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 Sparta Burns to the Ground! |
 Thursday, January 31, 2008 |
 TAKE THAT Spartans, now we've officially avenged our losses to the Illini and Spartans in football this year.
11,159 fans witnessed a landmark in Nittany Lion basketball yesterday night as the underdog Penn State carrying a 6 game losing streak beat the leading torch bearer of the Big Ten, Michigan State. The significance? The last home win against any team ranked in the top-25 was in 2001. Thats 7 years since the Lions last beat #6 Illinois on their home court. Thats 7 years of ranked AND unranked teams marching into Bryce Jordan Center and stomping all over the Nitts. 7 years since the student section even had the opportunity to rush the court so there was no doubting the emotion that erupted on the court after last nights win.
And I was fortunate enough to actually see this one in person.
I'd have to admit, the real reason why I was actually in attendance was because all the student ticket sales were being donated to THON and who doesn't support curing cancer. You might as well admit you hate America right now if you don't want to cure cancer. But I was treated to something much better.
 Our group never even made it to the game by tipoff, having pre-gamed in the parking lot until we were 10 minutes late and then made our way into Bryce Jordan Center. By then the Lions were leading 17-15 marking the start of a surprising night for the Lion faithful. More stunning was when we walked over to Portal 30 (where the student section has to walk into), the usher told us the section is actually full and we need to head over to Portal 8 and fill up the student section in the upper deck. Wow, honestly? The student section is 'full'? I've been randomly attending basketball games for the last 4 years and I have never heard the word 'full' and 'basketball' used in the same sentence.
Although, in that 4 year span, the only basketball victory I was in attendance for was against an equally lowly Northwestern squad. Unfortunately there are some of us who aren't too thrilled with heights. There really isn't a bad seat in Bryce Jordan Center but you really are looking straight down causing a little height anxiety. But right before halftime, Penn State hit back to back 3s and made defensive stops on the other end sending the majority of the 11,000 in attendance into a frenzy. I have not heard a roar like that since the THON finale last year.
 Who could have expected the Lions to be leading the #7 Spartans at halftime. Not everyone was overly excited though, it was 3 days ago when Penn State was tied with the Buckeyes at halftime before being blown out down the stretch.
In a very un-Nittany Lion like fashion, the basketball team came roaring out of the gates and extended the lead to 10, winning 53-43 with 16 minutes to go. As if following the same Hollywood script, the Spartans chipped away at the 10 point lead and retook the lead by 2, deflating the palpable emotion that swirled inside the BJC.
But who knew, the Lions just kept fighting back point after point, and with clutch free throw shooting to end the game, the Lions did the unthinkable. They upset the conference leaders in a Spartan upset.
What a game. Boy I haven't been this excited at a basketball game since watching the George Mason upset 2 years ago in the NCAA tournament. Hopefully they can take this momentum on the road against an equally impressive Purdue squad. This young Nittany Lion team needed a game like this to prove to themselves they can win without Claxton and against the odds. Way to go Nittwitts! A well fought win.
 Theres the Ohio State upset in 2005 when it comes to football, and now theres the Michigan State upset in 2007 for basketball. If only this Lion squad didn't give up after the Claxton injury, we could be sitting in the upper echelon of the Big Ten today with this upset.
The crowd was amazing, not only do you have the most faithful and loyal crowd on hand for a game no one expects a win out of, they actually introduced the Spartans to a small degree of home court advantage possibly for the first time at the BJC. Who knew the place could rock when the basketball team moved to the BJC from Rec Hall and endured a decade of futility. With 30 seconds to go, many of the students that were forced into the upper deck student section began to make their way down to the lower concourse lining the walkways anticipating a court rushing. It was a sight watching all the walkways of the lower concourse begin to fill up rather than empty out with fans ready to explode with a fury of emotion.
Notable Quotes:"It's just one of those feelings that you can talk about forever. When you are done playing the game and everyone storms the court and are holding people up." - Talor Battle "We have had some crazy things happen and our kids hung in there and fought and made some plays tonight and made some free throws when we had to. Hopefully we got a little confidence back and you know, it was great for our fans and for our students. The students were tremendous. People came out even though we lost a bunch in a row. Our kids laid it on the line and we were able to win a game. So, I am very happy for our players and the fans." - Ed DeChellis "Really, when I get home there will be a lot of blame for Michigan State, but the credit should go to Penn State, what they did, how they played, and the energy they played with." - Tom Izzo Talk about a classy guy. Tom Izzo is the standard bearer of class all the way.
Say hello to my winning combination.
This will be my A squad for now until we break this winning streak.
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posted by Nittany White Out @ 9:39 PM  |
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| A date with Joe Paterno |
| Tuesday, January 29, 2008 |
This is it! If the legend himself can't close the deal, then the hell with it, he really wasn't really considering the Nittany Lions anyways. But all the talk about Joe Paterno being too sickly, old, [insert your complaint], to visit top recruits better be prepared because the legend himself is going to meet face to face with one of the most highly touted recruit out of Pennsylvania in a long time.
Penn State football coach Joe Paterno is expected to travel to Jeannette, Pa. tomorrow to visit Terrelle Pryor, the nation's No. 1 overall high school recruit, according to a team source. The 81-year-old icon will be joined by defensive coordinator Tom Bradley, who has recruited Pryor since he was in the ninth grade. A 6-foot-6, 235-pound quarterback, Pryor has pared his choices down to four schools: Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Oregon.
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| posted by Nittany White Out @ 6:56 PM |
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| State of the State address |
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 Bloggers, readers and my fellow Nittany Lions,
Over the last 8 years since the turn of the century, we have endured 4 losing seasons, 2 futile quarterbacks at the helm, and have not tasted victory against our hated rivals up north. Yet we are still here today standing side by side, resolute and determined.
We faced adversity only to rebound with 3 straight bowl wins in the last 3 years, 1 BCS victory over an equally tradition-rich rival in the Seminoles and 1 Big Ten title. This year, in our inaugural State of the State address we also must be aware of the decisive months that lie ahead.
You and I serve our Penn State program in a time of great consequence. We not only have the duty to ensure opponents take a second look just to find out if they are playing in dreaded Happy Valley when facing the Lions, but have the opportunity to save State from the same fate that has befallen our traditional rivals Nebraska, Alabama and Syracuse.
We will do our part in maintaining State's fiscal security, and we will answer every danger and rival that threatens Penn State's recruiting class. The coming months and years will be hard, but we will remain resolute.
During the last three years we have seen what we can do together. Introducing 'Zombie Nation' to the Nittany Nation has in return put fear in our enemies' eyes, trembled the very earth our troops battle on, and returned Beaver Stadium into the top 5 venues opponents fear most.
To protect our claim on ingenuity, we reformed the old unused concept of the 'White Out' into the 'Penn State White Out' marking a new era of prime time college football television with color coordinated fans.
To not only maintain fiscal security for our Nation, but to ensure it will never be threatened by enemies local or regional, we delivered the largest infusion of donations making State the 13th most valuable college football programs headed into 2008.
To most, this might indicate a good record. I call it a good start.
Tonight I ask my fellow Nittany Nation to join me in the next bold steps to serve our good program.
Our first goal is obvious: We must be able to haul in recruiting classes that ensures a stream of quality athletes that fit our program. After the Mills debacle of 2003 and 2004, the inability to win the Big Ten since our inaugural year, our program has rebounded with an Orange Bowl win over the Seminoles and a #3 ranking, the program has shown signs of life once again, and it is recovering. Yet it is not recovering fast enough, or strong enough.
With parity rising, our program needs more elite athletes to carry on our vision, more boosters to invest in our flat lining program and for the offense to show any sign of life against an enemy with a heartbeat. Programs are resurrected with new blood; a stagnant coaching staff breeds still water and still water kills all signs of life. The best and fairest way to make sure Nittany Nation have any sort future is not to allow this program to fall into obscurity.
I am proposing that Joe Paterno announce his intentions for the coming year or years if he plans on coaching any further. There are those among us who believe this is sacrilegious and will only aid to embolden our enemies.
Under my plan, Joe Paterno will be able to decide when to retire, but the key point is that he will have to decide when to retire. A year by year scenario breeds insecurity among the staff, coaches, players and future recruits and insecurity leads to defections. We have already weathered the loss of assistant coaches Fran, and Norwood, and it is time we circle the wagons and protect our home turf.
Our second goal is to reverse the exodus of home grown talent to our enemies.
Pennsylvania is a state of skill, talent and innovation, with enough athletes to satisfy any powerhouse program. Yet for Penn State, these athletes spurn the program for greener pastures across state lines, and many don't bother considering the program at all.
These problems will not be solved by modifying our conference affiliations that many among us have attributed to this increasing exodus. Instead, we must work toward a system in which all high school coaches in Pennsylvania not want to send their best talent to Happy Valley, but feel an obligation as Pennsylvanians to do so. We must renew our commitment for a strong State by providing Pennsylvanians with a sense of civic duty, and pride that has not been seen for too long. Ohio and Michigan can no longer be viewed as just neighbors but a warring rival states. Pennsylvanian parents whose children choose to spurn their Keystone brethren for the despicable and lowly people of our rivals should feel a sense of shame. Fellow Pennsylvanians should react with disgust at people like Chad Henne's parents. At the supermarket, the movies or a restaurant, children and citizens of all ages should feel obligated to gawk simply at the sight of such traitorous people. Within years, a new commitment to protecting our home will be established and our neighboring enemies will no longer be able to count on bleeding our proud state dry of talent. Only when we feel secure within our own borders can we reach from coast to coast bleeding other states of their talent stockpiling what we already have at home. This not only ensures our future, but will determine its growth.
Tonight I'm proposing a two-year 'Protect the Keystone' initiative that will outline the exact steps we as Nittany Nation must do to ensure the success of our state. I call upon the Lion faithful to participate and entrench this state that has provided us with so much over the years. Those of Nittany Nation are a resolute people, who have risen to every test of our time. Adversity has revealed the character of our state, to our enemies, and to ourselves. The state of the State is weak, but we will strengthen it.
A direct spoof of the State of the Union speech given in 2003. |
| posted by Nittany White Out @ 9:54 AM |
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| B10 Bloggers Basketball Power Poll: Week 4 |
| Wednesday, January 23, 2008 |
Another week, and another Penn State loss, this time to the Purdue Boilermakers and Iowa Hawkeyes:
Officials: Ted Hillary, JD Collins, Lamar Simpson
Technical fouls: Purdue-None. Penn State-None.
Attendance: 6287
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Purdue........................ 39 25 - 64
Penn State.................... 18 24 - 42
And the worse part? The losses no longer phase me. You could have easily said the Penn State's fencing team lost their match to the Boilermakers and that would have raised a couple more eyebrows. But thats not all, with football done for a while and only basketball available, this is becoming a tough stretch for a Penn State blogger.
But it could be worse, yet ANOTHER USC violation, this time with OJ Mayo and the basketball program. Is the NCAA in recess or something this time of year? First, Reggie Bush CLEARLY violated NCAA regulations and he can be solely attributed to several USC victories during their championship season, then now OJ Mayo?
But before we move on to the ranting, its time for week 4's Big Ten Basketball Power Poll.
| Team | Record (Conference) | Alpha (last week) | Explanation | | 1 | Michigan State | 18-2 (6-1) | NC (1) | Michigan State remains in the poll position over undefeated Indiana only because they have managed not to lose even to their rival Michigan even if the Wolverines would struggle beating a high school squad right now. | | 2 | Indiana | 17-2 (6-0) | NC (2) | The top 3 remains unchanged. But Indiana's home loss to a not so great Big East team at home as well puts them at #2. | | 3 | Wisconsin | 16-3 (6-1) | NC (3) | Their loss to the Boilermakers are nothing to get all worked up about. The Boilermakers are good, they're young, but good. To have to struggle against the Wolverines however, may cause a few sweat beads down Badger fans' foreheads, but if Bo Ryan can continue to grind out wins, they will be dancing come March. | | 4 | Purdue | 15-5 (6-1) | NC (4) | Purdue has done it again with an "not-so-upset" win over the Badgers. Almost everyone called that upset, so is it really an upset? Sort of like everyone knew LSU would trounce the Buckeyes, but because they are ranked #2, was it really an upset? | | 5 | Ohio State | 13-6 (5-2) | NC (5) | Ohio State picked up 2 key wins this week against Illinois and Minnesota. In this league, a win means absolutely everything when upsets happen like its their business. Considering the Big Ten may be a 4 bid team this year for the Big Dance, Ohio State might be fighting Purdue for the last spot on the gravy train. | | 6 | Iowa | 9-10 (2-4) | +3 (9) | The biggest mover was Iowa in Week 4. Though they really only beat Penn State (#8) which is not that great a feat any longer, they just seem to be between decent and horribly bad which are the only two all Big Ten teams fall into this season. | | 7 | Minnesota | 12-6 (2-4) | -1 (6) | The Gophers drop below Iowa not because of their 16 point loss at Ohio State, but because Iowa managed to actually win a game while the Gophers only played once this week. They will have ample time to move back up the Power Poll. | | 8 | Penn State | 10-9 (2-5) | -1 (7) | Last week I fumed at the people leaping off the Penn State bandwagon and this week I have sore ribs from doing the exact same thing. This team is clearly not a a decent team or even a competitor with the loss of Claxton. They have not lost by single digits since the loss of their senior leader and things can get only worse from here with Ohio State headed to the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State is offering a 'Target 10' campaign. If they can get 10,000 students for the Ohio State ESPN game, they will donate all the ticket earnings from the Michigan State game to THON. Its a worthy cause, but I fear with the way the Nitts are playing, they will have trouble getting 10,000 people to watch the game. | | 9 | Illinois | 10-11 (2-6) | -1 (8) | The Illini managed to pick up a win this week. The bad news is, its against Northwestern so it means absolutely nothing. | | 10 | Michigan | 5-15 (1-7) | NC (10) | Losses against Wisconsin and Michigan State is nothing to be ashamed of in the Big Ten. Problem is, they have wins against nobody so yes, the Wolverines are ashamed. | | 11 | Northwestern | 6-11 (0-7) | NC (11) | Once again, horribly pathetic. But I fear the Nittany Lions are about to compete for this very spot. | |
| posted by Nittany White Out @ 6:32 PM |
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| B10 Bloggers Basketball Power Poll: Week 3 |
| Monday, January 21, 2008 |
Its that time again. Our vote is not to reflect the presumed standings at the end of the season, but their relative strengths compared to their Big Ten brethren. That being said, I know Michigan State lost to mediocre Iowa last week. But no one has stepped up more on their game than the Spartans and they take the top spot especially because of the way they were able to rebound to the Hawkeye loss against a good Buckeye and Gopher team. Indiana can also make their case as a team playing well especially since they are undefeated in the Big Ten, BUT their inability to dominate a Claxton-depleted Penn State team especially in the friendly confines of Assembly Hall squeezes them out of the top spot followed closely by the Badgers who are also undefeated in conference play. That will soon be resolved when the Badgers meet the Hoosiers. So without further ado, here is NittanyWhiteOut's Big 10 Power Poll for Week 3:
| Team | Record (Conference) | Alpha (last week) | Explanation | | 1 | Michigan State | 16-2 (4-1) | +2 (3) | It was hard awarding the top 3 spots in the power poll this week. The Spartans, Hoosiers and Badgers all have a good case for top dog in the Big 10. BUT, that being said, Michigan State has been most impressive simply of the way they rebounded from an upset loss to the lowly Hawkeyes last week. And they did it not against other lowly competition, but against a quality Minnesota team (away) and Ohio State team thats #5 in the power poll. So as the best team in week 3, the Spartans gets to carry the crown. | | 2 | Indiana | 16-1 (5-0) | -1 (1) | Indiana is a quality team. There is no doubting that. But their inability to squash a Penn State (#7) team who is without their top scorer and rebounder until the final 10 minutes in Assembly Hall is quite a wake-up call. But they get the bump over the Badgers by beating an improved Minnesota (#6) team at the Barn. | | 3 | Wisconsin | 15-2 (5-0) | -1 (2) | The Badgers are only #3 because they are still undefeated. They proved nothing this past week beating Penn State (#7) and Northwestern (#11), teams that draw bigger crowds for wrestling matches than basketball games. The scheduling is however not their fault, so they sit at #3 above the Boilermakers and Buckeyes. | | 4 | Purdue | 13-5 (4-1) | NC (4) | Purdue is making noise again in the Big 10 having beat the Hawkeyes and Illini, but they are #4 only because the Badgers are undefeated. Should the Badgers lose, Purdue gets to join the top 3. | | 5 | Ohio State | 12-6 (3-2) | +1 (6) | The Buckeyes loses to the Spartans (#1) and then falter once again against the SEC losing to Tennessee. They however can still very much beat the Gophers so they are above them. | | 6 | Minnesota | 12-5 (2-3) | -1 (5) | The Gophers are improved, but it seems just not enough to put them in the upper echelon of the Big Ten teams. After an impressive start, they lose to the Spartans (#1) and Indiana (#2), though it is nothing to be ashamed of. As the lower ranked team, they ARE expected to lose aren't they? | | 7 | Penn State | 10-7 (2-3) | NC (7) | Everyone's so quick in jumping off the Penn State bandwagon, its almost fashionable. Its easy to see that Penn State has suddenly lost its two games after losing G. Claxton, but who to? Ranked Wisconsin and ranked Indiana at Bloomington (where they were neck and neck till the final 10 minutes). Sure they might not be the beast that could possibly contend for the post season, but don't write them off so soon. Their week is not going to get any easier. They face a Purdue team I put as fourth in the Power Poll and at Iowa where they upset a ranked Michigan State team. But this team will be fine. | | 8 | Illinois | 9-10 (1-5) | +1 (9) | The Illini have faced a tough slate of early games which may explain their losing conference record. With losses against the Boilermakers (#4), @Wisconsin (#3), and @Indiana (#2) it may seem the Orange Krush aren't all that excited this year. But if I may be so bold as to be optimistic for this team, having played all those tough early games, only means they are out of the way and this team can still climb back to an even record. A win against an even more pathetic Wolverine sqad is a step in the right direction. | | 9 | Iowa | 9-10 (2-4) | -1 (8) | Iowa is bad, but not Wolverine or Wildcat bad, so by default they sit at #9. Their Spartan upset was great, but that alone does not make them a great team. They did however beat up on the Wolverines, but it seems as if everyone in the league may do that at least once this year except for the Wildcats. | | 10 | Michigan | 5-13 (1-5) | NC (10) | This team is in the shitter. With 1 win over a worse Wildcat team, they were beat this past week by the Hawkeyes (#9) and Illini (#8). This leaves very little room to move up the power poll seeing as the two teams just above it beat them, but theres no time to fret, they face the Badgers (#3) and Spartans (#1) this week. | | 11 | Northwestern | 6-9 (0-5) | NC (11) | Horribly pathetic. The Dolphins of the Big Ten, just without the tradition. | |
| posted by Nittany White Out @ 4:07 PM |
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| Shrine Bowl was a microcosm of Morelli's career |
| Saturday, January 19, 2008 |
The following post is not mine, but was discovered in a Penn State forum written by someone under the title 'FireJayPa'
I usually refrain from actually posting anything from forums, but the following post had to be the most effective way anyone has ever described the disappointment that is Anthony Morelli. So enjoy:
Tonight's performance in the East/West shrine game was a pure microcosm of Morelli's career in the world of College Football. His lackluster performance of 2 complete passes out of 10 attempts for 10 yards with 2 interceptions was nothing new for Morelli. Clearly tonight showed the nation , what most realistic Penn State fans have realized since Michael Robinson left. Morelli had the arm of Peyton Manning and the brain of the Scarecrow. When big passes were needed from the "unsung hero" of PSU , he came up short throwing behind receivers into double coverage. Late in the fourth quarter; with the game on the line and a 4th and 13 Morelli decided to run and came up a yard short; which is the story of his career...just a bit short. I actually feel bad for Anthony, at any other program he would have been benched last year in the OSU game and could have began focusing hard on his academics upon realizing his shots of an NFL career were about the same as you or I. He could have focused on academics in relation to his major and looked towards new adventures and challenges; however due to the nepotism at Penn State; where a 3rd string highschool QB is now the guy that calls the passing plays, Morelli could not be benched. You see, because Jay Paterno is the QB coach; failure of Morelli would reflect in a negative light on the QB coach; so benching Morelli was never an option. In any other program, either Daryl Clark or Pat Devlin would have had a real shot at being the starter this year; but as the story always goes at Penn State; Morelli "waited his turn...." so he gets the starting job by proxy. Just like an injured Zach Mills played over Robinson; Morelli played over Devlin and Clark..... The last 2 years of Morelli ball were unfortunate; but it was to be expected with Jay Paterno at the helm. A 3rd string quarterback from State High, that never started a single game; yet managed to play at Penn State on the scout team is now coaching NFL capable talent. Jay Paterno, the same person whom would hide inside the Lasch Building during the "dark years", and then after the orange bowl said the critics could "kiss his bumm" , sat by and never really helped Morelli develop. Never was improvement seen; the game never seemed to slow down; he just ran around aimlessly , folding under the slightest of pressure. In 4 years at Penn State he threw behind receivers; in front of receivers; into double and triple cover; didn't check down; didn't call audibles; and ran like a man in moon boots. He used games against the bottom feeders of division one to pad his stats, all the while struggling against every team in the big 10. But it's ok , nepotism will continue to live in happy valley; despite being in the bottom 1/5th in respect to passing numbers since Jay Paterno became the QB coach; there will be no change... because well "it wouldn't be fair"
Well done FireJayPa, couldn't have said it better myself. |
| posted by Nittany White Out @ 11:27 PM |
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| Fergie-licious! |
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Fergie is coming to town April 18 for what sponsors are dubbing the 'Gridiron Bash'.
"The bash, organized by MSL Sports and Entertainment, is a multi-campus event featuring concerts and entertainment at roughly 20 different Division-I universities across the country, according to a press release. In addition to the concerts, the press release states the events will also feature pep rallies, team introductions, autograph sessions and a fan component that allows fans to win money for their school's general scholarship fund. The Gridiron Bash will take place simultaneously at all participating schools on April 18."   In other words, its a money making scheme for Penn State to make even more money from its Blue-White mini-game. There is no official word as to whether they will still hold the annual Blue-White game because of this, but this 'Gridiron Bash' is almost the exact same thing.
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| posted by Nittany White Out @ 6:26 PM |
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| Recognized! |
| Tuesday, January 15, 2008 |
 The mess I left behind at my former job.
All the amazing data that were planned for this post has also mysteriously vanished after a visit from new Michigan Head Coach, Rich Rod and the only clue of their whereabouts are the thin strips of paper that are strewn on the floor. We are hard at work with crazy glue and tape to salvage them.
But in a rare self-congratulatory post, we here at NittanyWhiteOut has finally been recognized. No, not by some other blog, but by an actual sports behemoth Sports Illustrated in their Campus Clicks article under "Apology Long Overdue".
Apology Long Overdue
Remember those two Penn State students who caused a ruckus a few months back by dressing as Virginia Tech shooting victims for Halloween? One has finally come forward and apologized for the tasteless costume.
It just seems with the rantings and the raving, it can sometimes feel as if I am just venting into open space with the occasional visitors. It was just a really refreshing sense of recognition for a starting blogger. I am thankful for whoever brought that post to their attention.
Now if only I can find out how ball hype works and actually get moving up the rankings. I'm pretty sure I post more than 5 times a week and yet I keep hovering at the 100 range with no hype from anyone else whatsoever. So I'll just keep plugging away and vent until I'm blue in the face. I'm having fun so I guess that's all that matters.
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| posted by Nittany White Out @ 10:27 PM |
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| Home Humiliation |
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 Officials: Donnee Gray, Terry Wymer, Steve Skiles Technical fouls: Wisconsin-None. Penn State-None.
Attendance: 8600
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Wisconsin..................... 40 40 - 80
Penn State.................... 24 31 - 55 Final Score: 80-55 (35 point margin for the Badgers)
 I was at the Wisconsin game and I can tell you that Penn State should not and probably will not make the tournament and/or NIT. Here are some of the shots I took of the game. If they do make the NIT, they are certainly not a tournament caliber team. The team could not make shots, were inept on defense and were trailing by 30 by the time me and my buddies left the game. By the time we decided to leave, a majority of the fans had already deserted the sinking ship. What a way for Ed DeChellis to thank the fans that have finally begun to make their way into Bryce Jordan Center.
Glaring stat of the game
Wisconsin Free Throw Shooting: F Throw % 1st Half: 4-5 80.0% 2nd Half: 4-4 100 % Game: 88.9% 0 Penn State Free Throw Shooting: F Throw % 1st Half: 5-8 62.5% 2nd Half: 0-3 0.0% Game: 45.5%  When will Ed DeChellis teach the basic fundamentals to his team. Free Throw Shooting and careful shot selection is high school stuff. The Badgers did not use any fancy footwork or dribbling to win this game, they played a grind-it-out, back door cut, basic type of offense and it worked to perfection. The Badgers are a quality team and might dethrone Indiana for the top spot in the Big Ten poll this coming week.
Once again, Penn State padded its stats with inferior opponents, showed some improvement and fell flat on its face against a quality, ranked team. Hey, this only means another contract extension for DeChellis seeing as his last extension came after two 1-win seasons in the Big Ten. He already double that so job security must be through the roof this season.
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| posted by Nittany White Out @ 8:14 PM |
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| Race for the Criminal Cup |
| Monday, January 14, 2008 |
Even with the Big 10 Bloggers Basketball Poll heating up, there is another race that is just about to get started for the new season (thanks to Run Up the Score for bringing this to our attention). The Fulmer's Cup crowns the least-behaved student athletes among college teams. The Fulmer's Cup is now in it's third year with Marshall taking the Cup in 2006 and Big Ten's very own Illinois winning in 2007. For those of you who are unaware of the rules and award system, here is a recap:
Points are awarded for player arrests. These have to be current football players and verified charges, so if Uncle Jimboridicus calls and tells you that he swears he saw someone being stuffed into the back of a squad car…no dice unless we’ve got a wire report or an arrest record. Also, if it’s a graduated player, or someone who’s already declared for the draft…no go there, either. Coaches can count, but relatives of players do not. The rules for scoring are as follows, but are not limited to: * Murder: 5 points. * Rape: 4 points. Downgraded to one if either participant is wearing a clown mask. * Bestiality: 4 points. It’s a form of rape, really, no matter how much the goat has had to drink. High point value justified further by the fact that it involves having sex with an animal. You could say this was unthinkable, but in the past year alone two stories involving college athletes and at least the association with barnyard bonhomie of a most intimate degree have been reported, including the EDSBS Official GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD: the arrest of Oregon State player Ben Siegert for stealing a sheep used in a study on homosexuality in sheep. * Grand Larceny: 4 points. We use this as a catchall for players being involved in crime so outrageous and well-planned it can only be described as ‘nefarious,’ ‘professional,’ or ‘legislation.’ Applies to large drug rings, chop shop operations, and the Haitian human trafficking ring that’s been run out of the Miami locker room since ‘93. (We kid! They didn’t get that thing humming ’til ‘95 at the earliest.) * Hitting Girls: 3 points. We’ll downgrade this to 2 if the girl can hold her weight and requires daily medication to prevent her from gouging her own eyes out (since those were the ones we always ended up dating, and we understand); or we’ll upgrade to 4 points if the damage includes intensive care. Dad always said never hit girls, so we take this one seriously. Dad also said always double down with split aces, too, but we’ll be damned if we didn’t end up selling bone marrow in Macau the last time we followed that bit of advice. * Car theft/Assault/Driving through houses drunk/Drug possession of the Tyrone Biggums variety: 3 points. “Drug possession” never sounds all that bad until you add in ‘crack cocaine,’ which is society’s signifier that your life has gone from that of high functioning simian in a complex society to that of a rat with electrodes in your brain’s pleasure centers hitting a pedal in a glass box in a lab. Weed? Par for the course, especially if you’re NFL-bound. Crack? Break out the Sports Century ‘Weepy Sonata’ music, because the story of your descent from boundless potential has just begun, and they haven’t even begun to show the grainy shots of 130-lb you huddled in a shelter on Skid Row. * Fightin’ in ‘da Club/Weed Possession/Standard DUI: 2 points. Any scenario involving group fighting of a thugged-out, ‘we run this place’ variety, and marijuana possession of the nickel bag level. Possession of 100 pounds of marijuana is a totally different thing, and takes you right back up to the 4 point ‘nefarious’ level. * Drankin’/Suspended License/Assorted petty misdemeanors: 1 point.
And with that, the new season is underway and the lucky team to collect their first Fulmer Cup Points for 2008? SEC's very own Tennessee Volunteers with 4 points when 2 wide receivers were busted for possession of marijuana (2 points) after being pulled over for a busted tail light. So congratulations, once again the SEC is ahead of the Big 10 headed into the new season. Anyone with updates of student athletes and their antics are encouraged to contact us here at nittanywhiteout.blogspot.com and we'll keep an updated Fulmer Cup's standing throughout the season.
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| posted by Nittany White Out @ 5:56 PM |
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| B10 Bloggers Basketball Power Poll: Jan 14, 2008 |
| Sunday, January 13, 2008 |
Before we move on to the more pertinent issues, a few updates are in order:
1. Justin King has announced he will be headed for the NFL next year effectively breaking the recent successful track record of Nittany Lions that stayed for their senior years (Paul Poz, Dan Connor). King will be the first entry into the NFL since LaVar Arrington was the second overall pick in 2000. That's 8 years of successfully retaining Nittany Lions which we should commend Joe Paterno and his staff Penn State junior cornerback Justin King has played his final game for the Nittany Lions. Terry Smith, King's stepfather and the head coach at Gateway High, told FightOnState.com and Scout.com that his son intends to enter the 2008 NFL Draft. ... "The decision was ultimately Justin's to make," Smith said. "We sat down as a family and discussed his options and we just felt the timing was right and it was time for him to move on to the next step in his life. "He notified [PSU defensive coordinator] Tom Bradley of his decision Tuesday," Smith continued. "He is out in Arizona at API right now, working out and preparing for the draft." Eventually King listened to the almighty dollar, but we are happy for all that he has given to Penn State and wish him the best of luck.
2. Penn State (10-5) put a hell of an effort against an equally improved Minnesota (12-3) squad in a 76-73 loss at the Bryce Jordan Center. The loss can be attributed to horrible free-throw shooting on Penn State's part allowing a 16 point lead to slip away with an 8-21 free throw shooting (38%) in the 2nd half. This is still a lot better than being blown out in every single game so I commend the Lion basketball team for a great effort.
Officials: Sid Rodeheffer, Dan Chrisman, Dwayne Gladden
Technical fouls: Minnesota-None. Penn State-None.
Attendance: 10934
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Minnesota..................... 35 41 - 76
Penn State.................... 38 35 - 73
Points in the paint-MINN 32,PSU 30. Points off turnovers-MINN 24,PSU 11.
2nd chance points-MINN 3,PSU 9. Fast break points-MINN 8,PSU 14.
Bench points-MINN 29,PSU 8. Score tied-8 times. Lead changed-11 times.
Last FG-MINN 2nd-03:14, PSU 2nd-03:35.
Largest lead-MINN by 4 1st-09:59, PSU by 16 2nd-12:58.
Now on to the important stuff:
NittanyWhiteOut is a proud participant of the Big Ten Bloggers Power Poll run by fellow Big Ten blogger Gopher Nation. So without further ado, here is NittanyWhiteOut's Big Ten Bloggers Basketball Power Poll for the week of January 14th, 2008:
1. #10 Indiana (3-0): This is the real deal, a potential Final Four team with the way they are playing. They earned a closer-than-should-be win over rival Illinois, but because Illinois isn't fielding much of a squad this year, it is not as impressive as it actually sounds. The wins away at Iowa and Michigan are important because we all know how hard it is to earn a win away from home in the Big Ten.
Quality Wins: @Iowa, @Michigan
Bad Losses: none
2. #21 Wisconsin (3-0): This was a tough decision between Wisconsin and Michigan State. But Wisconsin managed to get the win against Iowa that Michigan State could not. So by default with the conference race just heating up, they take the early lead over the Spartans.
Quality Wins: @Michigan (+16)
Bad Losses: none
3. #6 Michigan State (2-1): Michigan State has more quality wins against Big 10 opponents especially against a Minnesota squad that is clearly much improved over last year, but with just 3 games into the season, their loss to Iowa puts them just a notch below Wisconsin which managed to beat the same Hawkeye team.
Quality Wins: Purdue, Minnesota
Bad Losses: @Iowa
4. Purdue (2-1): While the Boilermakers aren't making statistical noise, their win against the Buckeyes and Wolverines are impressive enough to put them just about the improved Golden Gophers squad. Even their 3 point away loss to the #6 ranked Spartans is quite impressive.
Quality Wins: Ohio State
Bad Losses: none
5. Minnesota (2-1): The Gophers are clearly improved from last year's dismal squad, but how good are they exactly? Even after a close win over a good Penn State team at the Bryce Jordan Center, we can't exactly say if they are a quality team ready for the Big Dance.
Quality Wins: @Penn State
Bad Losses: none
6. Ohio State (3-1): This is clearly not the Oden led team from last year, but at 3-1 they are in a prime position to make noise in the Big Ten.
Quality Wins: @Illinois, Iowa (+31)
Bad Losses: none
7. Penn State (2-1): Surprising 2-1 start to the Big Ten with 2 wins away from Bryce Jordan Center which hasn't happened in half a decade for the Lions basketball program. This squad is rising and if it wasn't for a dismal 31% free throw shooting in the second half against the Gophers, they would be sitting at 3-0 entering their match up with a top tier Wisconsin team.
Quality Wins: @Illinois
Bad Losses: none
8. Iowa (1-3): Iowa is one of those squads that can be just good enough to compete with the best in the Big Ten, or horrible enough to lose to the bottom feeders. This will be a rough year for Hawkeye fans.
Quality Wins: #6 Michigan State
Bad Losses: @Ohio State
9. Illinois (0-4): The Illini have fallen on hard times for a proud basketball program. This has not been a great month for Illini fans. They were humiliated on the West Coast in the Rose Bowl where they clearly did not belong and now an 0-4 start including a 3 game losing streak. That is unacceptable considering the incredible Orange Krush support they get at home.
Quality Wins: none
Bad Losses: Penn State
10. Michigan (1-3): Shockingly bad for a team that fired it's last coach and stole West Virginia's. Wolverine fans everywhere are hoping their inaugural year with a new Mountaineer head coach in football won't be as humiliating as basketball.
Quality Wins: none
Bad Losses: Wisconsin (-16)
11. Northwestern (0-4): Dismal, absolutely dismal once again.
Quality Wins: none
Bad Losses: @Minnesota (-19) |
| posted by Nittany White Out @ 8:00 PM |
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| "I am speaking for myself" |
| Wednesday, January 9, 2008 |
Remember the two students who made the mistake of dressing up as Virginia Tech victims for a Halloween party? The girl in the photos, Jessica has contacted us by email and issued the following statement which she has allowed me to share and hopefully help the healing process:
I wanted to tell you, that I am apologizing for wearing the costume. I am deeply
and sincerely sorry. I am sorry for hurting the families of the victims, Va
Tech students, Penn State students, and my family and friends. Sorry.
After a long conversation with my pastor, I came to the realization that it was
a horrible and tasteless idea—if I could take it all back I would … Turn
back time and wear an other costume I would.
I would like to apologize to anyone who was offended. I am sorry.
It was a really bad decision, I was not thinking clearly, and I do not agree
with what Nathan Jones thinks and says about his actions. I am sorry for
offending people and I am sorry for wearing the costume. I am speaking for
myself. We at NittanyWhiteOut commend her for stepping up to the plate and apologizing for her actions. As 18-23 year olds, there is no doubt students make mistakes, some more evident than others, but it takes guts and courage to simply say "I'm sorry" which Jessica has done. The guy in the picture with her continues to argue his case under the delusion that people will warm up to his act of 'free speech'.
With fake bloody bullet holes in his head and Virginia Tech polo shirt, Nathan Jones knew his Halloween costume this year was controversial, and he doesn’t intend to apologize — “never ever ever.” “I will die before I do,” he said.
We wish Jessica the best of luck following this ordeal and hope she can get her apologetic message across to those directly affected.
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| posted by Nittany White Out @ 8:42 AM |
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| Too Easy |
| Tuesday, January 8, 2008 |
Too Easy  reads the first line of the local Myrtle Beach paper reporting on the national championship. Last night, anticipating a better game, I dragged my buddy to a local sports bar to catch the game rather than plant myself on the couch which I should have done instead. Down here in South Carolina, we are on the cusp of SEC country so I anticipated strong support for their SEC brethren LSU. To my surprise, we were actually surrounded by people rooting for the Buckeyes. One was a Penn State fan which probably like me is sick of hearing about this SEC speed. The others were Buckeye fans decked out in Ohio scarlet and gray.
By jumping to a quick 10-0 lead which included a Beanie Wells sprint down the sidelines which the 'speedy' LSU defenders couldn't catch up to and a wheel route down the sidelines which eluded more speedy LSU defenders, we were pretty content with ourselves. But that's when it just went downhill. LSU point after point and hester run after run only sucked the air out of the Buckeye support and soon even before the fourth quarter began I had to leave the bar. Turning to the Buckeye fans next to me, I handed them the pitcher of beer we could no longer finish because I had to get out of there and said "I've watched the game last year and I just can't watch it again." By the time I returned home, Ohio State had cut the lead to two touchdowns but threw yet another interception.
And it begins all over again:
Ohio State is now 0-9 in bowl games against the SEC -- not a reasonable stat when you consider the two leagues, the prestige and quality of athletes and coaches at Ohio State. - ESPN Because next year's BCS National Championship Game will be played in Miami, and the Ohio State Buckeyes aren't invited. Especially if the Southeastern Conference champion is invited. - Pat Forde The Big Ten, by contrast, has been the baby's crib. Ohio State has coasted through that league 15-1 the past two seasons, only to collapse in the face of an SEC champ with a lower BCS standing and a worse record... he should know not to bring that weak Big Ten stuff back to the BCS National Championship Game again next year. - Pat Forde Indeed, Monday's beatdown hatcheted straight through the core of Ohio State's program and the Big Ten conference. Both carried iffy reputations into the BCS championship – the Buckeyes because of their lack of wins against high-quality opponents, the Big Ten because of its 5-10 record in bowl games the past two seasons. - Jason King It was another listless BCS mismatch, Louisiana State not even needing a truly great performance to beat Ohio State 38-24 in a game with little drama after the second quarter - Dan Wetzel Georgia's president is hooting and hollering for an 8 game playoff because they were fortunate enough to go on a hot streak to end the season and clearly called out the Rose Bowl:
"If one of those bowls chooses not to participate, another game could be found to fill the void," This would therefore most likely mean leaving behind the Pac-10 and Big-10 champions behind in this proposed 8 game playoff and would almost never happen despite what all the SEC fans believe should happen following another Ohio State disaster.
Everyone else should form their Plus One and let the Big Ten and Pac-10 return to an era gone by and compete solely in the Rose Bowl if they so please. Yes, the Rose Bowl conceivably could produce a better matchup – say if Ohio State and USC entered unbeaten – but that would be a worthy risk for everyone else. Most years the Rose Bowl would be marginalized by the real tournament. - Dan Wetzel So let the bashing continue for yet another year. And for all those Michigan fans who thought their 'rivalry' is more important than the interest of the Big Ten as a whole? If Michigan goes undefeated next year, they better be begging for a spot in the title game because they won't be handed one. So much for protecting their 'rivalry'. |
| posted by Nittany White Out @ 8:23 AM |
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| Orange KRUSHED! |
| Sunday, January 6, 2008 |
  With the Big Game approaching fast lots of vacation time available, I needed to keep my mind occupied. With bowl games in Toronto and the G-Mac match up on, I expected it to be a quiet lead up to the championship game in the sports world. But lo and behold I was wrong. Surprisingly, it was the Lion's basketball team that provided the biggest shocker entering Assembly Hall and knocking off the mighty fighting Illini in their Orange fortress. They might not be the championship caliber squad of the last few years, but the Illini are almost invincible at home and Penn State usually plays like a girl's high school squad on their road games so trust me when I say, this is a shocker. The Nittany Lions faced a hungry Illinois team that had lost its last two at home and was playing for a loud, sell-out crowd of 16,618.  Way to help avenge our upset loss to the Illini in football this year. It was Penn State that upset the Illini on Feb 4, 2006 when they ended the Orange Krush's record 33-game home winning streak knocking them off 66-65. They come back 2 years later and deliver another gut punch to the Illinois faithful.
So what's the big deal beating a mediocre Illini team this year? - The 7 game win streak is the longest since 2000-2001. (Thats 8 years ago)
- This was the first consecutive road win since 1999. (Thats 9 years ago)
- With the win, Penn State starts off 2-0 for the first time since 2004 (Thats 4 years ago)
 So congratulations to the Lion basketball squad. They've been perennially beaten up on since joining the Big Ten so its nice to see them enjoy some success. |
| posted by Nittany White Out @ 6:33 PM |
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| Why we need to root for a Buckeye victory |
| Saturday, January 5, 2008 |
Over the last week we were treated to bowl games ranging from the snoozers in the BCS to near classics in the Capital One, Las Vegas and Chick-fil-A bowls. Your team might have won convincingly or lost in a last second heartbreaking fashion. Your coach might have abandoned your team for greener pastures somewhere else or your school just hired a new coach destined to take your team to the holy grail of the title game. From the hardwood crazies of Hoosier and Illini fans and the ice rink fanatics in Badger and Gopher land to the tradition rich pastures of Wolverine and Lion country, we all have a common goal. We must root for the Buckeyes Monday night.
But how is it possible for fans of teams the Buckeyes have beaten up on in recent years to turn a blind eye and root for them? Same way a fan who married a spouse from a rival school can stand living under the same roof. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Desperate times? What in the world am I talking about. This is the Big Ten, the one steady conference that survived the chaotic conference realignments of the 90s, the conference almost everyone dubbed the Big 2 and little 8 prior to Penn State's addition. There is no way the conference of NFL athletes, Heisman winners, mega stadiums and national titles is in jeopardy. Is there?
stuff about how Ohio State didn't beat a quality team this year ... how Ohio State backed into the national championships game ... how Ohio State doesn't deserve another shot at the crown after getting UNCEREMONOUSLY DUMPED in last year's title tilt. - Sporting News
Did Ohio State earn its title bid? Show me a single win that demonstrates Ohio State's prospective merit as national champions. What's more, imperfect is better than untested. It addition to wins over Virginia Tech (3) and Tennessee (16), LSU beat Florida (12) and Auburn (23). I look forward to my vindication on Jan. 7 in New Orleans, where the second-ranked team will finally win a game. - Fox Sports The Buckeye's "only" had one loss; but they also had a weak schedule. In fact they only beat one top-25 team all year – Wisconsin. And, the Big Ten has no Championship game. So, they didn't have to play that extra, presumably tough, game. - SEC Sports Fan Please, please, please…don’t let it be Ohio State. They are 10-1, have not beaten a single team in the top 20 all season and their conference doesn’t have a title game to make them earn the top spot in their division through head-to-head competition as in other divisions. Actually, I would rather see Hawaii play Ohio State and kick their ass…though Kansas could probably do it.
Getting the picture?
While most Wolverine fans take pleasure in all this criticism of their hated rivals, in doing so aren't they laughing at themselves? For all the mockery of Ohio State, most of it is based on their 'weak schedule' that they beat up on with the exception of Illinois. This weak schedule argument is both an indictment of the Buckeyes as well as their opponents. That would be you Northwestern, Minnesota, Purdue, Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan fans. The fact that every living soul outside the Big Ten region believes Ohio State didn't beat anyone with a pulse is an insult to every man, woman and child who calls themselves a fan of a Big 10 school. What makes Death Valley, Neyland and The Swamp so much tougher to play at than Beaver, Michigan, Ohio and Camp Randall stadium? Must be their cooler, more spruced up names. Don't tell me Ohio State did not play the same trap games that LSU lost in. At Penn State in a prime time night game, Wisconsin which has no trouble winning in the Horseshoe, at Purdue and Minnesota at night, the list goes on. But critics continue to berate the easy schedule Ohio State had to navigate basically dismissing any of the aforementioned teams as quality opponents. The Big Ten has basically become a version of the Big East circa 2005 when nobody believed they even deserved an automatic berth in the BCS. How did we fall so far, so quickly?
It's true Ohio State gave us a stinker last year against Florida, but Michigan didn't exactly light up USC in the Rose Bowl either. And all that, in addition to Michigan's debacle against Appalachian State this year contributed to this media myth of SEC superiority and speed. So hate the Wolverines, Gophers, Badgers, Spartans, Lions, Wildcats, Hoosiers and Illini as much as you want 364 days a year, but we need a Buckeye victory. LSU has been dubbed the poster child of the mega-super dominant SEC even before the season started when everyone short of the Pope called a USC-LSU national title match up. So in order to effectively bury this Big Ten weakness, there is no better team to beat than the 'team of destiny' from the SEC. It doesn't help that LSU is effectively playing a home game for the national title, but I am so sick of this SEC superiority. Think one Ohio State loss to the Gators was bad last year? Now imagine two. For years the respect for the Big Ten has propelled its teams into title games and BCS spots because people knew if you did well in the Big Ten, you were good enough for the big match up. But that respect is slowly dwindling. The Big Ten needs a victory for the sake of its future. So suck it up Illini, Hoosier, Hawkeye, Wolverine, Spartan, Gopher, Wildcat, Lion, Boilermaker and Badger fans and root for a Buckeye victory, your teams' futures may depend on it. |
| posted by Nittany White Out @ 11:31 AM |
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| Fields of Green and Gold |
| Friday, January 4, 2008 |
Forbes just released the top 20 most valuable college football programs and while most of the data is to be expected, there are some staggering details:
| Value | Conference | 2007 Bowl Destination / Record |
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1. Notre Dame | $101 million | Independent | Not bowl eligible (3-9) | 2. Texas | $92 million | Big 12 | Holiday (10-3) | 3. Georgia | $90 million | SEC | Sugar Bowl* (11-2) | 4. Michigan | $85 million | Big 10 | Capital One (9-4) | 5. Florida | $84 million | SEC | Capital One (9-4) | 6. LSU | $76 million | SEC | National Championship* (11-2) | 7. Tennessee | $74 million | SEC | Outback (10-4) | 8. Auburn | $73 million | SEC | Chick-fil-A (9-4) | 9. Alabama | $72 million | SEC | Independence (7-6) | 10. Ohio State | $71 million | Big 10 | National Championship* (11-1) | 11. Oklahoma | $70 million | Big 12 | Fiesta Bowl* (11-3) | 12. South Carolina | $69 million | SEC | Not bowl eligible (6-6) | 13. Penn State | $69 million | Big 10 | Alamo (9-4) | 14. USC | $53 million | Pac 10 | Rose Bowl* (11-2) | 15. Arkansas | $53 million | SEC | Cotton (8-5) | 16. Texas A&M | $50 million | Big 12 | Alamo (7-6) | 17. Washington | $50 million | Pac 10 | Not bowl eligible (4-9) | 18. Nebraska | $49 million | Big 12 | Not bowl eligible (5-7) | 19. Michigan State | $44 million | Big 10 | Champs Sports (7-6) | 20. Wisconsin | $43 million | Big 10 | Outback (9-4) |
- Penn State at #13 is more valuable than USC at 14? USC the annual national title contender is $16 million less valuable than a team that has yet to beat Michigan in 9 straight tries?
- Notre Dame is college football's most valuable team?! I thought the Catholics were a very giving and sacrificial bunch? Oh wait, that's right, what was I thinking. Though I bet NBC's thrilled with this year's Irish bunch.
- 8 SEC teams and 5 Big 10 teams make up the 20 most valuable college football teams. Boy its not even a question as to what 2 college conferences define college football does it. The Big 12 comes in third with just 3 teams, Pac 10 with 2 teams, and Independents with 1.
- Not a single ACC or Big East team made the top 20. Surprising especially with teams like Florida State, Miami and Clemson in the ACC and historically relevant Syracuse and Pittsburgh in the Big East.
Way for Notre Dame to prove what douche bags they are once again. Like the Yankees of baseball, they have the most money to invest in the program and produce as little as humanly possible without completely falling apart. But luckily for the Golden Domers, at least the MLB requires the Yankees to play themselves into the post season and if they don't they save themselves the humiliation. The Irish are handed a spot in the BCS the moment they qualify like the spoiled brat who feels entitled to all that holy on God's green earth. The only thing an Irish fan should be thankful for this season is that they finally are bad enough to not humiliate themselves in the post season. Hey, that's more vacation days for Charlie Weis to count the undeserved money he's stealing from the almighty 'Catholic' institution. |
| posted by Nittany White Out @ 2:43 PM |
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| Rosy Tradition |
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The Rose Bowl did nothing wrong and doesn't need to apologize for their decision. What decision was that you ask? Their decision to invite Illinois to play the Pac-10 champion USC instead of the more popular Georgia or Missouri.
First off, I myself would have enjoyed the USC-Georgia match up and jokingly blamed Hawaii for ruining the possibility, but let's put to rest the ridiculous "why weren't we treated to a USC-Georgia match up" debate. It wasn't going to happen EVEN if the Rose Bowl committee felt compelled to provide college football fans a great match up, which they aren't. The Rose Bowl, having lost their Big Ten champion tie-in Ohio State to the national championship, are entitled to pick anyone who qualifies (top 14 in the BCS) to replace them. But wait, LSU is in the title game too, so doesn't the Sugar Bowl with the SEC champion tie-in get to do the same? You're absolutely right. But because Ohio State is number 1 and LSU is number 2 going into the title game, Rose Bowl gets to pick over the Sugar Bowl. So now the Rose Bowl is faced with the decision of who to face USC.
And in comes the hordes of mindless football fans who claim Georgia should have been the pick. But in order for the Rose Bowl to do so, they must receive permission from the Sugar Bowl because they have the SEC tie-in even if LSU is in the national championship. Think of it as the Bowls owning the rights to each conference. So the Rose Bowl can either go through the difficult process of negotiating a release of the SEC by the Sugar Bowl for a USC-Georgia match up or go with someone else. So the chances of the USC-Georgia match up were slim to none.
So Missouri? Hawaii? or Illinois? Sure the Rose Bowl could have picked Missouri to face USC to create an odd Pac-10/Big-12 match up or undefeated Hawaii for an even odder Pac-10/WAC match up, OR stick to their century long tradition of Big 10/Pac-10 that has built the Rose Bowl into the premier bowl in the nation. So it really wasn't a hard decision. With Illinois eligible, the Rose Bowl could spurn the Big 10 with whom they've had a century long partnership (and hence ruining the shot of the Big 10 in collecting 2 BCS bowl payouts) and feel the wrath of James Delany and go with a 'reach for the moon' shot of satisfying the mythological entitlement of a good match up football fans feel, OR stick to what has been so successful for nearly a century and live to play another day. So it's not surprising the Rose Bowl made the right decision without a bit of hesitation.
With all the backlash following the aftermath of the Rose Bowl blowout, it almost seems as if the Rose Bowl committee committed college football blasphemy when in fact they are the one remaining steady, shining beacon of tradition left in college football. Coaches come and go, Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino proved that quite well, players only get 4 years of eligibility and uniforms can be changed like diapers. But we always have the Rose Bowl and their traditional Big 10/Pac 10 match up and pageantry. Talking heads like Stewart Mandel, Lee Corso and Mark May threw the Rose Bowl under the bus this season and the blowout only seemed to validate their whining as if every single Rose Bowl game in its 106 year history have been classics. So get over yourselves. Obviously more people want to watch the Rose Bowl even despite the backlash than the Sugar Bowl or a classic Fiesta Bowl last year without a backlash. |
| posted by Nittany White Out @ 8:48 AM |
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| Mid Major Disaster |
| Thursday, January 3, 2008 |
 Congratulations BCS, you have given us exactly what most of us expected when you tossed Hawaii into the BCS mix. Why do I say that? We have Hawaii to thank for a USC-Illinois matchup instead of a more evenly matched USC-Georgia matchup.
ABC/ESPN officials, mindful of the southern TV markets that would tune in to watch SEC players do situps, pushed for the Bulldogs to receive strong consideration.
But Georgia really wasn't an option after Missouri lost in the Big 12 title game, boosting LSU into the BCS championship. Without LSU, the Sugar Bowl lost its Southeastern Conference anchor.
The Rose Bowl retained the first at-large selection because Ohio State finished ahead of LSU in the BCS standings. But Rose Bowl CEO Mitch Dorger said he would have had to ask the Sugar Bowl for permission to release Georgia.
Dorger wasn't about to do that because the Sugar Bowl is its partner in the BCS. And with Hawaii in the game, the Sugar Bowl needed a SEC opponent to fill seats in New Orleans. So once again, in the interest of allowing this 'mid major' phenomenon to fester like a bad odor you just can't seem to find the source of, we are going to get an annual dose of the 'can they actually pull it off matchup'. Hell if not, try again next year. I am sick of the mid-majors trying to crash the party. If they want to be taken seriously, invest the money, the infrastructure and gain the fan base like every other power has, hell even South Florida did it in less than a decade. Quit whining and earn your way in like everyone else instead of asking for your free ride. Don't think Penn State would have gone through Hawaii's schedule undefeated?
Congratulations are in order for Oklahoma on becoming the new Notre Dame of bowl games. To be beaten by West Virginia is one thing, to be dominated and humiliated is another. Way to not make yourselves look like jackasses when you wanted the national championship game because you beat an overrated #1 team in the Big 12 championship.
On a lighter note, reason why the Rose Bowl continues to uphold their Big 10-Pac 10 tradition? A whopping 12.0 nielsen rating despite a blowout compared to 7.9 in the SEC annual tie-in BCS game. Even the Capital One bowl with Michigan and Florida earned a 9.9 nielsen rating higher than last year's Oklahoma-Boise State Fiesta Bowl classic. Numbers talk people, if people around the country don't give a rats ass about your team, don't whine and cry about missing out in the Big Party.
Chances are the Virginia Tech-Kansas matchup should be more intriguing. Hell they've had 4 shots at this, odds are they've gotta get one right. Lets go State!
Update: I have to admit I was prematurely stressed over the idea that Bradley would be whisked away to Morgan town but thanks to the West Virginia domination of the Sooners, we can effectively bury that rumor. |
| posted by Nittany White Out @ 9:19 AM |
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