I was finishing up a work trip this weekend in LA and was hoping to find somewhere to watch the PSU-Purdue game on BTN out there. I was fortunate to come across a sports bar in the Santa Monica area I was staying at called Brittania Pub that has a group that meets for every game as part of the LA Chapter of the PSU Alumni Association. It is a "Penn State Bar" and they have an area upstairs just for the PSU game so it was great to be able to check out the game with fellow PSU fans...and to bring home a win. It's a nice group of people and I'd recommend it to anyone out in the LA area looking for a place to watch a PSU game. http://britanniapub.com/

It sounds like Jeff Brooks' injured shoulder may likely keep him out of Sunday's home game vs Michigan.  Based on the article, it sounds like things could've been worse and that a possible return vs Michigan State in East Lansing is a likely target. 

http://blog.pennlive.com/davidjones/2011/02/jeff_brooks_dislocated_shoulde.html

Hopefully the diagnosis is correct and he only has to miss one full game.  The question is - can PSU beat Michigan without him?  I'm very skeptical based on how they played against Illinois.  Fatigue is one thing, but putting guys in extended roles that are not used to it could be a huge factor in the game.  Michigan has been playing teams tough for most of the season. 

This may have to be a Talor Battle "get on my back and I'll carry us to the win" type of games.

The current Big Ten scoring stats have Evan Turner leading at 19.5 PPG, while Talor Battle sits in 2nd place at 19.0 PPG.  Based on my calculations, Battle would need 55 points in the final two games vs Michigan State and Purdue to overtake Turner for the lead.  (Ohio State's regular season is over.) I would say normally he has a great shot, especially the way he seems to play against MSU, but the way the team is spreading around the scoring recently may hurt his chances, but obviously help PSU's chances to win.  I'm going to be a homer and predict that he is going to do it.  Any thoughts?

I wanted to see if anyone could give me their restaurant/bar recommendations in State College.  I'm looking for something on or close to College Ave that would be considered casual, but on-the-nicer side for drinks and/or dinner for a date.  I didn't attend PSU, so my memories of where things are near campus are more related to attending sporting events and/or visiting college friends back in the day, and I obviously don't know the campus as well as most people on here.  I apologize this isn't PSU sports related, but I will preface it by saying that we are at least going to a PSU hoops game afterwards. 

In addition to your recommendations, if anyone has any thoughts on the following places that come up on searches I'd also appreciate it: The Corner Room, Allen Street Grill, The Tavern Restaurant.

Thanks in advance.

When I first looked at the 2010 Home football schedule, it didn't seem like something that I would get that interested in.  PSU could be in a transition year with a number of key starters departing that may cause us some second thoughts about being disappointed about this year's 10-2 season.  Being a little bored, I wanted to see how the 2010 home schedule compares to the 2009 schedule. 

I decided to assign an arbitrary numeric value of what I call the "buzz factor" in terms of interest level for each game from 1-10.  This was done taking into account how we may have felt toward the games on the 2009 schedule AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.  Here's my estimate for the 2009 Big 10 schedule, with my reasoning for this:

Ohio State (10) - expected to be the Big 10 game of the year, Terrell Pryor factor, we won at OSU last year, etc.

Iowa (8) - they crushed our national title hopes last year/revenge factor.  I didn't rate it higher because (I may be in the minority about this) but I felt that we were a better team last year and I did this year, and I definitely didn't expect them to be undefeated until November.

Minnesota (5) - besides Decker and Weber not much there, Homecoming.

Indiana (2) - has there ever been a memorable moment from an Indiana home game?

Total = 25

For the 2010 schedule, these are my estimates:

Michigan (7) - for all the talent they get up there, they are bound to turn it around at some point.  Plus the hate factor, etc.

Illinois (6) - the Zooker will be fighting for his job so I think they will have somewhat of a bounce-back season, Homecoming. (LATE ADD - Plus I think that this game will be chosen as the "white-out" game for next year - due to the fact that PSU likes to pick games in the first half of the season for the white-out because of the weather.  In other words, students will dress up in only white T-shirts any time of the year, but "Mr. Big Time Alumni" who's 65 years old will likely not.  This is what they have done in the past.  Add that with it being the first B10 home game is the reason for the rating of 6, but this one is mostly speculation and is probably a little high.)

Northwestern (6) - back to back 8 win seasons under Pat Fitzgerald has helped Northwestern become somewhat of a gutty team and seem to be in pretty much every game.

Michigan State (6) - Senior Day, interest in # of time outs called by MSU, etc.

Total = 25

Now obviously you can dispute my estimates, but my point being is that, even though this year we had two very attractive B10 matchups, we also had two clunkers.  And for 2010, all 4 B10 opponents bring something to the table, and based on our expected personnel losses, all of those games look to be very competitive.

And for the non-conference I think it will be very similar with our best home game being vs Temple.  I would gladly trade one home game to watch PSU go to Alabama. 

Any thoughts?  Take it easy on me, first fan-post.