BSD Mailbag 8.2.2014

Please rate Tim Beckman's appearance [at Big Ten Media days] on a scale of "Dumpster Fire" to "He merely gets fired at the end of this year."--bveo12

Spoiler: I did not watch the Big Ten media days. Real life, n all. But according to bscaff, he was...not as bad as previous years? So we'll go with this:

In a show of solidarity with the new AD, would you consider a Sand Barbour-style hairdo?--jiminore

No. Because I am not a woman of a certain age, and while it looks fine for her...no. Absolutely, positively not.

If Barbour institutes a couple new varsity sports, which ones should they be?--Lucius429

The obvious serious answers here are the NCAA varsity sports that PSU currently doesn't have teams for: women's bowling, men's boxing, skiing, rifle, and water polo, all of which PSU has current club teams for (they don't even have club rowing).

And there's always quidditch, which isn't an official NCAA sport--yet.

What should be the nickname for our new AD?--Dbridi

Something about #loveshashtags

After 11 1/2 days off of work, why do I have to go back to work tommorow?--Bman

Someone's gotta keep TD entrenched in the lifestyle to which she has grown accustomed.

How do you blow off steam after a long, hard day at work?--skarocksoi

I mean, the obvious answer here is whiskey or beer, right? For me, though, it's gotta be coming home, sitting down, and (writing posts and) logging onto BSD to talk Penn State sports with you fine people.

Since I likely won't be going on a vacation this year, where's your favorite vacation destination? Other than State College.--Succss With Honor Always

I've said this before, I'm pretty sure, but every year I go to Capon Springs, WV, and it's still my favorite place in the US aside from Beaver Stadium--bar none. If you have a few days in April through October, go there. You'll be relaxed and better for it.

Explain to me why I should donate to a kickstarter instead of waiting til it gets funded and purchase, oh, I don't know, say a magazine, when it comes out?--hbeach08

The comments in the original post did a good job explaining, but aside from the extras you get at the different levels of kickstarter donations, whether we get funded or not gives us an idea of whether people will actually want to buy the magazine. If we don't get fully funded, we can assume there's not a market--and we won't even make the magazine. There's a lot that goes into the making of even the emag, and we have to put out a lot of money to make it. With the kickstarter being funded, we know we can break even and do certain things like actually pay the writers to write the stories that we've asked them to write; if it's just for sale later on, it's more of a crapshoot. Ultimately, the publishers and us editors could lose money on the magazine (since we have to pay to distribute as well).

Obviously, it's up to you whether you donate to the kickstarter next year or not; but we wouldn't be making We Are! 2014 if the kickstarter hadn't been fully funded, and we truly appreciate everything you (and other backers) have done to make this second year of our e-mag even better than the first.

I like to go mountain biking on some pretty serious advanced trailes. While all the other riders have great gear, all high end bike specific clothing, I wear a PSU soccer jersey. Does that make me the coolest?--Big Maple

Of course, is that even a serious question?

Are the people in North Halls actually weird, or was that just a campus rumor? 'Cause I never knew anyone from North Halls.--PSU Mudder

I knew one person, and she voluntarily moved from East to North. I still don't understand it, aside from East being in the boonies (but close to Beaver Stadium!). I think the fact that they turned one of the dorms into offices says all you need to say about that.

At what point do you stop stubbing your toes regularly?--Dbridi

Never, at least for me. But, as Gerry suggested in the mailbag comments, it might be because I am extra clumsy. Not that I drink too much god people stop suggesting that (in seriousness, I walk into absolutely everything, and trip over my own feet).

What sort of advisory role is Joyner going to play? This could go two ways. We could have a serious answer or we could appoint him assistant adviser to the tennis ball collector.--the artist formerly known as gerrylovesnathalie

There are many different viewpoints amongst the BSD staff on Dave Joyner himself, and his performance as Athletic Director for Penn State. Honestly, you should see some of the email threads (no, you probably shouldn't).

Let's go with assistant adviser to the tennis ball collector.

On the PSU sideline at practice or during a game, is there any other acceptable flavor of Gatorade other than blue?--Big Maple

Seriously, the only flavor that I will drink other than blue IN LIFE is purple. So in this context, absolutely not.

In other words, WBF is wrong.

Is is really so much more convenient for a lady to wear yoga pants or some jorts instead of a skirt or a dress?--Rambler

I can't speak to jorts, because I don't wear those. But yoga pants are really comfortable. Plus I get cold all the time, as basically anyone who knows me IRL can attest; so yoga pants help in that regard as well. Yoga pants are just really, really comfortable, but definitely aren't as classy as a skirt or a dress. They are more versatile, though, because you can pair many more types of tops and shoes with them; with most skirts or dresses, you have to plan your outfit out more, and at least attempt to look pulled together. The yoga pants themselves give off a DGAF vibe that can spread to other aspects of your outfit!

Who am I kidding, I only wear yoga pants to the gym. I've worn them like once to the movie theatre, when I had a cold and just really wanted to see Thor. So I'm probably not one to talk, I'll almost always throw on jeans.

Will there ever be another meme tournament? Ken Barna would have won for the past 12 months, no?--Mifflin Streak

It can be incredibly difficult coming up with ideas for things to write on BSD in the offseason; last year, bscaff came up with the meme tourney idea, and it went over very well. This year, we went in a different direction with more actual football (instead of BSD-themed) posts, but I'm sure it will make an appearance again at some point.

And Ken Barna definitely would make a deep run.

How long will I be suspended from BSD if I smoke pot? Will it be for a longer or shorter period of time than if I beat the life out of a woman?--Bill

Dude, we're BSD. There would be no suspension.

Which means that it would absolutely be for a shorter period than if you pull a Ray Rice...especially since, you know, I am a woman--which means BSD clearly cares about the female demographic, unlike, say, the NFL.

What is the best fake name?--Dbridi

It ultimately wasn't fake, but I'm going to go with Cook Pu from How I Met Your Mother. Because I'm a pre-teen. And that ish is hilarious.

How do you convince your kids to attend Dear Old State?--vern05

I have no kids, and I didn't need any convincing--both my parents were alums, and I was the only one really surprised I ended up there. It was the 18 years of indoctrination, probably, that made it simply the choice that had to be.

How about you, other commenters? What did you do to convince your kids, or what did your parents do to convince you?