BSD Exclusive: Penn State Responds to 76 Classic Omission
by BSD on Apr 13, 2010 11:21 AM EDT
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As many of you are by now aware, The 22,000+ pointed out yesterday that Penn State is no longer listed among the participants in the 76 Classic. This has led many people to speculate that Penn State "wimped out" of the tournament in order to fill the schedule with easy wins and pad the NCAA tournament resume.
In order to get an explanation, I reached out this morning to Brian Siegrist, Assistant Director of Penn State Athletics Communication. I asked Brian point blank if Penn State pulled out of the 76 Classic in order to find easier wins and pad their NCAA Tournament resume. The following is his unedited statement.
Penn State decided against participation in the 2010 76 Classic back in December and notified tournament organizers shortly thereafter, it just took the Classic website this long to remove our logo and make the changes to the field. The decision in no way came from the tournament organizers, had anything to do with last season’s record or reflects anything but our desire to play as competitive of a non-conference schedule as we can.
The decision was made by Penn State due to a rethinking of the logistics of playing in a three-day tournament in California, some 2,500 miles away, and then returning to State College to play an ACC/Big Ten Challenge game as little as one day later. Minnesota tried a similar schedule this year, going 1-2 in Anaheim and then flying to Miami (Fla.) and falling to the Hurricanes going 1-3 while playing four games in six days and traveling some 5,000 miles. Coach Smith indicated to Coach DeChellis that his players were exhausted and had no gas for the ACC Challenge game and that he would probably not try that schedule again. Also, at the time, we could not receive an assurance from the conference office that we would have our Challenge game played on Wednesday (the last day of the Challenge). Meaning the possibility existed that we would finish the tournament in Anaheim on Sunday night, return to State College (across the continent and three time zones) to play an ACC opponent at home on Monday or Tuesday night. It was not a scenario we thought was fair to our players or our home fans.As you and many of your fellow bloggers have indicated, we have tried to replace the tournament games with some very competitive games that we feel will maintain a strong non-conference strength of schedule. We will be able to share those with you in the coming months.
I won't comment on Siegrist's statement. You can all discuss it in the comments and draw your own conclusions.
A similar request for clarification has been submitted to the officials of the 76 Classic. At this time they have not responded. If they do I will post their response on the blog.
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Okay
I can buy that. If they do schedule some decent to great OOC opponents, then this is no problem.
Guess I'm a bit confused
I didn’t realize the 76 Classic was in California. For some reason I assumed it was played in Philadelphia.
What is the significance of 76?
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
76 is a company. Something to do with cars IIRC.
"I'm colonel cool! And I'm the captain on this rocket to the stars!"
by psuphiman80 on Apr 13, 2010 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions
Interestingly
Virginia Tech is taking part in the 76 Classic. We’ll see how it affects their performance.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
Michigan State and Virginia are playing in Maui just prior to the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
I smell bullpoo coming from the mouth of the SID.
by PennStateBasketball on Apr 13, 2010 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Well it is Maui
Quite a different level of competition.
God Created the World Out Of Nothing, Paterno Built A National Superpower On Cow Fields...
by Adam Bittner on Apr 13, 2010 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions
How prior?
I haven’t been able to find any schedules yet.
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 13, 2010 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions
It ends the day before Thanksgiving.
by PennStateBasketball on Apr 13, 2010 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions
But this one ends
They day before the actual tournament.
ESPN is in charge of both the 76 Classic and the Challenge.
They wouldn’t have made us play out west Sunday, and then turn right around and play at the Big Joint on Monday night.
by PennStateBasketball on Apr 13, 2010 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions
But Tuesday night
Just like Minn. So that’s 5 games in 6 nights.
Why not Wednesday?
There is nothing magical about Wednesday having to be the day of all the top games. The only sacred slot is the 9pm ESPN on both nights.
by PennStateBasketball on Apr 13, 2010 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions
It was a factor in us getting wiped out by UNC two years ago
(The other factor, of course, being that UNC was the destroyer of worlds that year.)
Don’t remember where we were playing (might have been Orlando), but three games in the five days prior to hosting UNC at Ford Field was a Bad Idea. Maybe we would have only lost by 20 if we’d been rested.
Or maybe
Ed decided to pull out after our dismal performance in the Charleston Classic.
I doubt that
He had no idea of the train wreck that was coming at that time. The Charleston Classic was nothing more than a disappointing weekend at the time. I doubt he came home and decided to scrap the schedule they were working on for the next season.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
All that tournament told us was that the team needed time to gel
What we didn’t know was that it wouldn’t happen until about 5 games before the end of the season.
We are gonna shock them with 5,000 mega watts of raw ROO POWER.
Thanks for the clarification, Mike.
Makes sense to me. However, speedomike says, they better play a couple of quality replacements!
Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.
Vince Lombardi
Kinda chickensh&t
The logistics made sense last August or whenever, but then not again in December?
We committed to playing, we should play.
I understand the logic of not playing, but I don’t see why they didn’t follow this logic originally and decline the invitation. After you accpet, it’s bs to pull out like this.
Our basketball program seems to be run by pussy[cat]s.
I wouldn't trust old rooster me neither.
by spakajewia on Apr 13, 2010 12:33 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Have to admit though
Five games in six or seven days with 5000 miles of travel in between is tough.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
I can see their decision making process.
We’re cheap, the basketball team stinks, we don’t care that the basketball team stinks because we’re cheap and it’s cheap, so why not save some bucks? It only helps that several players have left.
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 13, 2010 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Good job getting the info.
This is no longer a blog, now it is a news agency thanks to some crack investigative work. So much for wild speculation and hearsay.
Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils
That's why I'm here, for the wild speculation and hearsay.
And being a lawyer, I can prosecute myself on the hearsay.
Black Shoe Diaries
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Apr 13, 2010 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Strength of Schedule
I’m ashamed of PSU fans for believing that PSU was omitted from the 2009 NCAA Tournament due to a weak OOC SOS. That was just the excuse the tournament used.
The real reason was that PSU had the 8th best resume in the Big Ten, and the tournament didn’t want 8 B10 teams in. SOS was just the one excuse they had to exclude PSU and allow teams with better TV ratings (Arizona, Maryland) into the tournament.
If SOS really mattered, why was Notre Dame a 6 seed while Illinois didn’t make the dance?
Reach out; touch faith.
I'm not that upset about it anymore.
But our SOS was much better than Arizona.
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 13, 2010 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Notre Dame a 6 was indefensible
But Illinois had 14 losses and a solid but not otherworldly SOS. Most years, that’s not close.
Virginia Tech this year was a better analogy to Penn State’s situation last year. And they got left out. I do agree that Arizona getting in was completely indefensible – I think they had zero top 100 wins on the road – but Maryland actually had a case.
No team that goes under .500 in conference should get in.
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 14, 2010 7:01 AM EDT up reply actions
No where is money mentioned....
You can’t tell me that didn’t play into their decision too.
Is it more expensive to travel that much? Probably.
Is it cheaper to play teams on the east coast instead of flying to Cali? Probably.
Are you only getting a half-truth from Brian Siegrist, Assistant Director of Penn State Athletics Communication? Yes.
Although there is some merit to what Brian says; I highly doubt he is telling you everything. I take this with a grain of salt. Tired players are only part of the equation, not the basis for this decision.
"We are not normal. We are legends. We are Penn State." - Deon Butler
by Stately NOVA Lion on Apr 13, 2010 1:14 PM EDT reply actions
I think we all understand that
When you ask the SID, you are going to get Penn State’s perspective with the Penn State spin on it. That’s why I said draw your own conclusions.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
Travel is kind of part of the game, I think.
I like the response, and I agree with Mike that’s a lot of work, but there’ also the chance that they get to play in a decent tourny, get several days off, and then play the ACC game on Wednesday.
And miles is the wrong unit of measurement here, I think, the important thing is travel time. If we play even one away game during that weekend against a decent school, it’s going to be at least half the travel time of going to calif and playing three real games. Then we’re still stick trying to get two non-embarrassing programs to play at the BJC, which isn’t going to happen.
I’ll take back all of this if the release the new schedule for that weekend and it’s impressive/acceptable, but I’m not holding my breath.
I know about your diabolical plan.
As stated by some people above
I think it would be foolish to not think money played a part in sending a team in Anaheim.
I prefer to be colored important.
Black Shoe Diaries
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Apr 13, 2010 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions
If Mike had twitter.....
He wouldn’t have needed a personal request :) /Just teasin’, Mike
It speaks volumes about BSD that the SID actually responded to Mike’s request.
Let's Go State
There's a football tournament
in California? Finally.
by Pallet on Apr 13, 2010 2:16 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Nobody yet
The 76 Classic website lists the seven teams and one team to be determined.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
Which if you think about it
That kind of rules out the likelyhood that the 76 Classic dumped Penn State after their dismal season. You would think they would have courted a replacement before dumping PSU and made the switch right away. Now they are in limbo with no Big Ten schools in the tournament and no participant named. The fact that they are still looking for a team suggest to me the decision was not theirs.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
Maybe Curely is playing ESPN
for a larger payout. When they come begging PSU to reconsider our resignation Curley will hit them with the wushu finger and fire up his cash vacuum.
One man doing the work of 100's for the good of 1000's
As I said in my very first comment in the Aceto thread
If this void in the schedule is being filled with quality opponents, great. If it’s NJIT, Sacred Heart, and Gardner Webb, it doesn’t matter what PSU’s intentions were in backing out of the 76C, it’ll go down in history as a desperate attempt to pick up cheap, meaningless wins.
"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 Apr 13, 2010 3:10 PM EDT reply actions
Teams looking for games in late November
According to Basketball Travelers: Kansas State, Cornell, Northern Iowa, Pitt, Oklahoma State, New Mexico. All tournament teams. All great for RPI.
Scheduling is a difficult business, but the opportunities are out there.
Penn State’s on that board as well:
- PENN STATE IS LOOKING TO START A H/H SERIES ON THE ROAD NEXT SEASON. WE ARE LOOKING TO PLAY THE GAME ON 11/19, 11/20, OR 11/21. OTHER DATES COULD BE POSSIBLE. PLEASE CONTACE ME IF INTERESTED
- Penn State is still looking to fill 2 guarantee games for 2010-11 season. Competitive money. Many open dates. Please contact me if you are interesed in playing in State College next year. Thanks.
- Penn State is looking to start a H/H series with a High major/BCS school in 2010-11. We need to start the series at Penn State. We will return to you in 2011-12. Looking to play on Saturday December 4 or 11, 2010 at Penn State with the opportunity to have the game on ESPN/ESPN 2 possibly. Please contact me if interested.
"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 Apr 13, 2010 3:19 PM EDT reply actions
I love that site
It’s like reading the ads for escorts on Craigslist. LBS is available for incall.
Long Beach State is Looking to Play a DII on Saturday November 13th. Can Offer Money and Hotel Rooms. Please Contact Eric Brown if Interested
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
Outcalls Only
Call five five five six one….
Black Shoe Diaries
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Apr 13, 2010 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Pitt.
Suuuuure, they’ll play us in basketball without a series in football. Suuuuure.
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 13, 2010 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions
They've done it before.
"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 Apr 13, 2010 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions
And then they stopped.
It’s funny, the situation is almost exactly the opposite of the football rivalry. Why would Pitt want to play us?
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 13, 2010 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Don't forget about the CEC opening up
I’ve already heard rumblings that we’ll be playing DUQ there. I’m sure folks would eat Pitt/Penn State at the new barn up. Even if they split the money, Pitt could still make more money out of it than hosting some stiff at the Pete with all the extra seat/ssuites. Add ESPN on a Saturday and it seems like a pretty good match.
Most years, you’d probably be right, but the new barn makes it a possibility.
God Created the World Out Of Nothing, Paterno Built A National Superpower On Cow Fields...
by Adam Bittner on Apr 13, 2010 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions
I'd eat it up, and I'm a Duke fan.
My problem is that the CEC’s first act is that Gaga thing. Its downhill after that.
Black Shoe Diaries
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Apr 13, 2010 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions
They've done it as recently as 2006, though.
http://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Penn%20St.&y=2006
It’s not like the last game was in ’85 or anything.
"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 Apr 13, 2010 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Whoa
How did we get away with playing IUPU Fort Wayne.
That’s like playing the branch campus of a branch campus
God Created the World Out Of Nothing, Paterno Built A National Superpower On Cow Fields...
by Adam Bittner on Apr 13, 2010 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Seriously, you want to talk dogshit scheduling
Sat Nov 19 (237) Cornell W, 66-54 62 Home 1-0
Wed Nov 23 (304) Nicholls St. W, 93-56 82 Home 2-0
Sat Nov 26 (265) Long Island W, 80-64 66 Home 3-0
Tue Nov 29 (52) Clemson L, 96-88 76 Home 3-1
Sat Dec 3 (25) Texas A&M L, 60-55 63 Away 3-2
Wed Dec 7 (273) Missouri Kansas City W, 75-71 69 Home 4-2
Sat Dec 10 (12) Pittsburgh L, 91-54 69 Away 4-3
Sun Dec 18 (323) St. Francis PA W, 88-74 75 Home 5-3
Tue Dec 20 (271) New Hampshire W, 75-51 65 Home 6-3
Wed Dec 28 (278) IUPU Fort Wayne W, 74-59 65 Home 7-3
Sat Dec 31 (233) Mount St. Mary’s W, 65-53 60 Home 8-3
"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 Apr 13, 2010 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I didn't even know there *was* a Missouri-Kansas City.
I mean, that makes sense and all. But who ever heard of it?
"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 Apr 13, 2010 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions
And how geographically messed up is the Summit Conference?
http://kenpom.com/conf.php?y=2010&c=Sum
Southern Utah? ND State? Oakland (Michigan)? Friggin’ Centenary is in Louisiana!
"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 Apr 13, 2010 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I live two miles from UMKC.
Larry Johnson would often be seen courtside during Roos games when he was a Chiefs player.
To me, it always seems like the kangaroo is about to give you the finger.
May I say this place is confusing
I am in Kansas City right now. I think, but I am not sure, that I am in Kansas at this very moment . We have been in meetings in a couple of places now and it keeps changing.
Although my travel has been so bad lately I keep forgetting my room number.
Anyway, the weather is nice.
"There are only three certainties in college football: all players will eventually leave, the ACC will be bad, and Joe Paterno ", Clay Travis, CNNsi Fanhouse
Welcome.
Try our red meat.
Yes, sometime in the 1820s Congress decided it would be a great idea to place a state line at the intersection of two major rivers. Considering 90% of all cities are located at the intersection of two major rivers, we now have a downtown about a half mile from a state line and about 200 streets that cross State Line Road. It’s easy to get confused.
Yeah, but we weren't the ones to stop the series.
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 13, 2010 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Brian Siegrist's thoughts were
Holy %@*^$!!!. Fans are paying attention to basketball!!!???? Here? At Penn State!!!????
and
DO YOU LIKE SELENA GOMEZ!!!???? Answer: YES!!!
I know, right?
I picture a guy like Michael Scott sitting at his desk admiring his PEZ collection when his computer beeps.
You Got Mail!
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
If my wife wanted to move to State College
I’d beg the athletic department for a job like this. Nobody shines a turd like me. Unfortunately, ol’ Professor Poopypants doesn’t want to teach at a big school because of all the research she’d have to do, so no living in Happy Valley for us.
Not yet, at least.
"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 Apr 13, 2010 4:16 PM EDT reply actions
You could always run for Centre County DA
Seems like there’s nothing to do there except the occassional DUI by a football player or something.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
I bet I'd find Ray Gricar.
"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 Apr 13, 2010 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Ray Gricar is the Lindbergh baby.
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 13, 2010 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, that might not have been the real one...
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 14, 2010 7:01 AM EDT up reply actions
True, if you've ever seen the picture (it's graphic, so don't go looking for it)
there is absolutely no identifying characteristics, other than possibly the clothes (plus this was before the days of DNA).
Much like you and WWII, I’ve been fascinated with that whole trial and investigation since I first learned about it in 7th grade. We had an enrichment program in our middle school that I was in, and one of the best things we did was a mock trial. We decided to put Charles Lindbergh on trial (we thought that he killed the baby, we had found a story that said a week before the disappearance of the kid, Lindbergh hid the baby in a closet, and didn’t tell anyone while his wife was freaking out, I guess as a joke). We won our case, and thus ended my law career.
But anyway, the best part was I helped my teacher organize a field trip to Hopewell, NJ, where it all happened. We visited the house (which now is a reform school for troubled kids, no joke) and got a tour around the place which was amazing. The only part that kind of angered me was that they put a AC unit in THE window that the baby was kidnapped from. Afterward we visited a Hopewell county museum, where they displayed a ton of things from the investigation. But they knew why we were visiting, and they brought out the actual clothes the baby was wearing when they found him, which they don’t display because it needs to be kept in cold storage. That’s one of those things I’ll never forget. Maybe it was just because we had spent weeks researching everything about the case and developing a case against Lindbergh, but then to see that history first hand, was absolutely incredible.
Oops, I went of on a rant, anyway point being: probably my favorite field trip ever.
by dawsonPSU10 on Apr 15, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions
All I remember from my readings is that Lindbergh interfered with the investigation.
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 15, 2010 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions
There were a lot of shady things from Lindberghs side
No one was allowed to call the cops until Lindbergh inspected the whole house first with his gun to make sure no one was hiding in the house (keep in mind they had servants, and his wife was there, all of whom could have called the cops while he inspected the place)
They had a Nanny who was interrogated by the cops four times because she contradicted statements she had made. She killed herself with cyanide before they could interrogate her again.
It’s an extremely strange case, but at the time, Lindbergh was a national hero, and no one would dare question that he had something to do with the “abduction”.
I remember seeing a made for TV movie on the subject, or maybe it was a History piece.
Bruno Hauptman always seemed like a patsy to me. Now you’ve piqued my interest anew and I just might have to pick up a book. Any recs?
Black Shoe Diaries
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Apr 16, 2010 7:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Despite my extreme interest I haven't read any books on the subject
just researched the case a lot from various sources for the class I had in middle school, sorry.
That's right
I would be like O.J. and search every golf course in Pennsylvania looking for the body.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
But there's always the chance of getting kidnapped by aliens (unless you can think up a better idea for Gricar).
"can your nerd powers explain what this dude is doing in the thread above? I think we’re already defeated"
by ReadingRambler on Apr 13, 2010 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s a convenient excuse. The team will never get better if they don’t schedule quality opponents…it’s the reason they didn’t make the tournament two years ago (see Illinois this past season). Also the trip builds toughness, whic can only help you by the end of the year. I don’t buy it…but it probably won’t matter anyway if Battle goes pro…
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