Monday linkage: Blog Wars, hoops and helmets

◊ This past weekend gave us a plethora of Penn State news, none of which (unfortunately) is of much importance. Still, it was a fun-filled couple of days, and who doesn't need a little Penn State pick-me-up on a Monday? Here's what you may have missed...

• NWO looks back at the 2009 basketball season, and grades the team. Talor Battle got an A-, but there's an explanation:

"Just after almost singlehandedly leading his team to a win in East Lansing, Battle hit 7 of 38 shots in losses to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Purdue."

• In Blog Wars news, there was a really fun spat between Boiled Sports and the Penn State blogosphere. No, I wasn't one of them, since I don't cover much basketball. But it was really a hoot to watch from the sidelines...

First, the BS post that started it all:

"But hooray for PSU, I guess! Their championship tonight goes in the same trophy case as Purdue's extremely-important Sun Bowl and Motor City Bowl trophies.

Yeh for mediocrity."

Then, the rebuttals, beginning with HHV:

"BS’s mindless drivel proceeds to mock PSU fans for celebrating their first-ever postseason tournament championship and paints the entire fanbase as “delusional” as if we suddenly believe that a Final Four berth is going to happen next year."

RUTS (via BSD):

"there is nothing more deliciously ironic than having a Purdue Boilermaker fan lecture you on the topic of irrelevance. After all, Purdue is the school most people can't remember when trying to name all eleven Big Ten conference members."

• In football news... Ha! I was right. Bob Flounders this weekend confirmed what I suspected two months ago:

"There were few surprises. Senior Knowledge Timmons started at the one cornerback spot opposite A.J. Wallace..."

It wouldn't have been a surprise if you read this blog, Bob.

• CFN breaks down the Big Ten football schedules for 2009 (PSU comes in at a pathetic No. 11), then rehashes an annual plea (not just from CFN) for the league to start playing a round-robin format, since Notre Dame is too much of a pussy to join the conference.

"...at least everyone gets a shot in the round-robin format. It would be even better for the Big Ten since a ten game conference schedule would allow for an equal number of home games for every team. It would also mean that no one could duck the big boys anymore."

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