The AP has a story on OSU's great leader visiting the Little Sisters of the Poor in hopes of receiving forgiveness for his little comment last year. The story includes such gems as:

"As you know, I've made you famous," he told the residents and staff members.

and....

He later stood next to Mother Cecilia Mary Sartorius, the home's administrator, who gave him a hug and whispered that he was forgiven. "Does everyone hear that I'm forgiven?" he shouted. "My day of penance is over."

and...

"Sister Cecilia will dress up as a fullback," he said. "Of course, we'll expect special prayers on the Buckeyes that day."

How can you not just adore such a loveable guy?

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/6871317/ohio-state-buckeyes-president-gordon-gee-atones-little-sisters-poor-joke

It's time to come down from that ledge.

Yes, the team you follow lost a game -- OK, they lost several. But it's OK to take a loss in stride and not freak out about it on the Internetz. Contrary to what you might find in other online sports communities, it's OK to be rational adults here at BSD. Seriously.

We can argue and complain all we want about the coaches, the players and the PSU knee-hating gods, but that won't change anything about the actual team. Coaching and injury issues aside, this team has a youth problem, and we'll see how they handle things as we skid through the rest of this season. There's no need to freak out, stress and take years off of your life because some college kids played a game poorly.

There's more to Fall than just college football (as awesome as it is). Go step outside. Take a drive and see some leaves change. Spend time with your family. Pick up a new hobby. Learn something new about your spouse. Play catch with your kid. Build a working rocket in your barn and take a trip to the moon. Whatever. Just don't waste your time stressing and shedding years off of your life because you were upset that the team you like lost a game and you need everyone on the Internetz to know it.

Each person posting on here is a human being and should be treated as such. So, with that in mind, what does PSU do to get back on track and finish out the year with at least a respectable rest of the season? Benching the entire team and firing the entire coaching staff isn't an option at this juncture, so let's stop pretending like its a rational idea. Work within the real-life limitations here. What changes (within the limits of the current situation) do you think would have the greatest effect on this team's future?

[Your bloggers are all either traveling or entertaining for the time being. DC Fist Pumps for all until we return.  -KHD]

I was going to post this whether Penn State won or lost in the Capital One Bowl, mostly because I think it is worth considering what Daryll Clark has meant to Penn State over the last two years.

Clark came to Penn State alongside 5-star recruit Anthony M******. After bringing up his grades at a prep school and playing backup to QB #14, Clark's first big showing came during the 2007 Alamo Bowl, where he ran for 50 yards and a touchdown on six carries.

After battling with a very talented Pat Devlin, Clark earned the starting QB slot in 2008, nearly leading the Nittany Lions to a MNC game and putting up a fight against an extremely tough USC in the Rose Bowl.

The 2009 regular season brought with it an inexperienced O-line and a long string of bad decisions, but ended on a high note with a victory over SEC staple LSU. But despite the two tough loses against Iowa and OSU, it's important to remember what Clark brought PSU over his career in blue and white.

Not including his work in the Capital One Bowl, Clark takes with him several Penn State football records:

#1 in career touchdown passes (42)
#1 in season touchdown passes (23)
#1 in season passing yardage (2,787 yards)
#1 in season touchdowns responsible for (31)
#1 in career touchdowns responsible for (64)

Not too shabby, considering his rough performances in some of his "big" games.

Overall, we as Penn State fans must remember Clark for who he was as a person, and not just who he was on the field. We never heard him say how much he idolizes people like Michael Vick, never heard him blame his O-line or coaches for losses, never saw him posing for photos in front of a Corvette (I hear he sports a 1998 Chevy Lumina) and I doubt we've ever seen another Penn State player with more passion for his team than Daryll Clark.

In the end, Clark takes with him a degree from The Pennsylvania State University, which is much more valuable than winning any meaningless football game. He was never the greatest quarterback, but he never was the guy that I was embarrassed to have representing my team. In fact, I'm extremely proud of him as a player and as a human being.

Best of luck to you wherever you go, Daryll. Many of us will miss you.

OK, so I don't know what it is exactly, but I feel.... depressed.

Perhaps it's all these SEC football reruns on ESPN.

Or maybe it's all this rain up here in State College.

Or perhaps it's.... dare I say.... Empty-Nest Syndrome?

I was curious about how our seniors from the 2008 football team are doing while preparing for their roles in the NFL, so I went on an Internet hunt to sniff out the details:

Continue reading this post »

Scout and Rivals say that "4-star" OL Miles Dieffenbach from Pittsburgh committed to PSU today.

Apparently everyone figured him a lock with Pittsburgh. I guess he got wiser after his visit this week.

Per a Rivals interview:

"I wasn't really holding out for it. I mean, I grew up a Pitt fan all my life and always hated Penn State, so when they offered me, I wasn't really that into it," said Dieffenbach. "But then I visited and it was different from what I thought. I loved it, and the tables turned."

http://rivals100.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=951922

So..... where is my siren?

There's an interesting story on our friend Aaron Maybin on ESPN.com concerning his past and what led him to Penn State and, eventually, the NFL.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-8-2/Through-pain-and-support--Maybin-emerges.html

Pretty good stuff, I think. Just another example of how PSU has provided for some great stories both on the field and off it.

Shazaam! This post is 75 words long exactly!

There's an interesting story in the Collegian today about Cornley's possible future playing football for PSU. Could it happen? Who knows?

... Probably not. But we can dream, right?

"I am seriously considering football -- mainly professionally -- but there is a chance that I could come back and play football collegiately," Cornley said. "For what team, what university, I do not know yet. But yes, I am seriously considering it."

Perhaps the bionic arm can lead us to another championship!

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2009/04/17/pigskin_lures_cornley.aspx