Roundtables? Roundup.

Last week was, uh, not so good in the whole "posting new content" realm. Oh sure, we got around to some things, but when the number 1 tag of the week is "functionality" which is a fancy way of saying "post about how we don't have time to post" that ain't good.

I did host the Big Ten Blogger's roundtable, which was done "Jeopardy" style; I provided the answers, and the bloggers provided the questions. The participating blogs:

Off The Tracks
Enlightened Spartan
Happy Hour Valley
Maize and Blue Nation
Varsity Blue
The Nittany Line
Maize n' Brew
Boiled Sports
Lake the Posts
Ground Zero East Lansing
Black Heart Gold Pants
The Buckeye Battle Cry

Chances are you've read it already, but Black Heart Gold Pants used the format to launch into a celebrity Jeopardy parody of sorts involving JoePa. Read it, like, right now. No seriously, read it, then come back.

Now that you're back, lets take a look at some of the answers I provided, along with the correct questions:

Answer: Jay Paterno and the Spread HD

Most (read: all) went with a play on the fact that "spread" could applied to your legs, and that "HD" sounded a lot like "VD." The correct question, however, was "How the hell is this working so well" or "Surely Jay's just getting lucky here, right?"

Answer: Joe Tiller's Mustache

Full points to Maize n' Brew, who knew that whenever Joe Tiller's name is invoked, the correct answer is always:


Answer: The Color Purple

The correct question, of course, was "What is the classic novel by Alice Walker chronicling the life of Celie, a poor black woman in the rural South." Christ, do none of you read?

We also accepted "The color of Pat Fitzgerald's penis"

Answer: Brains

Full points all around here, as most took this softball and lobbed it out of the park. The correct answer was "What's for dinner?"

Answer: Hawkeye State

Hawkeye State is not Iowa, nor is it the "state" of fans of Iowa. I thought this was clear, and apparently it wasn't. I meant Iowa Blogger "Hawkeye State" of BHGP. We would have accepted anything involving an Elephant Walk.

Answer: Rudy

We accepted both Varsity Blue's succinct response of "Shitty Midget" as well as Happy Hour Valley's more lengthy response of "Who is a giant douche that managed to be the subject of an “inspiring film” about his lame-ass story of walking on to America’s most hated college football team and going from towel boy to getting a sack in his final home game despite being offsides?"

Answer: Knee Ligaments

The correct response was, of course, "aaaaaaaaaairgggggg" or any variation thereof.

Answer: Terrelle Pryor

Varsity Blue, again: "Why am: I fucking terrified of Ohio State?"

We also would have accepted any variation of "dumbo" "radar ears" or "holy hell this kid is going to destroy everything in his path for the next 3 years god-damnit why the hell does Ohio State get these kids, Columbus isn't even that cool, fuuuuuuck."

Answer: Mark May

Ground Zero East Lansing sums it up thusly: "Who is the biggest benefactor of the "Ugly Friend" effect? You know the theory - all sets of girls have one ugly friend that makes the others look better by comparison. Who is Mark May's ugly friend? You guessed it...Lou Holtz"

Answer: Rich Rodriguez

Boiled Sports: Who fooled Michigan?

Well played, for this season.

And that wraps up the wrap up. Sorry for the delay, and enjoy your Monday!

Penn State 2008 (it rhymes!!!)

Masks? Check. Football Unis? Check. Joe Pa get-up? You betcha. Smart-phone nicely clipped to football pants? Um... check.

So, having poked around BSD for most of this off-season, I feel decently comfortable in placing the majority of Penn State fans' expectations for this upcoming season at: "high" on the big board. Why not? There's a lot to be confident about from a Nittany Lion perspective, there are also a few things that I don't see getting a lot of mention around the Blue and White corner of the world that one might go ahead and place on the "question mark" list. How does it all sort out? Well let's embark upon that mystery together dear reader!

One thing the media will harp on that is ridiculously off-base: Well, it will be next to impossible for anyone to top the pure buffoonery that was Kirk Herbstreit's prediction of greatness from Anthony Morelli to lead Penn State to the summit of the Big 10 mountain. I wish I had taped a few of those segments prior to last fall, but this will have to suffice: go ahead and scroll down to the "What a Difference a Year Makes" category and enjoy.

This year? I don't know. Much focus will undoubtedly be on JoePa, but I have a feeling we'll hear more about the way that the old coach is "opening back up the offense" for his new quarterback(s)... a return to 2005 no less. That statement in and of itself isn't off-base, but here's the rub. Penn State has shown a tendenancy to play several BIG games in a very close to the vest fashion, particularly on the road. Last year that was the Michigan game in Ann Arbor. We've been down this road, but suffice to say that Michigan couldn't possibly hope to stop an offense in the spread formation at the start of the year... surely, Penn State and staff were well aware of this... and instead of simply following a blueprint that had been clearly laid out two weeks in a row for them by App State and Oregon, they came into Michigan Stadium and threw rock...

Turns out we have a bigger rock

Oh sure, it's a bit self-serving to throw up that picture (sue me) but it does illustrate a point. Penn State was #10 in the nation that day and had a chance to really make a run at the rest of their schedule after this hurdle... suffice to say it was a big game for them against an ailing Michigan squad, and they packed it in. Penn State fans will tell you it's not the first time. If Penn State has success with this new offense, it won't mean much if they don't take it with them to Camp Randall and to the Shoe. Yes the offense is experienced at most spots, yes the defense looks to be another strength, but what has changed on the staff and in the recruiting game that makes this Penn State team different from so many that have come before it? That's a question I just don't see being asked or answered much thus far this year.

One thing the media will completely ignore that is integral to this team's success: This team's lack of a reliable and/or proven offensive weapon. Having a new QB isn't as huge of a hindrance to your offense if you have a go-to guy who can bail you out when needed, but when I look at this Penn State offense, I have a hard time picking out that guy. Is there talent? Sure. But what has it done thus far that makes you comfortable pointing as anyone being the "go-to" playmaker in '08?

Something else you won't read about coming into this season:
1. Over the last 8 years, Penn State is a .500 football team in the Big 10 conference.
2. Over the last 5 years, Penn State is a sub .500 football team in the Big 10 conference.
3. Last year's record against winning football teams was... you guessed it, .500.

So that begs a question or two if you ask me. Yes Penn State returns a lot of players, especially on the lines, but the key question is not just of experience, but of talent. Just how good is this team? Who has the chance to become the playmaker on this football team? Who is going to be a guy on offense who will give Penn State a deep threat? Oh, and just one more thing: yes Penn State is returning to a more "2005" offensive approach, but Michael Robinson isn't the guy handling the pigskin, will whomever assumes that role be able to manage an offense that doesn't seem to feature any kind of a safety blanket? At what point will PSU's inability to bring in offensive firepower become an issue that people outside of the PSU circle (aka the media) start to discuss?

Oh, and we'll hear plenty about Sean Lee's absence from the field, but perhaps a more intriguing question is how much his leadership will be missed as well.

Area that scares you as an opponent: D-line. This D-line will be the heart and soul of what figures to be another solid defense. They are talented and they are deep. If the front four play well it will make the loss of Sean Lee not nearly as big of a deal from an on-field standpoint. The offense has loads of experience (perhaps not the talent to match) in nearly every position with the exception of the backfield. If Daryll Clark and Steven Green step up into serviceable roles, there's going to be reason for some of the optimism circulating in Happy Valley. Michigan had a similar set-up in '04 and took two freshmen in Chad Henne and Mike Hart to the Rose Bowl... of course we also had a Braylon Edwards...

Area that makes you salivate as an opponent: JayPa. He's the Penn State Mike DeBord.

Random factor that you think will come into play this season: A joke of an out-of-conference schedule sets up PSU for a run of @Purdue, @Wisconsin, Michigan, and @OSU. Let's just imagine that PSU runs out to 6-0... that leaves three HUGE games:
- @ Wisconsin (a team Penn State DRILLED last year)
- Michigan (a game most Penn State fans are oddly overlooking...)
- @ Ohio State (a team that has somewhat owned Penn State in Columbus)

That's quite a stretch in the heart of the season, and two out of three on the road no less. If anything, I doubt the ability of the coaching staff to put together three straight solid gameplans, especially with having to travel to Columbus. Penn State has every opportunity to field a very solid football team, but I think this stretch (and really the overall stretch of 4 road games in 5 weeks) will cost them a truly great season.

Overall record: 9-3

Final Big 10 standing: 5-3, pick two from the following: Michigan, Purdue, and Wisconsin. Chalk another up to the Buckeyes.

Bowl destination: New Year's Day somewhere.

Joe Paterno: Coach or Figurehead?

The great Indianapolis native Kurt Vonnegut once wrote that he begins paragraphs often with "so" or "listen" and ends them with "and so on" because things never really have a beginning or an end; they are simply the continuation of a process that has processing for millions of years.

So, I sat down to write my ridiculously early preview of Penn State last week, and I couldn't get past the first question. It's not so much that I couldn't skip it and move ahead, but the first question (Name one thing the media will harp on that is ridiculously off-base) brings up so many other questions that I felt as if I couldn't continue. I consulted Black Shoe Diaries, the Tyrannosaur of Penn State blogs, to help me out. See: I had the issue the media was going to harp on, I just didn't know the degree to which it was off-base. I have been educated. My email to BSD was simply this: How much actual coaching does JoePa still do?

The answer surprised me. My Penn State Schema had been so infected by the fashionality (it's a word, I promise - ed.) of "JoePa doesn't coach any more, he's just a fatherly figurehead" that I was actually shocked to hear that Joe still knows football - a shameful admission indeed. His age prevents him from being as awesome as Pete Carrol, or as rambunctious as Urban Meyer, but he still has an active roll. So don't be one of those college football fans who falls into that trap; be smarter than that. Here is the email I got from Mike at BSD:

"Joe is still very active in coaching, but probably not as much as the average coach. But you have to understand that everyone on his staff has been there 10, 15, 20, or even 25 years. They all think on the same page by now. They know what Joe wants, and he knows they know how to run the practices. During the season the assistant coaches put together the game plan, and then on Tuesday they meet and go over it with Joe. He adds things and makes changes. Then they go out and practice it. And of course Joe attends all the practices and adds his input, and from every player quote I've heard he is very active in practice getting in their face. Back in the spring they opened up a practice to the media and from this came a youtube clip that shows Joe running around the field and being very active. You could suggest this was all show for the camera, but it goes along with everything I hear about the program. Here is a link to the clip."

As you can tell from the clip, Joe still rocks out pretty hard at practice. My favorite part is him yelling at a player to "pull his shirt down." It definitely sounds to me like assistants have a far greater roll in the gameplan for particular Saturdays, but the Old Man still has final say. As for in game:

"During a game Joe lets his coordinators call the plays and substitutions. This is unusual as most head coaches these days prefer to take over the play calling duties for either the offense or defense for themselves. But I assure you Joe is very much into the game, and he will occasionally take over the play calling duties or make a substitution here and there to mix things up."

The fact that Joe doesn't wear a headset during games is probably what started the myth that he doesn't do anything. This fact is a little dubious, but you can't tell me he doesn't understand what's going on just because he's not wearing a headset. The man has damn near coached a game for every day that I've been alive (that's a gross exaggeration - ed.), so I lean towards the fact that the guy could have his eyes closed and be pretty in tune with the action. And I have specifically seen games in which Paterno will don a headset to start making decisions.

So is all peachy keen in Nittanyville? Maybe not. The idea that Paterno is actually hurting Penn State has to stem from somewhere, and Mike believes that place is called recruiting:

"Where Joe is really hurting us, in my opinion, is recruiting (that's what I just said - BB). He used to be able to walk into the living room of any kid in America and charm him into playing for him. He still has that charm, but he doesn't travel like he used to. I think it's a combination of his health and fame. For the past two years in a row he has come down with the flu in January. When every other coach is out there locking up the big targets for their class he's home in bed sipping chicken soup. And I think his fame really does discourage him from traveling as well. The man can't walk through an airport anymore without being stopped a hundred times for his autograph. He has said it's a big reason why he works out of the house more these days. When he's in the office he's constantly being interupted by friends and former players stopping in to say hello and introduce their kids or ask for an autograph for some sick aunt or something like that."

Sipping chicken soup? Or forgetting to drink water? Either way, in today's hyper-intensive world of recruiting, having the main man not available to travel is certainly a hindrance. However, the notion that Joe Paterno is not a coach, and just a figurehead needs to stop. Sure, the question of whether JoePa is actually hurting the program still looms; they've been only .500 since 2000. However, let there be no doubt that the man still runs practices, has final say on gameplans, and has - over the past several years - put out competitive teams running very modern schemes. He also puts the schallacking to his bowl game opponents, which is more than Lloyd Carr or Joe Tiller could (can) say at the end of their tenure, Cap1 bowl excluded. As I have said before, one of the ways I know it's Fall is when JoePa runs out onto the field. His prime may have passed by, but let's agree that - for this man - his twilight years far exceed what his peers may hope of becoming.

And so on.

And a hearty terrorist fist jab to Mike at Black Shoe Diaries for the input.

Penn State Preview: Rd. 1

Some things never change. This season will be the 43rd season that Joe Paterno will run out onto the field, leading a brigade of blue and white men to the fevered scream of 100,000+ white-clad, Happy-Vally, Nittany-Lion, white-and-blue-through-and-through fans. This blog has, in the past, been critical of Penn State, and Joe Paterno: saying in no uncertain terms that it is time for the old man to move on. However, the day the old man actually does hang 'em up is the day that all college football fans shed a tear, for it is not fall until the man who has coached nearly twice as long as I've lived takes that run, even if it is evolved to more of a trot.

Paterno's age serves as a stark contrast to his beliefs, and irony that is all too delightful. The oldest, stodgiest coach in the Big Ten is actually the one who is most progressive, and most willing to tell you about it. He's like the grandfather who has long since lost his social filter, and just says whatever comes to mind. Instead of toeing the company line on playoffs, he calls out those who are opposed. When his personnel fit a new fangled spread offense, he adapted and gave the Penn State faithful their best season in years (2005):


(Oddly, there are no highlights from the Michigan game that year...also check out "glimce" at 1:16)

For as old and stodgy of a guy as Paterno's made out to be, he has certainly been willing to roll with the tide of change when the opportunity presents itself. He may forget to drink water from time to time, but he's still got a passion for the game.

2007 Season in One Word: Disappointing. The Nittany Lions, led by Senior Quarterback Anthony Morelli, started strong, breezing through three non-conference wins. Then, with all the momentum built, they came to the Big House for that payoff/payback win. The fans could taste it - this was the year they'd get that Maize and Blue Gorilla off their back. Here comes the payoff pitch! And they whiffed.

After a hangover loss to Illinois, they built momentum back up with 3 straight conference wins including a drubbing of a very good Wisconsin team. They had OSU at home with a chance to ruin a perfect season, and inch closer to a Big Ten title. Here comes the payoff pitch! Whiff. Again. It put the Big Ten title firmly out of reach. After one more loss to Michigan State, the Nittany Lions finished with a nice bowl victory that left the fans wondering what could have been had they connected on just one of their payoff pitches.

2008 Tangibles:

Schedule
8/30 Coastal Carolina
9/06 Oregon State
9/13 @ Syracuse
9/20 Temple
9/27 Illinois
10/04 @ Purdue
10/11 @ Wisconsin
10/18 Michigan
10/25 @ Ohio State
11/08 @ Iowa
11/15 Indiana
11/22 Michigan State

These non-conference opponents are laughable. The "make or break" stretch from Wisconsin to Ohio State is formidable, and will determine Penn State's season.

Coach


Joe Paterno enters his 43rd season as Penn State's Head Coach.

Returning Playmakers

Offensively, Penn State returns nearly their entire line, which should help ease the transition at Quarterback now that Morelli has departed. You will see a lot of blogs make snarky "PSU will be better now that Morelli is gone" statements, but this will not be one of them. The kid had some tough-luck losses, but was by no means an incompetent Quarterback. Penn State will miss his expereince.

Defensively, Penn State is loaded. Not quite "Ohio State" loaded, but close. They return two players in particular who should anchor their line and secondary: Maurice Evans (DE) and Anthony Scirrotto (S). Scirrotto was first team all conference last year.


That is a well-timed hit. That is Anthony Scirrotto.

Work beckons, and I will be traveling for the remainder of the week. We'll see if Champ can fit in a Penn State preview, and I've got an interview in the works that will (hopefully!) go up sometime soon. I think Penn Staters will be most pleased.

Content may be light for the rest of the week - but it will at least be existent.

Know When To Fold Em'

Earth to Penn State… hello??

I’m going to try to do all of you Blue and White folks a favor, so go right ahead and sit back for a moment and think about what I’m saying here. First off, I must pose the following question: Why, sweet Jesus, why are you not angry right now? How is it that you are in any way content with the fact that your coach is bound and determined to stay right where he is, and cost the program that he means so much to in the process? Why is it so difficult for people who are in the position to remedy the situation to recognize what needs to happen here? Honor the man, tell him thanks for everything, and move on with it. Have the fans not yet reached the point where they are ready to let go of the past and recognize the present for what it is?

I know it’s a difficult thing to do; I wasn’t one of those torch carrying morons who wanted Lloyd Carr run out of town at the drop of a hat. I genuinely respected and appreciated the man and really grew up with him as the leader of my Maize and Blue, it was not easy to recognize that perhaps it was time for him to call it a career. But you know what? It was, I came to that realization, and even more importantly, Lloyd Carr came to that realization. Michigan will forever remember Carr for his 30 years at the school, and the program will benefit from his ability to walk away when the time was right. Can Penn State fans possibly think they’re going to be in great shape at this point in time?

Here’s my theory, go ahead and try it on for size… Recall that Joe Paterno was doing a spectacular job of running himself out of Happy Valley just four short years ago. Here’s betting you didn’t find too many sentimental types when his name was brought up near the end of 2004. Why’s that you might ask? Well, here’s why:

2000: 5-7
2001: 5-6
2002: 9-4
2003: 3-9
2004: 4-7

And then… “It” happened. “It” is known as 2005. A glorious year for Penn State fans to look back on and remember, 11-1… literally seconds away from a shot at a national title… after posting losing records for four of the last five seasons, Penn State came out of literally black-hole-nowhere with this team.

Oh so close!!!

So here’s the question that is perhaps one of the hardest to ask as Penn State loyalist: Just exactly how much did Joe Pa have to do with 2005? How much of a role did he have in that team, and how much of a role did the superb play of Michael Robinson and a solid defense have to do with it?

Since then, the Lions haven’t been able to capture the same magic, posting “meh” years of 9-4 in ’06 and ’07. Perhaps more poignantly here, even taking 2005 into account, take a look at the following:

Penn State is a .500 ballclub in conference play over the past 8 years… that’s 32-32 from 2000 to 2007.

It’s idiocy to say that a successful team is to blame for anything, but do you think if 2005 is a 7-5 year that Penn State fans are sitting here watching this entire fiasco unfold? The sad part is that 2005 bought Paterno time he literally did not deserve. Let’s call a spade a spade here shall we? His role in that football program is as a figure-head, no two ways about it. That’s not to say he doesn’t mean a lot, that’s not to say that he doesn’t embody the tradition of Penn State football, but you are out of your mind if you think that man has had any sort of control over the goings on from an X’s and O’s, game-planning, and really even an ACTIVE recruiting role.

The point here is this, save for one magical run in 2005, over the past 8 or 9 years Penn State has been anywhere from a god-awful football team to a decidedly mediocre football team. It would seem to be pretty clear to those removed from the immediacy (read: kool-aid) of the program (i.e. me) that a few changes in philosophy would do the Nittany Lions some good from a football standpoint. Yet, here is your coach, whose overall role in the day to day operations of the program is certainly somewhat questionable, hanging on and claiming that he doesn’t need a contract to keep coaching. His determination to remain in a position in which he has not truly been effective in for years is praised and encouraged by some, but it needs to be recognized for what it truly is: damaging to the program. His actions are setting up a very difficult and arduous path for PSU in the near future, this situation will only intensify, and if you don’t think this will have a larger and larger impact on recruiting as it goes on, you’re out of your mind.

It’s sad to see someone as universally respected and liked as Paterno do this to himself and the school, he’s put everyone in a terrible position, and he certainly has laid the groundwork for some truly ugly moments over the horizon, whether it be in trying to remove him from the head coaching position, or be it in a new coaching search, or whether it be in serving as a big reason for recruits to look elsewhere. The man is unquestionably the heart and soul of Penn State football and the school, but it is that label that should weigh heavily on him to recognize what the RIGHT thing to do is, and that is to give the program every possible opportunity and advantage to thrive after he has moved on. Right now, his actions and the inactions of the folks in power in Happy Valley certainly do not convey that message.