TNL says goodbye

All good things must come to an end and today is the end of TNL. 3 years and over 284,000 visits ago I started The Nittany Line with the express intention of discussing all things Penn State with a few thousand friends. It's been a good run and I've had a lot of fun but it's time to move on. Fear not though, I won't be going away, I've been invited to write over at a new site called Linebacker-U. It's a combination of Mike from Zombie Nation, Tim from Happy Hour Valley and of course me… and I drug Nick along for the ride. Think of us as the Voltron of Penn State blogs.

No, I'm not the lion piloted by the princess!

With Linebacker-U you get more perspectives and more in-depth articles than I could never have managed by myself here at TNL. Both Mike and Tim (and ok, Nick) are good writers and each have their unique perspective, it should be fun. Don't worry though, I'll still be the one that creates the photoshop of DickRod that gets us tons and tons of hate mail. It's my mission in life. So head on over to Linebacker-U and take a look. My first Wrestling Wreport is up and ready to wow you. Ok, probably not. Thanks to all of you that have been with me through that last couple years.

Blue and White Roundtable Roundup: let us never speak of this again

I thought not actually answering the questions and doing a roundup of the B&W roundtable would be easy. Jesus was I wrong, this was the most time consuming thing I've done in a long, long time. All the participants are listed below and we have a rouge on our hands: PSUGIRL from 2 The Lion Football:

I thought it was fitting to renew my tradition of posting some "unauthorized" answers to the weekly Blue and White Roundtable.

Oh, Heeeellllll no, consider yourself "official" now!

Nittany Lounge
We Want the Lion
W. F. Yurasko
Happy Hour Valley
Penn State Clips
Zombie Nation
Nittany Whiteout
2 The Lion Football

-Temple lost over half of their offensive line and their starting QB from a team that didn't have much of an offense anyway (107th in total offense in the country) do they have a realistic shot at moving the ball against Penn State's defense?

-Nittany Lounge got all wordy and statistical-ly on us pointing out that QB Vaughn Charlton completed 19 passes for 317 yards and gave us a (WOW!) which that most certainly is. But he points out that time of possession and a lack of running game will be there doom.

Low ToP for Temple – No Running Game – Short passes, few first downs

-I'll assume Happy Hour Valley was using hyperbole when answering:

If Akron's "hi-octane passing attack" and Syracuse's "stallion" couldn't move the ball effectively against us, what makes one think that Temple of all teams will have any more success?

If by "hi-octane" he means E-85 then yes it is a hi-octane offense.

-Zombie Nation doesn't really buy into the Vaughn Charlton's numbers:

Villanova doesn't exactly have NFL talent along its defensive line, or in the linebackers. Unless Temple quarterback Vaughn Charlton is night-and-day better this Saturday, don't expect the Owls to cross the goal line... again.

Ooooohhh…. is that a shutout prediction!?!

-Nittany Whiteout who got all Bill Cosby on our asses uses statistics (DAMN STATISTICS!!) to drive the point home that the Owls have not fared so well against Penn State in the past.

In 2008 the Owls had 16 rushing yards and 138 total offensive yards. In 2007 at the Linc Temple had 242 yards (4 rushing). In 2006 they obtained 282 yards (16 rushing). If this is a trend, it is a bad omen for the Owls.

-2 The Lion Football mentions something that I've noticed this season and that's the emergence of Josh Hull.

Lee seems to be back to full speed+ and Hull seems to have taken some sort of agility/quickness potion during the off season (perhaps he draws strength from the wicked new mustache).

Cue gratuitous pic!

-We Want the Lion says Temple's badness scares them... and by badness I don'tmean BAD I mean craptastic.

That's the other thing that scares us about Temple, they appear on the schedule the week before Iowa.

But he points out that that's just a copout answer.

-Homework time! You'll have to dig deep and be creative for this one: name something about this Temple team that scares you (ok scare may be a bit much… how about gives you pause).

-Nittany Lounge gets bonus points.

Temple's second team scares me. Looks like a case of the clap ready to happen. What's the with gang hand gestures?

1,000 Yuengling Lagers for you sir!

-W. F. Yurasko is scared of Al Golden, but not for the reasons you would think.

I am scared that Al Golden, the Owls current head coach, will somehow convince Intercollegiate Athletics that he should be the next Penn State coach.

As for those that actually looked for something that is scary, 2 The Lion Football points to Vaughn Charlton, Zombie Nation says it's the D-line, and Nittany Whiteout did a Q&A with Philadelphia Examiner Todd Orodenker, who covers Temple Owls and he believes wide receiver Michael Campell has the skills to test our untested secondary.

-Temple lost to Villanova in week one on the last play of the game. If you'll remember that also happened to Temple twice last season: bad luck or bad coaching?

Winning is an attitude and so is losing. Zombie Nation points out Al Golden has yet to break that habit.

Temple lost three games last year on the final play of the game, and one this season. That's the sure sign of a team that's still learning how to win.

-Happy Hour Valley Suggests that Al Golden was a one-hit-wonder:

Let me make one thing clear: You don't suffer from bad luck when you give an FCS team a chance to beat you at the end of a game, you're suffering from crappy coaching/crappy player execution.

-We Want the Lion thinks it's bad luck.

Last year one of those losses was a last second hail mary by Buffalo and that's just plain bad luck…Teams win this way, and it's not an indictment of the losing team, it's often a bad break. It happens.

-Nittany Lounge says it's all about "location, location, location."

Can we blame Golden for Temple University's location? Twelve feet of sidewalk for a campus doesn't help when it comes to recruiting… The bottom line: Temple loses games (close or not) because of the quality of players.

Quick Hits

-True or False: Penn State holds Temple under 200 yards of total offense?

Nittany Lounge - True
We Want the Lion- True
W. F. Yurasko- False
Happy Hour Valley- True
Zombie Nation- True
Nittany Whiteout- False
2 The Lion Football- False

For the record that's 4 true vs. 3 false: sounds like the panel isn't so sure.

-True or False: Temple goes bowling this season?

Nittany Lounge - True

We Want the Lion- False
W. F. Yurasko- False
Happy Hour Valley- True
Zombie Nation- True
Nittany Whiteout- False
2 The Lion Football- False

Again that's 3 vs. 4 so we're not so sure. I think they will.

-On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being "totally sucked" and 10 being "awesomeness of epic levels" – how did the Michigan victory over Chuck Weis make you feel last week? Be honest!

Nittany Lounge -

Five = "eating cold pizza and drinking stale beer" I have an equally extreme dislike for DickRod and Fat Charlie and I have zero love for Notre Lame and scUM. That puts me right in the middle.

Ok, that's technically not a five, stale beer sucks but cold pizza rocks… in the morning and who drinks beer in the morn… never mind.

We Want the Lion-

It was a 9 until we saw Rich Rod celebrating, then it was a 2.

True, very, very true.

W. F. Yurasko- Five.

Happy Hour Valley – five. And then tells us this.

I don't give a damn for the whole state of Michigan either (partly as a result of having family from O-hi-o).

You sir, are off the Christmas card list.

Nittany Whiteout- Admits he's a fan of Michigan:

To me seeing Notre Dame is enjoyable in itself and it does not matter who the coach is; I will enjoy them all the same. Put me down for a solid nine.

We all have our flaws.

2 The Lion Football- 5

good for the big ten, bad for weis and clausen - but still michigan.

-And finally from the comment section:

JD from Glasses of Joe does us some ratings:

I rate my notre dame schadenfraude on a set scale:

10 out of 10: navy (or any service acadamy)

9 out of 10: syracuse, PSU

2-8 out of ten: almost everyone else

0-1 out of 10: USC. and that's because i'm a generous person. and the scale doesn't go negative.

as for michigan? i'll give them a seven, just because they quashed the "ND is going to the BCS Championship" bandwagon early.

Ok, not exactly what I had in mind but it works just the same.

PSU kicks late field goal beats the Illini 38-33

No wait, this is basketball season what was I thinking? Penn State kept its NCAA tournament dreams alive last night by beating the fighting non-offensive mascots in the ugliest game in basketball history 38-33. How bad was it?

Chester Frazier and Meacham had seven points each to lead Illinois, which did not shoot any free throws -- the first time a team didn't have an attempt in a game at the 46-year-old Assembly Hall.

Neither team scored until Illinois forward Mike Davis' jumper more than 4 minutes into the game.

About 10 minutes in, both teams were still in single digits while shooting a combined 5-for-26 from the field.

Illinois' point total was its lowest since a 33-31 loss to Minnesota in 1947.

Battle, [was] the game's leading scorer with 11 and the only player the score in double figures Wednesday

U·G·L·Y!

If you would like complete and coherent coverage, head on over to BSD, I'm sure the triumvirate will have it covered much more thorough then you could ever want or expect… that's how they roll.

It’s Hockey Season?

Unfortunately, I missed the Pens season opener in Stockholm because of well… college football but suffice it to say the Pens split the short series with the Sens. I'm bringing this up because we have a new Pittsburgh-based blog that you should check out called (appropriately for Pirates fans) This is Gettting Old. I was asked to add a link and I have a strict police of always checking a blog out before adding it to my blogroll (hey you have to have some standards, I mean I'm not a whore, ok I am but still…) but I followed the link and was greeted with this:

I need no further investigation consider yourself linked. Oh there are more pictures of Alyssa Milano and this is the least sexy of them but she's wearing my favorite hockey team's shirt so it's damn sexy to me. Head on over if you're a Pittsburgh fan (he's also a Penn State fan) and check it out or head on over and trash talk if you're a Philly fan, whatever just head over and check out hot pictures of Alyssa Milano.

TNL welcomes We Want the Lion

It's that time of year again when new blogs arise like expectations for our beloved Nittany Lions. Got an e-mail from one of the "staff" (as if we bloggers actually have "staff" or an office… pretty much we have a computer and beer… lots of beer) of the site, checked it out for myself and I highly recommend them. Head on over and check them out for yoself:

They're painstakingly doing previews of every Penn State opponent before the season starts, to which I say Bully chaps, I'm glad someone is, I'm too lazy…. and drunk.

Blog Chips

Lots of little tidbits on the intertubes these days so here are some things for your linking pleasure.

-Paterno met with reporters for the first time since dismissing Baker and Taylor and admitted he may have made some mistakes.

Later, Paterno said, "I think all of us are under the gun" to keep players out of trouble. "Whether I've done a good enough job, I'm trying, and my staff is trying."

"If you want to walk out of that tunnel, and want people to cheer for you and respect you, there's an obligation that goes with that," he said. "Sometimes it's hard for a kid."

"Some people have not really understood the effort we've made and in a lot of cases, have overcriticized some things that happened. Not that we were not wrong. We were wrong."

-So what's the other big news item to come from practice? Oh yeah, there is that whole quarterback thing.

"Daryll's done very, very well, and part of that is because he's played in games more than Pat has," Jay Paterno said. "And so when he comes into preseason and does really well, Daryll hasn't left the door open for anyone to jump him."

"I think I've made it clear that I would prefer to play one quarterback," Paterno said. But the way the game is played today with the quarterback really physically so much more involved in it, I think you got to be careful."

So is it Daryll's job or is it still open? In running back Brent Carter's mind the competition is over.

"Right now, Daryll is our guy," running back Brent Carter said.

It's hard to get a feel for what is going on in Paterno's mind but if the past is any indication then I'd say that Clark is the man but it sounds like they want to get Devlin some valuable playing time.

Paterno said it may be three or four games before a decision. More than likely, game-time situations will expose a leader in what's certainly a close race. That could mean splitting snaps…

-Finally head on over to the ever expanding Black Shoe Diaries and wish the guys there Happy Birthday. They've been putting out quality stuff for two years now and are a daily must-read.

Sometimes it’s hard to say goodbye: MZone, you’ll be missed

When I started this humble little blog some two years ago (and I just realized TNL's B-day is coming up) I would read a couple blogs on a daily basis and one of my daily reads was the MZone. Yost and the boys did a great job of mixing meaningful football analysis with loads of comedic brilliance. From co-ed showdowns to photoshopped gems MZone did it with a flair few could match. Unfortunately, the members of MZone dwindled down to one and Yost found it too difficult to continue to pound out the daily posts by his lonesome.

Thus, rather than ever get to a point where people say, "Man, the MZone used to be so good. But now it sucks giant, Michigan-owning Buckeye nuts," I'd rather end it here on a high note and the old vaudevillian credo of "Leave them wanting more...caption contests and Photoshopped gems." And while I won't say never in terms of the MZone returning somewhere down the line - or in some other incarnation - if the passion returns, right now it's time to simply say farewell.

Before I started this blog I e-mailed Yost and asked for some advice not actually thinking I'd get a reply. To my surprise I immediately got a return e-mail with loads of tips on starting things up. Yost e-mailed me several times answered all my questions and was very helpful and for that I'm immensely thankful. While some bloggers strive to be EDSBS I wanted to be the next MZone (yeah, yeah, I know I fell way short). I had no intention of becoming a professional writer I just wanted to talk football and hopefully make some people laugh along the way. Yost was unique in the world of Michigan bloggers, he had no problem questioning and often criticizing Michigan football on and off the field. While others toed the company line and defended everything Michigan did, Yost called a spade a spade and I always respected that.

So a great blog has come and gone and I, for one, will miss it. Thanks MZone for a great three year run, and oh by the way Colin Cowherd is still a dick.

TNL down for the count

Spent my holiday laying on the couch within 30 feet of a toilet at all times thanks in part to some alien bug that liquefied my lower intestines and my computer decided to kick the bucket so not going to be able to do much until I get things straightened out. In the meantime check out BSD, Mike says PSU has landed their ninth commitment, defensive back Stephon Morris and he also has a great breakdown of the running back targets for dear old PSU. Elsewhere in the PSU blogosphere, RUTS is back from his marathon in Vermont. Why is that important enough to link? Because typing 'marathon' and 'RUTS' in the same sentence makes me snicker.

I’m not a quarterback coach but I play one on Saturdays

I'm not even going to get into the aftermath of Justin King and Dan Connor slipping hopelessly down draft boards of NFL teams, it's really disheartening especially for Connor who deserves better. Let's just say that Carolina got themselves the bargain of the draft. However I would like to point out that Anthony Morelli signed a free agent contract with Arizona as a "project" player. Our good friend RUTS has dug up this article containing this quote about Morelli from former pro scout Tom Marino who has 30 plus years in the league.

"He has all the tools you look for in a QB; an athletic body, very strong throwing arm and far better movement then I had expected, but is acutely under coached and unprepared for the job of being a professional QB."

"Acutely under coached and unprepared" is not exactly a glowing review of the abilities (or lack thereof) of your quarterbacks coach and it's coming from somebody that knows what he's talking about. Joe can shield Jay from criticism from the media all he wants but when someone with decades of experience evaluating talent for the NFL says he can't coach it's pretty damning testimony. That comment can't be dispensed with a wave of the hand and a "you don't know what you're talking about" retort from Joe because he does know what he's talking about.

Swarthy Italian Charm vs. Child of the Corn

Our friends over at the glorious BlackHeartGoldPants announced the final four of their Bracket Madness and it pits JoePa against the unstoppable force, DMBMeg. Needless to say, the Nittany Line fully supports JoePa in his postseason effort, but we’ll take a closer look at this match up.

JoePa

I rip it hardcore like porno-flick bitches

I roll with groups of ghetto bastards with biscuits
Check it, my method on the microphone's bangin'
Wu-Tang slang, I'll leave your headpiece hangin'
Bust this, I'm kickin' like Seagal Out For Justice
The roughness, yes, the rudeness, ruckus
Redrum, I verbally assault with the tongue
Murder-one – my style shot your knot like a stun-gun
I'm hectic, I wreck it with the quickness,
set it on the microphone, and competition get blown
by this nasty-ass coacha – also known as JoePa,
charged like a bull and got pull like a trigga
So bad stabbin' up the pad with the vocab, crab
I scream on your ass like your dad: "bring it on...”

What’s left to say after this brilliance?

vs.

DMBMeg

Usually, we get crap from journalists and shitty, wannabe rappers, it’s time this blog made some attractive enemies. We’re ambitious, damn her looks, it only highlights how ugly the rest of us bloggers really are, a hideous scourge. Don’t fall under her spell, sure she’s part Charlize Theron, Naomi Watts and Eva Mendes, but she’s also part Isaac and Malachai, because that’s how the Blue Man wanted it. Sure she’s a smartass and likes drinking, football and kicking ass in NCAA Tournament pools, but she also adores Tom Cruise and chose him as her avatar, that’s right, this guy, also seen here:

Great Xenu’s ghost!

Vote for Joe. Vote like the wind.


On a serious note, we heartily endorse donating towards her participation in the 2008 NYC Triathlon.

..and while I’m at it, Joe Paterno is a smelly old man!

There's burning bridges then there's launching a full army brigade's worth of ammunition turning the bridge into a splintered pile of rubble, burning the rubble, and then taking a dump on the smoldering pile. Andrew Quarless chose the bombs-a-blazin' approach with respect to his career at Penn State.

Penn State tight end Andrew Quarless was charged Thursday with DUI after State College police say he was stopped early Sunday while driving with a blood alcohol level of .084 percent.

Quarless, 19, of Uniondale, N.Y., was stopped at 2:54 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of East College Avenue and South Pugh Street when police said he ran a red light in a white BMW... "Did I go through the red light?" police say Quarless asked the officer. A blood test taken about a half hour later showed Quarless had a .084 BAC, the complaint states.

Did you go through a red light? No son, you just went through what was left of a once promising career. Adios. (HT: RUTS who always beats me to these things)

Blog Chips

-First the unpleasantness... Penn State Tight End Andrew Quarless has been yet again suspended from the football team.

Penn State tight end Andrew Quarless has been suspended indefinitely for an unspecified violation of team rules, according to football team spokesman Jeff Nelson.

Quarless joins five other Lions who have been at least temporarily removed from the team for infractions since Jan. 25... This isn't Quarless' first visit to coach Joe Paterno's doghouse. The 6-foot-5, 252-pound sophomore sat out the first two games of last season after he was issued an underage drinking citation in August... He returned to a starting role but was often a nonfactor, catching just 14 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

But hey, he still had a great freshman season.

-Now that we've got that out of the way onto the fun stuff. I would be remiss if I did not mention that one of professional football's greatest has official retired yesterday.

After flirting with retirement for years, Brett Favre means it this time. The Green Bay Packers quarterback quit Tuesday after a 17-season career in which he dazzled fans with his grit, heart and rocket of an arm.

"I know I can still play, but it's like I told my wife, I'm just tired mentally. I'm just tired," Favre, a three-time NFL MVP said.

Forget his rocket arm or no-fear attitude he displayed on a weekly basis, I'll remember Favre for all the poundings he took and yet gutted his way off the turf and back into the huddle. He IS the definition of guts. I know it has nothing to do with Penn State but you have to take a moment and tip your hat to greatness – congrats Brett Favre, you made Sunday's a little more fun to watch.

-Speaking of tipping your hat to greatness I want to end by acknowledging two of my Big Ten blogging brethren for their efforts this year: Black Heart Gold Pants won the 2008 CFBA Best New Blog and our dear old friend Mike has won the Best Big Ten Blog. BHGP deserves it simply because they are fucking funny. That expletive is totally necessary and I think I've made my point – read them, like every day.

As for Mike: what more can I say, the man breathes, eats, sleeps, and lives Penn State. I have no evidence of this but I wouldn't be shocked in the slightest if he and the old lady knock boots to the Penn State Blue Band CD – not shocked at all. Here is his humble (there's a surprise – isn't he always!?) acceptance speech.

But I plugged along because I love Penn State football. It's my hobby. It's my passion. I did it for my fellow Penn State fans like me who crave Penn State content 365 days a year. About six months after starting HTTL is when Peter approached me about coming on with SBN. So in August of 2006, Black Shoe Diaries was launched to a shaky start and the rest is history.

I remember Mike from his Hail To The Lion days and he's come a long way and made quite the success of it. It's very difficult coming up with content on a day by day basis and Mike makes it look easy.

I think shortly after I started up HTTL is when The Nittany Line and Run Up The Score started up. The three of us grew our blogs together. We encouraged each other. We bounced ideas off each other and RUTS soon came up with the idea to start the Blue White Roundtable. I consider Chris and Galen two of my best friends in the blogosphere. Thanks, guys.

The feeling is 100% totally mutual and it's been easy navigating the blogosphere when you have two skilled co-pilots pointing out the way. I've managed to meet Mike at one of his Penn State tailgates and he's just as transparent in life as he is in his blog – he's a great host and a very pleasant person. I'm excited about his win in particular because these award thingies are usually popularity contests among the bigger blogs but it's great to see the blogosphere pick one of the little guys. Congrats BHGP and congrats BSD!

Kill Bill

Both BSD and RUTS have tipped us off to Laschout.com's latest rumor-mongering (yes I know it's a link to a link of a "rumor" site but it's the freekin' offseason people what do you want me to do?)

Laschout has learned from multiple sources that Bill Cowher was on campus February24th and 25th. His time at PSU included an overnight stay at Tim Curley's home. So inquiring minds want to know, what was the reason for this visit?

Let the message board craziness begin.

In other news I don't care to report, Phillip Taylor was arraigned on charges stemming from the HUB fight. That is all. Carry on.

Terrelle Pryor update because you’re the salivating dogs that you are

Kudos to Michigan Sports Center for jumping on this first (thank you Google reader gizmo) but Pryor has finally admitted that he was ready to sign with the Sweatervest.

Pryor admits he was set to sign with Ohio State the day before Feb. 6…

But thanks to a last second visit by the Penn State coaching staff the Lions won over his father:

…but a conversation with his father, Craig, made him think twice. His father wanted him to take another look at Penn State and take an official visit.

Pryor also answers the million dollar question:

"I'm really interested," he said. "This isn't just being respectful of my father, this is thinking things through and making sure I have all the info I need before I make a big decision. I really like Coach Bradley at Penn State and they could end up being the right fit for me, I'm not sure."

Message board loons start your overly optimistic prognostication engines! HE'S COMING TO PENN STATE!! WOOT!! HE'LL WIN FOUR HEISMANS AND THREE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS!!

Reality bites in the ass though because when asked if Michigan was out of it now that Penn State and OSU have been prominently on his mind, Pryor shrugs it off like a blitzing linebacker:

"No, I can't say that," he said. "I'm considering all four schools and I'm going to pick the place that's right for me. It could be any of them.

"I'm just waiting for things to slow down a bit so I can visit Penn State and figure things out from there."

I'd also like to give Terrelle a little advice in the future, for the love of God, don't listen to Mark May.

Pryor said the media attention has slowed down a great deal since Signing Day.

"That day was tough because I was being criticized by everyone for not making up my mind and signing," he said. "Mark May from ESPN is criticizing me on national television and he doesn't even know me."

Don't worry T.P. no one, and I mean NO ONE cares what Mark May thinks. Ok, maybe these guys.

Would You Like Another Butterscotch Candy?

Every Day Should Be Saturday opened up nominations for the College Football Blog Awards 2008 until January 27. Get off your asses and grease the gears of democracy with your sweat and tears! May I humbly submit the 2 crown jewels of the Penn State blogosphere that we all aspire to equal:

Mike at Black Shoe Diaries and
Run at Run Up The Score

Feel free to make your own nominations here.

Vote or Die, Muthafucker!

TNL: now with 10% more technology

I've finally had the time to catch up here at TNL and have added some things. I've updated my Big Ten Bloggers links to include all the members of our prestigious Big Ten Bloggers group – it's becoming the hip thing to be part of our merry little band and we're growing faster than Brittany Spears' police record. My apologies to all the great blogs of these here intertubes that have been part of our group for a long time and until now have had no recognition from TNL. Hopefully everything is 100% accurate now.

Also I've added one of them thar internet gizmos: the Schmap widget on the sidebar. It's an interactive schedule/map of the Penn State basketball schedule which has stats and various eye-pleasing graphics. Please, by all means give it a try and tell me what you think; the developers would like any feedback that I and my users can give. If you like it let me know, if you hate it let me know what could be better about it. Of course in keeping with our long-standing tradition of add-free blogging, TNL has received no monetary compensation for using the Schmap, it's there to make your blogging experience better. Don't get me wrong, we're whores here at TNL but we do it to cuddle not for the money.

Life sucks

Sorry about the light blogging lately, real life has been getting in the way (ok, I was bar hopping chasing lose women) but I promise things will pick up the next few weeks. On Tap: I'll give you this year's version of the widely popular (in my mind) MCR breaking down all the bowl games, I still have the rest of the positional breakdowns to cover, I'll look ahead to the Texas A&M Aggies and what you can expect from them, and perhaps I'll spread some holiday cheer to get everyone in the mood. I think that was a record for the longest run-on sentence here at TNL. Anyhoo, here are some links for your pleasure.

• Someone named Patrick Malloy has a boat-load of cash.
  
• Even though many of us want a coaching change you can't argue that the guy can still work a crowd.
  
• How's that BCS working out? It sucks and so does ESPN, but you already knew that.
  
• Our good friend Mike at BSD has the same schedule I do (read: drinks too much too) but he's beaten us to the punch: here's his drive-by of A&M quarterback Stephen McGee.

Blog Chips

-Asshole update: the PIKE fraternity has been served:

Penn State's chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity has been suspended by both its international office and the university and may receive a disorderly conduct citation for its alleged role in actions captured in a YouTube video filmed on Saturday.

(HT: BSD)

-While you are checking out BSD you must read this post from an Air Force pilot that flew the C-17 over Beaver Stadium during the national anthem of the Northwestern game in 2006. I officially hate Mike now, I am so damn envious! I get angry e-mail telling me I'm an illiterate retard he gets e-mail from kick-ass Air Force pilots. Sonofabitch!

-It's the last home game for seniors; hopefully they go out with a bang.

-Finally, Joe Tiller loves us:

Two things about Penn State fans that I think are significant," Tiller said. "First and foremost, they are extremely loyal to that team. You noticed in that stadium (on Saturday night against Ohio State) there wasn't a lot of red around. And there were just as many people who went there as came here, and just as many people were walking around outside that stadium with those hundred-dollar bills in their hands, and nobody was selling. So I think they're extremely loyal to their team."

"Second, they really get into it in terms of trying to help their team from a motivational point of view, and making it hard on the other team to communicate."

Thanks Joe, we like you and your manly mustache as well.

Blog Chips

I'm swamped today people so I'll just apologize ahead of time for the lack of quality posting you've come to expect here at TNL. Ok, I couldn't write that without laughing out loud. Anyho, in lieu of real blogging, head on over and check out Tangled up in White and Blue a new Penn State blog aimed at coping with a Penn State football addiction.

Other things worth looking into:
-BSD is reporting that Jerome Hayes is out for the year with a torn ACL.

-RUN charts Penn State's first down passing plays for you. Suffice it to say, when PSU passes on first down good things happen.

-Carlisle Sentinel reporter Eric Thomas is saying the same thing I've been saying since Austin Scott got kicked off the team. Penn State is better without him.

-As if we didn't see this coming, the Penn State – Ohio State matchup will be televised to a national audience on ABC.

-Lastly, stealing a great idea from PSUGirl, I'm throwing an Oktoberfest party this weekend for the Indiana game. If you have any wonderful/secret recipes for authentic Oktoberfest food, please e-mail them to me or leave them in the comment section.

Oktoberfest baby!

Thank God for friends!

Combine a slow news day with lots of work both professionally and personally and you have the makings of some thin blogging. Penance comes in the form of a manically constructed list of Penn State’s greatest running backs of all time by Black Shoe Diaries. Mike did an amazing job and saved my bacon yet again when I have little time to write. Head on over and vote for your favorite PSU runningback of all time.