Big 10 top conference?

by STU Boy on Nov 10, 2009 1:55 PM EST Comment 32 comments

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4641135&name=katz_andy

So says Andy Katz, I guess there goes the theory that the media hates everything Big 10. This is a good thing for PSU, as they have roughly 12 chances to notch some in-conference quality wins. This could also be a bad thing as we do lack some experience. Could be an interesting season. CORNLEY SMASH CORNLEY SMASH CORNLEY SMASH CORNLEY SMASH 75 WORDS.

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I think he may be right

Let’s see how we do in the B10-ACC challenge this year.

No. 2—You are so lucky he barely fumbled the ball PSU fans.

by psu on Nov 10, 2009 2:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

If we don't win it this year we're never going to win it

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 10, 2009 2:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This

Last year we had such a good shot. I think it ended 6 to 5 and there were about 6 games that were decided by 5ish points or less, 3 of which we won, 3 of which they won. If the Big Ten really did get better, we should take it.

by PSUisMyHeart on Nov 10, 2009 4:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Minnesota behind Northwestern (and I might even disagree with Illinois, great class aside)?

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 10, 2009 2:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Katz

Is in love with Illinois this year. He has been hyping them as his surprise team of the year. He keeps writing about how every coach at the Big 10 Media Day kept mentioning how good they would be this year.

by STU Boy on Nov 10, 2009 6:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ehh

I’m not really a big fan of Bruce Weber.

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 10, 2009 7:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm a fan of his defense

But his offensive game-planning is severely lacking. No imagination, no structure, just all around ugliness.

by STU Boy on Nov 10, 2009 7:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The key is to have Bill Self recruit Deron Williams, Dee Brown, and Luther Head for him

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 10, 2009 7:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe we can be awesome?

This percieved strength in the big ten this year will really help PSU come tourney time. If we perform as expected in our moderately improved noncon, it won’t take as many wins in conference to get in as it would have for us to get in last year, and we had a few really impressive wins in conference (including over the national runners up, if you remember).

I am really really excited for this year, even if we may step back a little bit, the potential is still there. If we finish with our same record as last year, or even 1-2 games worse, we have a good case to get in the tourney.

Black Shoes. Basic Blues. No Name. All Game.

"Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the mouth."

by Roland86 on Nov 10, 2009 5:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Even if you look ahead to NEXT year, the Big Ten should be even better

Michigan State will be more experienced. Hummel and co. will be seniors. Tubby Smith’s great classses will pay off, same for Michigan and Illinois. Tom Crean will probably be in contention for a spot in the tourney.

I’m hopeful that all these great coaches are helping to take Big Ten basketball back to where it was 15 years ago.

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 10, 2009 5:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Oh my Zug, you scared the shit out of me

I thought this was a football post, and ESPN was saying we were the best conference. I was afraid I had gotten sucked into an alternate universe, or Hell had frozen over, or something like that.

Whew…

by dawsonPSU10 on Nov 10, 2009 9:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Thank Zug I wasn't the only one that thought this.

i am still getting used to PSU having a basketball program. i was thinking maybe it was opposite day or something.

"They say in Happy Valley that if God wasn’t a Penn State fan, why is the sky blue and white?" Fortt said. "Who am I to argue with God?"

by amandakt on Nov 10, 2009 11:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

dick vitale is all in love with big ten bbal this year as well

by psu in the w-b on Nov 11, 2009 7:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Could be a rough year for our boys, but...

With so many improved teams, there are more chances for impressive wins by the time March rolls around.

There will be people bitching if we don’t make the NCAA’s, despite losing Cornley and Pringle. They are fools, and will be fools in the spring.

Twitter: @scrappled

"When it’s third-and-10, you can take the milk drinkers and I’ll take the whiskey drinkers every time" - Max McGee

by Run Up The Score on Nov 12, 2009 11:12 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Schedule:

At Minnesota
Wisconsin
Michigan
At Illinois (We own Assembly Hall so there’s a reputation to uphold here)
At Iowa
Indiana
At Wisconsin
Illinois
At Purdue
At Ohio State
Minnesota
Michigan State
At Northwestern
At Michigan
Ohio State
Northwestern
At Michigan State
Purdue

All I want from this schedule: beat Indiana. Get revenge for the bullshit Hightower pulled in Columbus last year. Pull off an upset against Purdue and/or MSU. Beat Wisconsin for once. Beat Iowa. Continue our domination of Assembly Hall (a bit optimistic there). I’d also like to beat Minnesota because Tubby Smith is funny when he’s angry.

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 12, 2009 11:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I keep saying

7 wins for this team would be a great year in the Big 10. This schedule is relentless. And expect Indiana to be better, Crean will have that team running and playing fast, they will be the odd-balls in the Big 10 with their style when he gets his players.

by STU Boy on Nov 12, 2009 11:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I can't wait for Crean's system

The Big Ten was so much better when Tom Davis was at Iowa.

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 12, 2009 11:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Completely agree

The Big 10 needs someone like Crean to change the pace a little. Sometimes the Big 10 is way too rough, and maybe they will force the officials to stop swallowing their whistles.

by STU Boy on Nov 12, 2009 12:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

People who bash the Big Ten's "boring play" need to blame foo's like Hightower

I just loath that guy. That kind of reffing is just terrible for the league. Ticky tack calls away from the basket, while some big bruiser like Blair from Pitt is just dump trucking in the post.

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 12, 2009 12:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm just trying to see how many times I can fit "just" into a post

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 12, 2009 12:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why are you doing this? Just because?

How could Nixon know so little about Watergate and so much about football ?

by psupride on Nov 12, 2009 1:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No, not at first

But then I realized a serious post was looking pretty silly and decided to make an excuse.

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 12, 2009 1:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

you didn't notice the "just" in my comment?

I was just trying to keep it going.

How could Nixon know so little about Watergate and so much about football ?

by psupride on Nov 13, 2009 1:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry, I've been blind for just under a day

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 13, 2009 2:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think we can beat Northwestern twice

So there’s two.

We can beat Iowa at least once. Wisconsin as well. And say we beat Michigan or Minnesota for five. And then pull off an upset against Purdue or MSU for six. And beat Ohio State for seven.

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 12, 2009 11:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You can throw Illinois in there too

And I mean that. I don’t really like Bruce Weber and Assembly Hall is ours.

Sam Lickliter. Never forgive. Never forget. Beat IU.

by ReadingRambler on Nov 12, 2009 11:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think

We sweep Iowa after the attrition they endured this off-season, split with NW, steal one against Ohio State and Illionois, split with Minn and Indiana. That’s 6, and hopefully they can throw another in there (maybe even take down MSU again, that would be sweet).

We match up horribly with Purdue, so I wouldn’t expect a win there. They just pressure the hell out of Battle and beat us into submission when we play them. Hell, they almost beat us without Hummel and Kramer last year because of their tenacity.

by STU Boy on Nov 12, 2009 12:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And I could see

Us sweeping Indiana, I just think they will be much much better this year.

by STU Boy on Nov 12, 2009 12:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sweep

I don’t know if you are joking or not, but to “sweep” Iowa or Indiana would require us to just win once since those are the two teams we only get one time in conference this season. Which is certainly a big reason why our schedule is going to be really tough since that’s two of the lesser teams in the conference.

by Laaaaazzz on Nov 12, 2009 12:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs