I hate to bring this up, but I had some questions re: the debacle that was yesterdays game.  I was (un)fortunate enough to score some tickets, so I missed some explanations that was probably given on TV.

First one, the touchback in the second quarter (I think?)--when Boone punted the ball, it hit the Tosu player and ended up in the end zone.  The microphone went out on the ref so I missed the explanation as to why that was touchback and not a safety.

Second, I think it was during the 3rd quarter, maybe the 4th, when Boone was essentially mauled by an Tosu player after punting the ball, but roughing the kicker was never called.  Did they ever say why the penalty wasn't called?

I talked to a bunch of Buckeye fans today and they said that they were please about how they were treated here.  They said the PSU fans were some of the nicest that they have met and how beautiful the campus is.  Some even said how it was nicer than the Tosu campus.  I haven't heard a single story about any bad treatments to their fans.  And I must say the Tosu fans were respectful after the game.  We had a ton around us in the RV lot and they did not rub in the win.  The same couldn't be said of my friends who were in Columbus (I ended up turning off my phone), but the ones that showed up to the game were really nice.  I received a lot of comments about the PSU hospitality.

The football team might have let us down, but PSU fans did a wonderful job of representing PSU pride.   

Watching the Safety in the Fourth Quarter, I was going insane.  That's when I first started to get a little nervous about the game.  And I was more than a little annoyed at Hartwig (who had the false start earlier in the game).  But then I read this in the Post Gazette:

"I had already made the decision to take the safety," Tomlin said. "Their punt-rush team is spectacular, led by [ex-Steeler] Sean Morey, their Pro Bowl special teamer. So I really wasn't all that devastated by that safety. It was a little disappointing because we had converted the first down. But my mentality was, had that pass come up incomplete, that we were going to take the safety on fourth down, anyway."

The more I hear Tomlin speak the more I love him.  I don't think I've ever heard a coach wanting to take a safety!  And his reaction to the Fitz TD that put the Cards in the lead, essentially he hoped they scored fast...God I love this man!!

Tomlin is Coach of the Year  according to the Post Gazette!

 

Fans vote Steelers' Tomlin coach of the year Thursday, January 29, 2009 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mike Tomlin, who has led the Steelers to Sunday's Super Bowl, today was named Motorola coach of the year.

The voting was done by fans on the NFL's Web site.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. First published on January 29, 2009 at 12:23 pm

My Uncle, a Pitt fan, was harrassing me during the game yesterday.  I thought I would share the convo with everyone here for it's beauty...

conversation took place via text during halftime.

Uncle:  looks like your team is taking a dive.  at least the pitt game was close.

moi: wow.  that's low

Uncle: well at least we can look forward to basketball season

moi: hey the lions are 12-2 this season.  and the lady vball team are nat'l champs again!

Uncle: yea, but i didn't see psu bball in the nat'l rankings

moi: not yet

Uncle: i see joepa got a new contract.  pretty soon its  gonna be like watchin' wkend at bernies

moi:  at least it didn't take 25yrs to have a 10win seaon

(silence from uncle)

 

That will certainly happen Thursday, when they will play for a fourth consecutive January in a stadium down the street, against a team from a conference with no juice, in a game that has zero bearing on a national championship.

As witnessed Tuesday at a downtown hotel, the Trojans will be locked in a battle with their toughest opponent.

Yeah. Themselves.

"Hey, from what I've seen, Penn State is pretty good," protested defensive end Kyle Moore.

This means the Trojans have watched the films. This means that they've surely seen how, athletically and strategically, USC is clearly better.

The writers were able to compare the players in person Tuesday, and the differences were obvious.

USC looked like Humvees. Penn State looked like jayvees.

"Did you know that Penn State was just one point from playing in the national championship game?" Moore said

 

I found this lovely piece a trash while perusing Rittenberg's blog on ESPN.  I really hope our boys are reading these junk pieces and are getting riled up.  And it was the whole article.

But the guy did mention that USC, the last time they had this attitude after the Tosu game, they lost to your fave team and mine, the mighty Beavers of Oregon State!