◊ I think I'll make this a weekly thing, particularly during the off-season. Anyway, here's what you should know, as we wrap up the week:
• Just when you thought Penn State was settling down at the quarterback spot, this happened, sending shock waves throughout the message boards. Matt Simms (formerly of Louisville, by way of Don Bosco in NJ), is looking to play JUCO for a year, then try to get in at Oklahoma or PENN STATE.
My Take: Listen to me, it won't happen. Not now, not ever. If he thinks he can come into Holuba Hall and just start competing for the job, think again. Kevin Newsome is here, and Paul Jones is on the way for '10. Put this rumor to bed, fast. Penn State doesn't like JUCO players (about 99% of the time), and won't be too keen on bringing in a high-profile (in name at least) skill player.
• On Wednesday, the NCAA rules committee rolled out a shitastic new rule–yes, another one–regarding penalties and "unsportsmanlike conduct."
Here's the SI.com wire story for the background. And TINNOMJ's reaction... 11W's and Orson's as well.
My Take: I'm not a fan of deregulation, but college football needs heavy doses of Alan Greenspan and Ronald Reagan right now. Over the last few years, we've seen the rules committee run roughshod over our game. Sometimes it's a good thing, as in the RC's cooperation with instant replay adoption. But too many other times, the RC's actions leave us all baffled, if not frustrated. Remember that fantastically doomed experiment that was Rule 3-2-5-E, in 2006? It's made a few of us upset, especially when we realized it was more about creating additional media timeouts, rather than its stated purpose of speeding up the game. But this proposed taunting penalty, should it be adopted as is, will turn out to be nothing short of the complete disaster the 2006 clock rules were. It's time for the RC to wake up.
• Yesterday, it was also revealed that the BCS is happy where it is right now, and likes being happy where it is right now. For those of us who were hoping to see the Cotton Bowl's inclusion into the formula, thus moving closer to the true plus-one system, this was a real nail in the coffin... for now.
My Take: Just relax, and take it. I don't like the BCS. Not many fans do. But is it really as bad as the taunting rule news? Not really. The BCS and college presidents run the show. And unless we stop watching the games, and buying up BCS bowl tickets like there's no tomorrow, we don't have much clout over how the system is run.
• Penn State picked up a big-time recruit this week. Oh, and did I mention is was a–are you sitting down?–basketball recruit. Needless to say, mired in a terrible losing streak, with the NCAA tournament berth gone, and the NIT steadily stepping aside, this was a shocker.
My Take: This is a major coup for Ed DeChellis & Co. Penn State took a nosedive this week, but was able to pull it up for a few minutes with this news. I'm not a fan of mediocrity, but that's what you're going to get with Penn State basketball, at least for a little while longer. When I was at Penn State, 15 wins was a major accomplishment. It wasn't that long ago. I"m not saying we need to lower our standards that much, but an understanding of the situation is critical for this program's future. The BigTen is a good conference this year, more so than usual. Penn State has managed to play with the big boys though it all.
• The BigTen coaching situation ironed out a small wrinkle this week, with the news that Kirk Ferentz is staying at Iowa... for a while. (HT: BHGP)
My Take: Ferentz had been in warm water the last few seasons, when his teams greatly underperformed with better talent than his more successful teams had from 2002-2004 (31 wins, 2 bowl wins over the SEC). But that doesn't mean he can't coach, or isn't good for the Hawkeyes. Ferentz has had a better 7-game run vs. Penn State than Jim Tressel, and only Michigan has done equal (well, you could really say 'Michigan & The Refs') over that span. On the flip side, Ferentz faces a daunting task going into 2009. He loses Shonn Greene, and two of the best defensive tackles in college football. If he can coax 8-9 wins out of this team next season, this was a great move by the university. But anything less than 7 wins will turn up the heat, even more than before.
• Oh yeah, and then there was a BigTen Bloggers Roundtable this week. Can we say shameless self-promotion?
Have a great weekend...
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