The Penn State Football Show

Each of the following seniors will score a touchdown on a magical senior day in Happy Valley: Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, Jordan Norwood, Anthony Scirotto.

Okay, well maybe that is a bit much. But I have high hopes for this weekend. I'm leaving for State College right now. Goodbye.

First of all I'd like to apologize for last weeks absence but I couldn't rightly show my face on this blog after making such a jagoff of myself in my Iowa post. Apologies all around.

For this week I'll keep it short because it's clear I don't know what I'm talking about. I think Michigan State is a very one dimensional team, and not only one dimensional but one player-one dimensional. Not only do they run the ball half the time but those runs all go to Javon Ringer. Ringer is an excellent back who will be playing on lots of Sundays but I don't see how a team can beat solid opponents with such an attack.
I think Penn State needs to keep the ball on the ground until Michigan State proves they can stop it. Even then some direct snaps and reverses should work. I think we've done well in the trenches so we need a big help from the d-backs to keep Ringer off the edge.

I would really like to see Paterno drop this whole macho we don't get cold thing. I don't understand this. Having heated benches is a 100% added advantage to your team. Penn State has top notch facilities all around and we get to the game and we skimp. It keeps your players loose and two steps faster. I mean your giving your players jackets, so why not get them the best jackets, and seeing Boone huddled between two tool boxes was just embarrassing. The same thing goes for the first few games of the year, the other teams have cooling fans and our guys don't. Guess who gets cramps in the 3rd quarter. I know this will never change under the Paterno regime but I would like it to.

I like a big game from Stephfon Green and Penn State brings home the Land Grant trophy with a 27-14 win.

If we do clinch the Rose Bowl spot I'm not sure who I would like to play. I would love to see USC get screwed out of it just to see if Will Ferrel, Nick Lachey, and Snoop Dogg go see them play in the Holiday Bowl or something. But I would enjoy more spanking them in front of said celebrities at their home stadium and watching Pete Carrol cry in his press conference afterwards that his team is still somehow better. It may also give the sporting world a look at what a class act team is and what a bunch of primadonna, cocky, pansies USC is.

Strike you gait and win...

After a long hiatus (since Art's Fest), I will be back in town for the regular season finale. I had plans to buy a ticket several weeks ago because I knew this would be a huge game, and back then, thought it might be the game that clinched our spot at the National Championship game. I found a ticket for $100 and contacted the guy immediately. Not a bad price for such a big game. I got in touch with a friend to make the transaction in State College. I sent a check for the cost of the ticket and was set. But alas, this friend never made the transaction. I contacted him a few days ago and found this out. Had Penn State beaten Iowa, I would have been a little upset because ticket prices would have likely gone up. But we didn't win...and due to his laziness/forgetfulness/whatever, I never paid $100 for a ticket. Now I am paying $50 and even had some offers for $40! Although I'm glad that I didn't have to pay more for my ticket, it astounds me that so many people are trying to just get rid of this ticket. This is a historic game that I wouldn't miss for the world.

As Hottel mentioned, it is senior day, and what a group they are. Who wouldn't want to be in attendance for Derrick Williams last game in Beaver Stadium? To send off Jordan Norwood and Deon Butler, Williams, and Gaines, and others that are the most class act players you will ever find? And then there are the questions that still linger about Paterno and this maybe being his last game, but I think he will be back for another year at least. Of course on July 30th at Fenway, I thought that Manny would be back at the park the next day and that didn't work out. If this is Paterno's last game, no one will know until next year. It will be a magical night regardless and the team they are playing isn't too bad either.

Michigan State is highly one dimensional and on paper, this should be a sure win for the Lions. But as Mr. Chalfin addressed, the game will be won or lost by Penn State and in particular Daryll Clark. I was not able to watch the game last weekend live, but I downloaded a recorded version and watched that the other night. My analysis on Clark was that on certain drives he played very well, made good throws with good timing and moved the ball down the field. Other times he short armed it, didn't use proper footwork, and occasionally held on to the ball too long. The interception wasn't terrible. There were two guys on Butler, but sometimes you've got to give it a shot. He clearly needs to secure that ball better, and he knows that. A lot of his fumbles even happen while he's got two hands on the ball because when he runs through the line, he has the ball held firmly with both hands, but at his chest and he runs straight up giving players a target to aim their hats at. Put those shoulders down so defenders can't even get a shot at the ball.

Hopefully these things will be addressed, but what some people also don't realize is that Penn State faced three very good defensive lines in the past three games. Four even if you include Michigan. Indiana has been near the top of the Big Ten in sacks for the past few years and are there again this year. Iowa of course was very elite, but MSU's defense is a little suspect. Clark should have some time back there, and I would like to see him run more because he's a great runner, he just needs to hold onto that football! The key to the game will be stopping the run, which I have no doubt PSU will be able to do (Ringer is second in the nation in rushing yards, but only averages 4.4 yards per carry), and also to keep the Spartan receivers in front of them. Last year they got burned by Hoyer in the second half, and as long as they don't give up the big pass, they should have a good shot at a win provided they don't turn the ball over.

I am extremely excited for the game this weekend and to just get back to everything that I miss so much. It will be a great atmosphere and will be emotional not only for the players, but the fans as well as we all say goodbye to some of the greats that we will likely tell our children about. This team has worked hard all season and has exceeded everyone's expectations. The Rose Bowl is in sight, and even though there is a good chance we could be matched with Oregon State in a no-win situation, there is also a chance we will get the opportunity to prove our worth and right the Big Ten ship against USC and Pete Carroll, the most overrated coach in college football. There is no reason that team should ever lose with the athletes it has, but I'll save that discussion for some other time. I can't wait for Saturday even if it's going to be less than 30 degrees and I don't have a winter jacket...it will be a weekend I may never forget. Fight On State.

I think it was a combination of the crushing loss at Iowa being followed up with a game against a struggling Indiana team that really put everyone in a lull when it came to Penn State football. Everyone I have spoken with was in the same boat as me for the last week and a half. The days went by slower and were not nearly as exciting, and there just felt like there was something missing. There was less to look forward to. This is the obvious cause for the lack of posts on this blog (that and my poor internet connection).

Well the purpose of this post is basically to say "Snap out of it!" Penn State has one game left on it's schedule, and it's a HUGE GAME. There is a lot to be excited about and a lot to play for. Both teams are fighting for a Big Ten Championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl.

I think the outcome of the game is solely based on which Penn State team shows up. If they come out and play like they did for the first eight games of the season, they should win handily. If they play the way the have for the last three games, they will lose... they will lose not only the game, but the Big Ten Championship as well as their first trip to Pasadena since 1994.

More specifically, I think Penn State's performance as a team hinges around which Darryl Clark shows up to the game. It's no coincidence the for those first eight games where Penn State was dominant, Clark played exceptional football. He was nearly flawless, throwing only two interceptions, and greatly exceeding even the highest of expectations. Then, something happened, I'm not quite sure what, but he has not been himself the last three games. His timing seems to be off, he is not stepping into his throws, he is not looking off of his primary target anymore, and his throws have been way off-target. Whatever it is, he needs to fix it and get back on track if Penn State wants to win this season.

When you take a step back and look at the entire situation, there are many things in Penn State's favor in this game. The first, and most obvious, is that it is at home. Beaver Stadium is obviously a very very tough place for anyone to play in. I have already mentioned everything that is at stake in this game. If this team can't get motivated for a conference title and a Rose Bowl berth, I don't know what will get them up.

In addition, as Hottel mentioned, it is Senior Day -- and this always serves to motivate the team. But as Hottel pointed out, this Senior Day in particular is even more special than most. That's because most people credit this class of seniors with turning the program around (and rightfully so).

Derrick Williams was the number one recruit in the entire country coming out of high school, and he shocked the world by committing to a school with just four wins. On national television he encouraged other high school stars to join him at Penn State and "wake this sleeping giant." All of us Penn State fans could see that Penn State was just a few players away from having a national title contender, but most high schoolers would just look at the poor record and disregard Penn State from consideration. It takes a very mature and wise person to make the bold move that Derrick Williams and Justin King did when they selected Penn State, and I think they, along with everyone else, would agree that their decision paid off tremendously. I have an incredible ammount of respect for both of them.

So you can bet that emotions will be riding high when Williams, Norwood, Butler, Scirrotto, and the rest of the seniors are announced on Saturday. And, as if all of that wasn't enough, there is one more Nittany Lion who very well could be in his last game at Beaver Stadium this Saturday...

I'm learning how to post videos on here for your entertainment!

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There is not much to recap about the Indiana game. I predicted a 42 point win and due to the lackluster play in the first half I did not cover the spread. Hopefully, they can correct the mistakes and play a sharp game on Saturday because Michigan State will not bow down like Indiana.



Senior Day at PSU is always an emotional experience. My senior year at PSU, I said goodbye to Tamba Hali and Michael Robinson. No doubt their leadership abilities were passed down to the seniors we will be saying goodbye to on Saturday. It seems like only yesterday, I was watching Derreck Williams commit to PSU on ESPN news. I will be in attendance on Saturday and seeing D wheels, Butler, Norwood, Shipley, and Gains come out for senior rec is going to be tough. This is a special senior class and they have the opportunity to win two Big Ten Championships.






This photo, someday, should be compared to the four horsemen of Notre Dame, but King had to leave us early and miss his whole first season in the NFL with an injury. Twenty years from now, when you look back, you will mention this group as the greatest group of wide receivers to ever play at PSU without even blinking an eye.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L49-PKFKDIU&feature=related