SB Nation User Blog: jtothep

Evan Hailes Talking Bout PSU Family

jtothep — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:36:38 -0000

Evan Hailes Talking Bout PSU Family

I love hearing these dudes talk about PSU as Family, especially when being 'so high' is referring to grades and scores:
"Like you said, I had a ton of options because my grades and SAT scores were so high, and I think that was a reason as to why I had so many offers. I always thought about Penn State, and they were the only school for me that emphasized academics as well as football. When I got up there, everything was how they said it would be. It felt like home, it felt real. It felt like a big family up here, and it just felt like the right decision."

Which BSD Member Would You Most Like to Have a Beer With?

jtothep — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:26:37 -0000

I think we can all agree the offseason is slow. June is June and JoePa is old. Hate week (month) has come and gone, as have many Mike Madeira targets. Sadly (gladly), there've been no pot stories, no apartment or HUB fights and no pitbulls at pool parties. My interweb surfboard needs rewaxing, as it's been all around looking for goodies: I branched out from bhgp, stopped in over at conquest chronicles, and even began prepping for our 2010-11 series by trying to make new friends down at roll bama roll. To further pass these dog days, I even found myself re-reading posts on the Drake, before turning back to some old standbys: waiting for my invite to the volleyball / fencing pajama party. Which got me to thinking that my pole is in order...er, a poll is in order.

I was reading another of Cairo's posts about turfgrass and thought how interesting it would be to put back a few beers and hear about all the stadiums he's been to and what's involved in installing a turf and what are the kinds of turf out there, and which is the best and which is the toughest to install. Hell, I figure I could easily kill a couple hours in an airport bar listening to and querying that cat. So, what about you? Based on what you know from postings here, who here would you most like to have a beer (or seven) with, and why? Since this is fantastical, let's restrict it to ppl you have not yet already had a beer with, or otherwise met. I've really enjoyed my beers with TME, Buggy and Rockin, but can't vote for them here. You've already got my Cairo vote, but RUTS, Mike, PSUJen and Rambler are in the two through five slots in no particular order. So, who are yours? Here's a poll to get you started (no offense to any omissions--it's just a starter list):

Cirminiello's Trojan O-Preview

jtothep — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:17:35 -0000

Cirminiello's Trojan O-Preview

He really got to raving about the Oline. Should be a real nice luxury for a new learning QB. I particularly enjoyed the description of Byers as 'cagey'.

Four Dislocated Toes?

jtothep — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:29:43 -0000

Four Dislocated Toes?

Whoa, I certainly knew they knocked both Royster & Green out, but I didn't realize we took out McKnight:

Lessons for a Young Drinker

jtothep — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:05:19 -0000

The offseason here has been pretty cool. We've cathartically expressed some hate, professed quite a bit of (bacon) love, and learned a few things along the way. One of which was the generational aspect of our little neighborhood. The What it Means to be a Penn Stater post showed me just how many 'younger' readers we have to complement the aging legions of we Elders. So when I read this Esquire article Lessons for a Young Drinker, I thought it could be a worthy share for those with an open mind. Plus, this opening paragraph was pretty captivating:

Look, drinking is pretty damned fun. This must be said. Yes. Women look better. The ocean looks bluer. We know. And your jokes? Way better, right? Man, laughs are just way better. I mean, right? You just start to like where you are, no matter where that is. It can make you good with the world. And this really can be a good thing. Seriously.

Drinking makes up a slice of of the Penn State experience for many of us, and I've learned quite a bit about drinking through my years of experience (experiments?). At 38, I feel wiser about it than I did in my early twenties. I particiularly agree with this practice:

Observe yourself and take notes. That's a key to drinking: don't stop looking. When you are less drunk than everyone else, look around. When you are more drunk than anyone else, look at your own dumb ass in the mirror.

And have also learned the value of this one:

Quit. For some period of time, anyway. A week. A month. Three years. Whatever it takes. Just walk away. Study the absence. Feel it. In some ways, you'll find you're right back on the outside. Know what it means to not drink, too.

Plus, Chiarella's one of my favorite writers, and I dug how he pitched this one. So, hopefully you can get something out of it. too Lemme know if you do. Or didn't.

Or better yet: post up some of your own personal lessons learned. For or by Young or Old.

Poll

The best lesson I ever learned about drinking was:

at a Penn State Tailgate

3 votes

from waking up in the gutter one morning

22 votes

learned at the Right Hand of Zug the Father Almighty

17 votes

acquired through my own actions

45 votes

passed down to me by an Elder

3 votes

90 votes | Poll has closed

Oline Returning Starts

jtothep — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:43:55 -0000

Oline Returning Starts

One of the top attributes in ranking projecting future performance in college ball is number of returning starters. Here's a cool listing for offensive line, but includes total starts returning. Depending on how much weight you give to this attribute, even psu fans could be somewhat sympathetic to only modest projections of our offensive performance.

Hi! I'm Sasa

jtothep — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:45:36 -0000

I love listening to and reading eastern european english as a second language. The omission of definite articles makes for a super-distinct and memorable interview. Of course, this is from bwi, so we might not be able to tell how many english mistakes are theirs.

I sure hope he puts back the pieces of his arm:

BWI: How did the recruiting process go for you? Was it because you weren't an AAU player that you didn't get a ton of attention?

Borovnjak: I had an injury over the summer. I played AAU for the Carolina Raptors for two months after our season was over last year and then two days before I was supposed to go home, I broke up my arm.

CFB Workout Warriors by Feldman

jtothep — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:37:18 -0000

CFB Workout Warriors by Feldman

I eat this stuff up, these 'measurables' on these 'kids.' Check out the difference in weights and verticals between Mays, a safety and Bailey, a DT. 288 and jumps 38 inches? Are you kidding me? I'm also putting the link here, for if you want it opened in another window.

Caps Pens Open Thread

jtothep — Wed, 06 May 2009 23:15:35 -0000

Does anybody want in? Why does the ice look yellow? Pens look sloppy early. What the hell was Fleury lookin at? Composure = lacking. Glad to see Satan is playing tho. He always brings a bit of fire. This rink seems rinky dink. How old is this arena? Thready thread. jtothethread. Caps UP! 1-0 Caps! Yay. anybody else threadin? Will this past Speedomike muster? KoT, you out there? Want some capital punishment? Get it? Capital? Tee hee. Tee hee, hee. Wow, at least the fans are chanting again.

Wilbon on Great 8 vs. Sid the Kid

jtothep — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:28:48 -0000

Wilbon on Great 8 vs. Sid the Kid

Dear Pennsylvania brethren, I write to you now as a fellow Penn State fan, a loyal brother in all things PSU. When my wife and I met in 2003, we both learned we would soon be new sports fans--she of Penn State, and me of the Washington Capitals. I've been in DC for years and followed their run to the Cup in 98, but aside from that, hockey had usually been low on my sportsdar. No longer! My word, it's a beautiful thing, watching this Caps-Pens series.

Unbelievable offensive talent and skill just flowing around the rink. And ridiculous goaltending to boot! It's been such a treat watching the product the Pens put on the ice compared to the clunkiness of the Rangers. I trust the series will be even more competitive as it heads back to Pittsburgh. Anyway, the link is Wilbon making the case for Ovie over Sid; I figured it's as good as any to get any participatory chatter about the series flowin. Hopefully, we'll have more to offer than the predictable old yanko-russo tripe.