The Big Eleventh

The Bar Down The Street

2008-06-04T08:15:00.000-07:00

It's a nice place, really, and from now on we'll meet over there.

I can't really explain how fun this whole creating a blog thing has been. It all starts with a post no one will ever read. With time, you get a couple of good people to drop your URL and all of the sudden you have a couple of readers. Sitemeter becomes your drug and the addiction is underway. You make bad jokes, you complain, you rationalize, you copy FJM's format, you even dive into pointless research, but mostly you enjoy it.

Last week Mike at Black Shoe Diaries emailed me and asked if I'd co-author over there. This is normally where I'm suppose to say I have mixed feelings but, to be totally honest, I don't. I'm excited.

Still, leaving TBE is a bit of a downer, but if I can get over the 2005 Michigan game I can get over this. For those of you who have subscribed or check back daily, I'm glad I could kill 15 minutes of your day. The rising numbers only fueled the fire so I appreciate it. As far as what is changing: almost nothing. I'm not go to be posting any less content and you are still going to get the same weak-grammared, conclusion-lacking style you've come to expect.

It's that time. I'll do the hard part, you just have to click it:

http://www.blackshoediaries.com/

Your Moment of Zen

2008-06-03T09:25:00.001-07:00

Prepare yourself for a bit of a shake up tomorrow. In the meantime, something to hold you over...

My favorite part, other than the obvious, is Tamba's very calm walk back to the sideline.

Legend Of Link: Gone Fishing

2008-06-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Gone Fishing Today
-The NYT's weak effort at college sports coverage, The Quad, is ranking all 119 teams (um, what about #120?) this year. Before they got to #97 they had already named two Penn State opponents: Temple and 'Cuse. Missing Minnesota, who came it at #101, kept PSU from having three on the list.

-Even with bonus points for being creepy, I still don't think Mariah Carey's overhand bowling is as bad as missing home plate by 45 degrees. (H/T: AA)

-I unfortunately missed this year's National Spelling Bee, so I wasn't able to get my bets in, but from what I hear it was a good time.

I Guess I Have To Post On This: Schiano Rumor

2008-05-30T10:44:00.001-07:00

Yes, this.

The great thing about the internet is that, with a properly timed post, a person can say something outlandish with not much to go on and get like 8 gazillion people to read it. It also helps if you do it during the offseason when bloggers are hungry for post material. This is not a sarcastic comment, it's part of what gets me through the work day.

A source told The Phanatic Magazine

Here we go again...

that a succession plan to replace Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno is being ironed out.

Ironed out. I see, so it's pretty much done?

The source also stated that the university, by NCAA by-laws, can not have any official contact with Schiano, who is under contract at Rutgers, but has put out feelers to gauge Schiano's interest.

I'm no lawyer, but it does seem like it would be difficult to create a contractual succession plan with a coach who is under contract and is not allowed to even speak to PSU as a potential employer.

That interest, according to a source, appears to be substantial and mutual.

This is not news. Schiano is a blue blood and besides has (what is reported as) a very good relationship with Paterno, he turned down "duh" opportunities at Michigan and Miami. I hate to bust anyone ego here, but it's fact that the reason for this was not entirely his love for New Jersey. I mean have you driven on the Turnpike? Bad jokes aside, it's pretty clear that he said "no thanks" in order to be considered for the Post Paterno Position.

Barring a last-minute power struggle or change of heart, the source indicated that this will be Paterno's last season in Happy Valley, and that Penn State would move quickly after Schiano at season's end.

So which is it? A power struggle or change of heart? Becuase the former indicates that Paterno is being forced out, while the latter makes me think Paterno is stepping down on his own. This sentence means you don't know which one it is.

Besides that, I don't see how the first sentence (about ironing it out) can coexist with this statement. You can plan on going after Schiano after the season, but that's hardly a succession plan. It would be the school saying that they want Schiano, but why would they announce this publicly before the 2008 season? For starters, it's clear Paterno doesn't want a farewell tour. Besides that, what if Schiano says no? He's going to have to take a pay cut of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and if the situation is public Rugters is sure to counter with an offer that would double or triple that gap. It doesn't make any sense.

[Solid recruiting has] led many surrounding the program to assume either Bradley or Johnson, Sr. would take over once Paterno retired, while the other (particularly in Johnson, Sr.'s case) became the right-hand man, defensive coaching staff leader and head of recruiting.

That is not the case, according to the source, who maintains the board of trustees would rather go outside the program while attempting to maintain some Penn State ties.

I'm not sure what to make of this. If PSU lifers Bradley and LJSR want to stick around in their rolls, why would the BOT not want this? Besides, when you hire a brand new head coach, I'm pretty sure they get to create their own staff.

I'm not here to say that Schiano won't be PSU's next coach, it could very well happen. Be we already knew this.

Bottom line (this is where I state my opinion and pertend it's fact): this is either not real or, if it is real, irrelevant because this 'source' is just outlining the different scenarios we've already heard of.

Phil Steele: A Smart Man

2008-05-30T07:21:00.000-07:00

Pre-season predictions are a bit of a double edged sward. On one end, you like seeing seemingly independent predictions of your team ranked near the top because it confirms that you aren't totally blinded by your homerizm. On the other side, however, is the furthering of your preseason expectations, a dangerous thing and often painful thing when it turns out Morelli really can't read defenses (I ked, he just wan't very good).

Enter one of the most respected college football analyst: Phil Steele. His 2008 top ten, via EDSBS, in reverse order for some reason:

10. Penn State.
9. Georgia
8. USF
7. Missouri
6. West Virginia
5. Clemson
4. USC
3. Oklahoma
2. Ohio State
1. Florida

While #10 isn't MNC contention, it's still about 15 spots higher than most of the less-qualified, way less informed "journalists" like to put the Nittany Lions.

My feelings continue to be mixed.

Penn State In Maryland: A Retrospective Look

2008-05-30T05:45:00.000-07:00

With the ridiculous recruiting of LJSR in a state that is in the process of changing its name, I got to thinking: why the sudden surge? Of the eleven commitments Penn State currently has, six are from LJSR's territory.

Well where were these guys last year?

Of Maryland's Top 20 players in 2008, PSU was considered* by recruit #4, #6 and #11...but received commitments from none of them.

Same goes for 2007, consideration was only given by #2, #5, #6 and #15 (this is really strange considering the #10 prospect went to Akron). Again, none of them are currently in State College.

So the trend probably continues into 2006, right? Um, not so much:

(source: Rivals.com)

That's seven of the top nine. So this type of dominance isn't totally unprecedented, but still a bit strange considering how inconsistent PSU has been in Maryland.

So why the sudden influx of players? Could this just be the result of a decent shot a freshman playing time? Or have the recruiters taken some notes over the past two years of relatively weak classes and decided to change the game plan a little bit?

*To be honest I don't know if the inclusion of PSU on the list means they were offered or are considering. Does Rivals eliminate a school from the list of the player decides to take that offer out of consideration? I don't know.

Evans Named The "Sixth Scariest Defender" On Off-Season Filler List

2008-05-29T09:30:00.000-07:00

I suppose all lists in May are filler lists, but Evans is getting some recognition:

6. Maurice Evans, Penn State, DE: Last season, Evans ranked among the nation's top eight in sacks (12.5), tackles for loss (21.5) and forced fumbles (five). Not a bad trifecta. He also had 54 tackles, deflected three passes and returned a fumble 55 yards en route to earning All-Big Ten honors. Penn State ranked No. 11 in the nation in total defense last season, and Evans was a major reason.

Everyone's favorite over-rated linebacker, James Laurinaitis, didn't make the list. Somewhere, his dad is wearing a spedo.

More Great Effort Going Into Previews

2008-05-29T04:30:00.000-07:00

Another gem:

Who's the second-best team in the Big Ten? Ohio State is the prohibitive favorite in the Big Ten. Indeed, a case can be made that the Buckeyes are the biggest favorite in any league â€“ and we're including USC in the Pac-10.

So, who's the second-best team in the league? Is it Wisconsin, which has a manageable schedule and looks to be strong except at quarterback and in the secondary? Is it Illinois, which should have a fast, aggressive defense, but also has a huge hole at tailback and questions about its passing game? Is it Penn State, whose offensive and defensive lines look strong but who has some issues elsewhere?

Our early bet is it will be Wisconsin. But another early bet is that there's no way the Big Ten is going to have two teams in the BCS.

What do you mean by "issues elsewhere"? Like how all of our starting WR's are back? Or how Royster has shown to be a great back, only to be matched in quality by a redshirt freshman in the Blue-White Game? Or how our probable starting QB averaged 8.3 ypc against A&M? Or how we've been recruiting the hell out of LBs the last couple of years and, even with the devastating loss of Sean Lee, will probably have one of the more solid cores in the Big Ten?

Listen, I know we have issues. The QB situation is more complicated because whoever starts can't simply be a role player like Clark was in the bowl game. Our secondary loses players and they weren't even that good last year. But can you at least make an attempt at an informative comment if you are going to, you know, publish the thing? Is anyone really better off by you simply reading down the 2007 Big Ten standings and then calling it a 'preview'?

Legend of Link

2008-05-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

I couldn't agree more.

Despite Penn State (or maybe because of Target 10), the Big Ten leads the nation in basketball attendance attendance.

In one of the most thorough blog posts I've ever read, Rumors and Rants examines the ten biggest falls from grace.

Are we are really still talking about this?

The horror that his Big Ten Refereeing has a new face.

Commit To Penn State And Crabcakes And Football!!! That's What Maryland Does!!! [Here is #11]

2008-05-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

And the story continues, with commitment number 11, the sixth from The [insert Maryland motto here, crabcakes? I don't know...] State. He is WR Brandon Felder, stands 6'4" and runs a 4.43 forty.

"I got to talk to all three of the coaches. Coach Paterno was a real cool and funny dude. He told me he was going to be around forever. I didn't have to worry about him leaving. He also mentioned he's excited to have me on his team as well."

All The Sudden Not So Worried About The Future Defense

2008-05-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

Penn State lands commit #10, DE Sean Stanley from Maryland. Rated a four star prospect, he chooses Penn State over such teams as Pitt, Michigan, Georgia and Rutgers. Ha, Rutgers. That's funny.

Blue White Roundtable: We're Halfway There

2008-05-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

You know you might have a football problem when you start writing questions for yourself and then answering them in type. Well that's exactly what you are getting in the latest version of the Blue ~~and~~ White Roundtable. Don't forget to check out the other knights below:

Black Shoe Diaries | Run Up The Score | The Nittany Line | There Is No Name On My Jersey | William F. Yurasko | The Nittany Notebook | Tangled Up In White and Blue

Of the PSU players who went undrafted but were picked up by NFL teams, which one has the best chance of actually seeing playing time in The League?

Austin Scott. With his off the field issues now behind him, it will be interesting to see how well he can progress focusing solely on football. He not only has the size to be an NFL back, but he is in a great situation in Cleveland. While Jamal Lewis is the obvious starter there, he is on an expensive year to year contract. The Browns didn't pick up any tailbacks in the draft, so it's clear they will be looking to develop a cheaper alternative to the ageing Jamal during 2008.

My office recently installed those vending machines that keep the coil spinning when your selection gets snagged by the oversized potato chips in the next slot over, usually resulting in two treats for the price of one. This has improved my occasional afternoon snacking 250%.

What football technological improvement has most increased your afternoon football enjoyment the most in, say, the last five years?

The obvious choice here is HDTV, although I'm not sure when that really started to catch on in the football world. On the field graphics have been nice, giving us the First Down Line and even the Line of Scrimage Line, which is a lot like the glowing puck in that it's damn near pointless and usually more distracting than helpful.

The one line I do like, however, is the Longest Field Goal Line, showing where a team needs to drive to in order to be in a position to (maybe) hit the game winning kick.

If I had ever used one, I would be inclined to go with this, but the $50 price tag ruins the fun. Plus I'm pretty sure you could achieve the same thing with a big ziplock bag and some ducktape. Hoary ducktape.

List the top 5 Penn State games, in order of intrigue, that you would like to attend. For bonus points, include an away game.

1. Michigan - I don't care how good or bad Dickrods team ends up this year, I just want an end to this eternal streak. The losses have been painful and full of questionable calls and we are all going to be better off once this thing is behind us.
2. Oregon State - It's something new, and besides that it will be an early test against a Top 25 team. It is the first time we will be able to see just how successful this team can be.
3. Ohio State - While I don't like our chances, the upside of winning that game outweighs the fallout of losing it. It's at night and should be a good time.
4. Illinois - I want this team exposed. Pre-season #8!? Really? Plus I could use a little redemption after Morelli simply handed last year's game to them.
5. Wisconsin - Nothing interesting to add here except it will be a good chance to see how the team is progressing.

Penn State hasn't played a team from the Pac 10 in eight years (USC in the 2000 Kick-off Classic). Oregon State adds a little flavor to an otherwise very standard schedule. How do you think this season's matchups compare to prior years?

I think this is the toughest schedule Penn State has faced in a very long time. Ohio State is top five in the nation, and we play them on the road and at night. A night game at Wisconsin is also a little unsettling. Besides that, Oregon State is a Top 25 OOC game, and there is a stint in the middle of the season where Paterno will face up to four ranked teams in five weeks. Worse still, Michigan State appears to have put the John L Smith Slap Myself Late Season Slide behind them, which kind of sucks for us as their "rival".

Night games appear to be a growing trend in the Big Ten. While the 2005 Ohio State game was as good as it gets, the following year's Michigan game seemed overhyped and we all know about last season's Ohio State outcome.
This year's Penn State night schedule includes Illinois at home and tough ones in the dark at Wisconsin and at Ohio State. (I'm not sure what to make of the 4:30 kick-off against Michigan)

Here is the three-parter: (1)Does this mean that all of our big games will be played at night from here on out? (2)Do you enjoy the 8:00 or still prefer 3:30? and (3)Do you think a night kickoff actually increases home field advantage or does it simply look cooler on TV?

I'm afraid that yes, (1) they are here to stay. After the success of the Ohio State game in 2005, I think the networks, along with the schools, realized the opportunity for exposure and high ratings. With ESPN's ability to create there own hype, I don't see them passing up the chance of pitting two large market schools in a prime time slot. (2) I do enjoy the occasional night game, but mostly because they are something different. The problem is that the novelty wears off quick when every game against a .500 team is going to get the Lee Corso treatment. The buzz at the previous two night games didn't even approach that of 2005. (3) So with the sheer number of night games that players and coaches participate in, I don't think the atmosphere is any more intimidating than usual anymore. The fans may be getting used to them as well, and with so many during the season, they don't have a reason to get extra excited for an 8:00 kickoff when we have two more before the month ends.

Lighting Round:
How would Penn State finish with Iowa's 2008 schedule (substitute Iowa in place of the obvious difficult situation of playing yourself)?
Undefeated. Maybe one loss to Wisconsin.

Which RB gets the most carries this year? The most TDs?
Royster and Royster.

How much would you pay for this fall's Michigan ticket? What is the most you've ever paid to attend a PSU game?
Up to $175, but only because I really want to be at that game. I dropped $150 on last year's Ohio State game and consider that a steal. Not that this trend is going to change, but ticket prices are truly getting out of control.

The Guy's Got Jokes

2008-05-23T06:18:00.001-07:00

As easy as it is to get caught up in, you know, the football part of the Paterno-Penn State situation, I think it's important to start taking note and enjoying all the charisma things that his replacement will probably lack.

So Joe, what do you think about a college football playoff?

"I don't think so right now, and I don't know why," said Paterno, who is entering his 43rd season as Penn State's head coach. "I'm only going to be a head coach another 10 or 15 years, and I don't think it will happen by then."
...
"To be frank with you, I don't know what the reasons are not to have a playoff," Paterno said during a speaking appearance in Pittsburgh. "You can talk about missing class and all that kind of stuff, [yet] you see basketball go on forever. You have a lot of bogus excuses, but obviously the majority of people who have the say don't want it."

He's calling it exactly like he sees it, and that's something to be respected. With coaches like Meyer playing media games, and the Tressel types keeping everything close to the sweatervest, it's amazing that it takes an 81 year old man to provide the breath of fresh air.

For those of you who have wondered (like myself) why Paterno no longer votes in the Coaches' Poll:

Paterno has not voted in the coaches' poll since 2004, when he wanted to vote for undefeated Auburn but was forced to vote for Southern California after it won the BCS title game.

"They said, 'Well, you've got to vote or else you can't participate.' So I will not participate in the voting," Paterno said. "Not that I'm against what other people want to do, it's just that philosophically I think you ought to win it on the field. If I have to vote for somebody only because people have said these are the two teams that ought to be in the BCS championship game and I think they left somebody out that probably ought to be in it, that's when I'll feel a playoff ought to be appropriate. I've always been for a playoff."

A Picture Tells A Thousand Words

2008-05-23T05:13:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I find this so funny, but here is the picture from Anthony Morelli's wikipedia page:

For starters, if you were to pick one image for a quarterback, wouldn't you want to find one of him throwing? Or at least running a draw or something?

So besides the fact that he is handing it off, look who's getting the ball: Austin Scott. I find this a little bit...well I don't know what the word is but it makes me laugh. In a sad way.

I'm Getting Really Tired Of This: Zookers In The Rose Bowl

2008-05-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

Please make it stop!

The Rose Bowl's selection of a three-loss Illinois team in January sparked debate after Big 12 North champion Missouri, a team that had beaten the Illini in the season opener and held the No. 1 ranking at the end of November, was left out of the BCS. Many felt the Rose Bowl should have prioritized matchup over tradition and selected red-hot Georgia to face red-hot USC.

Ok, for the love of all that is holy, can someone get the story straight.

Why was Missouri left out of the BCS?
Because of the damn rules.

What rule?
The one that states that only two teams from a conference can play in the BCS in any given year.

What does that have to do with anything?
Well, no matter what the Rose Bowl wanted to do, they weren't allowed to select Missouri because Oklahoma and Kansas were already selected.

Oh, I see, I wonder how the WWL forgot that obvious rule...well, regardless, we should have been able to see USC and UGA in the Rose Bowl.
Why? It's not like that would have happened under the old system, so why does the BCS owe it to anyone now? Besides, look at this:

Unless they qualify to play in the NCG, the champions of selected conferences are contractually committed to host selected games:
Atlantic Coast Conference-Orange Bowl
Big Ten Conference-Rose Bowl
Big 12 Conference-Fiesta Bowl
Pac-10 Conference-Rose Bowl
Southeastern Conference-Sugar Bowl
...
C. When two bowls lose host teams [Rose lost #1 OSU, Sugar lost #2 LSU], then the bowl losing the number one team [Rose] may not select a replacement team from the same Conference as the number two team [The SEC, or, more specifically, Georgia], unless the bowl losing the number two team [The Sugar] consents[Ya fucking right].

You see that? The only way that the Rose could get a USC-UGA matchup, even if they wanted one, was if the Sugar decided to just give away Georgia. Not. Gonna. Happen. Why would they? Give up a regional draw for Illinois? An Illinois team, and an Illinois fanbase, that is going to feel like they were screwed out of that 'magical' trip to the Grandaddy Of Them All? Doubt it.

Worst. Story. Ever.

2008-05-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

In my tireless quest for Penn State related information, I found what sounded like an encouraging story I could pass along. The headline:

Time Warner Ramping Up Negotiations With Big Ten Network

Never mind that I don't have Time Warner, or really care about the Big Ten Network fight anymore (it's an excuse to get to the bar at 11:30 am), but I suppose the more cable companies that carry the BTN the better.

Well the first let down was finding out it's from a local NBC station in Columbus, Ohio.

It may be spring, but in central Ohio, it's always Buckeye football season. And with the Buckeyes now ranked number one in an ESPN poll, is Time Warner closer to striking a deal with the Big Ten Network so you can see all the games this season?

You know, just because "it's always Buckeye football season" doesn't mean that you can be ranked. In fact, every poll I've seen has Ohio State no higher than 4th.

Of course, they are probably talking about preseason polls. Never mind that those aren't due out for another four months or so, or that ESPN doesn't sponsor any pre-season polls, or that last years pre-season Top 5 included Michigan...never mind things that make sense...this is going to be the best football season eva11!1!

Fans are gearing up for what they expect to be one of the most exciting OSU football seasons ever. “I'm hoping national championship this year,” says Buckeyes fan, Erik Gossnikle.

Did you hear that, guys? A fan in Columbus is 'hoping' for a national championship! This is some groundbreaking shit! Oh, right, the cable deal:

But with anticipation of another year of Ohio State football, comes anxiety for some fans that if their [sic*] not at Ohio Stadium to watch the game, they could miss it. Last year, Time Warner customers missed four games due to disagreements between the cable giant and cable rookie, Big Ten Network.

“It was very frustrating,” says OSU fan, Daniel Lundy.

Here man, the end of you frustration. They are called sports bars, and there are lots of them.

Ok, let's get back on track here: give me the breaking news that warrants the language "Ramping Up Negotiations":

Judy Barbao with Time Warner says next week, after taking several months off, officials will sit down with Fox, the company that owns the Big Ten Network to ramp up negotiations. “I would say we are optimistic we will have productive talks and we are hopefully we will reach an agreement with big ten network before football season,” Barbao says.

I think I speak for all of us when I say: thanks for nothing. Based on that quote it doesn't even sound like they are in negotiations right now, so to say that they are ramping up is a bit misleading. Oh, and Fox doesn't own the BTN.

But before we finish with this non-story rittled with bad journalism, let's check back in with your National Championship hopeful Erik Gossnikle:

“I'd love to be able to watch it from home,” says Grossnikle. And in the end, that’s all fans like him care about.

Well at least they nailed the ending.

* I understand that me calling out other's grammar mistakes is a bit of a joke considering there is probably one in this footnote, but I don't get paid to do this and I never claimed to be good at it anyway.

When Stupid Goes Wrong: Odds Preview Edition

2008-05-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention where I lifted those odd from yesterday. Well, as an added bonus, they included some worthless Big Ten analysis:

PENN STATE (+5000 in the BetUS odds) -- Linebacker Dan Connor was a big loss for the defense, but even worse, Sean Lee looked like he was going to step forward as another potential All-America, but went down with a knee injury that ended his season before it started. Anthony Morelli was not spectacular enough to lead Penn State to a Big Ten title, but he showed steadiness. Darryl Clark and Pat Devlin will battle it out for the starting QB position. There are some talented offensive players, but no game-changers. This team will go as far as the defense takes it, and leading that defense are standout defensive ends Josh Gaines and Maurice Evans. Joe Paterno will get to a bowl, and maybe even a good one, but there are no realistic national championship hopes.

If I were to write down 5,000 words to describe Anthony Morelli, "steadiness" would probably not make the list. That comment alone totally dismisses any credibility this guy may try to bring to the table; it's clear at this point that he has watched zero Penn State football games in at least the last two years.

Moving on, saying Penn State has "no game-changers" isn't quite as dumb as the "steadiness" thing, but still a bit dismissive and ill-informed. Williams is still explosive, and he can be a game changer when we call plays that aren't horribly predictable (this, unfortunately, doesn't happen much). Besides that, our tailbacks look to be very good this year, and Clark showed in the bowl game that he is athletic as hell.

Finally, we are obviously not a pre-season Top 10 team, but to say that there is no "realistic" hopes, again, shows that the person writing this nonsense simply doesn't care enough to look at any kind of relevant information. Let's look at the schedule:

August 30 Coastal Carolina Home Time TBA Big Favorite
September 6 Oregon State Home Time TBA Favorite
September 13 Syracuse Away Time TBA Big Favorite
September 20 Temple Home Time TBA Big Favorite
September 27 Illinois (1) Home 8:00 p.m. Favorite
October 4 Purdue Away Time TBA Favorite
October 11 Wisconsin Away Time TBA ???
October 18 Michigan (2) Home 4:30 p.m. Favorite
October 25 Ohio State Away 8:00 p.m. Underdog
November 8 Iowa Away Time TBA Favorite
November 15 Indiana Home Time TBA Big Favorite
November 22 Michigan State Home Time TBA Favorite

In summary:
Likely Big Favorite: 4 games
Likely Favorite: 6 games
Likely Underdog: 1
Undecided: Wisconsin

Even if you throw Wisconsin into the likely loss category, we are looking at what could be a 10-2 season if the favorites win these games. It is not "unrealistic" for Penn State to beat Wisconsin and end the season 11-1. From there, it's not entirely "unrealistic" to think that an 11-1 team could get into the BCS MNC.

I understand I am gleaming with optimism here, but I find it difficult to conclude Penn State is already out of it.

I'd love to hear what this guy said before the 2005 season. I'm not saying we'll get to that level, but if the quarterback situation gets filled properly, and a couple of linebackers step into leadership rolls, we are looking at a team with a lot of upside.

When People Don't Think Before They Speak, Recruiting Gets Weird

2008-05-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Kansas' Coach Mangino on recruiting:

"My point is there's disinformation," Mangino said. "There's misinformation, because the kids even play games with these guys now and stroke them about they're going to take a visit here when the school is not recruiting them, and saying that they're considering Kansas and we talked to the guy the night before and we can't get to first base with him. [emphasis mine]

Nice choice of words, Mark, because you stalking 17 year old kids isn't already kinda weird.

Mythical National Championship Odds For 2008

2008-05-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

The top contenders nationally:

Southern Cal +300
Florida +600
Georgia +900
LSU +1000
Ohio State +1000
Oklahoma +1000
Texas +1200
West Virginia +1400
Virginia Tech +1400
Missouri +1400

A couple things jump out: Florida at 6:1 and UGA 9:1? With the amount of love Gergia is getting from the media, I would have thought those would be switched. Besides that, the game between these two is a home game for the Bulldogs.

Secondly, I would have though Ohio State would be closer to the top. I know there is a rather large backlash from the back-to-back losses, but they still got to the BCS MNC and are, without question, the most talented team in the Big Ten. An early game at Southern Cal will be a difficult game, and a loss will hurt their chances of finishing in the Top 2, however wins are still king and, even with a loss to SC, running the Big Ten table will probably still land them in the big game; and once you're there anything can happen. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that they get Penn State and Michigan at home.

Anyway, the top Big X contenders:

OHIO STATE +1000
ILLINOIS +3000
WISCONSIN +4000
PENN STATE +5000
MICHIGAN STATE +7000
IOWA +10000

After seeing several Way Too Early Pre-Summer Polls that have Michigan State ranked ahead of PSU, this is a bit of a relief. There is always the risk that your homerism and blinders mean you don't quite know how good or bad your team will be, but even without Lee I just can't imagine a situation where we would finish behind MSU, who plays @Cal, @Ohio State and @Penn State. All in all, though, this is about what I expected. We really weren't very good last year despite winning some big games again Wisconsin and A&M, from an outsiders perception I can understand being ranked fourth in the Big Ten, especially with our five week stretch that include Illinois, @Purdue, @Wisconsin, Michigan, @Ohio State....that is brutal.

I still am shocked at how many people are on the Zooker bandwagon. They play Missouri at a neutral site (I think, definitely not home), and then play @Penn State and @Michigan in back to back weeks (although I guess Michigan could be pretty bad this year). I also don't think people realize how good Rashard Mendenhall really was. Besides rushing for almost 1700 yards, he also was the second leading receiver in terms of catchings and the third in terms of yardage. Oh, and the whole USC/Rose Bowl thing last year doesn't usually help your public perception.

If The Centre County DA Was A Baseball Player, He Would Still Suck

2008-05-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

How things like this can go on simply baffles me, I mean how bad do you have to be at your job to get fired? Apparently pretty bad.

Below is a complete list (I think) of charges filed against Penn State football players starting with the Scorotto thing. I found it on several message boards after a quick search, I've updated where appropriate:

1. Anthony P. Scirrotto - Burglary, criminal trespass, criminal solicitation, simple assault, harassment. - Dismissed
2. Chris I. Baker - Burglary, criminal trespass criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, harassment - Dismissed
3. Jerome A. Hayes - Criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, harassment. - Dismissed
4. Justin King - Criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, harassment. - Dismissed
5. Tyrell A. Sales - Criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, harassment - Dismissed
6. Lydell R. Sargeant - Criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, harassment - Dismissed
7. Andrew Quarless - Underage Drinking - Guilty
8. Willie Harriot - Underage Drinking - Guilty
9. Austin Scott - Rape, Drugs[ed - really?] - Dismissed
10. Joe Suhey - Underage Drinking - Guilty
11. Ryan Breen - Underage Drinking - Guilty,
12. Joe Paterno - Road Rage - No Charges [ed - then why the hell is it on the list?]
13. Chris Baker - Felony aggravated assault, simple assault, disorderly conduct, summary harassment and stalking, - Essentially Dismissed
14. Navarro Bowman - Felony aggravated assault, simple assault, disorderly conduct, summary harassment and stalking, - Dismissed (I Think)
15. Knowledge Timmons - Disorderly conduct and defiant trespass - [ed - or more accurately, "Getting Really Pissed Off About Losing An iPhone" - Dismissed
16. Tyrell Sales ? Under age drinking 2008 ? Pending
....
So let's do some quick math, and to get back to the title of the post: If Centre County District Attorney Michael T. Madeira was a baseball player, and filing felony charges since 2007 against football players were "at bats", he would be batting zero.

For baseball stat-losers*, that's a .000 OBS, a .000 Slugging%, and, most importantly, an OPS+ of -73**.

As for the underages, I hate to sound dismissive about this, but they happen. There are too many reasons not to get worked up about them.

*Present company included.
**Roughly...depends on what you consider a "strike out".

Number Of Profitable Football Programs Increased

2008-05-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

To 19? WTF?

Without subsidies, athletics departments at 19 of the 119 schools in Division I-A (now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision) made money in fiscal 2006 — up from 18 in '05 and '06 — and 16 did so over the three-year period.

With all the emphasis on money and football, and the fact that you (almost?) never hear about programs folding for financial reasons, this sounds like some fuzzy accounting to me.

The report showed that for the 67 I-A football programs that showed a program-generated surplus in fiscal year 2006, the average surplus was nearly $8.8 million, while among the 52 programs that showed a deficit, the average deficit was a little more than $2.5 million.

The report also showed that for the 19 I-A athletic departments that showed a surplus in fiscal 2006, the average surplus was nearly $4.3 million, while among the 99 departments that showed a deficit that year, the average deficit was a little more than $8.9 million.

Both gaps have grown since fiscal 2004.

I'm simply not buying that only 19 football programs make money. With an increasing lineup of bowl games, an ever expanding lineup of televised games, and a D1a list that is actually growing, something has to be off here.

For the study, athletics-generated revenues were defined as those from sources such as ticket sales, conference revenue sharing and donations. School-allocated revenues were those from sources such as student fees and direct and indirect institutional support, including utilities and maintenance.

What is the difference between "athletics-generated" and "school-allocated" revenues? Regardless, it doesn't sound like this is taking into account the large boost home games give to the local economy, the way success on the football field can impact the number (and thus quality) of applicants, or, and this I don't get, TV revenue?!?!

Penn State is typically one of the top 15 most profitable programs, netting roughly $26 million a year.

The Legend Of Link

2008-05-16T05:38:00.000-07:00

-Yes, Paterno stopped by the hospital yesterday, and was promptly released. Don't need anymore news like that.
-You might remember the argument saying "recruiting does matter", well let's take it a step further: star-ratings correlation to NFL Draft position.
-Puff piece on Wallace and King.
-Jeff Rice has jokes! Ten ways to kill time during the offseason.

When Things Working Out Ends Up Twice As Nice!

2008-05-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

Is there anything better than the thought of a disappointed Notre Dame fan? Probably, but this is still fun:

A quick Google search yielded this golden nugget from a Notre Dame message board:

The story I've heard is, where he's grown up in PA, you're either a Notre Dame fan, or a Penn State fan. Word is that his family tree is littered with Irish fans, so most ND followers feel the Irish have a definite inside track.

Lord knows after this year we could point to our game footage and say, "Look at that line, and tell me there aren't playing time opportunities..."

Enter: Verbal commitment to PSU.

West Scranton offensive lineman Eric Shrive decided to end the recruiting process this morning when he called Penn State head coach Joe Paterno to tell him that he wanted to be a Nittany Lion.

Shrive, a four-star prospect and one of the top offensive tackles in the nation, is ranked No. 68 in the Rivals100. [-Ed: He is a five star on Scouts]

This is a big pickup.

Old School vs. New School

2008-05-15T05:50:00.000-07:00

The Big Ten wants to spearhead a new dead period in the summer:

"We've gone to a policy where three coaches have to be in the office at all times," Purdue coach Joe Tiller said Wednesday. "God forbid you're not there when you've got a pretty good prospect and his parents standing outside the door. A dead period means no body's going to drift into your office.

For a guy who is getting fired at the end of the year, I'm not sure why Tiller still cares. But good for him.

If approved, the proposal would be taken to the NCAA. Gaining the support from head coaches of other conferences will be vital and could be difficult, given the opposition from some to new rules prohibiting off-campus recruiting visits during the spring evaluation period.

"I don't know if everybody will buy it or not," Tiller said. "If not, I suppose we could do something independently as a conference, but I think we're going to take the lead on this nationally."

Really bad idea: tell Big Ten coaches they can't recruit while the other 109 schools in the nation can.

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez supports the plan and noted the benefit of having dead periods, like the one during the annual American Football Coaches Association convention.

"That would be healthy."

Going out on a limb here:

Coaches For The Proposed Dead Period
Tiller - Even though he's not coaching anymore.
Alvarez - Who isn't coaching, but still gets to speak.
Paterno - Probably thinks there already is a dead period in the summer.

Coaches Against The Proposed Dead Period
Dickrod - How is he suppose to steal Tiller's recruits if he can't talk to them?
Tressel - The biggest PA high school basketball fan you've ever met, since 2008.
Zook - Although he's already found a loophole.

Ouch...

2008-05-15T04:08:00.000-07:00

From WWL 'expert' Ivan The Terrible:

Behind the Buckeyes, the race gets interesting. Wisconsin will challenge. After the Badgers, which team comes next? Is Illinois ready to handle being the hunted? Can quarterback Juice Williams run for 755 yards again, without first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall there to distract the defense? Some challenger will emerge from mediocrity. Penn State? Iowa? Michigan State? Northwestern?

Yes, The University of Ohio State is, without question, the favorite this year. They did too well in the conference last season and have too many quality people to reload with. After that, does it really go: Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern (or other teams of "mediocrity"?). This is your classic example of ESPN analysis that consists of looking at last years standings, applying some well known events like Michigan turnover, and acting like you have a clue.

Keep up the good work Ivan.

Update: Oh, and he is...

Notre Dame's offensive line got pushed around last year but didn't seem to do much about it. The linemen have gotten bigger and stronger. If they also have gotten more aggressive, Clausen will be able to set his feet.

Are you kidding me? If Notre Dame lineman can get bigger, stronger and more aggressive, the quarterback will be able to set his feet....BRILLIANT!