Comments for NittanyWhiteOut http://nittanywhiteout.com NittanyWhiteOut blog Sat, 17 May 2008 06:25:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on Toughest Venues: #11 Ryan Field by nate http://nittanywhiteout.com/2008/05/16/toughest-venues-11-ryan-field/#comment-627 nate Sat, 17 May 2008 04:27:26 +0000 http://nittanywhiteout.com/?p=246#comment-627 I made it out to Evanston in 2003, my twenty-first birthday. It was cold, snowing, the overnight parking was a 30 minute walk from the stadium (right next to the natatorium and coincidentally the lake), the only usable shitter was in the medical center and worst of all I was with pops and some elders of mine so i was sober. I really dug the lowered in field, that was the first time I had seen that and it struck me as particularly neat. The wildcat fans were able to spread out over on their side (3/4 of the stadium) while it seemed like the majority of the fans (penn state) were thrown into a corner like a fat girl throwing 10 lbs of potatoes in a 5 lbs sack. The atmosphere was for the most part drab, but everyone that was in or around the over night lot were very kind and enjoyable, state lost and the students were assholes, which prompted me to return "you got one out of six years, anyone can beat us when we suck" and subsequently almost got my ass beat. I made it out to Evanston in 2003, my twenty-first birthday. It was cold, snowing, the overnight parking was a 30 minute walk from the stadium (right next to the natatorium and coincidentally the lake), the only usable shitter was in the medical center and worst of all I was with pops and some elders of mine so i was sober. I really dug the lowered in field, that was the first time I had seen that and it struck me as particularly neat. The wildcat fans were able to spread out over on their side (3/4 of the stadium) while it seemed like the majority of the fans (penn state) were thrown into a corner like a fat girl throwing 10 lbs of potatoes in a 5 lbs sack. The atmosphere was for the most part drab, but everyone that was in or around the over night lot were very kind and enjoyable, state lost and the students were assholes, which prompted me to return “you got one out of six years, anyone can beat us when we suck” and subsequently almost got my ass beat.

]]> Comment on Toughest Venues: #11 Ryan Field by Chaddogg http://nittanywhiteout.com/2008/05/16/toughest-venues-11-ryan-field/#comment-621 Chaddogg Fri, 16 May 2008 20:49:39 +0000 http://nittanywhiteout.com/?p=246#comment-621 Glad you enjoyed it Corey. I gotta say, as an NU fan, I had great seats too in 2004 when we kicked your ass at "the worst homefield in the Big Ten." Plus the El ride home with dejected Buckeye fans? Priceless. As an NU fan, I can't really quibble with this ranking. To be fair, though, our attendance numbers get shafted for early, non-conference games that happen before students are even on campus - a by-product of the asinine quarter system. Still, Fitzgerald has this team on the right path, we're gonna surprise EVERYONE this year, and Evanston will become tough to play in. Trust me, as someone that was there in 2000, when NU is good and has support, it's LOUD in that stadium. Glad you enjoyed it Corey. I gotta say, as an NU fan, I had great seats too in 2004 when we kicked your ass at “the worst homefield in the Big Ten.” Plus the El ride home with dejected Buckeye fans? Priceless.

As an NU fan, I can’t really quibble with this ranking. To be fair, though, our attendance numbers get shafted for early, non-conference games that happen before students are even on campus - a by-product of the asinine quarter system.

Still, Fitzgerald has this team on the right path, we’re gonna surprise EVERYONE this year, and Evanston will become tough to play in. Trust me, as someone that was there in 2000, when NU is good and has support, it’s LOUD in that stadium.

]]> Comment on Toughest Venues: #11 Ryan Field by Corey http://nittanywhiteout.com/2008/05/16/toughest-venues-11-ryan-field/#comment-620 Corey Fri, 16 May 2008 17:39:08 +0000 http://nittanywhiteout.com/?p=246#comment-620 There is no doubt this is the worst home field in the Big Ten, however my best seats for an Ohio State game were at Ryan Field. To have 5th row tickets available on game day is unheard of in Columbus. I also like the ability to take a train to the game. Nothing like the sense of pride that goes with taking over someone else's home stadium, even if it is Northwestern. There is no doubt this is the worst home field in the Big Ten, however my best seats for an Ohio State game were at Ryan Field. To have 5th row tickets available on game day is unheard of in Columbus. I also like the ability to take a train to the game.
Nothing like the sense of pride that goes with taking over someone else’s home stadium, even if it is Northwestern.

]]> Comment on Toughest Venues: Big Ten Style by psu86 http://nittanywhiteout.com/2008/05/16/toughest-venues-big-ten-style/#comment-619 psu86 Fri, 16 May 2008 16:20:56 +0000 http://nittanywhiteout.com/?p=245#comment-619 This is a great review, I am excited to watch it unfold! This is a great review, I am excited to watch it unfold!

]]> Comment on Toughest Venues: Big Ten Style by admin http://nittanywhiteout.com/2008/05/16/toughest-venues-big-ten-style/#comment-618 admin Fri, 16 May 2008 15:20:39 +0000 http://nittanywhiteout.com/?p=245#comment-618 Absolutely. 1) Raw attendance was a fickle issue. Was it fair to allow Michigan to continue to dominate in what would essentially be 'their' category simply because they have the largest stadium when Wisconsin can surely fill just as many seats, but their venue does not allow them to do so? So we definitely take raw attendance into account, but we have to put it into perspective. But we absolutely include it in our ranking. . 2) We put alot more emphasis on home records than away records. As you will soon see with our easiest Big Ten venue, we provide both the home and away results simply to show a comparison of the teams ability to play away from their home venue. But we do also factor in the overall record of the team especially their ability to beat ranked teams. What we do not factor in are their losses to ranked teams both away and at home. Why must we penalize these teams for losing to a team that is ranked higher than them? Isn't the fact that the opposing team ranked mean exactly that they should have lost? That is why we do not factor that in. But when they do beat ranked teams especially at home, they are given a lot more points for it. From our data, there are a number of venues that just have a higher propensity of derailing ranked opposing teams. . But thanks for the great suggestions. I might have to include a numerical value for raw attendance into our formula. Absolutely.
1) Raw attendance was a fickle issue. Was it fair to allow Michigan to continue to dominate in what would essentially be ‘their’ category simply because they have the largest stadium when Wisconsin can surely fill just as many seats, but their venue does not allow them to do so? So we definitely take raw attendance into account, but we have to put it into perspective. But we absolutely include it in our ranking.
.
2) We put alot more emphasis on home records than away records. As you will soon see with our easiest Big Ten venue, we provide both the home and away results simply to show a comparison of the teams ability to play away from their home venue. But we do also factor in the overall record of the team especially their ability to beat ranked teams. What we do not factor in are their losses to ranked teams both away and at home. Why must we penalize these teams for losing to a team that is ranked higher than them? Isn’t the fact that the opposing team ranked mean exactly that they should have lost? That is why we do not factor that in. But when they do beat ranked teams especially at home, they are given a lot more points for it.
From our data, there are a number of venues that just have a higher propensity of derailing ranked opposing teams.
.
But thanks for the great suggestions. I might have to include a numerical value for raw attendance into our formula.

]]> Comment on Toughest Venues: Big Ten Style by Hawkeye State http://nittanywhiteout.com/2008/05/16/toughest-venues-big-ten-style/#comment-617 Hawkeye State Fri, 16 May 2008 15:11:48 +0000 http://nittanywhiteout.com/?p=245#comment-617 NWO, You also might want to consider the overall record of the team in question. It's one thing to win a bunch of games everywhere (like UOS, for instance), but it's quite different when the team is decidedly better at home. Not to say the Horseshoe is a breeze, but the quality of Ohio State surely factors into their success at home. NWO,

You also might want to consider the overall record of the team in question. It’s one thing to win a bunch of games everywhere (like UOS, for instance), but it’s quite different when the team is decidedly better at home. Not to say the Horseshoe is a breeze, but the quality of Ohio State surely factors into their success at home.

]]> Comment on Toughest Venues: Big Ten Style by Gopher Nation http://nittanywhiteout.com/2008/05/16/toughest-venues-big-ten-style/#comment-616 Gopher Nation Fri, 16 May 2008 15:00:23 +0000 http://nittanywhiteout.com/?p=245#comment-616 Might I suggest instead of raw attendence you take % of stadium as a better indicator. Even if MN was the best team in the B10 and sold out every game they'd still need twice as many home games as Michigan to reach their total attendence. Might I suggest instead of raw attendence you take % of stadium as a better indicator. Even if MN was the best team in the B10 and sold out every game they’d still need twice as many home games as Michigan to reach their total attendence.

]]> Comment on Inside the Den: Eric Shrive by Chohany http://nittanywhiteout.com/2008/05/15/inside-the-den-eric-shrive/#comment-614 Chohany Thu, 15 May 2008 21:25:22 +0000 http://nittanywhiteout.com/?p=242#comment-614 On the comment that PSU does not produce OL, I will agree in recent years good OL out of PSU is a rarity. However, I would also argue that from the mid 70's through the early 90's that PSU was in the top 4 or 5 in producing NFL OL. Do these names sound familiar: Mike Munchak (Hall of Fame), Keith Dorney (pro bowler), Sean Farrell (I think a pro bowler), Charlie Getty (long-time NFL vet), Tom Rafferty (13 year starter for the Cowboys), Irv Pankey (long-time NFL veteran), Steve Wisnewski (7 time pro-bowler and on the 90's all decade team), Jeff Hartings (pro-bowler), Marco Rivera (pro-bowler) and numerous list other NFL veterans. In my opinion, I feel PSU top NFL producing position, next to their LB, is Offensive line. On the comment that PSU does not produce OL, I will agree in recent years good OL out of PSU is a rarity. However, I would also argue that from the mid 70’s through the early 90’s that PSU was in the top 4 or 5 in producing NFL OL. Do these names sound familiar: Mike Munchak (Hall of Fame), Keith Dorney (pro bowler), Sean Farrell (I think a pro bowler), Charlie Getty (long-time NFL vet), Tom Rafferty (13 year starter for the Cowboys), Irv Pankey (long-time NFL veteran), Steve Wisnewski (7 time pro-bowler and on the 90’s all decade team), Jeff Hartings (pro-bowler), Marco Rivera (pro-bowler) and numerous list other NFL veterans. In my opinion, I feel PSU top NFL producing position, next to their LB, is Offensive line.

]]> Comment on Inside the Den: Eric Shrive by Anonymous http://nittanywhiteout.com/2008/05/15/inside-the-den-eric-shrive/#comment-613 Anonymous Thu, 15 May 2008 19:45:49 +0000 http://nittanywhiteout.com/?p=242#comment-613 PSU needs to be getting kids like this. This is getting recruiting back to par, but we have a long way to go just to stay at par. We still have plenty of time to fall flat on our face. Speaking of that, we picked up some unknown OL from VA. Where did he have other offers from We still need a QB, WRs and RBs. I can't consider this above a B- class unless we get at least one decent QB PSU needs to be getting kids like this. This is getting recruiting back to par, but we have a long way to go just to stay at par. We still have plenty of time to fall flat on our face.

Speaking of that, we picked up some unknown OL from VA. Where did he have other offers from

We still need a QB, WRs and RBs. I can’t consider this above a B- class unless we get at least one decent QB

]]> Comment on Time for USC to get the death penalty by admin http://nittanywhiteout.com/2008/05/12/time-for-usc-to-get-the-death-penalty/#comment-607 admin Tue, 13 May 2008 02:03:18 +0000 http://nittanywhiteout.com/?p=232#comment-607 "Is the board of the NCAA all USC alum or what?" . Actually that was quite an interesting accusation you made about the NCAA infraction committee so I decided to investigate. . As of this year, there are 10 members on the Division I NCAA Infractions Committee. Of the 10 members, 2 are independents, 1 is an attorney, and 7 represent the different conferences. Interesting though is that while the ACC, SEC and Big 12 from the Big 6 conferences are represented, the Pac 10, Big 10 and Big East are not. . Of these 7 conference members, Miami, Nebraska, Central Michigan, Alabama, Wyoming, and University of the Pacific are represented. So there is no clear institutional bias for USC, but let's not forget what the Trojan program has meant for college football especially in the last decade. To punish their poster child of the 2000s could potentially be devastating for the sport. “Is the board of the NCAA all USC alum or what?”
.
Actually that was quite an interesting accusation you made about the NCAA infraction committee so I decided to investigate.
.
As of this year, there are 10 members on the Division I NCAA Infractions Committee. Of the 10 members, 2 are independents, 1 is an attorney, and 7 represent the different conferences. Interesting though is that while the ACC, SEC and Big 12 from the Big 6 conferences are represented, the Pac 10, Big 10 and Big East are not.
.
Of these 7 conference members, Miami, Nebraska, Central Michigan, Alabama, Wyoming, and University of the Pacific are represented. So there is no clear institutional bias for USC, but let’s not forget what the Trojan program has meant for college football especially in the last decade. To punish their poster child of the 2000s could potentially be devastating for the sport.

]]>