Clearly, Bernard Fernandez of the Inquirer is going to get his ass beat at the next media happy hour, as he chooses to deviate from the script and (horror!) defend JoePa. Before Chris and M1EK get all over-heated, he doesn't say that Joe isn't without fault. But he brings up a personal story, choosing to understand why Joe did what he did. He also echoes that this was an excuse for the BOT to oust Joe and make him the scapegoat.

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20120116_Bernard_Fernandez__JoePa_interview_provokes_sadness.html

Rumors have been swirling since the day Joe was fired, and we've seen all sorts of "flavors of the day" pop up. Some familiar names, some unfamiliar names, some PSU people, some random strangers.

With the expectation that a coach is hired this week to allow time for recruiting in January, I wanted to see where the popular vote stands. Not necessarily the person you want to get the job, but the person you THINK our esteemed search committee will hire.

In your response, please just add the name of the coach. No rationale, no hedging, no if/then/maybe scenarios. Just drop a name.

Just the name. I'm curious to get these down so that we can come back and see post-hire just how close or how far off the commentariat was on their selections.

GO!

For those in the Philly area, the Penn State Great Valley Alumni Society is hosting a tailgate fundraiser at their campus in Malvern on Saturday for the PSU vs. OSU game.  Proceeds will go to RAINN and to a scholarship fund on campus for those who cannot afford the cost of tuition.

Doors will open at 2:30, and your $15 pre-paid admission ticket ($20 at the door) gets you an all you can eat tailgate buffet & open bar (beer & wine).  Read that again: all you can eat/drink for $15, and proceeds go to important charities.  How can you not attend?

Plus, the game is being shown on the THIRTY FOOT screen in the auditorium.  You think you have a big screen tv at home?  It's not thirty foot, my friend.  We'll be serving free Creamery ice cream, and there will be some awesome silent auction items up for bid, including PSU signed memorabilia.  Special appearances by the Nittany Lion and.... well, me.

Please attend or pass along this information to friends/family in the Philly area. 

To register or for more info:  http://sgps.psu.edu/Tailgate-2011/default.ashx

Anyone out there watching the game?  Anyone?

In 1930, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, in an effort to alleviate the effects of the... Anyone? Anyone?... the Great Depression, passed the... Anyone? Anyone? The tariff bill? The Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act?  Which, anyone? Raised or lowered?... raised tariffs, in an effort to collect more revenue for the federal government. Did it work? Anyone? Anyone know the effects? It did not work, and the United States sank deeper into the Great Depression. Today we have a similar debate over this. Anyone know what this is? Class? Anyone? Anyone? Anyone seen this before? The Laffer Curve. Anyone know what this says? It says that at this point on the revenue curve, you will get exactly the same amount of revenue as at this point. This is very controversial. Does anyone know what Vice President Bush called this in 1980? Anyone? Something-d-o-o economics. "Voodoo" economics.

Anyone?

Tried to log on and pick up all 44 of Old Man Euler's 50 yard line tickets, and the system is broken.  Web now tells me that my window opens tomorrow, customer service at the Nittany Lion Club says my turn is Monday.  You, as educated Penn State graduates, will note they aren't the same date. 

Those further down the list, check the website frequently, as I imagine the date/time you actually get to pick may vary wildly from what you were originally communicated.

Proposal: 

Next "Time to Step Up" column is "Time to Step Up: STEP"

 

 

Poll

The Awesomest:

22%

Terrelle Pryor's free Corvette

12 votes

24%

The Ohio State PR department

13 votes

3%

STEP elections

2 votes

5%

The movie "Step Up"

3 votes

43%

GI Joe's with the kung-fu grip

23 votes

53 votes | Poll has closed

Bud Adams promotes from within and names former PSU & NFL great Mike Munchak as the next head coach of the Titans.   Good to see another former Nittany Lion succeeding!  Fascinating that he's been with the Oilers/Titans since the day he was drafted.  Wonder who he learned the value of loyalty from......?

 

Perhaps now his name will be the choice du jour of people to replace JoePa in 2018.   Caldwell, Neuheisal, Schiano, Golden, Dungy, Rockne, Cowher, Wooden, Peterson, Scott Paterno.... am I missing anyone from the front runner list?

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110207/SPORTS01/110207016/Mike-Munchak-officially-named-Tennessee-Titans-head-coach?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Sports

For those of you looking to move into Joe Paterno's doghouse next semester, please be advised that there's going to be company:  Johnny Troutman pulled over and arrested for DUI.  Also, while far more minor, charged with driving without a license and "not folloing traffic laws."  Not so good for Mr. Troutman.  Sucks, as with a few minor exceptions (Cruzan Mango Rum, anyone?) the team's behavior has been far improved than in the recent past.

And now, the part where I type extra words and get past that pesky 75 word limit.  It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  Now is the winter of my discontent.  Etc., Etc.

 

 

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/02/01/football_player_charged_with_dui.aspx

 

Didn't see much traffic on this, but the self-proclaimed biggest donor to the UConn football program has decided that he wants his money back.  This guy comes off as a windbag know it all, but the letter definitely provides a unique insight into the crap that AD's and university presidents have to deal with when it comes to donors. 

Makes you wonder - if $panier tried to can Joe, would he see letters like this?

If they hired someone from the outside, would they see letters like this?

If they didn't hire from the outside, would they see letters like this?

Interesting view into the world of big donors with huge egos.  In the immortal words of Randy Moss, "Straight cash, homie."

http://deadspin.com/5743170/heres-the-angry-letter-that-uconn-donor-wrote-demanding-his-money-back

Pretty interesting read from Gene Wojciechowski at ESPN on how recruits react to the process, the phone calls, the letters, the empty promises, the shady dealings, the pressure.

I'm sure it's a VERY limited sample size that he spoke to (and either well spoken or he translated to English), but it was nice to see that recruits realize these days that the coach they sign with may not even be there by fall practice, let alone graduation day.  Something that Joe has always told recruits - you better like the school, because there are no guarantees with coaches.  Funny that a guy who has stuck around for 135 years as a coach is warning kids that they better like the school & the academics.  Wonder if kids at Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, or about 30 other schools heard that from the guys that recruited them?  Yeah, I thought not.

PSU gets a direct shout out, unlike everyone else.  Mangiro, I suppose.  Score one for the good guys!


Link:

 

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&page=wojciechowski/110105

The Penn State Great Valley Alumni Society is hosting a tailgate party today on the PS-GV campus for the PSU vs. OSU game.  $20 ($10 for kids) gets you ALL YOU CAN EAT and ALL YOU CAN DRINK.  Plus, the game is being shown in the auditorium of the Conference Center Building on the THIRTY FOOT SCREEN.  You think you have a big tv?  I guarantee it's not as big as this one.  Projected in HD, too.  See Pryor cry larger than ever!

Doors open at 2:30. 

The event is a fundraiser, with proceeds going to an endowed scholarship fund on campus & THON.  Silent auction with some killer prizes - travel packages, sports memorabilia, PSU artwork, and more.  Also, Creamery Ice cream.

 

See you there!!!  Info on Penn State Great Valley's campus, conveniently located right next to Route 202 in Chester County: http://www.sgps.psu.edu/

No, not that Reading Rambler.  SI confirms what we knew all along  - that Lenny Moore was the greatest home run threat in the history of the NFL.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/kerry_byrne/07/28/chris.johnson/index.html?eref=sihp

Oh, you didn't know that?  Check the stats in the link, peoples.  Or just read:

1. We should spend more time watching Lenny Moore game tape. The Hall of Fame back, and Johnny Unitas' batterymate in Baltimore during the franchise's glory days, is easily No. 1 on the list of most explosive scoring threats. He was listed as a running back, but he had the benefit of often lining up at flanker, and receivers have a much easier time producing long scoring plays than running backs. But no matter how you measure it, Moore's game-breaking capabilities are without peer. He's among the all-time greatest at producing both long TD runs and long TD receptions.

Per the CDT:

"Two Penn State athletes have been cited by State College police for fighting in front of McDonald's on East College Avenue.

Basketball recruit Taran Buie, 18, and rising football sophomore Curtis Drake, 19, were reportedly throwing punches and shoving around 1:21 a.m. Sunday in the 400 block of East College Avenue when State College police arrived.

Both were given a summary disorderly conduct citation, which carries a $443 fine.

The officer wrote the pair was engaging in “fighting, tumultuous, threatening behavior.”

Penn State athletics spokesman Jeff Nelson couldn’t be reached for comment.

Drake, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound wide receiver from Philadelphia, saw action in 11 games as a true freshman last season. He caught eight passes for 98 yards, rushed four times for 24 yards and threw a 14-yard touchdown pass.

Buie, a 6-foot-2 guard, will join the Nittany Lions this fall after a decorated prep career. The younger brother of Penn State basketball senior Taylor Battle averaged more than 20 points per game during his lone season on the State College Area High School basketball team, helping lead the Little Lions to the District 6 Class AAAA final."

 

I assume this means they were fighting each other?  Anyway, just not good news.  Other than Lift for Life, NOTHING good ever happens on ArtsFest weekend when it comes to our athletes. 

I think I would completely ignore PSU and enroll at..... Arizona State.  Pics/videos from this year's ASU Undie Run are in the link below (Thanks, edsbs/friends of the program!)

I can't fathom how they don't win a national championship every season.  Warm weather, classes are easy, and (from what I hear) it's nothing but a 4 or 5 year orgy with beautiful women.  What high school senior doesn't want this scenario?  Plus, this seems to be completely sanctioned by the university - much different than the anti-fun culture at PSU these days.....

http://friendsoftheprogram.net/2010/05/06/undie-running-in-arizona/

link is somewhat safe for work, but really, you probably shouldn't be looking at pics of college girls prancing around in their underwear at work, unless you're in the porn biz.

A friend is trying to find a PSU print suitable for framing.  Specifically, she's looking for the shot looking towards the tunnel as the team is getting ready to run out, where Joe is reaching up to shake a student's hand. 

While I'm sure she can call all of the various print shops in State College to see what she can find, I figured the board usually has some quick responses for these sort of things.

Anyone ever see this pic as a print somewhere?  Or, anyone know the photographer?

All help will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks, BSD peoples.

Does anyone need 2 or 4 season tickets for this fall?   I typically pick up 4 for a family member, but they can't use them this year.  So, I now have four extra season tickets, and figured I'd check in with my  BSD peoples to see if anyone could use a hand.

The details:
- Tix this year are $770 for 2, or $1540 for 4.  This is cost, I'm not looking to make a dime in profit.

- If you want a parking pass (yellow), I can pick that up for an extra $70 (half off day of game price).

- I'm not breaking these up for individual games; only selling as season tickets.

- seats are in section NH, row 24, four seats from the aisle.  This is the lower bowl, not the upper deck.  Good seats.

- I'd like to know by April 26th, if possible, with payment due within 15 days of that point.  Check works, paypal could work too.

I recognize that this isn't a ticket exchange board, but I'm putting this here as a community service in case anyone wants them.  I figured, as the cutoff point for tickets seems to be going up, not down, there may be a fan with 30 or 40ish NLC points who wanted to lock in a sure thing.   Plus, this saves me the aggravation of going to ebay and having to dream up clever "OMGZ JOEPA'S LAST SEASON EVAR!" marketing strategies.  Plus, I imagined you, as true Penn State fans, wouldn't turn around and re-sell them, unlike people on ebay.  But if you want to, go ahead, I guess.

Hit me up with a message, or shoot me your email.  RUTS can vouch for me & my background if anyone needs reassurances.  Thanks!!

Joseph Vincent Paterno truly is the legend.  Not only does he get to assault fans of other teams (who doesn't wish they could do that every now and again?), he gets to insult entire ethnic groups without worrying about the PC police coming to find him.  JoePa is THE MAN.

 

News & notes from today's PSU pep rally.  Estimates of 45,000 PSU fans in Orlando for the game? Not sure about that, bu I do wish I could have been in Orlando for this one today.....

GO LIONS!

 

http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2009/12/penn_state_coach_joe_paterno_s.html

Attention all PSU fans:  Bowden to retire at FSU, per this article. 

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4701625


JOE PA!  JOE PA!  JOE PA!  JOE PA!  JOE PA!! JOE PA! JOE PA! JOE PA! JOE PA!

Weis & Bowden on the same day?  I gotta say... today was a good day.   Although, I thought both schools were going to be incredibly average for as long as they retained Weis & Bowden, so maybe I should be careful what I wish for. 

 

Anyway, JOE PA JOE PA JOE PA!