BSD Mailbag 8.8.14

Take a wild guess as to what type of play will be the first offensive play from scrimmage James Franklin calls. BigMaple
This isn't the sexiest of choices, but my gut feeling is a Zac Zwinak run between the tackles. I think Franklin will test out the running game, and then unleash Hack once Central Florida lets down their guard.

If I'm unable to watch any Penn State games until the end of October, should I: a. continue to check-in on BSD for scores and recaps b. call home to see how games went c. ignore all things college football related, cut myself off from social media, get someone to tape the games, and watch all of the games when I am able? rlostinspace
Definitely option "C." It's much more enjoyable to watch all the games unfold in their entirety than just checking for a score here and there and not really knowing what went down. I was forced to do this in  former life during the 2008 season while I worked 15-hour days, seven-days a week on a political campaign. Except for the OSU game (when I was out "working in the field"), I rushed home late every Saturday night to watch Penn State, completely unaware of what happened that day. I would shut myself out from anything that may give updates, and made my co-workers well-aware not to discuss college football once Penn State kicked  off. You have to go well out of your way to keep from ruining it, but it's well worth it in the end. Of course, this is what happened the first Saturday following Election Day when I was able to kick back and enjoy actually enjoy the game live.

Will the running backs finally stop fumbling the gotdang ball?? Lucious429
The optimist in me says yes. This problem seemed to be eradicated somewhat towards the end of the 2013 season. I'm certain it was a major focus for the unit all offseason. If not, there's a more experienced Akeel Lynch and a couple freshman waiting in the wings should Zwinak and Belton continue putting the ball on the ground.

What sport do you expect to see the most improvement under Barbour? Success With Honor Always
Even though it may have little to do with the addition of Barbour, Men's Basketball seems well on its way to turning over a new leaf.

Which current player has the most WWE ready name? Dbridi What are the chances that our uniforms undergo drastic changes? otholion 
It's not a player but I would go with offensive line coach Herb Hand. His persona would be an over-the-top marijuana-legalization activist from California (think Hulk Hogan meets Woody Harrelson), who is hellbent on brainwashing the children of the southern-fried WWE fanatics with his liberal politics. His signature move would be to chokehold his opponent while slapping them into submission with his oversized man hands.

I also like the sound of "WWE World Champion Bill BELT-ON."

I'll show myself out...

How many stickers/decals/magnets/flags are appropriate on your vehicle To demonstrate your loyalty? 877Townie
Ask yourself this question: Can I see the paint on my car? If not, you need more flair.

How many beers would it require for this burger to seem like a good decision? Success With Honor Always
None, because that burger looks like a dream come true. I just wouldn't eat it unless I had nothing else to do the rest of the day, because I'd feel like death warmed over and would be unable to remove myself from the sofa for the next 10 hours or so.

Another father of the year question! If your 8 year old child starts to backtalk and be a general sass should you: a) have a discussion with regards to hurtful talk and respecting each other with our words b) swats with a wooden spoon c) walk away knowing you have 1000’s of embarrassing child pictures and videos to share during her wedding day? gestaltshift
Since I don't have children, it's easy for me to say have a calm and rational discussion with her about the value of showing respect to others. However, if I had a small person running her mouth at me all the time I'm sure I'd have a very different response.

Do you really think you know anything? ReadingRambler
Nothing at all, and my wife reminds me of this every day.

I'm not sure if serious questions are allowed in the mailbag, but I have one. What are the plans, if any, to cover PSU hockey this season on BSD? Chris Taylor PSU
We're still working out details, but there will be ample coverage of Penn State Hockey this upcoming season. As the program continues to become a larger part of the Penn State sports universe, it's our wish to provide in-depth recaps and analysis of the team.

Best flavor of pudding? And don’t you DARE say tapioca. Chocolate or gtfo. Lucious429
For some reason, I love butterscoth pudding, even though I don't like anything else in that flavor. The best way to serve pudding though is by stacking multiple flavors in a tall cup, then adding a healthy dollop of cool whip.

What's it like for you guys putting forth time and effort into writing what you think is a nice piece, only to have it ripped on by us? TheTeamFromPennsylvania
It's not something I'm overly concerned about. People certainly aren't shy about offering their critiques- whether it be useful or just completely asinine. You need to have thick skin and not care too much about the latter. It can be disappointing when we think we have the potential for a new series, and then not receive the reaction we were hoping for. For example, I was really proud of the work that went into the "Hidden Gems" series last season, only to be bombarded with negative comments about the games that were profiled. Many of us thought it had the potential to become an annual offseason series, but we decided it wasn't worth it if people didn't particularly care for it.

How does a guy get the nickname Boobie? Is this a positive or negative nickname? psfann
I would say the most likely way to achieve this nickname is by having a serious case of man boobs. However, that certainly wasn't this case for this Boobie. Or this one. How those two specimens received this nickname may forever remain one of life's great mysteries.

Which BSD poster would least resemble your mental picture of them? For example, Bill difillipino, I always pictured him as a 50ish older man with a mustache, similar to one of Da Bears guys ( obviously not Wendt or Farley, but the other guy). So I was surprised to learn that he was a young guy who needs to get the hell off my lawn. Who else would break the mental mold? dbridi
Definitely Eric Gibson. The staff communicates mainly via email, so my impression of Eric was a calm, even-keeled, quiet and thoughtful kind of guy. Then I met him before last season's Michigan game and learned he's basically a human hurricane. Just an extremely high-energy person, but in a very good way.

In case you'd like to compare what I actually look like with how you picture, here's a recent photo of myself.