This is a Sycamore. Yup, a tree.
Think Coastal Carolina or Eastern Illinois is a bad opponent? The
Terre Haute Tribute Star announced that Penn State is scheduling a 2011 home game with Indiana State, to be held September 3rd. The Sycamores (seriously) will lead off the out-of-conference schedule, givine the Nittany Lions a tune up before they host Alabama the next week. Penn State will be paying Indiana State $450,000, and leaves just one empty spot in the 2011 schedule, as the ongoing series with Temple continues. It’s an annoying situation that teams aren’t punished for scheduling 1-AA opponents, but frankly there’s little difference between Indiana State and Akron or Louisiana Tech; just another warm-up game and beatdown for the visitors. And it’s knowing stuff like that earned Tim Curley the
Northeast Region Athletic Director of the Year (apparently, non-conference basketball scheduling isn’t included in the formula).
The only thing the Sycamores are known for is Larry Bird, and, well it’s not a stretch to say that they’re just god awful, even for a 1-AA team (excuse me, FBS). Hell, they might be the worst D1 program in the country (take that, Syracuse!). They’re pretty much the NJIT of football, with a 1-44 record over the past 4 years, including a streak 26 consecutive losses which they will carry into the 2009 season. Their average game last season was a 42-8 loss. Thanks to PennStateClips for compiling this information.
The other scheduling note is one of a less important nature, but applies to everyone out in Big Ten Country, which, unfortunately, eliminates me (New York) and Charlie (California): The Big Ten Network is having a Fathers Day of Penn State programming, which includes some of the most memorable football and basketball games of recent years and some selected classics from back in the day. Starting at 6 A.M. this Sunday and running through 6 A.M. Sunday will be a 24-hour block of nothing but Penn State games. To wit:
I don’t usually advocate spending 24 hours in front of a television, but I’ll make an exception this one time. You can bet if I got the BTN that I wouldn’t move from my couch all day. Happy Father’s Day, everybody, this is your present from the Big Ten Network.
Releated Posts:
- A Brief Scheduling Note
- Notes from Basketball Open Practice
- Big Ten Basketball Schedule Released: Penn State Screwed Over
- Lady Lions Deserve Support. Men, not so much.
- 19 days to Penn State football–if you have the BTN
Haha! What an embarrassment. Was Mary School for the Blind unavailable? I understand an extra home game against a team willing to accept the lowest payout, but this just flat out destroys our strength of schedule right off the bat.
Haha! What an embarrassment. Was Mary School for the Blind unavailable? I understand an extra home game against a team willing to accept the lowest payout, but this just flat out destroys our strength of schedule right off the bat.