If this has been discussed at length then I apologize but have been thinking and am curious what others may think on the matter. We have discussed Joes impression/mark he left on us and Penn State, What about the game? I can think of two important facets that he did have a hand in bringing about. These would be the use of instant replay in the current format or the big ten expansion. Maybe i am grasping and he wasn't as influential on these two as i like to think. Tell me what your thoughts are or have I drank too much homemade wine in a kitchen on Pittston..

Poll

Joes Footprint

47%

Instant Replay

19 votes

10%

Big Ten Expansion

4 votes

2%

WB stick to horrific typin

1 votes

40%

Ohio State Sucks

16 votes

40 votes | Poll has closed

via cache.gawkerassets.com

 

Dossier: Nobody Puts Zooky in the Corner

The headache that is Iowa begins to subside.  A new foe comes from the west to our beloved Happy Valley.  Hate waits for no man and especially the wounded warriors.  It is time for a win.  It is time to regain the swagger that is Penn State.  It is time for this team to be the hammer and play some angry football!!! It is time to knock the Zook out of the Illini!!!

Inspiration from the Ages:

                                                    Winston S Churchill: We Shall Fight on the Beaches (via JimmyThatcher)

 

 

Vitals:

The University of Illinois was founded in 1867 as the Illinois Industrial University.  It was a typical land grant school founded to focus on technology and agriculture.  Its first years were shrouded in controversy due to the vision of its first president.  John Milton Gregory believed the  school should have a heavy dose of  liberal arts instruction as opposed to only "practical" subjects.   This vision would win out eventually and in 1885 the school became the University of Illinois.    Currently, the school is one of the leading computer geek meccas in academia.  Geek life has been enriched by the National Center of Supercomputing Applications.  This school brought the world Mosaic which is featured in many operating systems.  Notable persons who may or may not have attended the university at some point and may or may not have graduated  the school are:  Jerry Orbach,  Dee Brown, Dorothy Day,  Roger Ebert, Jesse Jaskon Jr, and others. I think I forgot someone!!

 

via 4.bp.blogspot.com

The man....the myth... the legend.....:HUGH HEFNER.

 

via www.skylinepictures.com

Fighting Illini: A Fitting Tribute

No hate for this one.  Many believe this is a reference to Chief Illiniweck.  A costumed student developed as the former mascot for the team.  It was this "chief" that represented the Illiniweck tribe that inhabited Illinois.  Actually, the term Illini is a reference to the original student newspaper. This term grew to refer to anyone who attended the school.   The term Fighting Illini took hold in 1925 for the campaign to earn funds for Memorial Stadium.  This is a term that is a tribute to those sons and daughters of Illinois who gave their lives in WWI.  Currently, the university has no actual mascot.

 

 

Red Meat: Three reasons to hate Illinois

 

via farm4.static.flickr.com

Have You No pride?

Their official website has a dress the Alma Mater feature.  It gives you the option to put silly hair and shorts on the famed statue.  I mean really -  you would let people do this to your shrine?  We had people decorate our shrine back in the day but that has not gone over too well.  Show some pride people!!!

 

via 0.tqn.com

No Creativity Where It Counts

The Illini have been absent a mascot for some years now. They officially retired their mascot to be more culturally sensitive.  However, they have chosen to not have any mascot.  How hard is this to just make up a new one?  Many schools have replaced their Native American mascot with some sort of more acceptable mascot.  I mean you can have a giant  Zook runnnig around or a WWI dough boy or a ghost for Red Grange.

 I mean something.  It is not that hard people!!!  You can create operating systems for computers but not a mascot for your team.

 

via www.techshout.com

Your Coproate Greed has Made Us Lazy:

That's right Illinois you have led  America to become morbidly obese.  It is your fault children do not play.  It is your fault other countries like China and Inida are killing us in the math and science  arena.  You are destroying this country.  It is through  your invention of cool stuff that makes us never leave our homes.   You Tube, PayPal, Flight Simulator, the infomercial,  Mortal Kombat, Plasma Televisions and Netscape.  These items encourage us to never leave our homes. I mean have you ever flown the Wright brother plane from Newark to LAX?  It takes days.  All of these things to fatten your pockets while we all put on the poundage.  I mean an alum is the CEO of McDonalds for Petes sake.

THINK OF THE CHILDREN,  

 

This corporate menace must be stopped.  They have no pride or appreciation for the things that matter.  They are reducing our lives to mere technological exhanges.

via cache.deadspin.com

We must put our finshing move on the ZOOK!!!

WE ARE!!!

 

 

   via www.mykaussie.com

 

Dossier: Vengeful Sword
 

It is that time of year folks. The Big Ten season starts this Saturday.  Our vaunted foes wait in their insidious cornfields. Their black heart hungers for the melee.  The call sounds to action.

"Cry Havoc and let slip the dogs of war"

 

Vitals:

The University of Iowa was founded in 1847.  A mere 59 days after Iowa's admission into the union.  It can boast being the first coed institution in the United States. It admitted both men and woman as early as 1850.  Also, it was the first school west of the Mississippi to initiate a law school.  Currently,  Iowa can boast of the Howard Hughes Medical center, hydraulics experts, notable driving simulators and development of instruments for the space program.  Famous alumni include:Tennessee Williams, Tom Brokaw, Gene Wilder, Tom Arnold and Ashton Kutcher.

My personal favorite is David Morrell. It was his literary genius that brought the world RAMBO.  Hold the phones:  The treacherous Hawkeyes take credit for this giant of the quill.  We now know that he is a Penn State man to the core. Thank You  to Baron!!

 

 

via www.iowalum.com

What the Hell is a Hawkeye?

The mascot of the State University of Iowa is the Hawkeye. The Hawkeye is a common reference to any Iowan.  Its origin is in the great American classic: Last of the Mohicans.  Natty Bumppo is the great hero of James Fenimore Cooper's Leather Stocking Tales and is referred to as Hawkeye.  These works were  immensely popular in the early 1800's.  The story's  popularity influenced two prominent Iowans to campaign for this to be the nickname of the state.These men were  David Rorer and James Edwards  

This nickname was a reference as well  to the Black Hawk Wars that took place in the midwest shortly before Iowa's admission to the union. The war derived its name from Chief Black Hawk.   I have included an interesting link concerning this little known episode in American history.   The mascot of the Iowa Hawkeyes is named Herky. This was made popular to a cartoon adaptation of a Hawkeye in 1948.  

 

via upload.wikimedia.org

 

Red Meat:  Three Reasons to Hate Iowa

 

 via www.scilfball.com

 

Sad Dejected Penn State Fan File Pictures:

I refuse to post any of them. I am sick of the last two games against Iowa  and having to see the Sad Panda picture of some random Penn State player or fan.  This insanity must stop. We need to put the sad panda into the enemy.  I want their fans sitting with their head in hands while the announcer makes some quip. I want their fans plastered over the internets. 

 

 It is their turn!!!!

 

via images.teamsugar.com

 

Ashton Kutcher and that Stupid COOL PIX CAMERA

Sure many think That 70's Show was funny and he bagged a cougar in Demi Moore.  However, the sheer reckless endangerment of this add campaign cannot be excused.  Let's get this straight. I walk around with a camera randomly taking pictures of fun and interesting women.  They are enamored by the boldness of this move and I am transformed into Don Juan.

Reality Check: I take said camera and take pictures of beautiful women. 

 The results are:

1 Slap across face

2 Kick  in the.....

3 Meet new friends in county lock up

4 Becomes new friends sweet sugar in county lock up and...  well you can figure the rest out.

 

via www.floppingaces.net

 

America's Team ......You Are Not: The French Cannot Be Trusted!!!

First, we Pennsylvanian's have a claim to "America Starts Here"  for those of us old enough to remember that tourism slogan.  Second, the Iowa claims of America, as of late, is just another ploy in French domination of the world.  You may be asking how is Iowa part of the evil French dream?

These seeds were sown by Marquette and Joliet "discovering"  Iowa in  the 1680's.  It was French territory until the Louisiana Purchase.  These French tones go further when one gazes upon the state flag of Iowa.  Coincidentally,  the Iowa flag looks similar to the french flag.  This invasion must be stopped.   They want to lull you into their wholesome values and fields of dreams only to spew their fancy snail foods and heirs of pastry superiority on you.

Do you want your children's children proclaiming liberty, equality and fraternity. Chanting Vive La Iowa instead of USA USA USA.  Do you???

These Hawkeyes must be crushed to preserve the survival of our way of life.  We must proclaim The Pennsylvania Polka's clear superiority to The Hawkeye Victory Polka!!! 

This Saturday night we go to Kinnick.  We will not go quietly into the night.

WE ARE !!!

 

via www.vandelaysports.com

 Dossier: Hooter Booter

The enemy is at our gates. We have dispelled the Golden Flash in the pans with a drubbing this past weekend.  None the less, hate reigns eternal and the Owls are a knocking on the door.  Questions arise.....Who are these nocturnal birds of prey.  Why must I hate the Fightin Goldens even if I like Jello, Family Matters and the Aristocrats. 

Answers abound. 

Vitals:

Temple University was founded in 1884 by Dr. Russel Conwell.  Originally, the university was founded as a night school.  Also, the school derives its name from Grace Baptist Church in Philadelphia Pa.  Grace Baptist was known as the temple church.  Dr Conwell began the school by teaching young men in religious studies in the rectory for future enedavors  as pastors in the  Baptist  church. 

The school florurished  and is internationally regraded for its Law and Medical programs.  The University can boast of campuses in Japan, the UK, Spain and Italy.   Temple's mascot is Hooter the owl.  This is a homage to the school's history as a night school.  Famous alumnae include Bill Cosby and Bob Saget.

Dr Russel Conwell

Russel Conwell was like many of his generation. He fought in the Civil War and was a jack of all trades.  He  was a lawyer, journalist, orator and minister.  Temple was his vison.  In fact, it was a vision that brought him to the middle east.  Conwell was a world traveller.  It was on one of these trips which he was relayed a story about  acres of diamonds being buried in ones back yard. It was upon his return to Philadelphia that young men began to ask him to teach them in the evenings. These were his diamonds.    I have included a link to the speech he gave concerning this and suggest it as reading.  It is lengthy but worth it.

 Acres of Diamonds 

 

Read Meat: Three Reasons to Hate Temple

 

via upload.wikimedia.org

1) The Hannibal Lector of Class Aves. 

Look at the eyes!!!!!  Pure Killer.  The Owl is not the warm and fuzzy animal  of Harry Potter or tootsie pops.  It is a predator that bushwacks its dinner in the dead of night.    This ain't no stately Lion.  How many of us have had run to our cars  in fear of an owl chasing us down after a night at the bar.  Its always there waiting for you.

 

 

via cp91279.biography.com

2) Notable Alumnae... Right....

 Sure Saget is great and if your not of the meek of heart then I recommend you check out the Aristocrats. His rendition  of the world's dirtiest joke is very funny.  However, he has caused more harm then good by bringing into the world the dynamic duo of Stamos and  Coulier.  Oh the horror and countless nightmares of our childhood..

 

 

 via www.reputationdefenderblog.com

3) "This wont hurt at all"

The Coup De Gras is one of Temple's oldest schools.  Temple's Maurice Kornberg School of Dentistry is the nations second oldest school of dentistry founded in 1907.  So what?   This is what....

They have been spewing out dentists  for over 100 years  For over 100 years innocent people are restrained in their chairs at the hands of these mad  doctors.  They now use freeking lasers!!!

The drilling..... the water pic.....   the root canals...... 

I work in the  Dental Health industry. Dental work is scary. Scarier than the owl chasing you in the parking lot. 

 

Temple must be stopped. This aggression against good people must be dispatched. 

 

FIGHT ON STATE.....BEAT TEMPLE

via www.deltatiming.com

Dossier: GF

As the haze rises from this past weekend's struggle in Tuscaloosa, we must  place our focus on the next foe of this season's campaign: The Kent State Golden Flashes.   Some of us may know little to nothing of this University.  The preceding paragraphs will hopefully provide some interesting information about the University that is quite infamous in modern social history.  More of that later....

Vitals:

The University as founded in 1910 in Kent, Ohio but athletic competitions did not begin until 1913.    In 1920,  the Golden Flashes were originally called the Silver Foxes after school president John McGilvrey's prized  pets.  It was his demise as president that led to the board choosing the noble mascot of the Golden Flashes.  Apparently, this is a  golden eagle. 

Currently, Kent is a member of the Mid American Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision.  Mr. Saban and Dr. Lou count as two of their more notable alumni in the field of athletics.  The school was founded as the Kent State Normal School.  Orignaly established  to train elementary teachers to address the need for professional teachers in the state of Ohio.  The school is one of the leading research schools for the development of communication devices including its Liquid Crystal Institute. The institute aids in the development of technology in laptops  and flat screen televisions.

May 4th 1970

The Vietnam era was both a time of change and conflict in the American social experience.  The nation's universities often proved to be the battleground for many of these conflicts.  Kent State was no different in this regard.  Student protests over American involvement in Cambodia led to sporadic violence in downtown Kent on the evening of May 1st, 1970.  The following three days were filled with anxiety and rumors of Communist and radical involvement  in a plot to stage a revolution that's sole goal was to destroy the university and town.  The end  result was the Ohio National Guard being summoned to Kent to ensure law and order would prevail. 

 May 4th was a beautiful spring morning that was filled with nervous administrators attempting to cancel the scheduled protests and liberal minded students attempting to organize their protest.  The protest itself consisted of 3000 students and roughly 2000 guardsmen occupying the campus. Some of the students were innocent bystanders observing the spectacle.

The official protesters were summoned by the ringing of the  football team's victory bell.  Soon the protest turned unruly with the the throwing of rocks at the guardsman and the failed use of  teargas on the students.  A seesaw for supremacy of the university's commons ensued  until things became drastically more serious.  At 12:24PM shots rang out into the crowd killing 4 students and wounding several others.  67 shots were fired into the crowd in a time span of 13 seconds.  Conflicting stories abound concerning the reason for the gunfire.  The official records show  the guardsman were in fear for their lives.  However, the State of Ohio did settle with the wounded students and families of the deceased for $675,000.   One certainty is that it was a tragedy for guardsman and students alike.   This photo (please be aware this is a  photo while not graphic does depict an actual event)  from the events of this day would go onto win the Pulitzer prize and be reproduced in numerous textbooks concerning the Vietnam era.

 

I hope the above was  an interesting and enlightening brief snapshot of our future adversary.  Please let me know if anyone would like  a similar post for future opponents.

Poll

Opinions Please ( be gentle)

89%

Interesting Stuff Do It Again

34 votes

10%

Collosal Waste of Internets Space

4 votes

38 votes | Poll has closed

GO STATE BEAT BAMA
GO STATE BEAT BAMA
GO STATE BEAT BAMA

The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was an engagement of the American Civil War in which a Federal fleet commanded by Rear Adm. David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fleet led by Adm. Franklin Buchanan and three forts that guarded the entrance to Mobile Bay.

The battle was marked by Farragut's seemingly rash but successful run through a minefield that had just claimed one of his ironclad monitors, enabling his fleet to get beyond the range of the shore-based guns. This was followed by a reduction of the Confederate fleet to a single vessel, ironclad CSS Tennessee. Tennessee did not then retire, but engaged the entire Northern fleet. The armor on Tennessee gave her an advantage that enabled her to inflict more injury than she received, but she could not overcome the imbalance in numbers

She was eventually reduced to a motionless hulk, unable either to move or to reply to the guns of the Union fleet. Her captain then surrendered, ending the battle. With no Navy to support them, the three forts within days also surrendered. Complete control of the lower Mobile Bay thus passed to the Union forces.

Mobile had been the last important port on the Gulf of Mexico east of the Mississippi River remaining in Confederate possession, so its closure was the final step in completing the blockade in that region.

This Union victory, together with the capture of Atlanta, was a significant boost for Abraham Lincoln's bid for re-election.  Courtesy of wikipedia
GO STATE BEAT BAMA
GO STATE BEAT BAMA
GO STATE BEAT BAMA
GO STATE BEAT BAMA
GO STATE BEAT BAMA
GO STATE BEAT BAMA
GO STATE BEAT BAMA
GO STATE BEAT BAMA
GO STATE BEAT BAMA

If anyone is interested..... I have created a college fantasy football group over at ESPN.  If so please select the link below.  The group name is Nittany Nation and password is fist pump.  Also,  i have opened it up to all conferences as opposed to just big ten teams in the event more then 11 people want to participate.   What is a little friendly competition amongst BSDers.... Have at it!!!   Need three words

CFB FANTASY FOOTBALL

My love for Penn State was the culmination of family tradition.  A second family tradition is being opinionated. 

My father and I were discussing the finer points of the Penn State Tradition.  The topic of choice was  "the drive".  I mentioned I saw an awesome clip of "the drive" the other day and he shot back with which drive do you mean?   My response was filled with pure puzzlement.  " The 94 Illinois game...there is not another drive like that."

 He provided the look a father can only give when a child speaks some fact that is clearly wrong.  His response was "That's not the drive. The 82  Nebraska game was the drive.  I should know....I was there."  This then prompted him to relay the story of the game and how the night before my mother was mad because he was out at the union hall discussing important union business with his fellow brothers eg drinking while she was at hone with yours truly.  It did not help that it was the night that George Banks was on the prowl committing one of the most infamous episodes of crime in Pennsylvania history.

 This prompted me to ponder the question:  Is there really a drive or is there just drives that each generation elevates to this mantle.   I will propose below  three drives for the past three generations.    I am curious to see the results of the poll below due to the recent discussions of rivals and divisional alignment.  Also, this is fitting since Nebraska and Ohio State do play a role in the current discussion and these historical sequences.

Stonehands to the Rescue:

Cool Retro Video Here 

Better Description Then Mine

 The PSU/Nebraska contest was a game with national implications.  The winner would go on to be National Champion provided they won out and  were victors in their bowl games.  PSU found itself behind late in the game.  PSU had to drive 65 yards in less then 2 minutes and Todd Blackledge delivered.  Granted there was a slightly controversial call (really bad call if you are a Nebraska fan)  but it was not the final play of the game.  Kirk Bowman caught a dart in the end zone to continue Penn State' s drive for it's first National Championship.

"The Drive" (I am Biased):

Classic Call of the Drive

The PSU/Illini contest proved to be an unlikely story of heroics.  The storied PSU offense was stonewalled by a scrappy Illini defense that allowed their offense to capitalize on Lion miscues.  State was behind 21-0.

 However, the offense kicked into high gear.   Kerry Collins played the game of his life and engineered a 96 yard drive with less then 6 minutes left.  PSU would go on to be undefeated and uncrowned that year.  The fickle football Zugs felt this was not the year for PSU to be crowned and gave it to some other school.

The Fumble Heard Around The World:

One of the Best Penn State Football Story Intros Ever

Nice Breakdown of the Play

It was a chilly night the Nittany Lions rolled into the Shoe.  A stadium that has not smiled kindly on Penn State.  It was a defensive see saw match between the two juggernauts.  It looked as if OSU was going to put the game away until  a certain quarterback rolled  out of the pocket to gain a few more yards in a crucial first down attempt.  Suddenly, Mark Rubbin jars the ball loose.  PSU recovers after a mad dash  for the ball. 

PSU would go on to win the Big Ten that year, 

Please vote below.  Is history subjective due to age?

Poll

What Drive Was More Significant or Memorable?

22%

1982 PSU versus Nebraska

23 votes

34%

1994 PSU versus Illinois

36 votes

14%

2008 PSU versus OSU

15 votes

28%

Can't Choose Because Each Was Important In It's Own Right

29 votes

103 votes | Poll has closed

 

 It being the off season and  we have already discussed books.  Why not discuss or share some of you're favorite Penn State pictures?  There are some pictures that capture  the spirit of Penn State Football or a moment in time. The first picture is a tip of the hat to  Jesse for giving me the idea.

 

 

  

via www.mmbolding.com

via www.libraries.psu.edu

via 2.bp.blogspot.com

via grfx.cstv.com

Dual Threat

 

I saw this interesting article in the local paper this  morning.  If this has been a belabored point  then I apologize ahead of time. 

 

Why not try using the two quarterbacks in a system of rotation.  This could open some interesting wildcat formations and  cause defenses to be off kilter with the two different playing styles of the young lions.  Flip side is it could lead to predictability but I am sure Galen may be able to play off that assumption to our advantage.  Needless to say some interesting off season thoughts on the quarterback situation and maybe McGloin won't jump ship if he does'nt get the nod.

Attention Kool Aid drinkers.......

THE BIG MAN COMETH

I thought  I would share this after a week of of utter collapse and one of the lower points in the basketball programs recent history.  There are other recruits not related to Mr. Battle that could help. 

Maybe  offer some hope. 

 Mr. Alexis is busy pawning the Wyoming Valley Conference up here in NEPA.  He is being touted as one of the most celebrated players in this conference in the last 25 years. He surpassed 1000 point at the start of his Junior season.   

 Maybe just maybe......there is light at the end of the tunnel  with consistent recruits.   Or...  this could be a dose of information valium  to make me feel better.