I wrote an extremely long and I would like to believe, insightful, piece about the BCS. Especially in a time since the BCS commissioners meeting this past weekend where everyone is ganging up on the supposedly evil system. I feel like the minority voice has to be heard. So I’m linking back to the post and hope those of you who haven’t read it yet, give it a go.

The Rose Curtain

Hell yeah, he’ll commit. Maybe Penn State should adopt the new ‘if you break it, you buy it’ strategy. (Curtesy of Orlando Sentinel)

Orson Charles, a rising senior tight end from Tampa’s Plant High, admitted to the Tampa Tribune that his action caused Florida’s 2006 national championship trophy to shatter during a recruiting visit last weekend.

Charles told the paper that the bump-heard-round-Gator-Nation happened on the eve of the spring game, when he leaned down to get a picture with Tim Tebow’s 2007 Heisman Trophy. He said the bump was obviously inadvertent, but the sound of the crystal ball hitting the ground was shocking.

Hevesy said now he had to commit to UF, Meyer asked him how it felt to be a Gator

How is this not a recruiting violation? Florida basically paid for his commitment with a new trophy.

New strategy for the Lion’s coaching staff:

Step 1: Invite highly touted recruit to Louis and Mildred Lasch Football facility

Step 2: Place one of our two National Championship trophies precariously on a coffee table in a crowded hallway.

Step 3: Shove or trip recruit into table causing crystal trophy to shatter

Inevitable result? Recruit will be so dismayed and guilt ridden that he has no choice but to commit barring a miracle.

Think its a good idea? You can actually help Penn State buy replica national trophies for this novel recruiting strategy here at Danbury Mint for $129. A small price to pay for great recruits.

A smashing success! 156 Unique Visitors graced us here at NittanyWhiteOut.com for hosting the Blue and White roundtable. I only hope we can sustain such success and people will comment a bit more. But I’m extremely thrilled nonetheless.

Back to our usual programing.

Tell me the warning signs aren’t there. Penn State has no proven quarterback and our suspect defense that let us down in the big games last year loses critical linebacker and leader Sean Lee. Yet, the Big Ten announces that Penn State will be involved in 4 of the 5 prime time contests for next year. Paranoid much? The Big Ten and ESPN is obviously sensing the end of the line is near for Joe Paterno.

Sept. 27 - Illinois at PENN STATE, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

Oct. 4 - Ohio State at Wisconsin, 7 p.m. CT, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

Oct. 11 - PENN STATE at Wisconsin, 7 p.m. CT, ESPN or ESPN2

Oct. 18 - Michigan at PENN STATE, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2

Oct. 25 - PENN STATE at Ohio State, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

That’s 4 out of 5 consecutive weekends that Penn State will be playing in night games. 3 night games in a row involving @ Wisconsin, Michigan and @ Ohio State. Given our penchant for playing like a high school team when we’re away from Beaver Stadium, this will not bode well for us.

A night game involving Illinois should be interesting as well. I really doubt this will be as competitive as last year given the fact that Illinois will not be overlooked, but it will be fun to dominate the Illini and show them who’s boss again.

It is our turn to host the blue and white roundtable here at NittanyWhiteOut.com. We are pleased to have the following participants take part:

nwoemblem

http://www.nittanywhiteout.com/
http://www.blackshoediaries.com/
http://thenittanyline.blogspot.com/
http://gloryofoldstate.blogspot.com/
http://www.yurasko.net/wfy/
http://tangledupinwhiteandblue.blogspot.com/
http://thebigeleventh.blogspot.com/
http://mvn.com/ncaa-pennstate/
http://runupthescore.wordpress.com

so without further ado, here goes:

1. The announcement Wednesday is that contract talks are on hold until the conclusion of this season, and that Joe might not even need a contract to coach, how do you see this saga ending? Is this the final year for Joe Paterno?

Joe will coach next year, but that may be it for him. At this point, Joe Paterno has overstayed his welcome. I understand he wants to retire with a third National Championship, but a potential Big Ten title will have to do. There is no way Penn State will fire Paterno following this season even if it is a disappointing one. Fans will be outraged, alumni will be outraged, cash flow into the football program will suffer a big hit. That is too risky for the administration. They will, however give Joe an ultimatum following this season. If the season is a bust, they are justified in forcing Joe into announcing his retirement following the 2009 season. If the season is a smashing success, then they will force Joe into retirement while he’s on top. This is a lose-lose situation for the legendary coach.

But I foresee him announcing his retirement prior to the 2009 season. The big question is whether or not he will be allowed to pick his replacement or if the administration will conduct a nation wide search. The Penn State coaching position will be one of the most anticipated jobs in the nation including Michigan’s vacancy left by Lloyd Carr. Penn State hasn’t hired a coach in 40+ years, think anyone will want to give up an opportunity to interview for a potential opening? Think again.

2. Joe will clearly not be on the sidelines in 10 years time. Whether he is awarded another extension or is forced out against his will, a new face will inevitably be on the sidelines for the Lions in the years to come. Which candidates would top the list when it comes to a coaching search? Should it be an in-house hire or should we start off with a blank slate?

Repeat slowly after me. Time - for - a - clean - break.

The popular choice so far among Penn State fans has to be current defensive coordinator Tom Bradley. Why shouldn’t it be? Bradley was the man of Joe Paterno’s choice when he was forced to stay at home after suffering an injury during the Wisconsin game. Then there are all those impressive defensive units Bradley seems to churn out year after year.

But if Penn State can’t be a consistent competitor in the Big Ten with Bradley already on the staff, what makes Lion fans think he can turn that around overnight? Joe Paterno seems to favor Bradley succeeding him especially because of his loyalty. What would make any of us believe that Bradley will willingly fire Jay Paterno when he is in charge? Bradley is no doubt a great recruiter, an even better defensive coordinator and a likable guy, but like voting for President, if you pick someone who is already entrenched in the system, things will simply remain the same.

The key is to go with someone new. If he has a prior connection to Penn State, thats a plus, but not a prerequisite. Greg Schiano of Rutgers, Kirk Ferentz of Iowa, and Al Golden of Temple all top the list of possible replacements with prior Penn State ties. But let’s not be so quick to dub Schiano or Ferentz the next savior of Penn State football. They may have done more with less at Iowa and Rutgers, but Ferentz have not come close to a top 3 finish in conference play since earning his second Rose Bowl bid and a hefty pay raise. And Schiano manages to squeeze miraculous upsets out of his Rutger teams only to fall flat on their face the next Saturday. Penn State fans are already experts in inconsistent play. We will dismantle a top 10 team at home one weekend, and trip over ourselves on the road against an inferior opponent the next. We definitely don’t need a brand new coach to further our suffering.

My top pick would be Larry Coker. Hear me out. This is the same man that in his first year, took the Miami program from the sanctioned years under Butch Davis to two national title appearance his first two year on the job. He barely missed out on a third straight appearance had it not been for two late season losses, yet still won the Big East (this was before the realignment of conferences). Reason why Larry Coker is out of a job? Two consecutive “disappointing” 9-3 seasons before a 6-6 season finally gave way to his dismissal. Disappointing being the operative word.

Penn state definitely has the money to hire Larry Coker and the fact that he is currently jobless only makes this a match made in heaven. Not only will he bring a brand new attitude to the Penn State program, but imagine the benefits of hiring a coach with inroad into recruiting in the state of Florida. With Coker, Penn State will rise again.

3. It almost seems as if we find another athlete in trouble with the law each morning when we read the newspaper. What has gone wrong with the once pristine image of the Penn State program?

To those that blame easier media access for the increasing run-ins with the law, that is an absolute cop-out. The advent of faster media access does not cause football players to pull 12-inch blades at the dinner table, nor does it round up a posse of football players for a rumble at the HUB. It simply provides the news and its juicy details to us faster. These run-ins with the law are the sole decisions by 18-21 year olds who do not realize the privilege of attending college for free.

Here’s a stat for you. Guess the number of players who have run afoul of the law since 2002? That number is 60 and climbing with each season. That’s an average of 10 a season. There is clearly something wrong with the Penn State program.

But the real reason does not lie solely with Penn State, but with the type of players we recruit and the modern recruiting process itself. Since the scholarship limit has been enforced by the NCAA, schools are forced to recruit the select few and the competition has not only bred 18 year old high school divas, but the misconception that the individual is more important than the team. Need proof? Just look at the increasing number of announcements by high school seniors on ESPN, the Army All Star game and in front of packed gyms. Then there are those who play commitment games with big name programs with no intention of attending only to recommit somewhere else. No wonder these kids enter college with an ego that rivals their skill on the gridiron.

Just this past year at Penn State, its been the same names that continue to make headlines indicating the existence of these ‘bad seed’ divas that just can’t seem to get their act together. Bell was involved in the HUB fight and suspended for academic reasons prior to pulling a machete on a fellow teammate. Baker took part in both the Meridian and HUB fights. Andrew Quarless was arrested twice, once for underage drinking and a second time for DUI. Willie Harriott has also been arrested twice for alcohol related offenses. Basically, a few bad seeds are ruining it for everyone.

Joe Paterno is not off the hook on this one either. He has clearly lost the control he once had over his past teams. It is no secret that he prefers working from home than the office Penn State has provided for him. How do you keep a constant watch over an entire team when you barely make it to the office in a consistent manner.

Combine that with an increasing number of volatile 18 year olds recruited out of high school, you have a sure recipe for disaster. And that is exactly what we’re seeing.

4. After 14 years in the Big Ten, Penn has not dominated the conference in football as most presumed when we joined winning only 2 Big Ten titles in that span. In 1994, Joe Paterno’s undefeated Nittany Lions were also backstabbed by its Big Ten breathern when most conference members voted for Nebraska instead of Penn State. Is the Big Ten the right home for Penn State? Or would Joe Paterno’s dream of an all-eastern conference be a much more ideal conference for the Nittany Lions?

Penn State and the Big Ten are a match made in heaven. Penn State might not be dominating in football as most assumed they would, but Penn State competes in 28 other sports in the Big Ten. Since their entry into Big Ten play in 1991 (football joined in 1993), Penn State has amassed 38 regular season conference titles and 9 tournament titles. That’s 2 conference titles a season.

Then there’s the 33 national championships (excluding 2 football titles), that Penn State brings to the Big Ten conference. The next closest haul would be by the Michigan Wolverines with 32, then Wisconsin with 25 national championships. So there is no doubt the Big Ten benefits from Penn State’s participation despite their lackluster record on the gridiron.

But football reigns king in this conference and Penn State does not seem to hold up its end of the bargain. 2 conference titles in 15 years is frustrating to a proud fan base, but we have to remember that we are no longer playing the patsies of the northeast like we once were. Week in and week out, Penn State is now forced to play a grind it out, competitive, conference schedule with no pushover team in between.

Give it time, and eventually Penn State will win more titles. For all the talk about Penn State’s inability to beat Wisconsin, Purdue, Ohio State and Michigan, only the Buckeyes and Wolverines have the hardware to prove their dominance in a conference they have inhabited for 96 and 112 years respectively. Wisconsin and Purdue, both 112 year old charter members of the Big Ten can only boast 11 and 8 Big Ten football titles for all those years.

So 2 titles in 15 years is a disappointing, but not insignificant achievement by the Penn State football program. In 15 years, the Lion football program has already accomplished what Indiana has to show for 109 years of Big Ten football play. Its good to aim high, but let’s not aspire to accomplish so much that we begin to seem greedy. Big Ten titles will roll through Happy Valley. We are a relatively young member in a tradition rich institution.

The only problem I ever had with our Big Ten affiliation was when our fellow conference members snubbed us in 1994 for Nebraska, handing Tom Osborne his only national title despite an undefeated Nittany Lion team. No Big Ten team has ever gone undefeated and not won a national title, so why was Penn State the first? Aside from that, I can live with all the officiating controversies, the alleged Big Ten bias and mediocre football record.

To claim that an all-eastern conference would benefit Penn State would be taking the easy way out. To be the best, you truly have to beat the best. An all-eastern conference with Syracuse, Temple, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Maryland and Virginia as possible members would simply be a conference of patsies. While it would maintain most of our traditional rivalries, the conference would only serve to hinder Penn State’s progress as a football program. The Big Ten not only fits academically, but athletically as well. Even if the following schools do decide to regroup into some form of an eastern conference, the Nittany Lions will not be going anywhere anytime soon.

5. With the lack of our traditional rivals in the Big Ten conference, and our unwillingness to reschedule any of them in any consistent manner, which teams are emerging as Penn State’s chief rivals in the Big Ten? (USC-Notre Dame proves that rivalries aren’t all about geographic significance.)

Pittsburgh is not part of the Big Ten, so scheduling them would serve no purpose but to cater to their needs. We can drop the panthers from the picture right off the bat. Even when Joe Paterno leaves the program, there is no need to cater to Pittsburgh’s needs or wants. We don’t need them and there are plenty of teams out there that can easily take their place. So with that said, Ohio State is clearly our emerging conference rival.

Let’s put aside the almost even record (11-12, advantage Ohio State) between the two teams, the juggernaut that is Ohio State only holds a 2-5 3-5 record in Happy Valley. The home team has won 12 of the 15 conference matchups since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993. Then theres the schedule factor. Of the two teams that will never rotate off of Penn State’s conference schedule, Ohio State is one of them, Michigan State the other. Think that’s tough? Ohio State will never rotate Penn State AND Michigan off of their schedule.

With the exception of the 2007 loss, four of the last six meetings prior to 2007 were decided by seven points or fewer, including margins of 1, 2 and 6 points. “But Michigan will always be Ohio State’s main rival” most argue. That’s true. But those two schools have a 111-year history between them with the first game played in 1897. Give it time. Penn State has only played Ohio State 23 times and the rivalry is already heating up. Imagine a 100-year history of annual battles between the Lions and the Buckeyes. Rivalries fester and blossom over years, they aren’t created overnight.

Just this past year, EA Sports listed Ohio State as a ‘rival’ of Penn State, despite no official trophy or distinction from the Big Ten indicating so. People are slowly warming up to the ‘Border War’ rivalry. Its only time before a pointless trophy is created to honor the winner.

Bonus question: Are you going to the Blue White Game

Absolutely. Forecast calls for rain on Saturday in the morning as well as afternoon, but I’m hoping that they are wrong. Even if they aren’t, I’ve attended many rainy Blue and White games and there is no reason why I should break tradition this year.

Go State!

Will this finally be the year the Big Ten wins the Commissioner’s Cup awarded to the winner of the Big Ten/ACC challenge.

Penn State will face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Atlanta for the Big Ten/ACC challenge next year.

The Nittany Lions beat the Hokies of Virginia Tech at Bryce Jordan Center this year scoring a point for the Big Ten, but the ACC has won the Commissioners Cup the last 9 times. The last time the Lions and Yellow Jackets faced each other was two seasons ago when the Lions lost a thrilling 77-73 game in Atlanta.

The announced Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchups are as follows:

*Game will be played at Ford Field (technically a home game for the Spartans)

Here is a recap of last year’s Challenge which the ACC won, 8-3. Numbers in the brackets are the final conference standings of the teams at the end of last season. Basically, the ACC managed to win all the games they should have, in addition to pulling off 3 upsets; Florida State over Minnesota, Duke over Wisconsin, and Clemson over Purdue.

BIG TEN / ACC Challenge by the Numbers:

• Since its inception in 1999, the ACC has won all 9 Commissioner’s Cups
• In its 9 year history, the home team has won 83% of the matchups (60 of the 83 games played)
• The road team has won 28% of the matchups (23 of the 83 games played)
• In the 3 neutral site games (Maryland - Wisconsin, Milwaukee 2000), (Iowa - Duke, Chicago 2001), (Duke - Ohio State, Greensboro 2002), the ACC has won twice (Duke in 2001 and 2002)  and the Big Ten once (Wisconsin in 2000).
• Duke (9-0) and Boston College (2-0) are the only two participants that are still undefeated in the Challenge.

bigtencoaches

New Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez reportedly has spoken to several recruits who have made oral commitments to other Big Ten programs. Without mentioning each other by name, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and Rodriguez have fired broadsides at each other, with Tressel complaining that coaches should lay off athletes who have indicated where they want to go and Rodriguez saying he’ll continue to recruit players until they actually sign a letter of intent. Tressel restated how Ohio State handles such a situation. “If a guy is not interested in coming to Ohio State, and he says that, we’ve got to move on,” he said. Tressel said he and Rodriguez have “no beefs at all.”

This is exactly what I had beef about after this past signing day. It is not so much that a few recruits are being taken away by Rich Rod, but he is setting a whole new precedent that wasn’t prevelant in the Big Ten prior to his arrival. Mgoblog will probably list another book of recruits that have been stolen from one another by Big Ten coaches, but are they done at the rate Rich Rod is going? You have to be honest and say that Rich Rod is honestly bringing in the SEC recruiting mentality into the Big Ten.

Stealing recruits from your fellow brethren is like shitting where you sleep. You are not only going to be playing with one another, but there are galas, conferences, conventions and even meetings that will thrust you among your fellow conference peers and Rich Rod has not experienced that as of now. Think he’ll be sitting side by side with Tiller, Tressel or Paterno anytime soon? At the rate he’s going, they’ll have to bring in a kid’s table just so he can sit by himself during Media Day.

His recruiting tactics either indicates that Rich Rod has no long term intentions of coaching in the Big Ten or that he is that oblivious to the wrath he will face from other coaches. Say what you want about the man, but he is not exactly the splitting image of honesty, integrity or even honor. His middle of the night escape from West Virginia is clearly indicative of that. His recruiting tactics only confirms it.

(Image created using Sp-Studio)

F*ck me. If we’re not losing players to petty crimes, we’re losing them to injury. I know he went down on friday, but team physicians actually confirmed the extent of his injury today. (source: CDT)

Penn State linebacker Sean Lee will miss the 2008 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Friday’s practice.

Team physician Wayne Sebastianelli confirmed the injury Saturday afternoon, adding that Lee, a second-team All-Big Ten selection last year, is expected to undergo surgery within the next 2-4 weeks and faces a nine-month rehabilitation process.

Luckily, Penn State will be able to plug in our younger players and Sean Lee can medically redshirt this year which could lead to a potentially dangerous defense in 2009. But losing Sean Lee will be tough. The leadership he brings to the field will not disappear. He will still be on the sidelines for all the games while he recovers.

I know he probably doesn’t read this, but we still wish him a speedy recovery and hope he is the last to fall to the injury bug before the first game this year.

Part I of what will most likely be a multi-part series on the punishments handed down to Penn State athletes for their off the field behavior this off season.

Phil Taylor, one of the participants of the HUB brawl was given his sentence by Judicial Affairs and has accepted them.

From Rivals:

sanctions will include a suspension from the university through both summer sessions, up to and including August 15.
That said, Taylor is going to certainly miss some of the football team’s pre-season practice whenever Lions’ head coach Joe Paterno decides to reinstate him from the suspension he is already currently serving from the team.
“In addition, he has permanently lost his privileges to live in residence halls and he is on probation through graduation. He also must take anger management and counseling sessions.”

Well thats one down, many many more convicts to go. These kids need to grow up. Its one thing to get drunk, go a little crazy, its another to get involved in a all out brawl.

How is it, that almost every off season, the topic of Penn State-Pittsburgh comes up?

“If I had to make a choice between Pitt and West Virginia, I would feel more obligated to West Virginia because of the fact that West Virginia stayed with us when we were trying to do some things,” Paterno said at last week’s annual football media day, “But Pitt did what it felt was best for Pitt. They didn’t give a darn about us.” - Joe Paterno, 1990

It’s just not going to happen, not solely because of Joe Paterno, but because Pittsburgh is no longer relevant.

Yes, the sad truth is that while the alumnus from yesteryear would relive tales of epic Nittany Lion - Panther games, the new generation of Penn State fans have moved on and Pittsburgh excites them as much as Syracuse. A more prestigious opponent when compared to Temple, Akron and Central Michigan, but offers as much value to the Penn State football program as a box of tampons.

Why would we lock ourselves into a long term contract with Pittsburgh when we could have rotating opponents like South Florida, USC, Alabama, Syracuse, and Virginia. You are not only talking about fresh new BCS opponents descending upon Happy Valley every two years, but the chance for Nittany Lion fans to visit new venues, towns and states in the process. A long term series with Pittsburgh would generate what? A chance to look forward to the city of Pittsburgh every two years? I’d take a raucous college atmosphere over an empty stadium, bridges and tunnels any day of the year.

Its a sorry revelation, but Pittsburgh has become less of a quality opponent than fellow Big East member Rutgers or even Louisville, once considered a basketball power.

A simple look at the Sagarin ratings for the last 5 years tell the tale. Only during the dark ages of the Zack Mills era, Penn State would have benefited from playing Pitt and even then we would have been extremely competitive.

Playing Pittsburgh would simply be unnecessary dead weight. True, they are a much better opponent than Temple, East Carolina or Central Michigan, but those teams serve a much greater purpose than simply showing up for the game. Those games are almost a tune-up, an extra fall scrimmage to prepare the Lions for the real meat of the schedule when conference play begins. Unlike the NFL where preseason games serve the same purpose, the Lions schedule these patsies so we can prepare ourselves for the Big Ten matchups against another team not dressed in a Lion’s uniform.

If Penn State were to schedule Pittsburgh, it would mean replacing Alabama, Syracuse, Oregon State, Virginia and Notre Dame from our schedule, not Temple, East Carolina and Western Michigan as oblivious critics of Joe Paterno claim. We simply can’t afford to pad our non conference schedule with opponents that actually registers a pulse on offense and defense. We already have enough of that during Big Ten play, it would be overkill to do so in our non-conference portion. Get the big picture here?

We CAN schedule Pittsburgh, but are we willing to sacrifice possible rotating matchups with the likes of Alabama, Notre Dame, Syracuse, and Virginia to do so? Bring on the legions of Alabama crimson, Irish green and gold, Syracuse orange and Virginia shirts and ties. At least playing those programs will guarantee that we will see at least 20 of them which is more than Pittsburgh can say for their empty stadium on game day.

Lets for a second forget the atrocious funk that some of the programs are currently in, but if the proponents of the rivalry have their way, we would see Pittsburgh year in and year out without any other big name program for years to come. We are no longer in the era of conference independence, we can’t pick and choose several big name opponents padded with cupcakes. The Big Ten IS our gauntlet of big name opponents, with them it actually matters when it comes to the BCS and the Big Ten title. Pittsburgh just isn’t worth it.

So enough about Joe Paterno harboring a vendetta against Pittsburgh for leaving Penn State in the dust when it mattered. I too would not give Pitt the time of day if they snubbed me when I needed them back in the day and now want something of their own. That’s not the point here. It’s not that we CAN’T schedule Pitt because of Joe Paterno. Its because we DON’T WANT to.

Other than a geographical commonality, little else brings the two programs together. Pittsburgh claiming that they deserve an annual game against Penn State is like Western Michigan deserving an annual matchup against Michigan or Michigan State. It’s time they moved on.

It seems the old man is not as senile as his critics point out after all.Chris Bell was originally part of the HUB brawl crew, but only Baker and Bowman are facing official charges for that fight. However, Joe Paterno suspended Chris Bell and defensive tackle Phillip Taylor despite the lack of charges leading many to initially question Paterno’s heavy handedness.

It may seem the old Coach does still have a keen eye on his team. While most would be laughing, saying “I told you so.” Joe finds no such pleasure when Bell was officially charged for threatening another player in the dining hall.

But to those critics who claim Paterno no longer has any control over his team, Bell’s unsubstantiated suspension in February proves exactly the opposite. Paterno still knows his players extremely well. There were obviously bad elements in this team and Joe did not hesitate to suspend them.

Seems the legend’s still got it. Though the Bell situation does further taint Penn State’s image, remember that Bell was already suspended from the team and not participating in spring practice. It’s a shame he attempted to pull a machete on a current player, but Joe obviously has had enough of Bell in February and saw the signs far before anyone else. Let’s just be glad Bell is now officially off the team and may no longer even be part of the Penn State community.

A bad seed is far worse than a bad player.