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Wrestling Outlook: The Shadow Team's Shadow Edition
by Pete the Streak on Mar 22, 2010 9:53 AM EDT
2 comments
[Bumped a little late, but we eventually have to beat Iowa in something, someday, right? - RUTS]
With the NCAA's in full swing, it's a good time to take a peek at the future, or the Shadow Team's shadow. Pennsylvania's PIAA championships were held last weekend, and Penn State's inbound group snared 3 big school (AAA) champs: the ever-studly Alton twins, with Andrew easily taking gold at 145 (his 3rd), and Dylan destroying the 152 weight class (his 2nd), and rising senior Nico Megaludis winning his 2nd gold at 119. In the AA class, both Penn State recruits were upset. Frank Martellotti dropped a 4-3 decision to take 2nd, and Dirk Cowburn was denied his 3rd title, losing an ugly 1-0 decision to returning champ Eric Hess. The Cowburn/Hess match was highly anticipated, as both were returning champs, but......what a snoozefest. Hess' escape in the 2nd period was it, and both looked uninspired. A good wrestler can make anyone look bad, but this was sheer dullsville. Cowburn is the only small school wrestler offered a scholie (Martellotti is walking on), and I'm hoping Cael can get this guy moving and much more aggressive. All in all, while a good weekend for the good guys, here's a flashback (after the jump) to the 2009 AAA finals. Recognize any names?
2 comments | 0 recs
Sportswomen of the Year
UCONN women's basketball ain't got nuthin'.
NCAA Tournament: Round Two, Day Two Open Thread
by For The Glory 1855 on Mar 21, 2010 11:15 AM EDT
in Open Threads
23 comments
23 comments | 0 recs
The State of Penn State Basketball
by For The Glory 1855 on Mar 21, 2010 8:00 AM EDT
in Penn State Basketball
34 comments
In some of the darkest days of our republic, when the Articles of Confederation had failed as America's first constitution and the Founding Fathers were trying to figure out how to keep the country together, future president George Washington sat in the chair you see below while presiding over the Constitutional Convention.
After months of hardship, the new Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787. On that day, James Madison tells us that Ben Franklin said of the chair, "I have often looked at that picture behind the president without being able to tell whether it was a rising or setting sun. Now at length I have the happiness to know that it is indeed a rising, not a setting sun."
http://www.ushistory.org/more/images/rising-sun-chair.jpg
Today, Penn State basketball fans are Ben Franklin, trying to figure out whether the departures of Chris Babb, Bill Edwards, Adam Highberger, and Andrew Ott are part of the problem with the Penn State basketball program, or part of the solution.
34 comments | 0 recs
Ott and Highberger Follow Babb and Edwards Out
Andrew Ott and Adam Highberger will graduate early and follow transfers Chris Babb and Bill Edwards out of the Penn State basketball program.
NCAA Tournament: Second Round Open Thread
by For The Glory 1855 on Mar 20, 2010 12:00 PM EDT
in Open Threads
250 comments
Round one is in the books. The Big Ten finished 4-1, losing only 11-seed Minnesota to Xavier on Friday. The second round starts today when St. Mary's takes on Villanova at 1:05 p.m. Top seeds Kansas and Kentucky will be in action, as will Cinderellas Murray State, Old Dominion, and Ohio.
Keep tabs on all the action with the CBS March Madness On Demand video player, and enjoy a spring Saturday of college basketball. This is your open thread.
[Update: David Jones from the Harrisburg Patriot-News is now reporting that freshman wing man Bill Edwards is also leaving the Penn State men's basketball program. Good times!]
250 comments | 0 recs
NCAA Wrestling Championship Update
by psuwresfan on Mar 20, 2010 10:58 AM EDT
10 comments
We have reached the final day of the NCAA wrestling championships. Anyone wrestling at this point is guaranteed to be an All American.
There are three Nittany Lions that fit that description. Frank Molinaro and Cyler Sanderson wrestle in the consolation semifinals which start in about 2 minutes. They can finish no lower than 6th.
Frank will be wrestling Kyle Ruschell who he is 1 - 1 against. Cyler will be taking on unseeded Justin Lister from Binghamton.
Dan Vallimont will be in the finals tonight against Andrew Howe. The finals can be seen live at 7:30 on ESPN.
In terms of the team race Penn State is currently in 9th place 3 points ahead of Missouri. Iowa has locked up the team title with a staggering 5 guys in the finals.
Of the Nittany Lions eliminated all had pretty good tournaments but some bad luck.
Cameron Wade picked up two wins including an upset of Tomei from Pittsburgh which is a decent tournament for a guy who looked like he might go 0 -2.
Dave Erwin lost to finalist Max Askren in the 2nd round, and was eliminated by former National Champion Mike Pucillo in the round of 12. That's two really tough matches before reaching All American status.
No one had worse luck than Brad Pataky, he beat the 8th and 9th seeds in the 1st two rounds and then lost to top seed Angel Escobedo. In his first consolation match he lost to 2nd seed and returning national champ Troy Nickerson. It almost seems unfair especially when Nikko Triggas reached All American status and Pataky has hammered him twice this year. But that's the way it goes in the NCAAs. A lot depends on just managing to get a good draw. Pataky will have one final season to try and reach All American honors, after having been eliminated in the round of 12 the last two years.
I'll be posting updates throughout the day in the comments of this thread.
10 comments | 0 recs
When One Door Closes, Another One Opens
by For The Glory 1855 on Mar 19, 2010 10:52 PM EDT
in Penn State Basketball
47 comments
As if a last place finish in the Big Ten and an 11-20 record in 2010 didn't plant a seed of doubt in the minds of those hopeful Penn State can reach the NCAA tournament in 2011, um, this probably will.
Chris Babb, starting shooting guard and one of the few bright spots for Penn State's beleaguered men's basketball team this season, has decided to transfer from PSU, his father Mike Babb confirmed a few moments ago by phone from the family's home in Arlington, Texas.The sophomore's departure is a crushing blow to an already reeling program. Babb was not just a cornerstone for the team's future plans, he was one of the two most effective players on this year's squad. His scoring average (9.3) and minutes played (29.7) each ranked third on the team.
Babb isn't talking about reasons for the transfer, nor has he outlined any potential landing spots, so rather than speculate, let's focus on some facts and where this puts Penn State in 2010-2011.
Obviously, Babb's transfer leaves a hole at the starting two spot. Finding a replacement within the current locker room is of paramount importance if Penn State is going to improve in 2011, however, that might not be as burdensome a task as you might expect at first...
47 comments | 0 recs
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Big Ten Conference Standings
(updated 3.21.2010 at 8:09 PM EDT)
| Conf | Overall | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | |
Purdue Boilermakers
|
14 | 4 | 29 | 5 |
|
Ohio St. Buckeyes
|
14 | 4 | 29 | 7 |
|
Michigan St. Spartans
|
14 | 4 | 26 | 8 |
|
Wisconsin Badgers
|
13 | 5 | 24 | 9 |
|
Illinois Fighting Illini
|
10 | 8 | 20 | 14 |
|
Minnesota Golden Gophers
|
9 | 9 | 21 | 14 |
|
Northwestern Wildcats
|
7 | 11 | 20 | 14 |
|
Michigan Wolverines
|
7 | 11 | 15 | 17 |
|
Indiana Hoosiers
|
4 | 14 | 10 | 21 |
|
Iowa Hawkeyes
|
4 | 14 | 10 | 22 |
|
Penn St. Nittany Lions
|
3 | 15 | 11 | 20 |
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
