So it looks like tomorrow night, Real Sports is airing an episode with interviews of 4 former Auburn football players.  What could they possibly have to tell us, you ask? 

According to at least one of these chaps, LSU and Michigan State had boosters handing him cash at recruiting trips and all star camps.  Not to be outdone Ohio State gave him MORE cash and added women (it's difficult to tell from the articles whether they got him hookers or had willing coeds ready for his visit).

After verbally committing to OSU, Auburn just gave him a huge bag filled with cash.  That was it.  He signed with Auburn.  Later, someone from Auburn bought him a car. 

Of course, you can't find this story on TWWL, because they aren't breaking it so they are acting like it isn't news.  But it looks like some media got advanced copies.  You can search for an article, or I thought the best one so far with details is here:

http://chip-patterson.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/28142828

Paging Paige!

So this is going to be very embarrasing if I'm wrong, but Penn State, to my knowledge, has not named its captains for this fall.  And I got to thinking, are there any obvious choices out there?  We have talked about the possible lack of leadership, and my difficulty in naming them was emblematic of that.  A rundown:

OFFENSE

Wiz- the obvious choice?  Team veteran, guy who strikes you as the grab-you-by-the-facemask type.  Can you have an guard as a captain?  Have we ever?  If you made me guess, this would be my choice.

Royster- the crutch.  The player we will probably lean on in close games.  He has been around the program and knows what it takes to win.  But, he has never had a huge number of carries.  Can your captain be a guy who is off the field so often and spelled by Green?  Is he even vocal enough to begin with?  His selection would not surprise me.

Zug- the overlord.  Word is he is showing the young WR how it is done as a PSU player and WR.  Do you risk choosing someone else and having him strike you down where you stand?  Like Royster, I wouldn't be too surprised.

Suhey- the darkhorse.  Like his ancestors before him, he knows how to play PSU football.  I would poop my pants if it were him.

DEFENSE

Astorino- JoePa2no.  A veteran and an Italian.  His picture got J'tot aroused, or something like that.  I like his chances.  

Gbadyu- The story.  Everyone is inspired by Gbadyu's story and what he overcame.  But can you choose him when he could lose his job to Hodges?  The LBs are a tough choice given all the great players who could take jobs.

Colasanti- father time.  Everyone has been waiting for Colasanti to take over a starting job for years.  Has he finally done it?  Can he stay on the field?  If so, he has to be a natural choice as the middle 'backer.  Again, it is tough to choose a player that could lose his job. 

Ogbu- the there-is-no-name-on-his-jersey- a solid cog in the defense, but you don't hear his name too often.  He just goes to work, eats blocks, and gets in the backfield here and there.  Can't ever remember hearing a DT being a captain.  I don't think he's in great shape.

Crawford- the I-want-to-live choice.  Would you tell him he couldn't be captain.  A playmaker, and he could tell you what to do in his accent.  You would be too scared/amused not to comply.  Like DT, I don't recall any DE captains in the past. 

Gun to my head, I like the trio of Royster, Wiz, and Astorino.  You know Wiz will be on the field, and Royster will lead by example on offense.  Astorino is up to the job and an every down player and playmaker.  Health is a concern, but I roll the dice.

Who do you think are this season's captains.

Can anyone with a level head comment on this?  Jones claims that Joe looks really old, and says that based on the way he looks, he can't imagine Joe will be ready to go.

I don't really read him much, but did anywhere out there see him at the podium?  I would like to think this is total exaggeration by a member of the media looking to drive traffic.  It doesn't seem to me to be invalid that an 83 year old with "intestinal problem" (although he apparently said the problems were below the intestine), wouldn't want to be out in public.  So which is it?  Dignity?  Or does he really look that bad?

I have been looking back at the first half of yesterdays game (I didn't get to see it because of Comcast), and I'm wondering if we haven't been fully discussing/evaluating this crop of WRs.  We are so thrilled to see they can run, catch, and be big, that we ended the discussion there.  But I have one more question, and I don't have the base of knowledge to answer the question myself. 

Are any of these guys capable run blockers?  I think we sort of assumed that given the size advantage they hold over the 3 concurrent legends (or smurfs, which I never cared for as nicknames go) that they would run block at least as well.  Maybe my memory is doing me a disservice, but I remember 3 fierce run blockers who would stay on you.  I remember Royster and Green getting to the second level and having green space for days.  I remember seeing Williams, Butler, and Norwood downfield determined to dominate any comers.  I don't know that I see that this year.

Now, I know that the run game is having problems because of the O line, and those aren't imaginary.  I also know that we came together nicely on the ground yesterday.  But is the run game not as good in part because of the WR blocking?  Does this years run game have a ceiling if the RBs don't break tackles?

I would love to hear from anyone who has taken notice, understands the fundamentals better, just feels like adding in, or thinks I'm flat out wrong.  Thanks.

So great, our strength is a little less strong.  Abe Koroma is having personal problems and Joe Paterno doubts he will be back with the team.  I don't know what this means, but I hope everything works out for him.  It either means he screwed up, or there is something troubling going on with his family.  I hope he works it out.

The other (probably worse) news is that AJ Wallace has been cutting class and is in "hot water."

Terrific.

FOS says, via Twitter, that Paterno is the source on this.  I didn't hear it while he was up there, did I miss something?

http://twitter.com/FightOnState

Well it sounds Like Anthony Scirrotto is having a tough time adjusting to the game in the NFL.  No, he says it's not the speed of the game that bothers him (thank god he played in the b10, if it were the Ess Eee Speed he would have to adjust to how slow the NFL is). 

Scirrotto is having trouble with the mental aspect of the game.  In his own words, "we were pretty basic at Penn State."  You don't say.  Backpaddling fast and hard at every snap is "pretty basic?"  You don't say.

http://www.uwire.com/Article.aspx?id=4160506

Congratulations to Joe Paterno who has been rated the #1 most hated opponent by . . . Uncle Mike?  Chalk it up as another victory for Joe. I would welcome Rutgers to hate month (can we extend it to offseason yet?), but somehow I feel complete apathy towards this article. 

http://unclemikesmusings.blogspot.com/2009/06/my-most-hated-opponents-non-players.html

If you want to skip the article it reads like this:  "I hate Joe Paterno because he represents everything I wish my school and football program were.  That is not helped by my school's complete inability to play his team competitively and avoid getting blown out.  Lastly, I am quite bitter about having all the best recruits gravitate to him."  There, I saved you a few minutes.

HA!

in the nation this coming year according Jon Miller, Publisher at Hawkeye Nation.  God, why does this piss me off so bad?  Yes, we get it, we lose some talent.  How about checking to see if we have guys ready to step in and reload, and mentioning all the talent we have brought in?  

http://cfn.scout.com/2/866786.html

(scroll down to the last response)

Here's an idea for an overrated team, Iowa.  They had a terrific tailback and stout defensive line, both gone.  As a result, they are tremendously overrated.  See how easy that was?  I hardly had to do any work to write it!

This probably has me more worked up than it should, but can't it be September already?  I am book marking this article and e-mailing him when we beat the snot out of them.

Penn State has been fined for not opening the locker room after the Rose Bowl.  The article claims that it was the first time a coach has done this.  The players still did interviews, but in the hall.

Anyone else think that they waited to pull this stunt until it was forgetting how hurt Paterno was at this time? 

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/11653016

The haven't decided an amount yet, but it seems like an underhanded way to fine the Paterno for not doing the on field interview that they were so pissed about.

Adam Rittenberg, WWL b10 blogger answers a question about the April fools Clark article.  He even says, "they almost got me." 

Not only is it great that someone bit on it so hard that they had to write to someone to make sure that Clark is ok (a pain I can sympathize with after the pang I felt for 5 seconds before I realized the gag), but...

sounds like Rittenberg knows where to come to get his PSU information!

Link