I can't really complain about the move by Penn State. This is one of those situations where I agree with The Man. Expect at least one dumbass reporter this afternoon to ask Joe Paterno about the new Beaver Stadium seating situation for 2011. 
Link: More info at GoPSUsports.com
While the Nittany Lions' relatively young excursion into the realm of college football as show business hasn't pissed off too many in the mainstream, Penn State's blatant exploitation of a few cool gimmicks in 2005 to try to recreate the excitement of that once-in-a-lifetime season is teetering on inclusion into this conversation, finally discussed by Pete Fiutak at CFN:
"And it takes things to a whole other level if you jump around a lot after a big play … Oooooooh, black helmets (Georgia). Ooooooh, playing Enter Sandman when the team runs into the stadium (Virginia Tech). If you have to rely on gimmicks to jack your team up, as opposed to being better at blocking, tackling, preparing and executing, your team probably sucks. When the attempts to fire everyone up don’t work, they look that much sillier."How could one not immediately think of every big Penn State home night game from 2006 thru this season? We can only hope this upcoming weekend that it all changes with a win over Ohio State. But then again, would it be really as big of a win as we thought it would be coming into the season? The last time Penn State won a huge, like national title contention huge, night game in Beaver Stadium was against the No. 6 Buckeyes in, you guessed it, 2005. Basically, all those bells and whistles thrown around by the branding department have done squat to actually influence the product on the field during those big games. No. 4 Michigan 2006? 17-10 loss. No. 1 Ohio State 2007? 37-17 loss. Super-mega-revenge-game Iowa 2008? 21-10 loss. All night games on national television. All losses.
There were a bunch of things I thought were pretty interesting coming away from the Temple game. But none of them really had anything to do with actual football. So I wanted to take some time in this post to run down a few observations about the game last week.
• First off, it seems Guido D'Elia has a bit of trouble staying on task. We all figured -- most sane people would -- that with the new changes to the scoreboards would affect BOTH scoreboards.
How silly we commoners must be.
The new northern scoreboard, as you would expect, with the new lettering. Like it or not, it's done. 
Fair enough. The south scoreboard must look just as new, right? Well... 
Folks, it was bad enough that Guido and PSU decided, rather spasmodically, to make drastic changes to Beaver Stadium scoreboards. But the fact that they couldn't even do it in one shot is just beyond me. If anyone out there can help me out on this, I'd appreciate some rational explanation of this whole situation.
Although, I was told that Penn State is making an overall branding move away from the "tennis ball" font we've grown used to. We'll see how that works.
• Did 
anyone else think there were an excessive amount of media stoppage this week? I've been to every game so far this year, and none of them felt like they had this many delays for commercials.
Maybe it was just me, but I swear I heard some boos ring down. There was actually a nice flow in the action this week, particularly on some of the drives around halftime. The commercial breaks really killed the momentum for each team.
• The student section is becoming an embarrassment. Penn State has won two Big Ten titles in four seasons, is coming off a Rose Bowl, and boasts some of the best players in the nation. Where the hell is the support? 
And don't feed me any of that "I'll come when they play better opponents" crap. I'm not buying it, unlike tickets.
• Can 
anyone tell me who arrives and departs each week in this helicopter? That's one rich mo-fo. (yeah, I just said 'mo-fo') But what's really weird about it, is that whoever it is, touches down about 30 minutes before kickoff, and lifts off within an our of the final gun.
• If you haven't heard of it, or seen it in person yet, this is easily the greatest tailgate in Penn State football history. A few of my former Blue Band-mates banded (haha, get it? 'Banded') together and actually won one of the old Penn State Football buses on Ebay last year. They've spent the better part of the offseason renovating it into an RV, getting everything up to state code for those kinds of vehicles. Here's a big old shout out to Eric and Dave, and everyone else who are keeping old school Penn State alive each week. 
The buses were first put into service in 1982. Think about that. How many legendary players rode to the stadium in those seat? It's really cool to think of that.
Hey, that wasn't all that bad of a post. Maybe I'll do it more often.
Updated 4:45 p.m.
Word around the internets says we could see some changes to the scoreboards in Beaver Stadium. From what I've heard, they're changing the lettering of "Penn State," from the traditional "tennis ball" font, to a more block-style, similar to what we now see in the end zones. Now thanks to NittanyWhiteOut.com for coming through with the photo of the new look scoreboards. Check it out below the fold. 
I'll say it now and get it over with. I'm not a fan of how this looks. The concept -- old school, block lettering -- was fantastic, but the execution was terrible. In fact, this completely violates the Visual and Editorial Standards for the Intercollegiate Athletics Logo. I realize that those standards were set for the old "tennis ball" logos and lettering, but the basic formula should have been maintained on all Penn State graphics. Let's call this one a walk for Guido D'Elia; it's better than a strikeout, but isn't a base hit, never mind a home run.
After attending Penn State's season opener against Akron this weekend, the hopes I had gone in with were essentially crushed. No, not hopes for a victory or an injury-free game. Rather, I had gone to Happy Valley this weekend with one extra hope, that Penn State would seriously scale back the canned pop music played over the PA system.
Well, it didn't happen. We were still made to suffer through those heart-racing tunes like "Sweet Caroline," and about a thousand repetitions of "O Fortuna." Today, I'd like to revisit an article written earlier this spring, as part of my season preview. In it, I called for less cookie-cutter stadium music, and more authentic college football atmosphere... more Blue Band.
The following was originally posted Jan. 26: Stop smothering the Blue Band
Unfortunately, nothing was changed that I had hoped. The canned music still blared loudly. "Sweet Caroline" still put the crowd to sleep more than anything else. And to top it off, I don't even remember "Hey Baby" being played between the third and fourth quarters this weekend! If my memory is correct, then it's actually gotten worse, rather than better. I can only hope for this situation to get better as the year goes on. Sadly, I'm not so sure it will.
When I first walked into Beaver Stadium, on Aug. 31, 2002, it was awe-inspiring; for this wasn't just any first-time visit to the (at the time) second largest stadium in American football. That first step onto the grass was in front of more than 100,000 fans, who all erupted as the drum major landed his flip. It was tough to concentrate on what I was doing. I was in the Blue Band for four years, never missed a home game, was fortunate enough to watch the program emerge from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs, two bowl games, away games, and more than my share of crushing defeats and joyous victories. The majority of those games were won and lost in Beaver Stadium. It is what inspired me to pursue my career, and eventually, this blog.
I thought the fire was first restored when Guido D'Elia was hired in 2004 as Penn State's football communications and branding director. That was the year (my junior year) the first "White Out" appeared*, along with the first playing of Kernkraft 400, more commonly known just as Zombie Nation. While the football team wasn't all that explosive most of that season, you felt a spark igniting under the steel beams and metal bleachers in Beaver Stadium. The Penn State nation was ready to explode, but needed just one more nudge.
Then it happened, Penn State's uncharacteristically great recruiting class prior to 2005 brought the pressure to its limit, and the Nittany Lions began winning... and winning, and winning. You couldn't have timed it more perfectly. Penn State became "the Greatest Show in College Football," in no small part due to D'Elia.
But since 2005, with Penn State firmly re-entrentched in the college football elite, the expectations set four years ago have pushed D'Elia's department to the brink of completely selling out.
In a November 2005 interview, D'Elia told the New York Times that his intention was to, "operate more like professional sports businesses and should be sold forcefully to recruits and to younger fans... [and] hire professionals that can manage the image, promote its brand, market its content and recruit its personnel... I am the designated trouble-stirrer of change... I'm the lightning rod. I'm Darth Vader. I'm the angel of death."
Did that interview get overlooked by a few too many around Penn State? I'm positively sure the Penn State athletic administration knew what they were getting into. Otherwise, you don't hire someone like D'Elia. The idea that Penn State would take a more "professional" approach to its football experience under D'Elia may have given a few folks headaches.
But everything was looking great, until 2007. Penn State used its home game against Notre Dame to roll out a few new tricks, particularly new, musical ways to involve the fans. Songs like "Sweet Caroline," and "Livin' on a Prayer" began ringing over the PA system, slowly pushing out the old standards like "Testify", "Boo Gonk", and the Penn State fight songs, previously played by the Blue Band.
While it's very good for any sporting event to get the fans involved, the goal shouldn't be to recreate Friday nights at The Saloon. In some cases, the identical songs once played by the Blue Band (O Fortuna), were replaced by recorded versions over the PA system.
The most visually noticeable change to Beaver Stadium–how could you miss them–was the installation of two LED boards on the north and south decks. They would have been tollerable, if not for the complete lie told by the university about their intended use: "New LED ribbon boards that run the length of the end zones on the north and south deck facings. The ribbon boards will be the brightest message centers in the stadium and include game information and statistics, as well as interactive messaging for the crowd."
I was only able to get to the Indiana game this past season, so I only had one game to fully observe these boards in person. But prior to that, I was hearing horror stories about these LED boards, specifically that they display (almost exclusively) advertisements, with minimal "game information and statistics." And from the one game I went to, I'd have to agree with the fans. The lack of statistics and game-relevant information is pathetic. The installation of these boards was an insult, if not a waste of money.
Although the LED boards are in-your-face obvious, I still go back to the auditory changes made on game days. You all know I have a slight conflict of interests, as a Blue Band alum. But knowing all too well the love and admiration towards the Blue Band from the fans, I can say with near certainty, that the minimalization the band's role during games is seriously hurting Penn State's roots as one of the last remaining "old school" programs.
I understand completely that there is a need to stay current, or risk being left in the dust. D'Elia and Penn State have done a fantastic job, for the most part. But I really have to express my discontent towards some of the more recent "improvements" to the Beaver Stadium game day experience. And I have to ask, if Penn State is trying to keep one foot in tradition, with the other foot advancing into the future, how far can it go? LED boards? Fine. White Outs? Great! Zombie Nation? Fantastic! But replacing the one facet of college football that comes to symbolize the separation between it and the NFL, the bands, with artificial, cookie-cutter stadium music, is something I cannot let go.
It's not so easy to get rid of material improvements, and I'm not suggesting that. Like I said, the LED boards will turn out to be acceptable, and the lettering installed on the luxury boxes were a very nice improvement to the stadium. However, as scaling back on music piped through the PA system may seem like an insignificant move, it could be just the fix Beaver Stadium needs to maintain a healthy balance between the old days, and the days ahead.
*What many don't remember, is that the "White Out" wasn't the only one-color experiment that season. Anyone remember the "Code Blue" that failed so miserably? Yeah, unfortunately, so do I.
I watched the debut of the 2009 Penn State Football Story. It's the best show in its class. But today's show had an error that I just can't let go.
Steve "The Voice of Penn State Football" Jones took a few minutes at the end of the show to go over Penn State's 2009 schedule.
"For the first time ever, eight games in Beaver Stadium," Jones said.
That's so incredibly wrong.
In 2002, my freshman year, Penn State hosted EIGHT opponents in Beaver Stadium. I remember it distinctly, as Blue Band director Richard Bundy told the band during preseason camp that it would be one of the toughest seasons ever for the Blue Band, because of the the unprecedented EIGHT home games that season.
Now, I am not picking on Jones. That's why this pisses me off so much. There has been much ado made about how amazing it is that Penn State will play eight home games this season. From the message boards, to other blogs, to bar-side conversations, no one has been able to nail down when, if ever, Penn State has played eight at home.
Well folks, this is your final word. Penn State played eight home games in 2002. I'm not making it up to pick on or mock anyone. It's fact, history.
I think I was just caught off guard by hearing it on The Penn State Football Story.
◊ Penn State finally beat Michigan on the field, a 46-17 drubbing in front of a national audience. The streak was over. But Penn State is still No. 2 to the Wolverines in attendance, even after Michigan Stadium reduced its capacity temporarily for renovations.
It was announced yesterday that Penn State averaged 108,254 fans per game in 2008. But from the Penn State press release, you wouldn't have known that it was second to Michigan. In all their Public Information Office wisdom, the athletic department buried that little tidbit at the bottom of the release. You can't blame them. It's embarrassing, as so eloquently expressed by TNL:
"It's no mystery, we don't need a team from CSI to painstakingly sift through the remains or Jack Bower's terrorist interrogation methods to find an answer...when you schedule absolute SHIT TEAMS for OOC home games people aren't going to come and when you schedule the (oh by the way undefeated) Utah's of the world, well you are going to fill the seats even when your team is going through the worst record in its proud history. This ain't rocket science it's business and the business of scheduling horrible teams will only last as long as the Big Ten Championships do. Better keep winning [athletic director] Tim Curley or things are going to go south really, really fast."TNL pointed to Penn State's home opener against FCB (I-AA) Coastal Carolina as a main culprit of the lower average attendance, and I couldn't agree more.
◊ Go here to vote for Penn State's own Beaver Stadium in the Best Stadium Battle. Be sure to also vote for all the other Big Ten stadiums, too...
◊ ZN's 2009 Penn State Football Preview - National Outlook
Penn State last week released its official 2009 football schedule. One of the highlights will be when Penn State hosts Ohio State in Beaver Stadium on Nov. 7, 2009, it will mark the 300th football game played at the Nittany Lions' home venue. But that's not all.
"The Nittany Lions have an impressive 236-57 (80.5) record in the nation's largest stadium (107,282), earning a 26-2 home record since the Michigan State game in 2004."That got me thinking. So, I dug up home records of other really "tough" places to play. I've compiled those records and win percentages of all the teams that are perceived to boast a formidable home venue. The records span the 2005 thru 2008 seasons. I chose the four years because it's generally accepted that college football goes in four-year "cycles," basically mirroring how long it takes for one recruiting class to go through. Here's what I found:
| School__________ | Home_Games | Home_Record | Winning_% |
| Boise St. | 25 | 25-0 | 1.000 |
| Oklahoma | 25 | 24-1 | 0.960 |
| USC | 24 | 23-1 | 0.958 |
| Penn St. | 28 | 26-2 | 0.929 |
| Florida | 27 | 25-2 | 0.925 |
| TCU | 23 | 21-2 | 0.913 |
| Ohio St. | 28 | 25-3 | 0.893 |
| Texas Tech | 27 | 24-3 | 0.888 |
| Texas | 25 | 22-3 | 0.880 |
| Va. Tech | 24 | 21-3 | 0.875 |
| Wisconsin | 27 | 23-4 | 0.852 |
| West Va. | 26 | 22-4 | 0.846 |
| LSU | 29 | 24-5 | 0.827 |
| Oregon | 25 | 20-5 | 0.800 |
| Utah | 24 | 19-5 | 0.792 |
| Georgia | 28 | 22-6 | 0.785 |
| Tennessee | 27 | 19-8 | 0.703 |
| School__________ | Home_Games | Home_Record | Winning_% |
| Penn St. | 28 | 26-2 | 0.929 |
| Ohio St. | 28 | 25-3 | 0.893 |
| Wisconsin | 27 | 23-4 | 0.852 |
| Iowa | 27 | 19-8 | 0.703 |
| Purdue | 27 | 17-10 | 0.630 |
| Michigan | 29 | 18-11 | 0.620 |
| MSU | 27 | 16-11 | 0.593 |
| Northwestern | 26 | 15-11 | 0.577 |
| Indiana | 28 | 14-14 | 0.500 |
| Minnesota | 26 | 13-13 | 0.500 |
| Illinois | 25 | 12-13 | 0.480 |
◊ ZN's 2009 Penn State Football Preview - My wishlist for 2009
When I first walked into Beaver Stadium, on Aug. 31, 2002, it was awe-inspiring; for this wasn't just any first-time visit to the (at the time) second largest stadium in American football. That first step onto the grass was in front of more than 100,000 fans, who all erupted as the drum major landed his flip. It was tough to concentrate on what I was doing. I was in the Blue Band for four years, never missed a home game, was fortunate enough to watch the program emerge from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs, two bowl games, away games, and more than my share of crushing defeats and joyous victories. The majority of those games were won and lost in Beaver Stadium. It is what inspired me to pursue my career, and eventually, this blog.
I thought the fire was first restored when Guido D'Elia was hired in 2004 as Penn State's football communications and branding director. That was the year (my junior year) the first "White Out" appeared*, along with the first playing of Kernkraft 400, more commonly known just as Zombie Nation. While the football team wasn't all that explosive most of that season, you felt a spark igniting under the steel beams and metal bleachers in Beaver Stadium. The Penn State nation was ready to explode, but needed just one more nudge.
Then it happened, Penn State's uncharacteristically great recruiting class prior to 2005 brought the pressure to its limit, and the Nittany Lions began winning... and winning, and winning. You couldn't have timed it more perfectly. Penn State became "the Greatest Show in College Football," in no small part due to D'Elia.
But since 2005, with Penn State firmly re-entrentched in the college football elite, the expectations set four years ago have pushed D'Elia's department to the brink of completely selling out.
In a November 2005 interview, D'Elia told the New York Times that his intention was to, "operate more like professional sports businesses and should be sold forcefully to recruits and to younger fans... [and] hire professionals that can manage the image, promote its brand, market its content and recruit its personnel... I am the designated trouble-stirrer of change... I'm the lightning rod. I'm Darth Vader. I'm the angel of death."
Did that interview get overlooked by a few too many around Penn State? I'm positively sure the Penn State athletic administration knew what they were getting into. Otherwise, you don't hire someone like D'Elia. The idea that Penn State would take a more "professional" approach to its football experience under D'Elia may have given a few folks headaches.
But everything was looking great, until 2007. Penn State used its home game against Notre Dame to roll out a few new tricks, particularly new, musical ways to involve the fans. Songs like "Sweet Caroline," and "Livin' on a Prayer" began ringing over the PA system, slowly pushing out the old standards like "Testify", "Boo Gonk", and the Penn State fight songs, previously played by the Blue Band.
While it's very good for any sporting event to get the fans involved, the goal shouldn't be to recreate Friday nights at The Saloon. In some cases, the identical songs once played by the Blue Band (O Fortuna), were replaced by recorded versions over the PA system.
The most visually noticeable change to Beaver Stadium–how could you miss them–was the installation of two LED boards on the north and south decks. They would have been tollerable, if not for the complete lie told by the university about their intended use: "New LED ribbon boards that run the length of the end zones on the north and south deck facings. The ribbon boards will be the brightest message centers in the stadium and include game information and statistics, as well as interactive messaging for the crowd."
I was only able to get to the Indiana game this past season, so I only had one game to fully observe these boards in person. But prior to that, I was hearing horror stories about these LED boards, specifically that they display (almost exclusively) advertisements, with minimal "game information and statistics." And from the one game I went to, I'd have to agree with the fans. The lack of statistics and game-relevant information is pathetic. The installation of these boards was an insult, if not a waste of money.
Although the LED boards are in-your-face obvious, I still go back to the auditory changes made on game days. You all know I have a slight conflict of interests, as a Blue Band alum. But knowing all too well the love and admiration towards the Blue Band from the fans, I can say with near certainty, that the minimalization the band's role during games is seriously hurting Penn State's roots as one of the last remaining "old school" programs.
I understand completely that there is a need to stay current, or risk being left in the dust. D'Elia and Penn State have done a fantastic job, for the most part. But I really have to express my discontent towards some of the more recent "improvements" to the Beaver Stadium game day experience. And I have to ask, if Penn State is trying to keep one foot in tradition, with the other foot advancing into the future, how far can it go? LED boards? Fine. White Outs? Great! Zombie Nation? Fantastic! But replacing the one facet of college football that comes to symbolize the separation between it and the NFL, the bands, with artificial, cookie-cutter stadium music, is something I cannot let go.
It's not so easy to get rid of material improvements, and I'm not suggesting that. Like I said, the LED boards will turn out to be acceptable, and the lettering installed on the luxury boxes were a very nice improvement to the stadium. However, as scaling back on music piped through the PA system may seem like an insignificant move, it could be just the fix Beaver Stadium needs to maintain a healthy balance between the old days, and the days ahead.
*What many don't remember, is that the "White Out" wasn't the only one-color experiment that season. Anyone remember the "Code Blue" that failed so miserably? Yeah, unfortunately, so do I.
I just got in, and after 3 hours sleep in the last 36, I'm exhausted. I promise I'll have my initial thoughts on the game first thing tomorrow. Check back then, and for the normal stuff, like Penn State in the Polls.
For now, here's some photos I took last night when I arrived in State College, about 12:30 a.m.
Some of you already know that I played in the Blue Band for four years, so I performed each of these songs thousands upon thousands of times at more than 30 Penn State football games, as well as bowl games. To this day, I could still play them in my sleep.
If you wish to have a completely accurate Beaver Stadium experience, follow the guide I've set up below. I've created files for every Custom Stadium Sound slot in NCAA 09, so all are accounted for.
How to do it:
First, print this guide. It will make it a whole lot easier to match the correct songs each stadium event.
Then, just click on each link. The file will automatically download.
Finally, burn all of the songs (I made an iTunes playlist) to a CD, rip to your console, and enjoy!
(Note: If you share these clips with your friends or others, please give credit to this website. I worked hard on these, and I expect at least a little courtesy. Thanks!)
| File/Song Title | Event(s) |
|---|---|
| ABC College Football | Start 4th Qtr |
| Percussion Entrance | Kickoff; TO Away |
| Gladiator Short | Def. 3rd Down |
| Lions '68 Letter 'C' | Def. On Field; 4th Down Conv. |
| Parade Order Intro | Review |
| Parade Order Bass | TO Home |
| Parade Order Lets Go State | Got 1st Down |
| Parade Order Penalty | Pen. Away |
| NFOS Long | Field Goal |
| TD FOS Post TD | Touchdown (Let this one play completely through before kicking the PAT. I edited it to cut off the same way the real Blue Band does. It's pretty cool.) |
| TD FOS Post PAT | PAT; 2 Point Conv. |
| Victory Short | 3rd Down Conv.; TFL/Sack |
| Victory Long | Safety |
| Right Stuff PSU | Def. Stop 3rd |
| Zombie Nation PSU | Turnover |
| Rock & Roll - @5 | Def. Stop 4th; Opp FG Miss |
According to an article I saw on FootballStadiumDigest.com, ANC Sports will be installing two very large LED screens in Beaver Stadium prior to Penn State's Aug. 30 kickoff with Coastal Carolina. FSD.com: "The new signage will synchronize with various live sports feeds to distribute real-time information to the displays. The new system also can handle out-of-town scores, in-game team summaries, up-to-the-minute player statistics and many other stats. ANC won't have long to wait how people like the new setup. The first of seven Nittany Lion home football games will be played August 30."
ANC's president and CEO, Jerry Cifarelli, told FSD.com that the goal is to "provide one of the premier event experiences in collegiate sports." Great idea, but is that really what Penn State should be concentrating on right now? I'm sure we will all love having the live feeds from these screens, but is it at the cost of other things?
I'm not trying to get in the way of progress. Plenty of people were pissed off when the south end zone was closed off and the beautiful view of Mount Nittany was forever lost from inside the stadium, but we've all moved on. The Blue Band has moved its stadium spot about a dozen times, and no one really cares after first noticing. But to me, this new stadium display could take away something that we all look forward to each game. When Dean DeVore--Penn State football PA announcer--runs through the updated scores from other games, how much fun is it to hear everyone cheer or jeer for the winning/losing team? Yes, the new LED screens will offer the same score updates, but it won't have everyone's attention when the scores are announced. It just one of those little things that make the difference between college and pro sports. Most college football fans remain obsessively committed to the sport due to the tradition factor that the NFL grossly lacks, especially in the stadium atmosphere department.
We'll all probably forget about this by the end of that first game, but it's just one of the many little things Penn State has done recently which sort of raises an eyebrow. What if the administration put that money back into the school itself, instead of just pumping up tuition another couple percentage points each year? Sorry, I'm getting too preachy. I'll go now.
Because I'm such a nice guy, I'll give you stuff to read until I get off my ass and write something original. But before I do that, I've put up something I think resembles a decent header. I figured since I was in State College yesterday and earlier today, I would take a few shots of the stadium (yeah, as if I haven't seen it before). I noticed that one of my favorite parts of the giant erector set is the lion above the sports museum. So I took the shot, and there we go. A few hours of driving later and a few minutes on the computer, Bada-Bing! I had a header. But enough about me, here's some links I've come across. Good reading from Penn State's own Happy Hour Valley, plus some crap out of Ohio and Michigan (again, because I'm such a nice guy).
-Apparently, some brilliant Oregon writer is talking shit about how the Beavers are going to come in and whup up on the Lions. Happy Hour Valley is calling shenanigans on this one, as the Oregonian's argument is loosely coherent at best. HHV's closing says it all. "Certainly, everyone is entitled to their opinion/prediction on how a game will go and I am not bashing the writer for predicting that Oregon St. will somehow get the upset, I’d probably do the same thing if I were in his shoes. However, it is important to realize that the writer makes a huge mistake in underestimating the fact we’ve got the personnel to run an efficient spread offense and that the writer overlooks the fact that Oregon State has had recent troubles performing on the East Coast.
So do I.
With that being said, I very much look forward to what should be an intriguing contest come September 6th…"
-The Ohio State's of the world (well, actually, just THE Ohio State of the world, since I don't think anyone outside of Michigan can secrete so much cockiness) are--get ready for this--worried about the Penn State game this year. Now, I'm no expert in Big Ten history before 1993, but am I not correct in pointing out that Penn State hasn't won in Columbus since 1978, and NEVER since joining the conference?
The Buckeye Battle Cry isn't taking the Lions lightly this year. I'll give him credit for lowering the cockiness down from 11 (Ohio State and Michigan's cockiness dial goes up to eleven, as regular dials only go to ten, this one goes to eleven), but in this case, I'll even admit it would be a mammoth upset for Penn State to walk out of the 'Shoe with a win. BBC puts it: "Penn State - October 25th - Ohio Stadium
I don't care how the Lions would do it. If it's Ohio State fatigue, fine. If it's just overlooking the Lions, fine. Just remember, an 8 p.m. kickoff can do crazy things to football teams. Can't wait.
The Lions are no slouch this year, and they're hungry for that one win that will give them a crack at a BCS bowl. Winning in Columbus would do it....just ask Illinois. Plus, dammit, we don't get much time to rest up after a tough road game at MSU."
-I know this isn't really news, but I just had to poke the wounded beast. Varsity Blue has a nice little write-up on the Kevin Grady situation. The kid's really good, but has issues (sound familiar anyone?), and Michigan fans would like to see him turn things around and get back on the field. I wouldn't bet on that right now.
If it weren't for the fact that my internet is slower than Anthony Morelli scrambling, I'd have this post completely ready to go. However, I can't post the video until it's downloaded, hopefully soon. I thought it is interesting that Beaver Stadium is the first venue featured in EA Sports' NCAA 09 video entitled "Home Field Advantage." Just goes to show you that Penn State is probably the toughest place to play. I'm not talking about wins and losses. When you have teams like Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nebraska claiming they've never heard noise like it is in the Beav, that's saying something.
Something else I noticed in this video... After the first shot of Beaver Stadium (which, by the way, shows the crowd wearing mostly blue, when everyone knows the crowd tends to look all white, even without the White Out) you never see it again. And what a douche bag Jake Long was. Maybe it was because he's only played in Beaver Stadium once, I don't know. But I'm sorry, Ohio State isn't nearly as loud as Beaver Stadium. I know, I've been there--on the sidelines--twice, just as many times as Long's been. He's just plugging The 'Shoe because it's his main rival. Or maybe he's just bitter knowing The Beav will be the largest stadium for a long time, since Michigan got caught hating the cripples.
I just can't tell you how happy this makes me. The Michigan Daily had the story this morning:
"The University has reached a settlement that ends the lawsuit over Michigan Stadium's accessibility to disabled fans - and, for the time being, will end the Big House's reign as the largest football stadium in the country."
But, oh, there's more: "Because wheelchair-accessible seats take up about 12 times as much space as normal seats, the changes will also drop the stadium's seat capacity from 107,501 to an estimated 106,201 for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. That will make Michigan Stadium the second-largest football stadium in the country after Penn State University's Beaver Stadium, which holds 107,282."I was fortunate enough to work for the Penn State All-Sports Museum in the Beav'. And I can tell you, one of the first things we told visitors on tours into the stadium was that Michigan Stadium allowed their fans two inches less per bleacher seat. If Penn State was to reduce its bleacher seat space allotment to that of Michigan's, Beaver Stadium's capacity would skyrocket upwards of 126,000. But that's not all:
"Engineering graduate student John Nanry said he thought the Big House "might lose a bit of its personality if it's not the biggest," but added that Penn State's Beaver Stadium already felt bigger because it traps sound better than Michigan Stadium."
Well, there's at least one intelligent human being in Ann Arbor. I've been to two games in Michigan Stadium--2002 and 2005. Although those two losses were the most painful in my enitre tenure with the Blue Band--attending every single home and away game for four years--I was struck by the fact that Michigan Stadium had no spark to it. The crowd noise is funnelled up and out, the view of it from the street is less than spectacular or intimidating, and it's cramped... reeeeally cramped. So Mr. Nanry was absolutely correct, and I applaude him for being honest. Beaver Stadium outshines "The Pig House" any day of the week, and will continue to do so, even after it's $226 million face lift.If you're ever disappointed with Penn State football, frustrated with the losses, the off-field issues, or just anxious for the old man to leave (which I'm not, FYI), just sit back, and watch this video. I remember seeing it for the first time on the stadium's jumbo-tron in 2003. That was before we started losing--badly--all those games until 2005. So at the point this video was released as the official pre-game excitement generator, the fervor from 2002 was still strong. Ah, the images of LJ tearing off 40-yarders like it was backyard football, or Michael Haynes terrorizing opposing quarterbacks, or the still-standing record of 110,753 fans watching Nebraska--No.8 at the time, and still considered a power--having their asses handed to them. 2002 was my first season with Penn State football, and will always hold a special place in my heart. (cue the fake tear down the cheek) Just watch the fucking video.
I might take tomorrow off, unless something really good happens. So remember that on Friday I'll have Part 2 (of 4) of "If you want respect, then schedule good teams."
School: Ohio State University (OSU), Buckeyes
Conference: Big Ten
Head Coach: Jim Tressel, 69-14 overall
Last Game: Defeated Michigan State, 24-17
Record Last Five Years (sans 2007): 55-9 overall; 5-1 in bowls; 19-1 non-conference
Key Players, Defense: LB James Laurinaitis, DE Vernon Gholston, LB Larry Grant
Key Players, Offense: RB Chris Wells, WR Brian Robiskie, QB Todd Boeckman
What to look for: D – This is the best defense in college football, no doubt about it. OSU essentially shut out MSU last week, with only three points coming off a late FG. Had OSU not given up the TDs off turnovers, they would be giving up less than 6 ppg. Laurinaitis is having an AA-caliber season, even if his stats aren’t out of this world. He’s always in the right place at the right time. OSU will need every bit of Laurinaitis and his fellow ‘backers, Grant and Marcus Freeman. While Grant has been the least publicized, he’s been more productive than anyone on the defense, racking up 7.5 TFL, 3 sacks and an INT. Between the LBs and the line, led by Gholston, OSU has to make stopping the PSU run game priority No. 1. Forcing PSU QB Morelli to win the game will allow the OSU secondary to roam free, without stacking the box.
O – This is not the best offense in college football, though some would make it seem that way. Yes, I know 415 ypg is great, but working with a defense like theirs, OSU never has to worry about making mistakes. OSU hasn’t faced a defense as good or consistent at PSU, or an environment like Beaver Stadium at night this season. Boeckman almost lost the game last week, and if he commits any bad turnovers this week, OSU may not be able to cover it up. Look for a healthy dose of Wells to keep the clock moving and the PSU offense off the field. If OSU can hit a few deep ones to Robiskie or WR Brian Hartline, it can keep PSU off balance. The problem is, PSU plays much better against conventional attacks, like OSU’s, and in hostile territory, OSU will have plenty of communication problems to deal with. OSU will have to avoid stupid penalties, especially in long down situations, as it will only encourage the PSU crowd.
ST – This is Tressel’s forte, but turned out to be less of a factor in 2007. But in a place like Beaver Stadium, OSU will need every point it can muster, which is where K Ryan Pretorius comes in. He’s 13/16 on the year and can’t afford to miss any against PSU. The return game hasn’t been the same since Ted Ginn departed, and in a big game like this, OSU may need a spark from a big return. Field position hasn’t been a problem either, as P AJ Trappasso should win the Ray Guy award, and can keep PSU pinned deep all night.
C – Tressel is the man recently in the Big Ten. Next to USC’s Pete Carroll and Texas’ Mack Brown, not coach has been more consistent. However, PSU has played OSU tough every year, and this week at PSU will make things even worse. Tressel is 1-2 when playing at PSU, with the one win by a single point (21-20, 2003). He failed to unleash his offense in 2005 until the final drive, and it cost OSU the game. If Tressel pulls a “Paterno” and goes conservative on the road, PSU could spring the upset.
Interesting Stat: The buckeye confection, made to resemble the tree's nut, is made by dipping a dollop of peanut butter fudge in milk chocolate, leaving a circle of the peanut butter exposed. These are a popular treat in Ohio, especially during the Christmas and NCAA college football seasons. How gay, if you ask me!
School: The Pennsylvania State University (PSU), Nittany Lions
Conference: Big Ten
Head Coach: Joe Paterno, 42nd Year, 369-123-3
Last Game: Def. Indiana, 36-31
Record Last Five Years (sans 2007): 36-25; 1-1 in bowls; 7-4 non-conference
Key Players, Defense: LB Dan Connor, CB Justin King, DE Maurice Evans
Key Players, Offense: QB Anthony Morelli, RB Rodney Kinlaw, WR Derrick Williams
What to look for: D – There’s something wrong with college football is Evans isn’t selected lineman of the year. His 10.5 sacks and 17.5 TFL leads the conference, and he’s poised to set school records left and right. PSU will need him on every play against OSU. PSU held Kellen Lewis in check pretty well last week until the last TD run. But Boeckman doesn’t have that run threat for PSU to worry about. So look for more blitzes with Connor and Lee coming as a fifth rusher. OSU’s line is much stronger than IU’s, but even a diluted pass rush should be effective against a stationary Boeckman. James Hardy hosed King last week, but OSU doesn’t have a Hardy. If King can lock down Robiskie, PSU can get more pressure on stopping the run. With DLs Odrick and Hayes out, the line has to step up and forget about being tired. There’s no reason for a poor showing from this unit in Beaver Stadium, unless…
O – The offense puts them in holes. I must say that this unit is night-and-day better than the first half of 2007, but haven’t faced a team like OSU yet. Morelli had one really bad throw last week on the INT, but it wasn’t critical or deep in PSU territory. Regardless, PSU can’t afford any turnovers this week. Morelli did a super job finding the hot receivers and recognizing coverage/blitzes last week, and OSU is sure to try to confuse the living hell out of him. But PSU can avoid relying on Morelli to win the game if the offensive line can get a good push. Kinlaw has been a huge surprise this season, and when he’s not going, RB Evan Royster has shown his youthful brilliance. Like in the 2005 edition, this game could come down to a few pick plays, one of them being when Williams took a pitch in for a TD run, outrunning AJ Hawk in the process. Get Williams in the open with some blockers, and he’s gone to the races.
ST – Special teams bailed out the offense last week, as K Kevin Kelly hit all of his FGs. Hopefully for PSU, this unit won’t be needed as a difference-maker. The biggest focus for PSU should be on kickoffs and punts coverage. If OSU is forced to start drives deep in its own territory, PSU has the defense to make a 90-yard drive nearly impossible.
C – Paterno has to let his coaches do their thing again. It worked great at IU, and can work at home just the same. Let Morelli throw some deep, and don’t be afraid to call some shots to the middle of the field. In 2005, Paterno opted to go for it on 4th-and-2 on PSU’s first scoring drive. PSU needs that sort of confidence in their coaching staff to win in 2007.
Interesting Stat: PSU has only hosted a No. 1 team once, Notre Dame in 1989 (PSU loss 34-23). Paterno is 4-7 all-time against No. 1 teams.
GAME PREDICTION (assuming it rains): This will not disappoint fans. Beaver Stadium will once again live up to its “Greatest Show in College Football” moniker. OSU will take its first drive and move the ball well, scoring a TD to make the PSU fans uneasy. But PSU will come back, kicking a FG to come within four, midway through the second quarter. A tipped Boeckman pass will be picked off by DE Josh Gaines and returned to the OSU 20. PSU will get a quick score from Royster, 10-7 PSU. OSU will get one last possession before the half, with just enough time to tie it on a FG. 10-all at halftime. Neither team will score in the third quarter, exchanging turnovers and punts in a boring stretch. OSU’s Wells will rip off a 25 yarder in the fourth, but a missed handoff will force OSU to settle for a FG. 13-10 OSU. PSU will get the ball back with less than 6 minutes to go, and facing third and very long, get a pass interference call to continue the drive. Morelli will capitalize and on the next play, hit WR Deon Butler inside the five. Three straight runs will result in a Kinlaw TD. OSU will turn it over on downs inside the PSU 35, and PSU runs the clock to less than a minute. Three hail mary’s later… PSU 17, OSU 13. I just can’t see PSU losing at home. I know, UM did it, but his is OSU. PSU’s actually beaten them this century.
PSU 17, OSU 13
VEGAS:
PSU (+3.5) OSU
ACTUAL SCORE:
PSU 17, OSU 37
Today is Oct. 8. Two years ago on this date, then-No. 16 Penn State staged one of the greatest games in college football history (even if you're not a PSU fan, this was one of the best), by defeating then-No. 6 Ohio State in a night game at Beaver Stadium. Let us relive the moment that was possibly the loudest (I say that even after being at the 2002 Nebraska game) in PSU football history...
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