What Lies Ahead
by Run Up The Score on Oct 13, 2009 9:13 AM EDT
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Two well-known Penn State columnists take a look at the remainder of the season. Bob Flounders carries on the proud Patriot-News tradition of predicting failure:
Penn State's post-season destination will be determined by four games. The problem is that three of the games are on the road.
From here, it looks like 2-2 or 1-3 for Paterno's team.
PSU plays at Michigan (Oct. 24), at Northwestern (Oct. 31), hosts Ohio State (Nov. 7) then closes out the regular season in East Lansing against Mark Dantonio's Michigan State team.
Frank Bodani of the York Daily Record sees a constantly improving Nittany Lions team:
Actually, the Lions, despite questions at safety and on special teams, might be about the most balanced team in the league.
Just look at the next two weeks. Minnesota and Michigan both have suspect defenses. The Gophers can't protect their quarterback, and the Wolverines aren't even sure who will run their offense.
The point is that Penn State really has no excuse to finish less than 10-2.
No good excuse, really, to lose to anyone other than Ohio State, which just might be too good on defense and special teams.
And while this will shock many of you, I'm leaning Bodani's way. There just aren't enough good teams left on Penn State's schedule to be worried.
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OH NOES!
WE’RE GOING 3-9!
Actually, I’m leaning Bodani/RUTS as well. We shouldn’t have trouble with any of those teams except OSU.
/leaves to find wood on which to knock
I actually agree with the season total...
But I REALLY don’t see OSU beating us if their O stays that poor. I could really see that game coming down to a 6-3, 9-6 type score, and while the OSU D is better than ours, I think our O is (knocking on wood as well) lightyears ahead of theirs. Even with only 1.5 good games by the O line to date.
From what I've seen
We shouldn’t have any problem with Northwestern, even in Evanston. Yeah it’s a road game, and so I’m naturally somewhat concerned, but we really should win that game fairly easily. I’m much more concerned about Michigan, but I think JoePa won’t be conservative in that game, as Michigan has a pretty good offense that can put up points. Without Lllllloyd Carr on the other sideline, JoePa won’t have an incentive to feel secure by throwing rock. Hopefully I’ll be able to make that my first PSU road game, and I’m optimistic it’ll be my first PSU victory that I’ll see on the road. :-)
Let's Go State!
by Gopher Broke on Oct 13, 2009 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions
The Michigan Game
I’m actually not too worried about that one either. Forcier will make some amazing plays, but he’ll also make some boneheaded rookie mistakes.
I suspect we’ll see some new wrinkle from RR in the game. He’s really good about doing that against better competition. If he were smart, he would wait until the second half so Penn State doesn’t have time to adjust. Last year he started right off with Minor Rage and put up 17 points. But then Penn State adjusted and he had nothing.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
I'm always worried about that game
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions
Don't be
This is not Lloyd Carr’s Michigan team. This is Rich Rodriguez, the same guy who blew an opportunity at a national championship by choking against Pitt.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Oct 13, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I'm scared, Mike
I’m scared. I’m just too scared by the possiblity of months of trashtalking from those WLA doucheas.
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions
David Jones has been talking up Northwestern for
two months now. I really will not make fun of that pick until that game has concluded for fear of a jinx.
I agree with the score projections.
But I think our defense has a better chance of dominating their offense than vice versa. Sure their defense is nasty, but the matchups when they have the ball excite me. If Joe will let DC take off if need be, the matchups when we have the ball may be just enough to give us some breathing room. I just dont want to be screaming in the fourth quarter for a barely fumble to save us.
by Jeff Junstrom on Oct 13, 2009 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Ohio State can still beat PSU with D and Special Teams.
No other team can do that. They’re still the most likely loss. In the preseason I was concerned about Northwestern, but they’re a shell of their expectations. I expect a game similar to Illinois. Michigan is a total wildcard: I’ll believe we can beat them in Ann Arbor when the clock strikes 0:00 in the 4th quarter. Until then, I’m holding my breath.
which clock are you talking about?
Because we might have to wait for the clock to strike -0:02
by The JuggerNitt on Oct 13, 2009 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions
The thing about OSU that scares me is their D
There D is always good for at least 6 points and there special teams is good for something. Our Offense is always good for at least 1 turnover. Now for how bad OSU Offense is if we jump on them early I think we win the game.
I'm so conflicted
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions
62-99
Oh, wait, that was the better PA baseball team.
by Jeff Junstrom on Oct 13, 2009 9:58 AM EDT up reply actions
I mean seriously
Making fun of the Pirates is like making fun of somebodies mentally handicapped little brother. It’s not fair, and it kind of hurts my feelings.
Where’s the Beer and the Bar-b-Que?
by jesse. on Oct 13, 2009 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
It's too easy.
And yet so painful. Either way, they’re dead to me. Someone on Friday night had the audacity to tell me that the Pirates are on their way up and will be good again real soon. I just walked away.
by Jeff Junstrom on Oct 13, 2009 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions
I had two club seats
for a Friday night game, beautiful night, I think they we’re playing the Cardinals. I couldn’t use them, and literally could not give them away. Like for free. The Pirates didn’t even want them back.
Yet, I’ll soon be getting my letter from Neal Huntington telling me how important I am, trying to con me into another season of Pirates baseball. I think I may just get the PPV this year instead.
Where’s the Beer and the Bar-b-Que?
Yeah, right, and how many years have they been "rebuilding"
Glad I don’t give a Columbus about baseball.
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions
True!
The Pirates are slowly getting better. Just how slowly though is anyone’s guess, and I say that purely because I’m sure they can’t get any worse.
They'll find a way.
The only reason they didn’t hit 100 losses this year is because MLB wouldn’t let them finish. Next year we’re going for the single season loss record, now that we have the consecutive season loss record.
by Jeff Junstrom on Oct 13, 2009 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions
I don't give a Columbus about baseball
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 10:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Altho, I am curious
Did the Red Sox choke? I want to read Bill Simmons schadenfreude style.
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions
It may surprise you to know
That I myself do not know, and haven’t yet read this account of which you type.
"For me the game wasn’t grounded in reality. It was about the uniform you put on that turned you into a warrior. It was about the mythology of the battle, the victory, the defeat, the struggle." - Mike Reid, PSU '69
What's worse than their record is busting out the box score
from the Pirates vs. Manatee County Community College in spring training.
SHOCKED!
Shocked, I tell ya! Atta boy RUTS. Keepin positive despite your better instinct and experience.
I’m gonna try fishin again: what did you think of Giger’s scheduling agenda and JoePa’s responses in last week’s presser?
"For me the game wasn’t grounded in reality. It was about the uniform you put on that turned you into a warrior. It was about the mythology of the battle, the victory, the defeat, the struggle." - Mike Reid, PSU '69
Someone had to do it, I guess.
The game is a joke, and Giger essentially made JoePa acknowledge it. I understand it from both sides, really. PSU needs to make money, they don’t get punished for scheduling 1-AA teams, and took a cheap deal. Fans are absolutely right to criticize it and be angry about shelling out $60+ for such a game. In a way, it’s like NFL teams forcing their season ticket owners to pay full price for pre-season games, even though EIU wasn’t a pre-season game.
Giger was within his right to do a little badgering, and Paterno was within his right to be angry about it. No big deal.
by Run Up The Score on Oct 13, 2009 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks
"For me the game wasn’t grounded in reality. It was about the uniform you put on that turned you into a warrior. It was about the mythology of the battle, the victory, the defeat, the struggle." - Mike Reid, PSU '69
The "money" argument is bogus to me
You could easily get a bottom feeding FBS school in the Beav for for enarly the same price that you would pay an 1AA school, yet you’d get the benefits of having a stronger schedule and a better image in the press. It’s a discgrace that we play these teams. There is no honor is the success of beating the snot out of a 1AA team.
You could easily get a bottom feeding FBS school in the Beav for for enarly the same price
No you can’t. It costs more than a million dollars to bring in Akron for a one off game, and you don’t here anybody talking about an SOS boost from that game. We actually have to give Temple a home game.
Where’s the Beer and the Bar-b-Que?
You're absolutely wrong
We paid 500k for EIU and $450 for Coastal Carolina last year. Oregon State came here for $800K.
Other schools:
OSU paid Troy $800k, Ohio U $700K
Michigan paid $500K to Toledo and $800K for Utah
So don’t tell me the price tag is a million+, because it is not.
If you extrapolate a little further, I’d be willing to bet PSU actually makes more money overall (gate, refreshments, parking, TV dollars?) on the $800K game with Oregon State than it does with the $500K game against coastal carolina.
The psychology of playing on the road...
It seems that, and with good reason, most of the PSU fanbase goes into “oh crap” mode for road games. Myself included. Mostly because during my tenure…‘01-’04 we were crap all the time and road losses were that much more frustrating. But after that, I’m wondering how much of the road woes in ’06 and ’07 were due to a losing mentality on the road from some of the senior players?
It seems like they just never “learned” how to win on the road (or beat UM for that matter). And it took the recruiting class of ’05 3 years to get out of it. Look at the results last year…road games went pretty well and though there were some tight ones, it seemed like a totally different mindset on the road than years past.
I guess my point is I hope this team didn’t inherit any of those psychological problems because really those problems predate them.
A big positive
Was the play of PSU at Illinois on the 2nd half. Instead of going into ultra-conservative mode, they made adjustments, threw down the field, ran Clark, and blew the game wide open. It was immensely satisfying and something I had not seen. Most of PSU’s big road wins have been wire-to-wire domination—to dominate the second half on the road after a close first half is a novelty. As a result, I’m more confident that PSU can win big in Northwestern after a close first half.
I dont think we are worried about the players
And I’m at least not too concerned with road woes of the past influencing them, but I think what is a valid concern is the coaching staff and their tendency to play ultra conservative on the road.
I guess the same goes for bad weather games too, how much of the Iowa loss can be attributed to being conservative due to the bad weather? (I know I know, they were better than us that night, line domination and whatnot)
This team could legitamtely lose 3 more games (OSU, MSU, UM)
I think OSU’s O and D lines outmatch ours and we lose because of it.
MSU is probably the second most talented team remaining on our schedule. An away game which PSU notoriously struggles with, and a team with a decent defense which will give our O line fits (and potentially Clark as well).
Michigan can put up points but their defense is porous. I think the question will be whether we can outscore them. Again, an away game (see above) against a team that has made us their bitch (along with Iowa) for the past decade.
I really don’t know which team will show up. This team hasn’t played a complete football game yet and they’ll need to against these teams.
I disagree about MSU
MSU hasn’t gotten pressure on anybody this year.
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, but
The Michigan State series is wierd.
If the game is in State College we win. Easy usually. Beaver Stadium is Michigan State’s kryptonite.
If the game is in East Lansing, it’s usually a crazy game. You never know what is going to happen out there, we’ve had ten win teams get beat by 35 points.
@ Michigan State…Wildcard
Where’s the Beer and the Bar-b-Que?
I say we line that thing at left guard
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Are kidding me?
Banana Peal is finally putting it together. Christ, give Banana Peal a break. It’s always the same with you. Trust me, if the coaches thought Land Grant Trophy was better, they would play Land Grant Trophy.
Man. You have no idea what your talking about.
Where’s the Beer and the Bar-b-Que?
Screw you, you kool-aid drinking joke
If the coaches thought Clark was better than Morelli, they would start Clark, right? What a laugher!
It’s all about Joe’s nepotism. I’m just trying to be realistic.
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions
You guys are all the same
You’re probably the same joker that thought Morelli should have started instead of Robinson. Or Devlin instead of Clark. Now it’s Land Grant Trophy instead of Banana Peal.
EITHER SHUT UP AND BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING EVERY COACH DOES IS PERFECT 100% OF THE TIME, NO EXCEPTIONS, OR YOU ARE NOT A REAL PENN STATE FAN SO STFU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where’s the Beer and the Bar-b-Que?
BULLSHIT!@!!
The players are playing their taills off, and the coaches are screwing it up!!
Kooolaid drinkers will NEVER get it. Anderson is so old. He can’t CONNECT with players.
We’re recruiting SHIT and we finally get some TALENT we stick with whoever Joe thinks is Italian enough
RETIRE!
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions
U R A FOOL!!!!
U HAV NO APPRECIATUN for what JoePA has done for this school!!!!! The man is a legeng and he should be able to do whatever he wants up to and including starting Ham Sandwich at QB this week.
AND I KNOW!!!!! My great, great, great grandfather was the first undergrad to have sex with Coally the Goat in 1867 and I give 98% of my gross income to the Nittany Lion Club and I HAVE NEVER MISSED A GAME EVAR!!!!
JOE PA RULES!!!!!
Where’s the Beer and the Bar-b-Que?
There's NO POINT in arugulaing with you!!
ENJOY YOUR LONG SLIDE INTO MEDIOCRITY, HAPPY JACK BASTARD!
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions
I surrender
This level of stupidity is actually difficult for me to muster.
I guess I just got spanked in an ironic flame war.
Where’s the Beer and the Bar-b-Que?
Fight song!
HAIL! to the Rambler valiant!
HAIL! to the Rambler something!
HAIL! HAIL! to something something Rambler of the west!
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions
more like FAIL to the victors
Black Shoes. Basic Blues. No Name. All Game.
"Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the mouth."
when are you guys going to get a room
and fingerbang?
"It’s all about Joe’s nepotism."
So are you implying that banana peel is somehow the progeny of Joe? This I have to hear. Was he cheating on SuePa with the Chiqita Banana Girl?
Can ya blame him?
"For me the game wasn’t grounded in reality. It was about the uniform you put on that turned you into a warrior. It was about the mythology of the battle, the victory, the defeat, the struggle." - Mike Reid, PSU '69
Check out those melons.
"The sea was angry that day, my friends." G. Costanza
by NJ lion on Oct 13, 2009 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Agree, but secretly, I must rec the post
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 14, 2009 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions
How can you agree and boooo at the same time?
RR, ye confuse me. But thanks for the rec.
Did you know Chiquita’s first husband is now the starting left guard for PennState? Thank you folks, I’m here all week. Oh who am I kidding? I’m here 10 times/day.
"The sea was angry that day, my friends." G. Costanza
by NJ lion on Oct 14, 2009 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Only 10????
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 14, 2009 7:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey, turnstile is one bad mother...
shut yo’ mouf!
But their total defense is ranked #41
An Iowa team with a total defense currently ranked #31 kicked our offense’s collective ass. If we can’t run the ball, we have serious problems.
Sorry, but until I see Michigan State get pressure on somebody, I won’t be impressed.
Notre Dame hasn’t run that well this year, and they ran all over Sparty. Same for Wisconsin.
I’m not saying we’ll win, but I don’t think MSU will come close to what Iowa’s front seven did.
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Oct 13, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Iowa was a matchup problem.
I don’t think using total d-rank is doing to get you anywhere in this discussion.
BSD
by KevinHD on Oct 13, 2009 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
+1 for d-rank
Sounds similar to dbag, but with a fresh twist. Here, I’ll try it out: Pryor is such a d-rank.
meh. /got nowhere.
"For me the game wasn’t grounded in reality. It was about the uniform you put on that turned you into a warrior. It was about the mythology of the battle, the victory, the defeat, the struggle." - Mike Reid, PSU '69
You shouldn't try to be creative while sober
you can only do this while you’re d-runk.
"In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."
Has anybody seen this
Seems like they are a little salty in Minneapolis. Problems of their own I guess.
Where’s the Beer and the Bar-b-Que?
Wow
I can’t stand that kind of writing. Just approaching emphasis in all the wrong ways.
I like the name Marqueis, tho.
"For me the game wasn’t grounded in reality. It was about the uniform you put on that turned you into a warrior. It was about the mythology of the battle, the victory, the defeat, the struggle." - Mike Reid, PSU '69
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