Rittenberg: Why The Big Ten Hates November Night Games
The recent announcement that a Nov. 7 game between Ohio State and Penn State won't be played at night because of a league policy prohibiting November night games created quite a stir within Big Ten Nation. And after watching the Big 12 play four Saturday night showcase games last November, who can blame Big Ten fans? Especially Penn State supporters who live for night-game Whiteouts at Beaver Stadium...
Click through for the bulletpoint rationale.
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The dreaded T word
If they just used the weather excuse it would be almost acceptable, but they can’t help but throw in the old T-word.
The Big Ten is simply not a conference that traditionally plays games at night, and that tradition still matters.
by Brett Brown on May 19, 2009 4:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
But the Big East is so loaded with tradition that
they get the weekly Thursday night ESPN game. Sheesh
"The sea was angry that day, my friends." G. Costanza
by NJ lion on May 20, 2009 7:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah...tradition
and the tradition should be that we play Ohio State every year the on the second Saturday of October, at night, period. I bitch alot, so I’m not suprised nobody noticed, but this was something I complained about right away (not because I knew about the night game thing though).
There are a lot of October rivalry games, Penn State and Ohio State should be one, and it was becoming one. The Big Ten scheduling this game in November was sloppy and stupid.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on May 19, 2009 4:27 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
the other marketing benefit to this
would be for if either OSU or PSU were to have a mediocre year, it wouldn’t usually be evident that early in the season, and so it can still be billed as a likely “de facto conference title game” with all the hype that comes with it
by The JuggerNitt on May 19, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Conspiracy theory
They don’t want Penn State to have a rival, so they stick us with a different night game every year, and specifically move Ohio State away from when that game had been played pretty much since we joined the league.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on May 19, 2009 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Back loaded schedules
The Big Ten is smart. They know that the longer these teams go into the season undefeated the more excitement they generate. What’s more exciting? Going into the game with both teams 4-0 or both teams 9-0? Which one will get more national attention?
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on May 19, 2009 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, but how often are there two 9-0 teams?
I may be nitpicking here, but severely back loading the schedule (ie having the psu-osu game and the osu-um game in november) reduces the chance of that mega matchup. Putting the PSU-osu game earlier nearly assures they will both be undefeated. Its a lot easier to take care of your 4 creampufs and one or two relatively untaxing conference games to set up a 6-0 psu-osu matchup in october rather than later in the season.
"Even though it was bouncing, I knew it was so soft that it was just going to stay in," Battle said. "Then I ran around like a lunatic."
by bconway6 on May 19, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Eventually
We need to have games that are bigger than records. We got to this party about 75 years late, there are not a lot of traditional things left to accomplish in Big Ten football. What the Big Ten doesn’t have is an Alabama/Tennessee or a Texas/Oklahoma early in the season.
Penn State and Ohio State is one of the most sorely undermarketed games in the country, it could be, and should be, huge. Moving it around to maximize ratings because both teams happen to be good is really short term thinking. Doesn’t much matter to Ohio State, but this is one I really think Penn State needs.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on May 20, 2009 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Think about it
They could play it every year, the last weekend in October, usually at night.
Do Ohio State fans honestly expect me to believe that they would hate Michigan less if we did this? Do Auburn fans hate Alabama less because Auburn plays a usually big game with Georgia?
And if Michigan doesn’t like it, well… screw you, you suck now.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on May 20, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
We already play every year
And since we joined the league the game has been in October every year but two, once it was the last week in September, and another time it was on November 1st. Usually we play the last Saturday in October, but it has been played all throughout he month.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on May 20, 2009 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I didn't word that right
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on May 20, 2009 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
On the other hand
An early loss doesn’t hurt you half as much in the polls as a late one. Bitch all you want about how that shouldn’t be the case (Lord knows I have), but scheduling the big matchups early gives the loser time to recover in the polls.
by SpartanDan on May 21, 2009 1:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Like Ohio State
the last two times they lost to us
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on May 21, 2009 8:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here's what bothers me
if it is such a logistics nightmare for the school/town, then let THEM decide to not have night games. If the school/town is willing to put up with that “hassle” in exchage for a lot more exposure, and generally more $, then let them decide that as well. Why does this have to be an overarching rule for the whole league?
by The JuggerNitt on May 19, 2009 4:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Because I think Penn State
is one of the few schools in the Big Ten that really digs the night games. It’s kind of become our thing, I don’t think any school in the league wants to play a night game at Beaver Stadium. It’s a been a big advantage for us.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on May 19, 2009 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, Bullet 3 has no merit
And is a little insulting:
Night games present a logistical nightmare that most fans can’t fully comprehend. From getting fans in and out of mammoth stadiums to policing the areas — all in potentially lousy weather — these events present some tough obstacles. Though many of the same challenges are present with September and October night games, the November weather compounds things.
After I spend the requisite millisecond to fully comprehend this terribly difficult subject, am I allowed to ask (furthering your point Jnitt) for whom night games are ‘logistical nightmares’? For the Big Ten, and its Associate Commissioner of Television Administration?
Hey, this game is fun too and you can make it fun. --j. odrick
But I’m biased towards tailgating, as you may imagine. -ts
Ignore the accolades – just enjoy the games. -bb&w
by jtothep on May 19, 2009 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If the hotels weren't already
the packed for every home football weekend I could argue that night games would be a boon for the local businesses. I’ve done that drive home after an 8pm game that last couple years and while the hallucinations are incredible, I would prefer to pay the $$ and stay over.
More empty excuses similar to the 12th team debate.
One man doing the work of 100's for the good of 1000's
by rahpsu92 on May 19, 2009 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So about those hotels.
I called the Marriott hotline about a month ago to make a reservation for OSU. I have more point with that hotel than I earned from ages 7-12 playing the original Contra (probably not actually true).
Anyway, they give me a room for Friday night, it’s like a gazillion points but I’m cool with it. The catch is they want me to pay for Saturday. $450. For one night. I’m sure this is business as usual for most of you, but put me on the record for having no idea despite spending all those years seeing the hoards arrive for the weekend.
by Kevin HD on May 19, 2009 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It IS business as usual.
Even the luxurious Motel 6 requires a 2 night minimum at anywhere from $300 to $360 per night, depending on opponent. With 4 season tix and 2 rooms for 2 nights each, the extra home game this year didn’t make us smile as much as it should have.
My Dad and I often go up on Thursdays to get in a few days of golf since the Thursday night room rate is about $50. It is indeed a seller’s market.
Kevin, I’m amazed you got that room only a month ago. We’re required to reserve the next year’s rooms by the final game of the season, even though they don’t bill our credit card until January, a short 9 months before the opener.
On the plus side, you can really take in the atmosphere of the entire Home Game Weekend by arriving Friday afternoon. The best weekends are those with Women’s V-Ball on Friday and Saturday in addition to the Game.
The same folks return to the motel every year, and we’ve become good friends with a lot of them. People come from Florida, New Hampshire – hell, everywhere – to spend weekends in State College. Everyone congregates in the lobby after night games to watch the highlights and revel in the feeling. Expensive, but tremendous.
In our case, it’s a decision between taking a nice vacation in summer, or taking 7 (8!) three or four day vacations throughout the fall. It works for us.
'People are about as happy as they decide they want to be'
by Pete the Streak on May 20, 2009 6:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I usually only get to 2
home games per year. I treat my Pitt wfe and her Pitt Brother and Sister in Law (all PSU converts) for one game, then get the boys together for the other. We’ve always stayed at the Hampton Inn for the family game and made the day round trip for the guys (seems kinda backward).
I think the Hampton Inn was 2 night min for Iowa at $350/per. Not bad since we can walk up the hill to our tailgate. Last year we moved on rooms to late and ended up outside of town for about half the price.
One man doing the work of 100's for the good of 1000's
by rahpsu92 on May 20, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’d just as soon get rid of the rule, but I think this is somewhat overly cynical — the rule has apparently been on the book for years (at least) and it’s not like PSU was hosting night games with regularity before the past few years. It’s simply not an anti-PSU thing.
by Laaaaazzz on May 19, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What does this mean?
There’s no Tiger Stadium At Night in the Big Ten.
Is that a back handed comment aimed at OSU and/or PSU? What is a “Tiger Stadium At Night”? I mean don’t get me wrong, LSU knows how to rock the place, but what’s Rittenbag trying to say?
by The IC Lion on May 19, 2009 4:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Ins't every LSU SEC home game at night?
I think that’s what he means. Everybody in the Big Ten, including Penn State, gets really whinny if they have more than one or two late starts.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on May 19, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Didn't realize that . . .
Interestingly enough, every home game for LSU this year is an 8pm game. That’s not the case every year though. What an advantage. Here’s another conspiracy theory for you jesse, even though its reaching pretty far— scUM spends $200M+ on a rennovating the Big House and does not add lights to the building. If they add lights, are we playing 8pm games in Nov?
by The IC Lion on May 19, 2009 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
At the end of the day...
I’m not a huge fan of night games in November. Remember how cold it was at the end of the Michigan State game…imagine if it was that cold at kick off. It’s not that important to have night games all season long.
Michigan doesn’t want to play night games at their stadium, good for them. But what I’m feeling from a conspiracy standpoint, is that they are trying to prevent any one team from having to play us at night on a regular basis, and pulled a fast one by scheduling Ohio State in November this year to avoid OSU having to play three consecutive night games at Beaver Stadium.
That I don’t like at all.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on May 19, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I did like
the 4:30 kickoff we had vs. ND in ’07. It had all the excitement of a night game, without enough time for people to get alcohol poisoning like an 8pm would be
by dawsonPSU10 on May 20, 2009 2:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That was 6pm
but otherwise agreed.
by PSU Mudder on May 20, 2009 7:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
haha
Whoops, my bad, I knew it was an odd time.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 20, 2009 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
LSU at night
I had thought they always played their home games at night but that’s apparently not the case, they only play the majority of their home games at night, actually 85% since 1960. They’ve been playing night games there since 1931!!! I thought they first moved the games to night time starts b/c of the heat, but can’t find anything about that.
by Screen Name 20 on May 20, 2009 8:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Someone please explain to me
how LSU has had night games dating back to 1931 when they’ve only had electricity there since 1974.
I’m guessing large bonfires.
One man doing the work of 100's for the good of 1000's
by rahpsu92 on May 20, 2009 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
So who is really starting to think...
that Rittenberg gets a some of his content from BSD? I’m not saying its a bad thing – I think its great that he listens to the actual fan vibes.
by deihlba on May 19, 2009 4:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
He reads us
In fact Kevin and I exchange email with him regularly.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on May 19, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You guys are so famous on the Internet.
Kath?
by psuphiman80 on May 19, 2009 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm looking forward to the first
Supreme Overlord Zug, bacon, Bubb Rubb, kitten, etc. reference.
"Even though it was bouncing, I knew it was so soft that it was just going to stay in," Battle said. "Then I ran around like a lunatic."
by bconway6 on May 19, 2009 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Already happened, BSD link included.
The Penn State blog Black Shoe Diaries had some issues with my list of top Big Ten rivalries, but I’m not bitter. And besides, they followed up by putting together a list of the league’s coolest rivalry trophies. Mmmm, bacon.
by Kevin HD on May 19, 2009 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
November 7th temperatures
from wunderground.com
State College, PA: Average High 50ºF / Average Low 34ºF
Minneapolis, MN: 45ºF/29ºF
East Lansing, MI: 50ºF/33ºF
Madison, WI: 49ºF/34ºF
So temperatures would likely be in the upper 30s in most locations in early November at night.
There’s probably a monetary implication in all of this. People may opt out of going to a game if it looks like they’ll have to drive home at night in temps hovering in the mid 30s. Still, 3:30 in late November is a night game by the 3rd quarter.
Last year in State College, it was 69ºF on November 7th, with temps in the 60s until 9PM.
by Cairo on May 19, 2009 4:56 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Average weather doesn't matter
The problem is that once you get into November you have the chance of snow. Drop a foot of snow on the ground the day before the game and getting in and out of Beaver Stadium will be a nightmare.
The old timers will remember the ‘95 Michigan game which I believe was played on November 5. State College got 18 inches of snow the Thursday night before the game. They closed the parking lots and made people park downtown or out at the Nittany Mall and had them bussed in. After the game you have to get all of those people back to their cars which is going to take hours. If the game wraps up at 4 PM or 7 PM not a big deal. But if the game ends at 11:30 PM it’s going to take people all night to get home. That’s the point where fan safety comes into play.
I can see the Big Ten’s reasoning for not having night games past Nov. 1 and I agree with it.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on May 19, 2009 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You have to be an old timer to remember '95?
Oh man. I must be getting old.
by Cairo on May 19, 2009 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Raff out Roud
me too
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on May 19, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was at the game
I specifically recall yelling “Hey assholes stop throwing snowballs they just scored a touchdown!”.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on May 19, 2009 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was there too
in the student section, standing next to this 6’5" guy wearing a Michigan hat and coat. When Michigan came out of the tunnel they ran to mid field and started jumping up and down like they always do. Well, the stadium gets quiet watching this and this guy turns around to the students sitting behind him and yells, “That’s intimidation, right there”
Well I just put my head between my knees and covered because the snowballs came raining down from 50 rows behind us. It was like that every time he cheered a Michigan play, and he was very vocal.
Fortunately his girlfriend got slammed in the head with an ice ball in the beginning of the second quarter and they got up and left.
When I say “fortunately”, I mean for me. Not her obviously.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on May 19, 2009 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm surprised
you didn’t get yellow snow balls raining down on them for by far the stupidest comment I have ever heard uttered from a visiting fan.
Actually for me, the stupidest visiting fan comments I heard was kid who was a tOSU fan (strike one) when I was there for the 07 nightmare. The kid actually cheered and laughed when one of our players got hurt. It was the first time in my life I’ve ever considered hitting a child, or the first time I thought I’d actually enjoy it.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 20, 2009 2:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
See
This is why you always bring along a little nephew or a cousin. If you have an 11 year old nepher who you have properly trained to the point that he knows who Doug Strang is, you can order him to beat the shit out of the Buckeye kid.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on May 20, 2009 8:20 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Alas
I’m 21 and have no nephew (nor a “Nepher”), young cousins, or spazzy young relative with ADD, that I could release upon that little buckeye shit.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 20, 2009 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
WEE WOO WEE WOO WEE WOO
GRAMMAR POLICE!
Serious face:
:|
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on May 20, 2009 8:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was just thinking at was some sort of Reading speak
by Screen Name 20 on May 20, 2009 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Are you psychic?
Why were you “thinking at” RR? Were you trying to make his head explode.
I’m going all MS Word Spellcheck on all your asses tonight.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 20, 2009 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Umm, "at" was an abbreviation for "that"...
suburban philly talk.
And we all know only Zug can explode someone’s head.
by Screen Name 20 on May 20, 2009 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
same here...
I thought that ‘nepher’ was an RRism and thought it was kind of cool. Then you ruined it :(
I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member
by TheMightyErik on May 21, 2009 1:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I didn't think
He was actually from or lived in Reading.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 21, 2009 3:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Blame dawson
I’m going to use it from now on when referring to my nephew, err, nepher…
by Screen Name 20 on May 21, 2009 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That would be spelling, not grammar
Yeah, thats right.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 20, 2009 9:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am beginning to dislike you
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on May 20, 2009 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't worry, I'm done
Being a jackass is only fun for a short time before it starts to piss people off. I promise never to correct grammar (or spelling) again, unless the incorrect use of words makes my immature 9 year old sense of humor laugh, then it’s fair game.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 21, 2009 3:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
OOOH, OOOH, I GOT YOU!
“Thats”?
It’s “that’s”, smartass!
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on May 20, 2009 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I dont have an apostrophe key on my keyboard
That is a lie.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 21, 2009 3:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Was this him?
"If you let the men in you've got to let the women in. I don't want a bunch of women walking around in my locker room when guys take showers". Joe Paterno
by letsgopsu on May 21, 2009 1:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He was a bit older
I wouldn’t think of punching a kid that young.
btw, I hope this kid is earning money every time this pic is used, b/c I’ve seen him as a fan of about a hundred teams now.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 21, 2009 3:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
is that because the younger, smaller ones are easier to just dropkick?
also, I’ve seen this kid numerous times on various (usually non-sports related) websites, and he’s always been a buckeye
by The JuggerNitt on May 21, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
+1 for 11yos who know Doug Strang
Hey, this game is fun too and you can make it fun. --j. odrick
But I’m biased towards tailgating, as you may imagine. -ts
Ignore the accolades – just enjoy the games. -bb&w
by jtothep on May 20, 2009 9:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was sitting in the east stands next to the student section
And some idiot Michigan fan, wearing a Biakabatuka jersey, would jump up and down after every big Michigan play. I felt bad for the PSU’ers around him, b/c he would get pelted with snowballs every time and the others would get the collateral damage.
by Screen Name 20 on May 20, 2009 8:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good point about 1995 Michigan
Honestly, I don’t have any problem with the night time ban in Nov either. I mean, I’d be fine if they allowed a limited number of night games in Nov, but don’t see any reason why not having night games is somehow a huge detriment. I don’t much enjoy going to games when it’s freezing out and I’d ratehr have part of the game in daylight and in modestly higher temps than all at night.
by Laaaaazzz on May 19, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Back to your point.
It makes sense about the logistics due to bad weather. An ice storm would be just as bad. Look at the November schedule for PSU in 2011:
Nov. 5: Open
Nov. 12: Wisconsin
Nov. 19: at Minnesota
Nov. 26: at Michigan State
One of those games has bad weather written all over it. I would not want to be stuck driving out at 11:30 from any of those stadiums.
by Cairo on May 19, 2009 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
In a sick way
I really want to go to that outdoor mid-November Minnesota game.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on May 19, 2009 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's something everyone has to do before they die
Kind of like jumping out of an airplane and climbing a 12,000 ft mountain.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on May 19, 2009 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ehh its not that bad...
Hell it could be 60 degrees…it could also be 5 degrees.
"Even though it was bouncing, I knew it was so soft that it was just going to stay in," Battle said. "Then I ran around like a lunatic."
by bconway6 on May 19, 2009 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was just going to post a fanshot on this, but I'll post it here instead
Is the B10 administration actively trying to hurt the conference? How else do explain their resistance to:
A playoff system, bye weeks, a conference championship game, prime-time slots for rivalry games, replay, a 12th team, or even just having the B10 network available to all cable providers?
Even a broken clock is right twice a day, but these idiots are wrong every time. Maybe they’re not trying to hurt the conference, maybe they’re just trying to hurt PSU?
I get the feeling more and more that those in charge have some ulterior motive outside of money that they’re trying to leverage.
"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.
by millzners on May 19, 2009 4:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Is the B10 administration actively trying to hurt the conference? How else do explain their resistance to:
A playoff system, bye weeks, a conference championship game, prime-time slots for rivalry games, replay, a 12th team, or even just having the B10 network available to all cable providers?
Eh. I think you are drinking too much haterade without putting any rational thought into your rant.
Regarding the items in order:
1. A playoff system: the Big Ten gains far more from having the BCS — which allows the conference to send 2 teams to big money bowls virtually every year and plays a big roll in keeping down the smaller schools — than they’d gain via a playoff. Maybe a playoff would be entertaining for the fans, but I don’t see how the Big Ten is helped by supporting the idea (aside form some notion of good will)
2. bye weeks: the Big Ten wasn’t opposed to bye weeks per se, but to playing over Thanksgiving (in order to give the players the weekend off to spend with family). It’s a pretty noble jester but one that made more sense with the 11 game schedule and before tons of games being played in December. They were probably a bit slow in changing this, but they did change it and the conference teams will all have bye weeks and play over Thanksgiving come 2010 (to be honest, given that 2008 had a calender induced bye week, the biggest gripe I would argue is not starting it in 2009).
3. a conference championship game: well, for starters, they have no chocie in the matter — the NCAA ruled that you have to have 12 teams to host a championship and they don’t have 12 teams, so they can’t have one if they wanted to. Now, the question I guess is rather about “12th team”, but that’s a different issue (which you also mention). My inclination is that the Big Ten doesn’t feel their is any 12th team out there that is willing to join that makes sense and so they don’t want to pursue the idea; I can’t really say I blame them since beside notre Dame , any potential candidate has serious flaws or drawbacks (or is geographically unreasonable like Texas).
As for championship games themselves, they are a mixed back. The revenue and exposure is nice, but they can also have the effect of knocking teams out of the BCS championship and/or preventing a second conference team from going to the BCS. I’m not so sure that they necessarily are a good thing, they are just a thing with some benefits and some drawbacks.
4. replay — weren’t they the first conference to adopt replay? I don’t see what you are getting at here.
5. 12th team — as mentioned, the Big Ten hasn’t been opposed to adding a 12th team — they invited Notre Dame, after all — they just seem opposed to expand for expansion’s sake. I’m not so sure I blame them. Is the newly enlarged ACC really any better off, for example? It’s not like there are any primo teams ready to be gobbled up by expansion.
6. BTN — they offered the BTN to everyone. I’m sure they’d love to have had it offered on basic cable to every person in the country. I’m not sure what your complaint is here unless you are suggesting that the conference should have “caved” and let Comcast and company put it onto a sports tier everywhere (as the cable companies wanted to) — if you think that, I’d argue that you are flat out wrong. The deals that the BTN evertually got was far better than the initial offers fromt he cable providers and if it required soem growing pains the first year, that’s far better than having piss poor distribution for years to come. The BTN is in tons of homes — far more than ESPNU and CBS College Sports (and more than you’d get via regionlization via ESPN Plus) which is a huge positive for the league. If anything having a 24/7 propoganda machine on the TV is a huge net plus for the Big Ten conference (something that they were innovative about, not reactionary).
With the Big Ten having tremendous TV converage (the best of any conference, though the SEC will be similar with their new deal) and making the most revenue of any conference (again, with the SEC close), I think it’s absurd to argue that the Big Ten leadership is somehow backwards or “idiots”. Just because they don’t do everything the fans want doesn’t mean they aren’t been quite successful in achieving their goals.
by Laaaaazzz on May 19, 2009 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The Big Ten is in a good spot
It is one of the few leagues, the SEC and the NFL are the others, that are allowed to dictate terms to the TV networks. You think the Big East gets to say no November night games, and we only play on Saturday? Here’s a hint….they don’t. Keep that in mind next time people start moaning about being the in the Big Ten.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on May 19, 2009 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Absolutely
The Big Ten is very powerful when it comes to getting what it wants…
When they wanted their first tier network games to be nationally broadcasted, Disney came up with a way for them to be carried everywhere in the nation.
When the Big Ten was pissed about getting poor coverage with games on ESPNU, the new contract specified that no games would appear there
When the Big Ten wanted to avoid crappy bowl locations like El Paso, they got new bowls in better places.
As you said, the conference said they only wanted games on Saturdays and so games are only on Saturdays.
And so on…
The Big Ten has power and influence they the conference isn’t afraid to wield them. Now, sometimes the net effect (no playoff) isn’t what many fans want, but that doesn’t mean that the conference is being run the fools — quite the opposite, they are very calculating with making decisions that benefit them.
by Laaaaazzz on May 19, 2009 6:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
man... what kind of loser team
from the Northeast would set foot in El Paso? oh…. nevermind
I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member
by TheMightyErik on May 21, 2009 1:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you're right
I was just over-reacting
"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.
by millzners on May 20, 2009 7:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think the conference game would prevent 2 teams from going to the BCS
if anything, it would icrease the chances of 2 teams going to the BCS, since the “best” team is likely to get invited as an at-large, even if the lose to the “lesser” team, who now gets the automatic bid. Though I guess there is the more likely scenario of the better team winning, and handing the lesser team one more loss that knocks them out of being a desirable BCS at-large pick…
and yes, there is the added danger of knocking a team out of National Championship consideration
by The JuggerNitt on May 20, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It reminds of the early '90's when I was working at a Kodak subsiadiary.
When we would get stuff from Kodak’s main headquarters in Rochester, NY, they would refer to the “S.I.” I learned that it was short for the “Strategic Intent” which could be boiled down to three words: sell more film. Almost every corporate decision was based on whether or not it would help “sell more film”. Should we make printers, should we try to sell more cameras, should we develop the PhotoCD, etc. Everything was based on the S.I.
I think the Big Ten’s “S.I.” is “The Game” meaning the OSU-Michigan game. Everything seems to be based on how can we promote the Game, how can we make it more important, how can we generate more interest in the Game?
Born and raised in the shadow of Mount Nittany
by Elihu on May 19, 2009 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hmmm...
Maybe “sell digital cameras” should have been incorporated into the S.I. at Kodak… I wonder how the photographic film business is doing these days?
by Cairo on May 19, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
um...Kodak does sell digital cameras
by The JuggerNitt on May 20, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
in fact they were the first digital camera I bought back around 2000 (and I still use sometimes, because it has a way above average lens and optical zoom on it for a “regular” size digital camera)
by The JuggerNitt on May 20, 2009 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I've always thought of EK as a company as
a chemical company, not a consumer electronics company. Their dwindling stock price would indicate that they haven’t rolled to well with the whole digital conversion thing. They’ve essentially lst the still market and now that film makers and cinematographers are coming on board to digital, what is going to be left in the chemical film processing world?
One man doing the work of 100's for the good of 1000's
by rahpsu92 on May 20, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't really follow stock prices at all
but it would seem like most companies stock prices are dwindling now. With that said, though, you are probably right about Kodak losing a lot of the market due to the decrease in demand for film, but people still like printing out their photos, and a lot of that is still kodak
by The JuggerNitt on May 20, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that was quite a non-football tangent
"If you let the men in you've got to let the women in. I don't want a bunch of women walking around in my locker room when guys take showers". Joe Paterno
by letsgopsu on May 21, 2009 1:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The strangest part
was that for the first time a tangent on a thread didn’t include the words Zug, Bacon, or have a photoshop attached to it.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 21, 2009 3:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe the Powers that Be
realize that outside of PSU & OSU, most Big Ten teams are ‘meh’ at best, and ‘SLOWWWWW/awful/not interesting’ at worst.
In other words: Keep games off the 8pm slot late in the year so no one realizes that the conference by and large hugs nuts lately!
by Tailgate Shogun on May 19, 2009 6:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Huh?
Unless your post was satire, I don’t understand. Not only does everyone in the media think that the conference sucks, they’ve been braying it as loud as they can for about a year, maybe two.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on May 19, 2009 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I kid
I was joking that Delaney knows the conference sucks rocks outside of PSU & OSU, so they better limit the number of games in prime time.
by Tailgate Shogun on May 19, 2009 8:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Night game are awesome and then they suck trying to get home
Dont forger that most of the peeps dont stay, they booze most of the day, hit the game, and then run to the cars to leave town and get home by 3am…that just blows and is unsafe.
by SweepTheLeg on May 19, 2009 8:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Too late. I already forger-ed.
by Tailgate Shogun on May 19, 2009 8:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nooo
he said “Don’t forger”. What have you done?
by Screen Name 20 on May 20, 2009 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
maybe he forger-ed
after STL removed the ban on forger-ing and placed it on forgetting. Once that happened it became open season on forger-ing.
NEVER FORGER!!!
by The JuggerNitt on May 20, 2009 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good point
I didn’t think about that.
by Screen Name 20 on May 20, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You have some priceless artifact forgery ring don't you?
by dawsonPSU10 on May 20, 2009 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No
Despite STL lifting the ban on forger-ing, I abstain.
by Screen Name 20 on May 21, 2009 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Seems like a simple solution to me
Don’t put a flat out ban on 8pm November games. As the past has shown, the weather can be very warm in early to mid November (yes even in the big ten land) Why not just wait until the week before when we can get a decent forecast and then decide what time to play the games.
Don’t tell me TV or fans won’t be able to prepare unless they know well ahead of time what time the game starts. The NFL does this with the options at the end of the season to switch the Sunday night games to get the best game on.
How could Nixon know so little about Watergate and so much about football ?
by psupride on May 19, 2009 9:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think it was tO$U's fault,
they almost went 0-4 in night games,but they won a close one to Wisconsin
"Want a donut go to dunkin donuts, want a linebacker go to Penn State." - Chris Carter
by xozte on May 19, 2009 9:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm still thinking we'll get a primetime spot for the tOSU game this year
Assuming there isn’t a bigger matchup to broadcast at 8pm, just wait until a nice fat check comes across Delaney’s desk from ESPN or ABC trying to make this game a primetime game. I wonder how much it’s going to take to break this new ban on November night games.
I hope this scenario doesn’t happen, quite frankly, and I do enjoy night games. But the later the game the more frustrated I get with our own absurdly drunken fans. The student section is slow to fill up so that everyone can get as sloshed as possible.
My worst PSU game day experience was the 06 Michigan primetime game my freshman year. 8pm kickoff, I’m in the student section and everyone is bombed out of their minds, and the kid in front of me starts puking his guts out, and I’m the kind of person who instantly gets nauseous at the smell of vomit, so now I’m feeling sick for the rest of the game. I find out later that the sleeve of my jacket somehow touched this kid’s puke, so now it smells and it’s cold as shit outside, so I have no choice but to wear it. Then to top it all off, on the drive home, my dad swerves to miss a deer on the turnpike and totals his car at 4 in the morning.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 20, 2009 3:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Damn!
You really know how to have good time, D! Plus, you forgot to mention we also lost the game.
No one hurt in the wreck, I hope.
'People are about as happy as they decide they want to be'
by Pete the Streak on May 20, 2009 7:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nope
We’re all fine, even the deer got away without a scratch. The only thing injured was the car.
By the way, nothing beats being awoken at 4am to the sound of screeching tires and a swerving, spinning car.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 20, 2009 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that's why I always laugh when people prank someone
who is asleep in the car, and everyone else will just all start screaming like they’re about to crash (or that snowboarding movie where they do a similar thing, but take a drunk guy and put him in a car on ice and start spinning the car around and screaming). Good times.
by The JuggerNitt on May 21, 2009 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Out Cold
That movie was pretty funny, but that scene was hilarious.
by Screen Name 20 on May 21, 2009 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Um, no
The Big Ten mandates that all night games are announced prior to the season, which is why we had the press release featuring the night game listing a few weeks ago. If Disney was going to bribe their way to getting the Big Ten to bend the rules, they missed the window. I don’t see the Big Ten changing their minds now, especially since there’s been a big deal in the media made about how they won’t play night games in November.
by Laaaaazzz on May 20, 2009 8:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I didn't realize we had that mandate
for preseason announcements of prime time games. Oh well.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 20, 2009 7:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Could be worse
I once knew a guy who totaled a car after swerving to miss a deer. Thirty minutes after he had just bought the car off the lot.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on May 20, 2009 8:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
For him anyway
I’m sure the deer was thrilled, and then went to laugh about it with his god damn deer friends in the woods afterward.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 20, 2009 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He was prolly plotting
this payback:
Hey, this game is fun too and you can make it fun. --j. odrick
But I’m biased towards tailgating, as you may imagine. -ts
Ignore the accolades – just enjoy the games. -bb&w
by jtothep on May 20, 2009 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
My one-upman story beats your one-upman story
Hey, this game is fun too and you can make it fun. --j. odrick
But I’m biased towards tailgating, as you may imagine. -ts
Ignore the accolades – just enjoy the games. -bb&w
by jtothep on May 20, 2009 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hae to be honest here
While I think that a “ban” on 8pm start times is a little over the top, I think there is a lot of over-reacting to this. Personally I much prefer 3:30 start times to 8pm times.
Kevin
by kevinmc on May 20, 2009 7:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If we're suddenly being honest...
I prefer 3:30 games too. Plenty of tailgating time, the lights are on in the stadium (so it FEELS like a night game), and you’re not leaving HV in the middle of the night.
"The sea was angry that day, my friends." G. Costanza
by NJ lion on May 20, 2009 8:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
Love the 3:30 start time. When you roll into the Valley at 7 AM, I’ve about had my fill of bologna, cheese, hot dogs, and beer by 3 PM. For those late night games I end up spending those last few hours before kickoff sitting in a chair feeling bloated and dehydrated and don’t really feel like drinking anymore.
The 3:30 start is perfect timing. On the flip side I hate the noon starts. It’s almost not worth the effort of setting up the tables for the tailgate party.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on May 20, 2009 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Heresy.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on May 20, 2009 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's why you wake up at 4:30 AM.
Sheesh. It’s like he’s the new guy at the PSU tailgates or something.
by Cairo on May 20, 2009 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
4:30 AM
I’m assuming you mean Friday morning?
How could Nixon know so little about Watergate and so much about football ?
by psupride on May 20, 2009 10:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, party until 3:45 in the morning, then wake up at 4:30.
I can’t do it all night like I used to.
by Cairo on May 20, 2009 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I do get up at 4:30 AM
I’m on the road by 5 AM from Montoursville (my parents house) to pick up PSUncle in Jersey Shore at 6 AM.
By 7 AM I’m rolling up the hill. (Of course this is back when I lived in PA. Now I live in Texas and watch the games on television, so the 8 PM games start at 7 PM here which totally rocks.)
I will readily admit I’m old and do not like to drink as much as my college days. Especially now that I run a blog and a few thousand people expect to have a rather coherent summary of the game on Monday morning.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on May 20, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A Few Thousand People and Expectations
We expect an occasional incoherent summary as well. All work and no play makes BSD a dull boy!
It’s been quite awhile since the last drunken post…
Hey, this game is fun too and you can make it fun. --j. odrick
But I’m biased towards tailgating, as you may imagine. -ts
Ignore the accolades – just enjoy the games. -bb&w
by jtothep on May 20, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ah the druynki psots
I don’t know if I’ll ever top this one written just after the 2007 apartement fight.
http://www.blackshoediaries.com/2007/4/15/213152/644
For those of you who joined BSD since then, enjoy.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on May 20, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol!
Was trying to link to this before I posted. Now I see why I couldn’t find it find it: I searched for ‘drunken posts’ and not ‘durnk fpost’
As for topping this one, you probably should, at least once this year, give it the ole college try. Do it for your fans!
Hey, this game is fun too and you can make it fun. --j. odrick
But I’m biased towards tailgating, as you may imagine. -ts
Ignore the accolades – just enjoy the games. -bb&w
by jtothep on May 20, 2009 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
GAAAH Yuengling!!! How I miss thee
And some guy in there posts about how he can’t get Yuenglign in Georgia….well how come I can’t even get it in Michigan which is only 2 states away (or friggen Ohio for that matter, which is only a 2 hour drive from where I live). Ah well, I still have one more case that I smuggled back with me last time I drove to PA.
And GRRR to the stupid terrorists for trying to use liquids to make a bomb, and now I can’t bring a case back with me as my “carry-on”. Yeah, they’d always make me gate-check it, but that’s much less chance of damage than friggen checking it at the check-in counter. (side-note: I may be the very last person to bring a case of Yuengling as their carry-on, since I did it just a couple days before they banned liquids)
by The JuggerNitt on May 20, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is the dark power of the state of Ohio
If Ohio is between where you live and PA, it kills everything you love.
by dawsonPSU10 on May 21, 2009 3:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
half of my posts...
and all of my fanposts are done in this condition. I just have to hit (backsapce) about 200 times. (tonight included)… fucking Lakers
I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member
by TheMightyErik on May 22, 2009 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
People care about the NBA? Huh?
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on May 22, 2009 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Who gives a shit about coherence?
Get bombed and let everyone know your thoughts. I watch the games hammered, so your commentary would make perfect sense to me.
by Tailgate Shogun on May 20, 2009 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I do enjoy the drunken posts
but since I do like to get schmammered every game or so, I need that recap to remind me what the alcohol deleted from memory…so Mike, I urge you to keep taking one for the team and stay sober. Kthx.
Which reminds me of another thing…one of the sports channels (Fox Sports, maybe) plays English league soccer game where the play-by-play and commentary is done by the fans, 1 from each team…highly entertaining (think playing Madden against one of your buddies)…I only wish that could become a possibility for college football games.
by Screen Name 20 on May 20, 2009 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Best thing on the dorm TV
was Fox Soccer Channel just for that reason. I am not a big soccer fan. But those games were hilarious.
"Even though it was bouncing, I knew it was so soft that it was just going to stay in," Battle said. "Then I ran around like a lunatic."
by bconway6 on May 20, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
afternoon games okay
4:30 in November is late enough for me. When you figure my two-hour drive home from State College becomes a four-hour drive on football weekends, getting out of the stadium at midnight makes for an awfully drowsy, unsafe drive home. And yeah, it would be nice to stay in town, but those football weekend hotel rates are a killer. – Old Guy
by nittnut on May 20, 2009 12:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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