January 02, 2007
1987 Fiesta Bowl - was that 20 years ago already?
As a half-assed writer, I appreciate when major outlets like ESPN publish good writing by freelancers. I am also an avid Penn State fan. So I was doubly tickled today by Michael Weinreb's piece looking back on the 1987 Fiesta Bowl. Penn State beat Miami in that game, 14-10 ("the best game ever," as hyperbole-prone ESPN puts it). Weinreb re-creates not only the insanity of the hoopla of the hype leading to the game (UM's Battle fatigues, Jimmy Johnson's hairspray, etc.) but its lasting effect on the mega-glitz of today's BCS.
One issue PSU fans might have is that the 20th anniversary of the game is also a reminder it's been 20 years since our last national championship (let's not even discuss 1994).
UPDATE: Time Mag's January 1987 write-up is worth a look.
Posted by bill at 05:27 PM | Comments (0)
September 09, 2006
Hail to the Lions
In college football, Penn State takes on Notre Dame at 3:30 today, in the first UND-PSU matchup since November 1992, when I was a freshman at Penn State watching the infamous (to some) "Snow Bowl". It's one of those games Joe Paterno wants to win more than he'd let on, IMO. In 1973 Notre Dame was selected over Penn State as national champions. Paterno was miffed enough that he bought his undefeated team championship rings, although it wasn't the first or last time an undefeated PSU team would be overlooked. Overall, the series is tied, 8-8-1. A preview of PSU/ND:
A biased prediction: PSU and the best linebackers in the country can contain ND, and run the ball better than they did last week; ND can't keep up with Air Morelli. 27-20 Penn State.
Posted by bill at 09:52 AM | Comments (0)
February 20, 2006
Raising $4,214,748.18 for people they'll probably never meet
Want to feel good about something? Read thisstory about Penn State's annual Dance Marathon, which is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. Read more about "Thon" here and if you'd like, send donations here.
Posted by bill at 08:12 PM | Comments (0)
January 16, 2006
More on the hippest university in the country
In September we learned Penn State has the hippest marching band in the country. Now, January's college issue of W featured a spread on people and faces at Penn State. Way cool, not that I'm paying attention to goings on in the fashion world. And doesn't PSU's President look an awful lot like PSU's logo?
PSU Nittany Lion Logo:
PSU President Graham Spanier:
(Via CNNSI.)
Posted by bill at 10:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 03, 2006
Live blogging the [excruciating] Orange Bowl
What the hell. (Note: You must refresh page to see updated witty banter.)
8:10 - I see there's another "White Out" - my sources tell me it's all Penn State in Miami, and tickets are somewhat easy to come by. If anyone needs 2, my last two are for sale.
8:13 - Bold prediction: No way Derrick Williams sees the field.
8:15 - FSU, "walking out as one"...group of freed inmates. PSU band sounds lovely, aye? Paterno is very tan.
8:19 - What does the NCAA think of this tomahawk chop?
8:20 - FSU looks coherent on O - but PSU tends to wear opponents down. The first drive may be FSU's best.
8:24 - FSU's first dirty play. Reminding me of Miami, 1987.
8:30 - phone is ringing in my apartment. Whoever it is, please stop calling. Nevermind. It's Mike from Harrisburg.
8:24 - Paul Posluszny (spelling from memory). Maybe he'll stay for his senior year.
8:35 - Did anyone mention the Orange Bowl is brought to us by Fed Ex? Is there really a truck driving up those stairs?
8:40 - Re: Michael Robinson - what they aren't saying is that at media day in Chicago, no one paid attention to PSU, and many laughed at MRob when he said his goal was to get to the Rose Bowl.
8:45 - Tony who? :) (Kidding, of course.) My wife likes the PSU tuba player.
8:42 - Austin Scott is seeing more action than he has most of the season. Where's Tony Hunt? (Whoa! 28-yard gain!) When I was at Penn State, we used to say that Penn State could beat anyone if Paterno has 6 weeks to prepare. Mike Tirico believes it.
8:53 - FSU Holding Tamba Hali, who is a monster but a helluva guy. Bound to see a lot of this. I hope Hunt can come back. Hunt is a joy to watch, and he deserves this game.
8:57 - Michael Robinson does these things; good offensive interference call on FSU. I just get the feeling they (FSU) aren't confident enough to play without risking these penalties.
8:59 - This FSU O is sorta pitiful.
9:04 - My wife can read lips. But she doesn't understand why I'd want to know what Joe Paterno is saying.
9:06 - PSU President Graham "Cracker" Spanier didn't exactly deny that he and AD Tim Curley asked JoePa to retire after last year.
9:11 - MRob will just drive you crazy. And there's so much speed to cover on the field for FSU to cover.
9:14 - Penn State fans! Raise your hand if you'd heard of Deon Butler before this season.
9:17 - Austin Scott - you may run like Hunt, but you block like Barbie.
9:22 - "How did Penn State not recover the football?" I dunno.'
9:27 - From the Seminoles' message board: "And you are a big @#%$ for calling a dirty play on us and calling us inmates. Blog away, bitch." No, you're a bitch. Bwaahh!
9:32 - Paterno's clamped down the O, and he's going to look to the D to win the game, kinda like vs. OSU. This is going to be a 17-7 type game. As for the White Out, I dunno.
9:35 - Interception reveals a lot about FSU QB, me thinks. And not good things.
9:37 - John Stamos?
Bold prediction #2: that show will stink.
9:41 - Holy hell, it's 7-7.
9:46 - A score would be nice here. We look like doggy doo on O. The Seminoles D is very fast.
9:48 - To borrow a phrase from my former , PSU looks "disorientated."
9:50 - You'd think we'd make FSU throw the ball downfield before letting them score on a screen.
9:55 - 2006 Orange Bowl, meet September 2005 Michael Robinson.
9:58 - At least the review gives time for well-deserved props for Scott Paxson.
10:02 - Let's get 3 here. Two makeable completions....
10:04 - Touchdown! My wife gets the quote of the half: "He [Robinson] makes me so nervous when he pulls that crap." I am not sure about these reviews - this is the first I've ever heard a ref say there's indisputable evidence the call on the field is correct; you need "indisputable evidence" to overturn. To uphold, you need an absence of "indisputable evidence" the call is wrong. Law school anyone?
10:09 - Halftime, back afterwards...
10:23 - Halftime show entitled, "The Dry-humping of a Janet Jackson wannabe." Hey Fed Ex, who do you think is watching this game? Only people in Miami? Where are the marching bands?
10:27 - I like Penn State's OB commercial, but I also like Slate's article yesterday ridiculing that genre ("If you like our football team, you'll love our chem labs full of Asian students").
10:35 - Second half! "Adjustments" - for PSU: punt coverage, punt returns.
10:36 - I'm amazed at FSU D's speed. I have to think their O is positively awful if FSU is 8-4. Another 3 & out for Penn State.
10:39 - I think I work with Ned from the FedEx commercial. ("We don't get French benefits!?")
10:47 - Some baseball manager once said of Candlestick Park that it looked like a toilet bowl with the lid open. Maybe he was talking about the OB?
10:49 - Matt Hahn, who went to high school in Smithtown, New York.
10:50 - Alternate lyrics to PSU fight song ("Fight on State")
Up the gut! (Stuff!)
Up the gut! (Stuff!)
Up the gut! Stuff! Punt!
This is the D's game.
10:52 - More good D by PSU. I really think all we need is another score. Now, about that offense...
10:58 - I haven't seen Joe this fired up for a long time. This is huge game for PSU's program. Punt coverage anyone?
11:01 - FSU's punt returns are giving this game to FSU. Ugh. JoePa seems content sitting on a one point lead, but I dunno. I think we need a little Justin King, although now we're going to be in our end zone. Double ugh. I don't like seeing Galen Hall rubbing his head like that. Think, Galen, think!
11:09 - Field position! Crikey.
11:13 - I'd like to think we've been wearing the FSU defense down, but it's not shaking out that way, aye? That was a weak pass interference call but it makes up for the non-hold on Poz a few plays earlier.
11:20 - Field position, finally. Bowden's 4th & 2 try was revealing. He's down by 1 and has had field position all night. Why risk field position? Because he knows it might've been his O's best last chance to get deep in PSU territory and score. Bodes well for PSU, now that FSU is trapped at its 10.
11:29 - So Bowden's gamble backfires. FSU loses field position and composure, and there goes the Mo. This isn't figure skating - no style points.
11:33 - FSU's D continues to impress but the writing's on the wall, IMO. Finally, some downfield throws.
11:38 - I have to say, this has been a nasty game. Mostly clean but good Lord. FSU's penalties are incredible, though.
11:45 - I leave the room for three seconds and I miss the fumble. Let's see what the PSU D has to offer.
11:46 - I'm now in raving lunatic Bill mode. Vague grunts, screams, yelps, etc. My unnamed angel fish is glaring at me. My wife has left the room. How on earth did he hit that pass?
11:54 - Let's hope Poz is all right.
12:00 - Squeaks it in. I thought he hooked it. Damn, damn, damn. I don't like the idea of OT. Must. Score. Now.
12:03 - It is about freaking time they call FSU's roughing Robinson.
12:11 - This last drive is freaky if you saw the Penn State-Northwestern game - the turning point of PSU's season...
12:16 - Where have you gone, Craig Fayak?
12:22 - I can't possibly add anything. The game's on ABC. Adios.
Posted by bill at 08:09 PM | Comments (1)
Penn State 31, Florida State 10
Tonight's Orange Bowl (8 pm EST): Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Florida State Criminoles. The matchup here.
More:
- Why to root for Penn State.
- I was one of the few optimists heading into the 2005 season.
- Joe Pa versus Bobby Bowden? Get real.
- 2005 ndividual game recaps here.
Posted by bill at 05:24 PM | Comments (0)
December 20, 2005
Congrats Joe Paterno
It's official: Paterno is the Coach of the Year.
My favorite:
So much for critics who said the game had passed him by.
"The only thing I wanted to do is try to get us back to where we were a good football team and we could be very competitive and make some plays we hadn't made," he said. "We got that done, and I feel good about that."
Posted by bill at 06:06 PM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2005
Hail to the Lions
Congrats to Penn State DL Tamba Hali and Linebacker Paul Posluszny, who were named today to the AP All-American team. Poz is a junior linebacker who last weekend won the Dick Butkus award, given to the nation's best linebacker. On the second team were OT Levi Brown, and senior CB Alan Zemaitis. Even better: both Poz and Levi Brown plan to return for the 2006 season.
Posted by bill at 10:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 05, 2005
Considering the BCS
Although ESPN's official take on January's BCS matchups is to puff them up, I don't particularly trust ESPN to report these things objectively. As a Penn State fan I would've liked to see a Penn State/Notre Dame matchup. Most seem to agree. Joe Paterno/Bobby Bowden has its charm, and Notre Dame/OSU will be intriguing (with any luck for the Irish), but the fact is the matchups, all around, pale next what we could've seen had a playoff had been in place (and h/t to my friend Mike from Chicago, who is a ND alum and partisan, for pointing this out):
Week one:
USC v. Miami
Texas v. Georgia
PSU v. ND
OSU v. Oregon
Second week:
USC/Miami v. OSU/Oregon
Texas/Georgia v. ND/PSU
Now that would be intriguing. As it stands, I'm hoping PSU waxes FSU, and that OSU waxes UND (sorry Mike). I just don't think UND belongs in that game.
Posted by bill at 09:41 PM | Comments (0)
December 02, 2005
Stupid Republican tricks
Now that the House Committee on Energy Commerce has fixed Medicaid, etc. and otherwise fulfilled its "responsibility for legislative oversight relating to telecommunications, consumer protection, food and drug safety, public health, air quality and environmental health, the supply and delivery of energy, and interstate and foreign commerce in general," naturally it has plenty of spare time to meddle with college football. It's just good government because, as Chairman Joe Barton says, "College football is not just an exhilarating sport, but a billion-dollar business that Congress cannot ignore."
Or maybe it's buffoonery.
Posted by bill at 11:31 PM | Comments (0)
November 17, 2005
Miscreant U is back
I am old enough to remember the old, Jimmy Jones/Dennis Erickson Miami Hurricanes football teams - the ones that, e.g., before the 1987 Fiesta Bowl wore battle fatigues to what was to be a friendly pre-game steak fry (Penn State won); and the "Convicts" of the Notre Dame/Miami "Catholics vs. Convicts" showdowns. In those days the clarity of it all was glorious; Miami was objectively evil and my guys represented all that was good. But the Hurricanes underwent a makeover and lately the program has had less of a stench. I still loathe them, but the animus isn't what it used to be; the new Hurricanes may have all the appeal of a lipsticked pig, and Joe Paterno would probably be aghast at academic issues and God-knows-what-else, but there's simply no comparison to "Thug U."
Which brings me to this story. The Canes, it seems, may have turned the next corner (meaning, they're going backwards). Evidently some team members recorded a rap album which, wouldn't you know, is pure filth and, wouldn't you know, ended up on the Internet. Reports ESPN's Pat Forde, it is "about their shared All-American past-time of gang bangin' bizzatches. Or, as one member of the 7th Floor Crew so delicately put it, 'We 'bout to run a seven-man train all up in you.’" Forde continues:
Sorry for the crudity, but there's really no other way to convey the subject matter. My tally of the profanities laced throughout this song: 29 F-bombs, 15 references to "hos" and 18 references to "bitches." Plus many other words and phrases unfit even for cyberprint.
Ah yes, that old clarity is back. As it turns out, too, there's a strong possibility Penn State will meet Miami at January's Orange Bowl. On the strength of those predictions (back-up: E-Bay), I scooperd up eight tickets to the game. I hope Pete Giftopolous can be there.
Posted by bill at 02:33 PM | Comments (0)
September 15, 2005
Who said anything about band geeks?
Penn State has hippest marching band in the country.
Story here.
Posted by bill at 10:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 15, 2005
Fall fodder
It's mid-August, and as a Penn State football and New York Yankee fan, I am anticipating another busy fall. As in the past many will be the bright, clear October afternoons during which I'll become something of an agorophobe, watching fall's sports bounty on the boob tube instead of enjoying the great outdoors. (My wife is patient about this, but it can be trying.) In any event, for a host of reasons Happy Valley anxiously awaits the 2005 campaign, and in order to avoid certain burnout I'm going to post here a bit about the Big Ten dark horse and their season, as it unfolds. As noted before, too, I sometimes post about baseball, and I'll probably do so as the Yankees head into October, hopefully without Kevin Brown.
I hope all of this doesn't annoy too many people but too much politics can be bad for the soul. The first installment: Coach Joe Paterno says the Lions need to open the offense up a bit. I think most PSU fans will agree with me: Good Lord, just score some points.
Posted by bill at 09:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
