The Lion's Den http://www.nittanyfootball.com/index.php/site/index/ en psudoc@verizon.net Copyright 2009 2009-11-09T22:14:01-05:00 The Scarlet’s Better http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lionsden/~3/dQU4PSiURrA/ The 300th game in Beaver Stadium was not one for the record books.  A top ten crowd of over 110,000 fans were shocked, stunned, disappointed, and to a large degree embarrassed by the play of their team in this contest.  At least the weather was nice.  Maybe that was the problem . . .our team had no experience playing in good weather.  Perhaps we should have hosed the field down and kept the game balls wet. I jest.  There are no excuses.  There were… LionsDen The 300th game in Beaver Stadium was not one for the record books.  A top ten crowd of over 110,000 fans were shocked, stunned, disappointed, and to a large degree embarrassed by the play of their team in this contest.  At least the weather was nice. 

Maybe that was the problem . . .our team had no experience playing in good weather.  Perhaps we should have hosed the field down and kept the game balls wet.

I jest.  There are no excuses.  There were…

]]> 2009-11-09T21:14:01-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/lionsden/the_scarlets_better/ Purple Wane http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lionsden/~3/A-Gpovxal3I/ Halloween got a little scary for the Penn State Nittany Lion football team.  Northwestern came out playing like one-eyed, one horned flying purple Lion eaters, taking a 13-10 halftime lead into the lockerroom.  But Penn State stormed back with a second half defense that did not yield a point, and three quick scores to pull the plug on purplepalooza before a crowd of 30,546.  Northwestern fumbled on their first drive, but the Wildcat defense held off the Penn State offense… LionsDen Halloween got a little scary for the Penn State Nittany Lion football team.  Northwestern came out playing like one-eyed, one horned flying purple Lion eaters, taking a 13-10 halftime lead into the lockerroom.  But Penn State stormed back with a second half defense that did not yield a point, and three quick scores to pull the plug on purplepalooza before a crowd of 30,546. 

Northwestern fumbled on their first drive, but the Wildcat defense held off the Penn State offense…

]]> 2009-11-02T00:23:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/lionsden/purple_wane/ The Beatagain Wolverines http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lionsden/~3/XWaXHeAq36c/ Penn State gave up its first touchdown in the first half of a game this entire season, but then outscored the miserable wolverines 35-3 en route to a 7-1 record.  And the final score doesn’t even reflect how poor this THEM team really is.  Why any recruit would even consider joining that mess in Ann Arbor is beyond me. Is anyone surprised by the 35-10 outcome?  Granted, a lot of Penn State fans were nervous about this game . . . but that was anxiety over whether we would… LionsDen Penn State gave up its first touchdown in the first half of a game this entire season, but then outscored the miserable wolverines 35-3 en route to a 7-1 record.  And the final score doesn’t even reflect how poor this THEM team really is.  Why any recruit would even consider joining that mess in Ann Arbor is beyond me.

Is anyone surprised by the 35-10 outcome?  Granted, a lot of Penn State fans were nervous about this game . . . but that was anxiety over whether we would…

]]> 2009-10-25T20:01:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/lionsden/the_beatagain_wolverines/ Minnesota Flats http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lionsden/~3/UcqKKgBUnYQ/ Snow covered the grass parking lots, a misty rain fell through most of the game, but the Nittany Lion team put on their best performance of the season for the Homecoming crowd of 107,981 en route to beating the Minnesota Gophers 20-0.  This was the first shut-out since PSU beat Temple in 2007.  It was the first “complete” game the Lions have played this year, although special team coverage and punt returns continued to be a weak spot. Daryll Clark threw for 287 yards, completing… LionsDen Snow covered the grass parking lots, a misty rain fell through most of the game, but the Nittany Lion team put on their best performance of the season for the Homecoming crowd of 107,981 en route to beating the Minnesota Gophers 20-0.  This was the first shut-out since PSU beat Temple in 2007.  It was the first “complete” game the Lions have played this year, although special team coverage and punt returns continued to be a weak spot.

Daryll Clark threw for 287 yards, completing…

]]> 2009-10-19T00:54:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/lionsden/minnesota_flats/ “Critical” Game http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lionsden/~3/hZlbeT7tCjU/ Old Bob Spoo he had a team, E – I – E – I – U! And on this team, great players few, E – I – E – I – U! With a dink pass here, and a field goal there, Here a sack, move them back, everywhere the team lacks, Old Bob Spoo he had a team, E – I – E – I – U! Penn State beat EIEIU 52-3 on what started out as a dismal, chilly October day.  By the fourth quarter, the sun was breaking through the clouds, and Penn State did just what a nationally… LionsDen Notice: Only variables should be assigned by reference in /nfs/c01/h09/mnt/3553/domains/nittanyfootball.com/html/NFadmin/plugins/Filter_HTML/HTMLFilter.php on line 737

Notice: Only variables should be assigned by reference in /nfs/c01/h09/mnt/3553/domains/nittanyfootball.com/html/NFadmin/plugins/Filter_HTML/HTMLFilter.php on line 737

Notice: Only variables should be assigned by reference in /nfs/c01/h09/mnt/3553/domains/nittanyfootball.com/html/NFadmin/plugins/Filter_HTML/HTMLFilter.php on line 737

Notice: Only variables should be assigned by reference in /nfs/c01/h09/mnt/3553/domains/nittanyfootball.com/html/NFadmin/plugins/Filter_HTML/HTMLFilter.php on line 737

Old Bob Spoo he had a team, E – I – E – I – U!
And on this team, great players few, E – I – E – I – U!
With a dink pass here, and a field goal there,
Here a sack, move them back, everywhere the team lacks,
Old Bob Spoo he had a team, E – I – E – I – U!

Penn State beat EIEIU 52-3 on what started out as a dismal, chilly October day.  By the fourth quarter, the sun was breaking through the clouds, and Penn State did just what a nationally…

]]> 2009-10-11T22:44:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/lionsden/critical_game/ ILL-prepared?  NOT! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lionsden/~3/WM6msaUxaUo/ Penn State defeated Illinois in Champaign 35-17, but only led 7-3 at the midway point.  It was not a thing of beauty, but such beauty is in the eyes of the winner.  This game took on a whole new meaning after the fourth quarter collapse part Deux last weekend.  The pressure of an undefeated season was gone, but in its place were new doubts about what this team could achieve.  Would we be prepared? I am not going to spend a lot of time recapping this game as I LionsDen Penn State defeated Illinois in Champaign 35-17, but only led 7-3 at the midway point.  It was not a thing of beauty, but such beauty is in the eyes of the winner.  This game took on a whole new meaning after the fourth quarter collapse part Deux last weekend.  The pressure of an undefeated season was gone, but in its place were new doubts about what this team could achieve.  Would we be prepared?

I am not going to spend a lot of time recapping this game as I

]]> 2009-10-04T22:57:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/lionsden/ill_prepared_not/ Wet Out http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lionsden/~3/hx0wKxgCjOw/ A steady rain turned Penn State’s White Out into a Wet Out, but it was the !*w@ Hawkeyes that drowned the Lion’s season, beating them 21-10.  What was most painful was the way it happened.  Last year, the Lion’s took a #3 ranking and a 9 point lead into the final quarter, only to leave with a loss.  Yesterday, the Lion’s clung to a 5 point lead with a #4 ranking, only to see the Hawks paste 16 points in the final quarter, keyed by a blocked punt that put !*w@ in the lead… LionsDen A steady rain turned Penn State’s White Out into a Wet Out, but it was the !*w@ Hawkeyes that drowned the Lion’s season, beating them 21-10.  What was most painful was the way it happened.  Last year, the Lion’s took a #3 ranking and a 9 point lead into the final quarter, only to leave with a loss.  Yesterday, the Lion’s clung to a 5 point lead with a #4 ranking, only to see the Hawks paste 16 points in the final quarter, keyed by a blocked punt that put !*w@ in the lead…

]]> 2009-09-27T14:45:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/lionsden/wet_out/ Nothing To Hoot About http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lionsden/~3/gyASQ7XsD8g/ On a sun-splashed Saturday in Happy Valley, the Nittany Lions continued their dominance over the Temple Owls, winning 31-6.  The Lion defense kept the Owls from scoring a touchdown—Temple has not reached the endzone against Penn State in the last four games.  No team has scored a TD in the first half this year. But the story is still the inconsistent offense.  The good news:  the running game looked better.  Royster crossed the century mark for the first time… LionsDen On a sun-splashed Saturday in Happy Valley, the Nittany Lions continued their dominance over the Temple Owls, winning 31-6.  The Lion defense kept the Owls from scoring a touchdown—Temple has not reached the endzone against Penn State in the last four games.  No team has scored a TD in the first half this year.

But the story is still the inconsistent offense.  The good news:  the running game looked better.  Royster crossed the century mark for the first time…

]]> 2009-09-20T23:26:01-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/lionsden/nothing_to_hoot_about/ Fruit of the Doomed http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lionsden/~3/AmVqxER5vQo/ With weather threatening rain and trouble organizing my tailgate party, we arrived at the game a little later than usual, but still in plenty of time. Unfortunately, my usually quiet neck of the Nittany woods was teeming with people. Now for years, I have dealt with the issues of driving through the lot, weaving between tents and chairs and fans drinking beer. Why is it so hard to get out of the way? I’m sorry I didn’t come as early as you did—but I paid for my spot just like you.… LionsDen With weather threatening rain and trouble organizing my tailgate party, we arrived at the game a little later than usual, but still in plenty of time. Unfortunately, my usually quiet neck of the Nittany woods was teeming with people.

Now for years, I have dealt with the issues of driving through the lot, weaving between tents and chairs and fans drinking beer. Why is it so hard to get out of the way? I’m sorry I didn’t come as early as you did—but I paid for my spot just like you.…

]]> 2009-09-14T01:05:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/lionsden/fruit_of_the_doomed/ Half Way There http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lionsden/~3/FGtiZPIatWk/ It was a tale of two halves--the best of times; the worst of times. Truth be told, it was a good but not great half versus a half that was a struggle to sit through. The second half of the Akron game was worse than watching paint dry. It was worse than having a tooth pulled, sans novocaine. It was worse than the 6-4 fiasco against Iowa several years back, if you can believe that. I was so bored I cut my fingernails during the game. Actually, I chewed them off, but it’s technically the same… LionsDen It was a tale of two halves--the best of times; the worst of times. Truth be told, it was a good but not great half versus a half that was a struggle to sit through. The second half of the Akron game was worse than watching paint dry. It was worse than having a tooth pulled, sans novocaine. It was worse than the 6-4 fiasco against Iowa several years back, if you can believe that. I was so bored I cut my fingernails during the game. Actually, I chewed them off, but it’s technically the same…

]]> 2009-09-07T00:23:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/lionsden/half_way_there/