out there...maybe a little tentative.

Morelli has made a couple of really bad decisions, and is lucky not to have 2 INTs.

D-line looks ok.

AJ Wallace is FAST.

UnZip Akron

2006-09-01T16:18:00.000-07:00

Looks like Ernesto is going to make the 2006 season opener a soggy one tomorrow. While the field will be covered, the footing is sure to be an issue. Who does the bad weather favor? Well, the smart guys say that bad fields help the offense, since their players know where they're making their breaks, while the D has to react.

However, defenses are typically ahead of the game this early in the year, so maybe it's all a "wash."

Things to Look for (that I'm sure are obvious):
Offensively, the Nits will probably be pretty conservative. Look for Morelli's first pass play to be a screen or a similar "easy" throw. That being said, an all-out deep ball wouldn't surprise me...but, I think the former is more likely.

Also, look for the Nits to run and run and run...and run. Lots of off-tackle runs, not too many toss sweeps, and the occasional mis-direction play. Galen and his staff don't want to put too much on tape for the Domers to study.

Key for the offense is to get started quickly. Points on the first possession would be great, but a couple first downs would be pretty good, too.

Defensively, the Nits will also probably play conservatively until they know what they have up on the D-Line. The bend-not-break strategy will get some play early, but I think the D forces an early turnover that turns momentum in the game.

The game will start slowly, and Akron may actually take an early lead. Remember, these aren't the same Zips that got pummeled in 2004; they are the Zips that beat a sound Northern Illinois team in the MAC Championship game. Yes, they lost their skill position players, but they have a QB in Luke Getsy that is capable of distributing the ball effectively. I don't think that the Lions can afford to blitz too much just yet.

However, in the end, the size and talent of the young Nits will be too much. Look for the Lions to pull away early in the second half, with a game changing turnover and quick strike. Prediction (which will differ slightly than the one I gave couple days ago) in a minute.

Some other games of note:
ND 34, Ga Tech 21: Those that think ND loses this week are really optimistic
OSU 27, N Illinois 10: This game will look a lot like the PSU/Akron game
FSU 28, Miami 17: Too much off-the-field stuff for Miami this year; FSU returns a lot of talent.
USC 20, Arkansas 17: The post-Leinart, post-Bush era starts off a little rocky
Wisconsin 30, Bowling Green 23: Bret Bielma gets his first, albeit unimpressive, win.

PSU 35, Akron 14: Not a pretty win, but a good game for the young Lion's to get under their belt.

For the Glory...

Bye Bye Mr Pinkston

2006-08-30T13:33:00.000-07:00

The Eagles' active preseason continues. WR Todd Pinkston and backup QB Koy Detmer were given walking papers today. I don't think team management feels that Pinkston's achilles injury ever fully healed. Combine that with the addition of Donte Stallworth and the emergence of Hank Baskett, and Pink never had a chance.

Pinkston, who played his college ball at Southern Miss, had the rep of being a fragile player. At about 170 pounds, he had speed down the sidelines, but was never really a facter over the middle, which kind of skews his impressive yards per catch statistic. He was a good second receiver when TO was in Philly, but struggled as a No. 1 guy during the infamous James Thrash era.

Stallworth (Univ of Tennessee) has his good games and his bad. As an avid fantasy footballer, I constantly drafted him in the late rounds. As a part of my team, he would have a 4 catch, 83 yd game one Sunday, and a 1 catch, 17 yard game the next. I didn't draft him last year, and it turned out to be a career year for him (70+ catches, 900+ yards)...wonder if he'll produce like that here. He's rumored to be the No. 1 guy, with Reggie Brown on the other side. He's never been a No. 1 with Joe Horn in New Orleans, so the jury is out whether or not he has the type of game to make defensive secondaries sweat. The battle for the third WR is pretty solid, as both Greg Lewis and Baskett have performed well in the preseason.

I still think the Eagles are a 9-7 team. The NFC East will be brutal this year.

3 days till PSU kicks off vs Akron...cannot wait.

Part II of the Season Preview

2006-08-27T13:04:00.000-07:00

Forgive me for not getting to this sooner, but we had a rather life-changing event happen late last week (see the below post!).

Anyway, to the second half of the season....ah, forget it. I think the Lions go 9-3 with road losses to ND, OSU, and Wisconsin. They'll go to the Capital One Bowl, schwack an SEC foe, and be ranked in the top 10 of every preseason poll next summer.

How's that for in-depth. 6 days and counting...

Mackenzie Jordan

2006-08-26T17:28:00.000-07:00

On Thurs, 24 Aug at 1856, Laura, Peyton and I welcomed Mackenzie Jordan Hunt into the world. She weighed in at 6 lbs, 3 oz and 19 inches. Mom and the baby came home today. Here is a picture:

More news about PSU's season sometime tomorrow...

New Family Guy Season starts 10 September

2006-08-24T04:47:00.000-07:00

"What the Deuce??" 17 days until the new Family Guy season. Check out this site for Family Guy quotes.

Giggity, giggity....giggity goo....

Penn State Preview Part III

2006-08-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

Before we get to the special teams and season outlook, just wanted to let folks know that we're still on baby watch. The due date is in a couple of days, and I know that Laura is done being pregnant. I'm looking forward to the new arrival...and it may just coincide with the Nittany Lions opener vs Akron. Won't that be a dilemma??

Now, back to the preview...that only I will probably read...so, I could really type that Brett Conway is going to have a breakout year, and Massimo Manca is making big strides in preseason practice...anyway...

Special Teams: This should be a strength for the 2006 Lions. There is no way that PK Kevin Kelly faces any more pressure than he did during the Orange Bowl. Be nice to see if he gained any leg strength, since I think the Nits will face some long-range field goals early in the season as the offense tries to click. His kickoffs are sufficiently deep, so no worry there. P Jeremy Kapinos returns, and is one of the best punters in the conference. He has really refined his approach, and should be a pretty good weapon.

As for the return game, looks like Derrick Williams, Lydell Sargent, and Austin Scott could see lots of time fielding punts/kicks. Kinlaw should factor into this as well, since he did an admirable job filling in for DWill after the Michigan game. Waiting for this unit to produce a return for TD...maybe this is the year.

Season Outlook:
As I mentioned a couple of days ago, lots of media types see a drop off from last year's 11-1 success. I agree. Let's go game by game to see how I think this will shake out...

2 Sept vs Akron (H): Akron is picked by many experts to be a factor in the MAC. They return their starting QB, and employ a different 3-3-5 defense. This game could bite the Lions if they're looking ahead to Notre Dame. Talent-wise, this game shouldn't be too close. But, if the O-line struggles and Morelli looks like a first time starter, then a repeat of last year's USF game (23-13) is not all that unlikely. Still, Nits should win, 30-14.

9 Sept vs ND (A): Talk about a tough early test. The Lions go up against a team many have as a national championship contender. Brady Quinn and a host of returning starters will test the young Lions' defense, and Morelli and co will get the first taste of a truly hostile environment. I'd love to call an upset here, but I think that ND is probably too much for the Lions to handle this early. The defense will be on the field too long, and will give up crucial points late. Nits fall 24-20.

16 Sept vs Youngstown St (H): Depending on the result of the ND game, this could either be a major letdown week, or a chance for the Lions to get rid of some frustration. The Penguins (Jim Tressel's former team) are a respectable D-1AA team, but shouldn't be within 7 touchdowns of the Lions. Remember, this game came about since the original opponent (I think it was La Tech) pulled out. Nits romp, 56-10.

23 Sept vs Ohio State (A): This game could be another classic. Last year's contest was one of the hardest hitting games I've ever seen. Two things work against the Lions in this game. First, it's the second brutal road test against a preseason top 5 team. Second, the Lions haven't won at the Horseshoe since 1047. Depending on the progression of the young offensive line and inexperienced defensive line, this game could go either way. The key to last year was the front four put pressure on Troy Smith all game, and Ted Ginn didn't seem to want to get hit. Well, Ginn found his game later in the year, and Troy Smith was playing as good as any QB in the country by season's end. Again, I'd like to call the upset, but I think the Bucks win this one, 20-10.

30 Sept vs Northwestern (H) This is where the magic started last year. 4th and 15 with less than 2 minutes remaining, and the Lions pull out the win. The Wildcats have to replace Brett Basenez and LB Tim McGarigle, but more than that, they have to replace their head coach, Randy Walker who died of a heart attack earlier this year. But, this team is not to be taken lightly. Tyrell Sutton, the freshman phenom from last year returns, and should find his yards every week. I think the Lions start a new winning streak this week, but it will be a close game, 30-21.

7 Oct vs Minnesota (A) 44-14. That score last year cemented PSU as a team to be taken seriously last year. The Lions D held Laurence Maroney to under 50 yards, and physically beat up the Gophers. The Gophers still have Bryan Cupito at QB, but will be starting Amir Pinnix at RB. Although he averaged more than 6 yards per carry last year, he didn't play the whole year. I think the Nits get a great road win here, 34-17.

The next half of the season tomorrow....

For the Glory....

Penn State Preview, Part II

2006-08-19T05:14:00.000-07:00

The hallmark of any good Penn State team is a smart, tough, aggressive defense. During the 4-7 2004 season, the defense ranked in the top 15 in most statistical categories, and didn't allow more than 21 points in any game. A momentous 4th quarter goal line stand prevented a road loss to Indiana, and some say sparked the Lions to a great 2005 season.

The 2005 defense was a senior-laden group. Led up front by Tamba Hali (now with the KC Chiefs--and officially a US citizen--way to go!!), Matt Rice and Scott Paxon, the defense constantly pressured opposing QBs without blitzing, allowing the linebackers to be aggressive. Oh, and the linebackers were pretty decent, too. More on them later. Gone is the entire starting secondary, with three of the four now playing in the NFL.

Defense:

Defensive Line: Senior Jay Alford returns at one DT spot. Alford notched 8.5 sacks last year, as many opponents double teamed Hali and Rice. Not sure if Alford can duplicate the success he had last year unless the DEs progress. At the other DT spot, Ed Johnson returns from academic problems, and should be the day 1 starter. On the ends, Jim Shaw figures to be an important piece of the puzzle. If these guys can keep the opposing O-line off the linebackers, the D could be scary good again. If not, look for the leading tackler to be a safety...which is never good.

Linebackers: Simply, the best in the nation. I am tired of everyone saying that even though Paul Posluszny won the hardware last year that AJ Hawk was a better linebacker. Hmmm...I thought the awards were given to the best linebacker. Wow, someone made a mistake. No way. Poz was the best in the nation last year, hands down. He even outplayed Hawk in the matchup between the two teams last October. If his knee is 100%--as he and everyone claims--Poz leads the best trio in the country. Dan Connor is a monster on the other outside spot, and Tim Shaw doesn't get the recognition, but is an outstanding MLB. All three should be All-Americans at the end of the year.

Secondary: It's not unreasonable to expect a drop here, as the entire starting secondary from last year had to be replaced. But, it's not like they went searching the streets of Bellefonte for fill ins. This unit has everything...speed, hands, smarts...the only thing they lack? Experience. Justin King returns to the side of the ball for which he was recruited, and must develop into a shut down corner. Tony Davis takes the other side, and Donnie Johnson and Nolan McCready take the safety spots. Like the O-line, if these guys come together quick, the D could be really scary.

Special teams and a season outlook tomorrow...

For the Glory...

Penn State 2006 Preview

2006-08-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

Just about 2 weeks from the beginning of the 2006 college football season, and every single sports media outlet has a preview of what to expect. Now, I know the only people that read this blog are me, and well, me...nevertheless, I thought I would offer my thoughts on the upcoming season, focusing primarily on the Nittany Lions.

So much has been made of the fact that the Nits haven't strung together winning seasons since 1998-99, and have followed their only winning season in the 21st century (2002, 9-4) with 2 of the most miserable seasons imagineable. Folks wonder, and maybe rightly so, if the 2006 squad will break the trend and have a successful campaign. Most prognosticators seem to think a drop off from the 11-1 season is inevitable (it is), but also think the drop won't be too severe (it won't). Let's kick off the preview. Oh, and if you want some good inside info, FightonState.com has it (w/a subscription). Fox Sports has a decent one, too.

Offense:

Undoubtedly, the offense was a pleasant surprise last season. In 2004, the lack of a decent receiving corps meant a constant 8 man in the box front that stacked up against an offensive line that wasn't very good. In the 6-4 loss to Iowa, Coach Kirk Ferentz decided he'd rather take a safety and kick to the Penn State offense than risk having the Lions' D score--which it was capable of doing.

2005 saw an infusion of speed, energy, and after the Northwestern game, confidence. All of a sudden, the Lions had speed on the edge that stretched defenses. A former walk-on DB led the team in receptions and touchdowns, and an undersized freshmen became a dependable over-the-middle target for Michael Robinson. Combine that with a 1,000 yard rusher and a solid front 5, and you have the makings of a potent attack.

The 2006 version of the Lions' offense will look a little different without the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year. But, they have the potential to be something special. A closer look:

Quarterback: Anthony Morelli finally gets a chance to start. A rocket arm, quick release, and 2 years tutilege in Galen Hall's system are all big time positives. He doesn't bring the same running threat that MRob did, but according to most of the team, he can run when needed. If he gets off to a good early start vs Akron, look for him to have a strong campaign. He better, since he has to face Notre Dame and Ohio State in the first month of the season. Backups are Paul Ciancolo, Kevin Suhey, and Daryll Clark.

Running Back: Tony Hunt returns for his senior season. A 1,000 yard rusher last year, Hunt hurt his ankle in the Orange Bowl on the first series. If the offensive line can perform well, Hunt should better last year's totals, as he should get more touches per game. Austin Scott is the backup if he doesn't redshirt (he's hurt as of right now). If he does redshirt, Rodney Kinlaw or newcomer Evan Royster may have a shot at the top reserve. Key to Morelli's success is a capable running game. Oh, and I still like a headline from last year: "Hunt to start at tailback for Penn State". A guy can dream, right?

Tight End: It seems that Penn State tight ends are all cut from the same cloth. Except for Kyle Brady and Matt Kranchik, PSU tight ends seem to be bone-crushing blockers who catch an occasional pass. Look for more of the same this year, as Patrick Hall steps into the starting role. He had 2 catches last year, both for touchdowns. At 250+ pounds, he is a decent blocker. Backups include Jordan Lyons and a host of others.

Wide Receivers: This could be one of the best units in the Big Ten. Derrick Williams is back from his season ending injury vs Michigan, and Deion Butler and Jordan Norwood all return. Additionally, reports say that true freshman Chris Bell and redshirt freshman James McDonald are really turning heads in practice. Might the Nits employ a 5-WR set this year???? This unit has speed, good route-runners, and confidence to make the big catch in the clutch.

Offensive Line: This is the big enigma. If the unit comes together, plays well, and gets better every week, then Penn State could be scary good on the offensive side of the ball. If they play like the lines of the 2003 and 2004 season, Anthony Morelli will get a good look at the late autumn skies as he's peeled from the staduim turf. Levi Brown anchors the line...and I mean anchor. At 324 pounds, Brown has the responsibility to keep Morelli's blind side clear. A preseason All-Big Ten selection, Brown must lead a unit that has a combined 35 starts between them....with Brown accounting for 34.

Will look at the Defense tomorrow.

For the Glory...

Big Ten Media Day

2006-08-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

I guess I can officially start getting excited about the 2006 football season now that the Big Ten has had its media day.

Some notable notes from the event:

Paul Posluszny was awarded the Big Ten Pre-season Defensive Player of the Year
Troy Smith (QB, tOSU) was named Offensive Player of the Year
Ohio State was picked as the media favorite to win the conference, followed by Michigan and Iowa

Penn State also released its 2007 schedule, and all I can say is that someone must have looked at Kansas State's non-conference schedule over the years. I mean, come ON! Buffalo? Temple? Florida frickin' International??? Why would the athletic department DO this? Do they not understand that this kills the strength of schedule way more than losing Indiana and gaining Iowa helps it?? If I were JoePa, I'd be livid. To me this is purely a revenue decision. 3 cupcake home games means at least 90K fans in the seats, plus more in town spending their money. Is it too much to ask we have a couple good home and homes like ND? Even BC, Nebraska or one of the opponents from the independent days (USC, Miami) would be a welcome test. To be the best you have to beat the best, or something like that.

You know what would remedy this? A PLAYOFF SYSTEM. Teams wouldn't be out of the national picture, even with two losses. Teams now can't afford to play more than one good non-conference opponent for fear that their season would be ransacked before conference play even started. Because of this, I think fans are cheated. I would much rather watch the Nits play (and possibly lose) to USC, then to beat Buffalo 309-10 (official prediction, write it down). I loved watching the OSU-Texas game last year; it was a game that all college football fans had to appreciate. But, it meant that one team would be 0-1 after one game, guaranteed. Daunting proposition in a sport where if you lose, you better lose early...and then win out.

Oklahoma booted Rhett Bomar from the team today. Seems Rhett had a job at a local athletic department-friendly car dealership. He worked about 5 hours a week, and somehow made $18K a year. I know a lot of experts had OU in the preseason top 5. Guess this shuffles things a bit...

Ryan Howard continues to play outstanding ball. Last night, he hit is NL-leading 36th home run to give the Phils a 4-3 lead (and eventual 5-3 win) over the Cardinals. Looks like management made a rare good call by clearing way for Howard by trading Thome.

Speaking of management's good calls, can anyone tell me the name of any one of the players they got in the Abreu/Lidle trade? Mind-boggling.

It reached 100 degrees here today. Went running at 0730, and it was already 85.

Not much else going on...more after summer practice starts.

For the Glory...

Is it football season yet?

2006-07-30T08:38:00.000-07:00

Well, the answer to the "first serious injury of training camp" goes to LeCharles Bentley of the Cleveland Browns. Bentley, acquired in the offseason to bolster the Browns' offensive line, injured his knee in an 11 on 11 drill last week and is likely out for the year. Sorry to see that, since I think the Browns are heading in a positive direction under Romeo Crennel. I'm not sure how far this sets them back, but it's not a good thing.

Time for a rant...and it has to do with doping in professional sports.

I'm sure everyone has read (ad nauseum) the stories about Barry Bonds, Floyd Landis, Jason Giambi, and others. This little rant is not to opine about the guilt or innocence of any of these guys, but to address what I believe to be the deeper issue: a disturbing lack of personal accountability.

A guy I work with brought up an interesting argument. He noted that Tiger Woods had corrective eye surgery (his eyes were already 20-20), and that some golfers wear colored contact lenses to allow them to read the greens better. Is this not "performance enhancing," and, ergo, akin to taking substances to make you stronger, faster, bigger?

Is it the same? I don't necessarily think so, but I think there are some philosophical similarities. Both practices are altering the physical characteristics of the human body to perform better. But so is a guy with 20-200 vision wearing glasses when he plays. Both practices give the individual an advantage over a competitor that hasn't gone that route. I think the big difference lies in the fact that one is a legal practice, while the other isn't. In my opinion, sports has always been about honest competition, hard work, dedication and talent. I don't believe that the purity of sports includes (or has ever included) the artificial adaptation or improvement of the human body by chemical means.

This is a difficult argument to present clearly, because there are a lot of "yeah, but what about...?" questions out there. I'd like to think that the professional athletes today are capable of putting the ideals of the sport they play ahead of their desire to push the performance envelope through the use of banned substances. Evidently, there are some that have found it difficult to do so. For whatever reason, they decided that it was morally acceptable to do something that is not in keeping with fair play. Those that have violated that fundamental principle have no business in competition, and should be kicked out immediately (and, for the record, I do NOT buy the 'unknowingly ingested' argument), fined any performance bonuses, and have their statistics expunged from historical records.

I'm against baseball's current discipline policy (one and done is the way I think it should be), mortified that there is no accepted HGH test for all sports yet, and sickened by the rampant cheating in certain arenas (cycling, track and field).

There has got to be a standard of honest competition in sports, or there really is no reason to hold these guys/gals in the regard that we do now.

Rambling? Probably. Coherent? Probably not. But, it felt good to get it off my chest.

Where has the time gone??

2006-07-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

Like a bear awakening from a satisfying hibernation, I am finally returning to this blog. When last I left you, Penn State had capped a tremendous 11-1 season with an epic 3 OT thriller vs Florida State.

Since then, a couple things have happened in the world of sports. I think a quick run down is in order:

--The Steelers and Seahawks meet in one of the least anticipated Super Bowls in history. Bad calls aside, this game was not worth watching.

--The Carolina Hurricanes beat an over-achieving Edmonton Oilers team in seven to win Lord Stanley's cup. All 17 people that knew hockey was playing again were thrilled.

--The Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks to capture the NBA title. Congrats to D-Wade, boo to Pat Riley...still not sure how he sleeps after he pushed Van Gundy out.

--Barry Bonds passed Babe Ruth for 2nd all time in home runs. Since this story has been beaten to death, I will just say that I hope (for the sake of all that is holy) that Bonds does NOT come close to Mr Aaron's record.

Now on to some more current events...

NFL training camps open this week. Anyone got a guess as to who will suffer the first notable pre-season serious injury? The NFL has to wise up and shorten the pre-season to less than 12 games (or something like that). Some story lines from around the league...

Drew Brees takes the reigns in New Orleans. Will he come back from the torn labrum? Even if he does, does he have the system in place around him to make him successful? He doesn't have LT or Antonio Gates, but he does have Deuce (or Reggie) and Joe Horn. My guess is that NO still has trouble making the playoffs.
Brett Favre decides to return for another season. If the running game is left to Samkon Gado, look for another sub .500 season, as Favre will throw 67 interception.
Jake Plummer's days in Denver are numbered. First round pick, Jay Cutler, will push Plummer in the pre-season, and the Broncos fans (still waiting for John Elway to come out of retirement) will be calling for the Rookie to play early.
Larry Johnson (PSU 2002) gets the chance to start at KC due to Priest Holmes' injury. Will he be able to keep up the pace he set last year (9 straight 100 yard games)? Lots of folks see a 2K yard season for him.

Went up to State College last week for short visit. Always nice to see what's happening in Happy Valley. Got to see Medlar Field at Lubrano Park...the new baseball facility that is home to the Single-A affiliate of the St Louis Cardinals during the summer/fall, and the PSU baseball team in the spring. World class facility that can only help recruiting for Robbie Wine's program.

Heard that Ed DeChellis was on the verge of getting a big time recruit for the men's basketball team. I really think this program is close to being a perrenial Big Ten challenger. Eddie D is definitely steering this program in the right direction.

Looking forward to the 2 Sep opener vs Akron. Season tickets sales are unreal this year...lots of excitement around JoePa, Morelli, Poz and the group. I will have a season preview once the summer practices start next week.

Some non-sports stuff...

I was listening to an 80s radio station the other day, and realized that it has taken 20+ years for me to get some of the words right. So, in another 20 years, I will know all the words to every El DeBarge song. Sweet.

Did you know that a 2001 Kia Spectra has an interference engine? And that if your timing belt breaks on I-270, then it will cost about $3K to fix? I didn't either. So, it looks like we're going to be in the market for a new car. As an aside to this...we're donating the car to Volunteers of America. Someone can get some use out of the thing. Also, if you're in the Rockville Md area and need a trustworthy place to get some auto work done, I recommend Gili's.

On a personal note, my beautiful wife and I are amonth away from welcoming a new addition to the family...keep your fingers crossed for us.

Will talk more soon...For the Glory,

NFL Playoffs, Recruiting, etc.

2006-01-21T11:56:00.000-08:00

You know what I hate? When I'm standing in the lobby waiting for an elevator and someone comes up and repeatedly pushes the 'up' button that I've already pushed. Like when I did it, it didn't take? I also get peeved when I'm on the elevator going down. The lobby button is already illuminated, yet everyone that gets on the elevator feels the need to push the damn button. I wonder if they really think their push is going to get us there faster? Or maybe, the elevator had been confused, but now realizes our true destination...

Anyways...to sports.

Interesting matchups for tomorrow's games. Not sure about the rest of you, but the prospect of an all AFC West Super Bowl (yes, I know Seattle is no longer AFC) is intriguing. Think they can bring back Merle Olsen to do the game? Loved watching him and Dick Enberg on NBC 3 in Philly so long ago.

I think that both home teams should come away with wins, if a couple of things happen. One, Denver has to guard against a Plummer meltdown. Hand the ball off to your horses, throw to Smith and Lelie once in a while. Don't let Pittsburgh make Plummer the focus.

Seattle needs to find out some way to get WRs not named Jackson into the game. There is also the little matter of stopping Steve Smith. You know, it amazes me that WRs like Smith (Rod and Steve), Marvin Harrison, etc, continually get wide-open!! Last week, I swear Chicago forgot who this guy was. Giving up 400+ yards is bad, but when you get smoked for 200+ yards receiving by the team's #1, well, someone forgot to study. Predictions later...

Penn State is quietly putting together a wonderful recruiting effort this year. Scout.com has them ranked in the top 10, and they could end up top 5 given the decisions of about 3 other players. Looks like Hurricane QB prospect Pat Devlin is having second thoughts after the clearinghouse of coaches following the 40-3 drubbing at the hands of LSU. Seems the guy that recruited him was one of the ones let go. This week Devlin, a PA-native, is visiting PSU.

Recruits are only good if you can develop their talent in a time frame that makes them useful to the team. Looks like quite a few of this year's incoming class could find the playing field as true freshmen...is this Penn State?? I think it stems from the way that King, Williams, and Norwood handled themselves as FR this year. King made Dean's list, and all dealt with the pressure very well. They all also acted as recruiters, getting folks from Va and Md to come north.

Could be interesting. Look for MRob in the Senior Bowl, and a trio of Lions in the Hula Bowl tonight.

Oh, and best wishes to Poz on his recover.

This weekend's games:
Denver 23
Pittsburgh 21

Seattle 27
Carolina 20

For the Glory....

Happy New Year

2006-01-01T16:24:00.000-08:00

Quite a hiatus, but I guess it's time to start looking at the BCS Bowls. Plus, I just got done watching the Eagles get beat by the Redskins. So that leads to some introductory comments.

First, the Birds played better than their 6-9 (soon to be 6-10) record for most of the game. The D played better than it had all season, save for the San Diego game. But, it came down to the fact that neither Mike McMahon nor Koy Detmer are serviceable back-up quarterbacks. Too many turnovers, too many poor throws. Now, I know that 90% of us could not name the back-up QB in Indianapolis (Jim Sorgi...from...The University of Wisconsin), or the back-up in Seattle (Senecca Wallace...from...Iowa State University). The NFL is a starters league. Few teams have the luxury of two guys capable of winning big games. The fact is, there has to be a better option than a McMahon or a Detmer. If not, well, then I would make sure my O-line is the best ever, so I don't need to worry about my QB getting hurt.

Anyway, I know that the Eagles have some work to do in the offseason, but I think they're going to be ok. On offense, Ryan Moats and Bruce Perry looked solid, and maybe...just maybe...Billy McMullen will start being the WR the Eagles thought they were getting in 2003.

On D, well...that could be a project. Two rooks started on the line, and looked ok. The LBs looked slow and tired. Dhani Jones is ok, but is too small to play the strong side. Trotter is a slugger, but he's not young anymore. Whatever happened to Keith "The Bullet" Adams? Is our recourse going back to Mark Simoneau? Think that may be a draft priority.

Around the NFL...I hate weeks when things are shored up. Kills my office pool, since I never know what teams will play their starters until I've already turned in my selections...stupid Bears.

Is there a better ball carrier in the NFL than Larry Johnson right now? Tiki Barber is cosmic, and Shaun Alexander is the rushing leader...but 9 straight 100 yard games, and a KC single season rushing record (even though he wasn't the regular starter until Nov)? That's just sick.

Speaking of sick...the college football bowl season has been horrible...awful...disgusting and, dare I say, boring? Sad when the best game to date is a toss-up between Michigan/Nebraska and Tulsa/Fresno St. I mean, come on Miami. At least show up. 40-3? Bet the fine folks at Chik-fil-a were happy to see that flop.

Looks like the curse of the BCS snub got to Oregon, too. A 10-1 season was marred with an ugly 17-14 loss to a mediocre Oklahoma team. Not sure that means that they wouldn't have given Notre Dame a good game, but they looked like they wanted to be somewhere else.

Looking forward to a wonderful day of football tomorrow. Hope it rains. I think the sleeper game could be the Iowa/Florida game. Lots of intresting twists on this one...could be good. Also think that the West Virginny/Georgia game could be one-sided. Not sure there is a team in the Big East that can compete with a powerhouse from the SEC. This game may expose the Big Least for what it is. Thank goodness their automatic bid to the BCS ends after next year.

The Orange Bowl is a couple days away, but already the butterflies are starting. I hope to write more on that tomorrow.

Let's look at some predictions:
Outback Bowl: Iowa 27, Florida 24
Capital One Bowl: Auburn 38, Wisconsin 20...Aubie is the best team playing right now.
Sugar Bowl: UGA 34, WVa 17
Fiesta Bowl: OSU 23, ND 20

More tomorrow, I hope.

Orange Bowl Bound

2005-12-05T16:44:00.000-08:00

The Nittany Lions are headed to Miami to face the #22 Florida State Seminoles. It's the first trip for the Lions to a BCS bowl, and what a let down. Yeah, I know I should be thrilled with the results of the season, but this is not how it should end. While Rose Bowl dreams were crushed like both UCLA and Colorado, I at least thought that we'd play a quality 1 loss team in Va Tech. But, no...Beamer ball got deflated, and we (the Nittany nation) are left playing a 4 loss FSU team.

FSU is one of the best programs in college football. They finished in the Top 5 for 13 consecutive years. That's unreal. They have speed, size, talent, and good coaching, so it should be a wonderful game. BUT...like I read earlier today, it is a no-win situation for the Lions. Win, and, well, you should...you're the #3 team in the nation. Lose and the detractors come out of the woodwork.

Yes, I like the idea of watching PSU play post-New Year's. I just wish the game was more of a showcase on the field than the comparison of the coaches off the field.

Anyway, the men's basketball team has crashed back to Earth with back-to-back losses to better teams. Not sure that Texas A&M is a basketball school, per se, but at least the Nits were close in that one. .500 this year is not in the realm of possibility.

Kudos to the women's soccer team. They lost a tough one in the NCAA semifinals to eventual champ, Portland. The Lady Lions took the Pilots to 2 OTs before losing on PKs. Portland then stomped UCLA 4-0 in the finals. Great season, ladies.

The women's volleyball team is the last of the fall sports that can bring home a national championship. They're in the regional finals, and will take on Tennessee at Rec Hall. Good luck!

For the Glory...

Go Bruins!!!

2005-11-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe that Penn State played its last regular season game 2 weeks ago. Normally, I wouldn't have anything to look forward to, as PSU hasn't gone to a meaningful bowl game in about 8 years. This year is a tad bit different. If, by some small, slim chance, Texas or USC stumbles, guess who's in the Rose Bowl?? Evidently the oddsmakers don't see either of these teams stumbling, as both are 20+ point favorites. But, this is college football, and stranger things have happened.

PSU basketball is in for a rough year--both men and women. The men's team got trounced by a mediocre Clemson team, and the women got decimated by ODU. The women's team is a normal fixture in the NCAAs at the end of the year, but not this year. Going to be a long winter/spring. When's the Blue/White game??

Sen. Arlen Specter thinks that the Eagles are treating T.O. unfairly. Explain to me why one of the most powerful men in the senate is wasting his time on this? Last time I checked there are other things representatives of we the people should be focusing on.

Oh, and isn't T.O. still getting paid?

You know, one of the grand pleasures of a non-native Washington area resident is the reaction after a Redskins loss. Painful losses are even better. Delicious. Philadelphia fans have long been graced with the top of the line radio commentators. Merril Reese, Harry Kalas, Gene Hart...none better. Here in DC, we get the pleasure of listening to the inane ramblings of Sam Huff and Sonny Jurgenson. It's like sticking a flaming Q-tip in your ear repeatedly while having your eyebrows plucked one by one. These guys are awful. I expect a team's broadcast team to be partial to their franchise (I mean, they are employed by them), but these guys go too far. An example:

Larry Michael (play by play): 1st and 10, Brunell goes back, fires over the middle. Complete to Santana Moss all the way to the 47. What a nice throw and catch.
Sam Huff: Best catch ever made by a human.
Sonny: The receiver got held, facemasked,chop blocked, and illegally blocked...stupid refs.
Larry: I agree. Ok, 2nd and 9 now....

Ok, so that's an exaggeration...but not my much.

BIG TEN CHAMPS!!

2005-11-19T19:13:00.000-08:00

A Perfect Fall for the Nittany Lions
Today finished a perfect Fall 2005 season for the Penn State Athletic Department. With a 31-22 win over Michigan State, the football team earned a share of the Big Ten crown (its first since 1994). The football team's title is the 5th Big Ten championship this fall for Penn State. Women's Volleyball, Women's Soccer, Field Hockey, and Men's Soccer all won conference titles. This is unprecedented.

More tomorrow...

Big Ten Finale

2005-11-18T17:33:00.000-08:00

What a long, strange, glorious ride this season has been. 6-5 was expected, 7-4 would have been nice, and 8-3 was downright unthinkable. Now, the Nits are a win away from going 10-1. 10-1. Wow. I think I'll take that!

But, can't get ahead of ourselves yet, can we? Michigan State is a dangerous opponent fighting for bowl eligibility. Just like last year. Seems these games are a lopsided affair, with the home team winning decisively. Would be nice to see a reversal of that trend. Read something nice the other day that said the visiting team has won only 3 times in the last 12 meetings...Penn State was the winner all 3 times.

Keys to the game:
- Weather: Supposed to be cold and rainy. Could mean that PSU keeps it on the ground (as MRob is not the most accurate of passers--55% completion rate). This could be good, as Minnesota gashed the Spartan's D for 300+ yards on the ground last week. Could also mean a tough day for Drew Stanton, though I think this guy could throw during a tornado.
- Turnovers: In their lone loss, PSU lost the turnover battle. Two weeks ago, against Wisconsin, they looked a little careless. The D does well after a turnover (allowing few points), but an early turnover could give the Spartans confidence.
- Motivation: Have the Spartans really quit? If so, an early TD by the Lions could slam the door quick.
- Focus: The team has been preaching the "one game at a time" mantra the whole season. Are they looking ahead to the BCS? Hope not.

Should be an interesting game. Like I was for each of the last 10 games, I'm scared to death of this one. Prediction will follow later.

As for the other games...gotta love rivalry week!
Auburn 23, Alabama 16: Tide D can't bail out the O every week (see last year's PSU team).
Va Tech 47, UVa 10: Someone's still angry over the prime time loss to the 'Canes.
S. Carolina 27, Clemson 26: SEC has a new badboy in the conference...no, it's not Steve Taneyhill.
Michigan 23, Ohio State 21: Will go down as a classic in the rivalry with a game winning special teams play in the final quarter.

and, finally...
PENN STATE 40, Sparty 17--Lions have too much talent, depth, and drive to let this one get away.

For the Glory...

Tamba Hali

2005-11-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

Check out this video compilation from the Penn State Sports Info folks. Hali's monster game vs Wisconsin is just awesome.

NFL Programming Genius...

2005-11-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

Nice one o'clock games in the greater DC area today...on CBS we have the Ravens/Jags (the venerable Don Criqui and Steve Beurlein calling), and on Fox we have the Vikes/Giants. Maybe Sundays are for bowling, as suggested by ESPN...is Dick Weber still around?

As usual, my fantasy team is in trouble. After losing last week by a mere .5 points (thanks Peyton Manning...big foreheaded loser), I am in danger of scoring fewer points than the Texans. I mean, seriously, I'm relegated to starting Brandon Jacobs as my #2 RB. Shudder.

Well, I wasn't too far off on my predictions yesterday. Picked all the winners except for the UGA/Auburn game. Too bad I didn't pick the same outcomes for my office pool. So now it seems that PSU has to beat Sparty for no worse than a share of the Big Ten title. The Bucks and the Wolverines are the only others that have a shot at it. Sounds like the type of finale that the Big Ten dreamed of when it accepted Penn State in 1993.

Nice to see Larry Johnson get his turn (no offense, Mr Holmes, and I hope you have a speedy recovery). Would be outstanding to have LJ make people forget about the Thomas', Doziers, and Enis' of the world.

Went to Arlington National Cemetary for the Veteran's Day ceremony. What a powerful place to be. But, on a day of solemn thanks and such, stupid people still emerge from the woodworks. I am still trying to figure out why some folks would think it appropriate to walk through the gravestones, haphazardly kicking rocks, leaves, dirt, etc. On perhaps our nation's most hallowed grounds, people still find a way to be inconsiderate. And, if you must know, I did "correct" a couple of violators, though I'm not sure they thought they were doing anything wrong. Unbelievable.

Big week coming up...

For the Glory.

Been A While...

2005-11-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

To my devoted readers, I apologize to both of you for neglecting this blog. Since I can't do this at work, it's hard to energize myself to do it once I get home. No excuses, though.

Since last we talked, there have been some goings-on in the world of sports. Let's recap, shall we?

Penn State is 9-1, 5-1 in the Big Ten. Let me say that again. Penn State is 9-1, 5-1 in the Big Ten. I figure that the more I say it, the more real it will seem. I had hoped for 7-4, but this is ridiculous. How have they done it? Well, they have some guys on the offense that can run, catch and throw...a wild departure from last year. The D is a rabid bunch of lunatics who would hit their own grandmother behind the line of scrimmage on 3rd and 1. Side note: It was great to see that Lavar Arrington has maintained his allegiance to the program. In an article in this week's Washington Post, Arrington said, "Did you see that (in reference to the game vs Wisconsin)? I was so proud to be a Nittany Lion." Believe me, Lavar, we're proud, too.

Bye week this week, then it's on to East Lansing to take on the Mighty Spartans of Michigan State. I don't care what anyone says, this game is hard to predict. Every time these teams play, it seems to be a blowout, with the home team winning. East Lansing brings back bad memories of two, count 'em TWO 200-yard Spartan rushers. Last good memory I have of East Lansing is 1995 when Wally Richardson hit Bobby Engram for a TD as the clock was ticking under :10 to go.

I think the Nits will do whatever it takes to win this game convincingly. Texas and USC don't have a golden path paved before them, so with some witchcraft and trickeration, the Lions could find themselves in the Rose if they handle Sparty like they should.

Need Wisky to recover from their whuppin' last week to lay one on Iowa...we need all of our opponents to win to increase our strength of schedule. That being said, who do I root for in the THEM vs OSU game??

Would be nice to see USF make some noise...every little bit helps.

MRob is being named as a dark horse Heisman candidate by a couple of sources. Check out the link from Fox Sports, comparing MRob to former Iowa QB Brad Banks. CBS Sportsline also has him as an "other."

In other sports news...T.O., well, nothing to say about that.

Flyers have won 5 in a row, and are monsters at home. Particularly appealing was the 8-1 thrashing of the Washington Capitals last week. Doesn't quite make up for the days of Dale Hunter, but I'll take it.

Ugeth Urbina is accused of attempted murder in his home coutry of Venezuela. Thought it was humorous to see in the Inquirer that the Phils seem to be trying really, really hard to resign Billy Wagner. Wow...didn't see that coming.

Penn State basketball has won two straight!! They killed Lock Haven and Edinboro. Don't look now, but Penn State might well be on the way to another solid 7-win season. Ok, I know that Ed DeChellis is probably a really good coach. I know that given some time and talent, he could probably get the team to the NIT on a consistent basis. My problem is this...Penn State has world class facilities, plays in arguably the second best basketball conference in the country, and can't get folks to play there? Why? Because while Pennsylvania is a breeding ground for blue chip football players (Hi Puz!), there is nowhere near the same quantity of talent in basketball. The kids from Philly know they can go anywhere to play...why stay in state and play for a team that can't sell out its arena, or hasn't produced a viable NBA player since John Amaechi in the mid 1990's? Until coaching staff can recruit from Philly, PSU will not be one of the top 5 teams in the state.

Good luck to the Men and Women's soccer teams as they compete at the NCAAs.

Football Weekend
Some predictions and notes for this week's big NCAA games:
LSU 17, Alabama 10: Bama hasn't scored an offensive TD in 13 quarters. That's pretty offensive. Where, o where, is Mike Dubose?
tOSU 31, Northwestern 30: Last team with the ball wins as OSU looks ahead to THEM. I just like saying "Basanez."
South Carolina 27, Florida 21: www.fireurbanmeyer.com takes off.
USC 45, California 17: Highlighted as the toughie for USC...not likely
Georgia 24, Auburn 10: Georgia has too much to play for, and Auburn is from Alabama...?

Let's talk next week?

For the Glory...

Time to Move On...

2005-10-20T16:56:00.000-07:00

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

2005-10-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

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

2005-10-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

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.

2005-10-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

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

2005-10-07T19:17:00.000-07:00

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....

Pretender or Contender

2005-09-30T16:51:00.000-07:00

Been a week since I last posted. To anyone who reads this, sorry. I was out of town for a couple of days, and just didn't have time.

Brief recap of last weekend's happenings. Very happy with the PSU/NU game. It's nice to hear PSU supporters no longer saying "we should have won," but now saying, "we should have won by more." I don't care what anyone says, a road win in the Big Ten is never easy (unless it's Indiana), but it's been especially rare for Penn State. Is Joe's team back? I don't know, and I'm not ready to say yes just yet. This weekend's showdown with the Gophers will go a long way towards answering the question: Pretender or Contender.

Disturbing to read that Penn State is 2-4 at home in Big Ten openers. That's not good. Well, at least this isn't the opener.

Read an interesting blog about the PSU fans and the atmosphere at Beaver Stadium. About how the fans tend to be less than boisterous, compared to places like Doak Walker stadium, Ben Hill Griffith Stadium, etc. It's true. Our fans aren't loud all the time. Sometimes, the roar is defeaning. Sometimes, it's down-right tranquil. Not sure why. Maybe it is the "blue haired" alums telling us to sit down (grrrr)...maybe it's something in the water. Whatever it is, it is ashame that 100,000 people can be so calm. Sad, really.

I am looking forward to, and dreading, this game with Minnesota all at the same time. I want a test from a "good" team (no offense USF--way to go vs Louisville!!!), but I am afraid that a good team may show just how unimpressive our first 4 wins really are. As I see it, the game comes down to 4 main points:

1) Turnovers: No way can PSU turn the ball over 4 times and stay within 14 points of the Gophers. MRob has to do better with the rock. On the other side of the ball, the D needs to create some takeaways....especially against a ball control offense.

2) Tackeling: Missed tackles in this game will be disastrous. Penn State is showing signs of poor tackling which plagued them in 2003. While Posluz racked up 22 stops last week, a lot of our hits are coming 5, 6, 7 yards past the initial hit. Against a bull of a back, the first hit needs to be the stopper, or Maroney could rack up more than 200 this week.

3) Aggressiveness: The D hasn't shown up this year (CMich was a scrimmage). Disturbing to see how soft the corners are playing. Also disturbing is the fact that we seem to give up a lot of 3rd and longs again this year. Not sure if Bradley has changed his scheming, but it worries me. 440+ yards of offense surrendered last week, even against a spread offense, isn't good. Would like to see the corners press a little more, and the safeties blitz once in a while.

4) Ground Game: Tony Hunt is averaging 7+ ypc this year. He's averaging slightly more than 11 carries per game. Not a dominating stat. The best thing we can do to keep our tired D from having to face 90 plays from a bruising team is to control the ball. I know people say Time of Possession stats don't mean anything. Bull. A 2-1 advantage for Minnesota means a lopsided Gopher win.

I'd like to forget Nov 6, 1999 for a while, so how about a big win (a la Nebraska in 2002)? Looking at the schedule, the only game that we will likely be favored in is Illinois. Other than that, we're going to be the dogs. 6 wins is still a reach, but a win this weekend makes it that much more attainable.

Nice to get to hear Brad Nessler tomorrow...he's the best they have on ABC.

So, the predictions for tomorrow are:
USC 34, ASU 31
Purdue 27, ND 20
Michigan 42, Michigan State 24
Florida 33, Alabama 17
Miami 27, USF 17

PENN STATE 30, MINNESOTA 27.

For the Glory....

Weekend Warriors

2005-09-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

Tired tonight, so down to it...

Big game for the Nits tomorrow...first road game, first conference game, first chance to show what kind of team they want to be. A good, solid win may mean a surprising season (8-3??). A bad loss may be the beginning of another 5-6 year. I can't wait until the program is back to a level where this game would be a no-brainer (for the Lions). What scares me is that the Lions are a touchdown favorite. I just don't know if they're that good. I hope they don't believe all of the "surprise team" talk, or Saturday could be a big let down.

Some keys to the game, in my way wrong opinion:

Turnovers: 9 in the first three games...awful. How about no fumbles this week, MRob? While the D has bailed the offense out following most of the turnovers, they can't be expected to do that continuously versus better teams.
Pressure: MRob has played in hostile venues (last year at Camp Randall), but his WRs haven't. It will be interesting to see how they handle their first drop...the first time the get cleaned going across the middle...the first time their number is called on a 3rd and 7 in the 4th quarter. I have a feeling these guys will do fine.
Pressure 2: Hope I don't see it, but how will the team react to being down at halftime..at the start of the 4th quarter? If they press, they lose big. They don't have the confidence of a team that knows what repeated winning tastes like. Down 21-0 to Illinois in Champagne, the 1994 Nits never appeared to lose their cool...these kids may not have that moxy yet.

So, my predictions for the weekend:

LSU 24, Tenn 17
Iowa 23, OSU 21
Purdue 27, Minnesota 24
ND 28, Washington 6
Clemson 30, Boston College 10
USC 57, Oregon 20
Va Tech 42, Ga Tech 14

PENN STATE 33, Wildkittens 17...

For the Glory...

Thursday's Tidbits

2005-09-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

From the field office at University Park...

Don't look now, but Penn State's women's soccer team is #2 in the nation behind only North Carolina. Got to see Tiffany Weimer in person vs then-#4 Virginia. She is awesome. Hope they can keep it up and maybe bring some hardware to Happy Valley.

Women's volleyball is also showing strong early in the year. The coaches choice to win the Big Ten, they've started off with some quality wins. Russ Rose always fields an impressive product, and this year appears to be no different.

Basketball is right around the corner, too, though I don't think the prospectus for Penn State men's hoops is all that bright. Three years into the Ed DeChellis rebuilding effort, it seems unlikely that PSU is any closer to making that climb from the Big Ten cellar. The transfer of Marlon Smith doesn't help. The team's most dynamic player until he suffered a blood clot, Smith was projected to be a force in the backcourt. All things being equal, a .500 record would be miraculous.

Have the AFA/Utah game on in the background...amazing that the Falcons can still run the triple option successfully with an undersized line, etc. No matter how they do in the Mountain West, however, Fisher DeBerry will face a lot of tough scrutiny if the AFA fails to win the President's trophy again.

President's Cup started today just up the road a ways at the RTJ in Prince William County. Read an interesting article in the Washington Post that remarked that the players put this match on par with the Ryder Cup. I guess I can see that. The whole national pride, clash of egos, etc. Currently, the Internationals are up, but only by a point. Tiger and Freddy got smoked. Let's see...he and Phil didn't fare well in the Ryder...he and Freddy didn't fare well here...who would he do well with? I pick Briny Baird...because I like to say "Briny."

One day closer to football Saturday...I think I can make it.

For the Glory...

Surprised?

2005-09-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

I know it's early in the 2005 NFL season, but there have been quite a few remarkable surprises. If anyone had told me that 2 games into the season, the Colts would have the league's #1 scoring defense, I would have laughed heartily. I have to say that coming into this year, I thought the talk of an improved Colts D was way overblown. I guess while I was impressed with the play of Dwight Freeney, I was still stuck in the Rob Morris days of pre-Dungy defensive schemes. Do I think they can keep it up? Not at this level. They're still too small up front. I think good running teams will do better against them. I chalk up the paltry numbers posted by the Ravens in week 1 to the total lack of a passing game. Kyle Boller has yet to prove he belongs at this level. Heck, he may not even be the best QB from Cal in the NFL.

Some other surprises are just as noteworthy. I don't think anyone can overstate the effect of Randy Moss' departure on Daunte Culpepper. 5 interceptions against a very average Cincinnati defense does not bode well. The majority of them looked like forced throws from a QB trying to do too much. Neither Nate Burleson nor Marcus Robinson will instill as much fear in opposing secondaries as Moss did. Robinson was good (not great) 5 years ago. Burleson may be best suited as a #2 WR. A lot of the pundits are saying that the Vikes will be ok, that it's too early to count them out. I disagree. I think that in a very mediocre NFC Norris division, the Vikes don't have the ability to separate themselves from the other teams.

You know, sometimes you feel good after a loss...ok, maybe not good, but you accept it. After the Falcons beat up the Eagles, I was disappointed. But, I thought they had just been beat by the #2 team in the NFC. Then, the Falcons go out west and lay an absolute egg versus a so-so Seahawks team. Yeah, they came back and nearly pulled it out. So what? They're supposed to be good, right? Good teams beat teams they're supposed to beat...even on the road. Color me unimpressed.

I told you Fins fans last week...two words: Gus Frerotte.

Cadillac Williams looks like the real deal. He runs with aggressivenes between the tackles, and has shown speed for a big back. Interesting to note that the only cold weather road game the Bucs play this year is at New England. Good karma for a running back who toted most of his carries in the warm SEC.

I applaud Jim Haslett for lashing out at the NFL for the farcical "home" game situation they faced Monday night. Paul Tagliabue should be ashamed of how the league handled that. I hope the NFL has the sense not to fine the Saints coach.

Interesting matchup this week pits the Steelers vs the Patriots. Could the Pats go 1-2? Would love to see a little drama in that fairy-tale world. Sorry Chris. Another intriguing matchup has the Irish battling the UW Huskies. Wonderful story line--"old coach faces old team"--still think ND wins big. Plot lines can't overcome the glaring talent mismatch.

For the Glory...

A week in the Life

2005-09-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peek inside the goings-on of a Penn Stater...read at your own discretion.

Monday: Scour the internet for the latest story on the most recent game. By this time, all of the major publications have been read, so it's on to the Doylestown Intelligencer...maybe the Altoona Mirror. Check the Harmon forecast on CBS.sportsline.com to see how the magic 8-ball has picked PSU to do this weekend...Northwestern 16--PSU 10....Stupid Harmon.

Tuesday: Best day of the midweek. JoePa's press conference transcripts are usually available by 4pm. That's good readin'!! Check CBS.sportsline to see how Tony Meija has picked the game...PSU 34,--Northwestern 30....Smart Tony!! Check the Harmon forecast again to see if anything has
changed....Stupid Harmon.

Wednesday: Chico Harlon (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), Bob Flounders (Harrisburg Patriot), and Jeff Rice (Centre Daily Times) continue to pick holes at the Penn State early season success...Not sure what it would take to make these guys happy, but I guess a 40-3 win and a 3-0 start don't come close to cutting it.

Thursday: www.pennstate.scout.com usually starts putting together some pretty good previews of the weekend. Lots of homers on that site, but, hey, that's why I think they are the smartest guys in town.

Friday: Butterflies start...Penn State Blue Band CD goes into the office with me. Convinced that we're going to lose bad--is it negativism for show? Only I know...

Saturday: No breakfast...#43 Jersey goes on. Daughter dons the #33 jersey. Wife rolls her eyes. 3:30 kickoffs are the worst...good thing they play at noon this weekend on ESPN28. Bad thing that Pam Ward and David Norrie (who the hell is this guy?) are doing the game...may have to listen to the feed over the computer. Got the football in hand, beginning to pace. Finally, kickoff...

Sunday: Depends on Saturday...either confident jubilation, or crushing despair...there is no middle.

So, that's it in a nutshell...my prediction will be later in the week....

Hope my brother and other family are doing well in Florida, and that Rita spares a wary coast.

For the glory...