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BSD Mailbag 8.27.2018

This time next week we’ll be talking about the first full weekend of football!

Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

How does GetGo fit into the Sheetz/WaWa competition? - 48-14

So recently I learned that some GetGos actually offer full-size stores attached to their gas pumps. I can’t say I’ve actually ever visited one, so I can’t comment on the relative quality of their food and coffee. But suffice to say they have a long way to go before catching up with either of the big gas station dogs.


Mississippi State vs PSU. Who gets more wins in 2018? - 87Townie

I’m being an irrational homer this year (wait until you see the prediction thread!), so I’ll say PSU. Despite the SEC being a bit weaker overall than, say, 5 years ago, it’s still the second-toughest conference in the country (maybe the toughest, given the relative punching bags at the bottom of the B1G). Moorhead is going to have lots of success in Stark Vegas, but winning is still tough in the SEC.


Please talk me off the ledge with the whole off-season injury/medical issue thing. I realize Buchholz was really the only one who would have seen any real playing time, anyway, but I remember what lack of depth looks like. - leeharvey418

We’ll be fine. Ryan Buchholz’ loss stings for sure, as I thought he was ready to make a monstrous bookend across from Shareef Miller. But we have excellent defensive end depth, and the rest of the losses - while sucky - were lower on the depth chart/incoming freshmen. This team will be fine, and those players will still get their PSU degree.


I’m seriously worried about App State. Should I be? I hear they’re getting votes in the AP Poll and their attack resembles Wisconsin. I’m having flasbacks to 2016 first half vs Pitt. I’m putting them on a mid tier B1G level, like Indiana. Are we doomed? - GSAPS

Anything can happen, of course you should worry!

For real though, I look at App State as a JV version of other run-first, defense-heavy teams we’ll play, a la Wisconsin or Michigan. Personally I think they’re an excellent week one test, as we’ll get a taste of what other teams will be bringing against us, just at 80% of the real deal. I fully expect a win, but I fully expect it to take a while for the good guys to separate themselves.


If you could pick one sanctimonious, self righteous talking head to humble who would it be? I’d go with Mark May. - swift_retribution

I’d have to go with Keith Olbermann. Interestingly, our politics are not that far off, but he was so far off the mark when it came to PSU - and then he doubled down on it! - that I’d really like him to eat some humble pie. That being said, Mark May and Colin Cowherd got some honorable mention votes . . . May because obviously, and Cowherd because as much as I like a blowhard, he takes it over the top a few too many times for my liking.


Since it’s still the offseason for a bit, let’s play a fun hypothetical game: if when we finish the regular season 12-0 with wins over 4 teams in the top 15 (OSU, Wisky, Sparty, and UM), should we be the first team to respectfully decline a conference championship game invite? Assume we beat Wisconsin quite handily in the regular season, and thus a rematch with them has only downsides and no upside. - vern05

This actually makes a lot of sense. But no, I don’t think we’d actually skip the game. Aside from the fact that Franklin would want to be the first team to go 15-0, I would not put it past the CFP committee to pass over an undefeated team that opted not to play its championship game. Spite and what have you.


What do the Amish put in their Whoopie Pies that makes them so damn good? - Gerry Dincher

Am I the only one that doesn’t like whoopie pies? The cake is super dry and tasteless, and the filling always seems oily to me. Maybe I’ve never had an Amish whoopie pie, because I just don’t get the cult following they have.

While I’m at it, scrapple is also not good.


Why does Diet Pepsi actually taste “sweeter” than Diet Coke? And why does diet soda, in general, melt ice faster than its sugary counterpart? - Dinsdale Piranha

Since I know my last answer is already going to draw some ire, I’ll come out and say this: Pepsi is better than Coke. Coke is too cloyingly sweet; I prefer the slightly more citrus-y Pepsi overall. I’ll still crush a Coke if one is given to me, but given the choice I’ll go Pepsi.

Anyway - I’m guessing the difference between the diet sodas is whichever sweetener they use, and in what amount. Supposedly they contain more salt than their leaded counterparts, which accounts for the ice melting. In any case, diet sodas are awful and I refuse to drink them.


How many games will Comcast customers miss before the BTN/FS1/Comcast dispute is resolved? - Stormy Dragon

Luckily none! In case you hadn’t heard, the dispute was resolved, and all games will be covered, so long as you live in a Big Ten state (or the DMV).

But I think sooner or later we’re going to have one of these chicken situations, and someone isn’t going to blink. And guess what? People will ditch their cable provider for a streaming service in a heartbeat. Cable companies have done little to draw praise from their customers, routinely hiking prices and lowering their overall quality. When enough people cut the cord, we may see some sort of revolution - and taking away BTN or something similar may just be the catalyst to get the ball rolling.


Will Trace finish his college career with undefeated home record? - mook1525

Of course he will.


Is a hot dog a taco? - GM15

No, that’s disgusting.

However, a taco - like a hotdog - is a sandwich.


Am I the only person who thinks we get a commitment from Nick Cross? - HowardInTheHouse

So the general thought at this point is that Cross will commit to Florida State, but Penn State is going to push for him to officially visit during the season. If that OV happens, watch out. Right now, there’s definitely mutual interest, but the good guys are behind the power curve right now.


Given the recent poll where fellow coaches rated Franklin as the “most overrated” coach, which of your fellow PSU bloggers is overrated? Underrated? - skaracksoi

I thought this was going to be an easy question, but I had to think it over for a bit. The overrated question is the one that gave me pause, as I actually think most of the writers are really, really good.

I guess if I had to pick one for overrated, it’d be one Patrick Koerbler - mostly because he’ll use any and every excuse to praise Trace McSorley. Like, we get it, you two have a bromance going on, but seriously PDAs are gross.

Underrated was pretty easy - Clay Sauertieg. Guy knows his stuff, is an incredibly solid writer, but gets overshadowed by some other writers (rhymes with Matrick Moerbler).


M[ichigan] vs ND. I’m conflicted. First, I’m not naive enough to honestly hope for a small meteorite strike. I hate M but dislike ND. However, I don’t want ND to ever be good, whereas as long as we beat M, I’m OK with them many of their games. Is rooting for a ND lose going to be confused with rooting for a M win? - JayMPSU

I picked up a trait from my college roommate - as much as I may despise some conference members, it’s always in Penn State’s best interest to play - and beat - undefeated teams. So while I can’t stand Notre Dame, playing an undefeated Michigan later in the season carries more weight. So in this case, you good.