Penn State Phriday

Yinzers,

Well, a lot has happened in Happy Valley since we last had the pleasure of speaking with each other. With the end of the Nittany Lion football season, there were proverbial "hanging chad's"-and not the Brognano type-out there about the fate of the Penn State Phridays on the MSM. I am personally here to tell you that it is here to stay, it will just be less football-driven. On that note, here's your phirst Phriday of the MSM in 2010!


After finishing up with yet another 10-win season, JoePa's squad headed South to look for another bowl win, greener pastures and find an answer to the lifelong question of "What's in YOUR wallet?" They found themselves in the Capital One Bowl at the Florida Citruis Bowl in Orlando, FL. While greener pastures were nowhere to be found due to heavy downpours and a previous use of the field by the Champs Sports Bowl, the Nittany Lions found out that a win over LSU was in their wallet. The Nittany Lions defeated LSU 19-17 in the mud bog. Overall, the field and weather conditions made it tougher on everybody with both teams dropping passes and slipping in the sod. In the end, Daryll Clark capped off his career winning a big game and going 18/35 for 216 yds and 1 TD. Evan Royster and Stephon Green, a.k.a. "Thunder and Lightning" added 65 and 35 on the ground respectively. The biggest contribution came from TE Andrew Quarless, who grabbed 8 passes for 88 yards. He will go down as one of the best tight ends that has ever set foot in Beaver Stadium. In the end, it was a great crescendo to end on for the careers of all the seniors, and for the senior fans such as myself.


uuuhhhh....do you know the meaning of 3-PEAT?
When most people think of collegiate volleyball, their thoughts tend to wander to the Napa Valley, Southern California or some place along California Interstate-1. However, I will tell you this, your thoughts deceive you. The Mecca of collegiate volleyball just so happens to be in the middle of Pennsylvania, in a rural town called State College. What gives me the credibility to make such statements? BECAUSE PENN STATE WINS EVERYTHING VOLLEYBALL. The women's volleyball team won their THIRD STRAIGHT national championship this year AND broke the record for most consecutive wins by any collegiate program. They defeated Texas in the national championship game after dropping the first 2 games of a best of 5 match. Penn State came roaring back to take it 3-2 and set their spot in the record books.
The men's team starts up in February, looking to defend their national title.


You can't spell Nittany without NIT. Coming off of a huge NIT tournament championship, there were and are still high expectations on campus for the Penn State basketball team. I know a lot of students in the "Nittwitts"-true on more levels than one-who believe we will make an NCAA tournament appearance this year. Don't get me wrong, I love my Nittany Lions and if you slit my wrists, I bleed blue and white, but an NCAA tournament bid is out of the question. The main reason is the loss of forward Jamelle Cornley, who is now playing professionally in the Ukraine. When a team loses its best big man, who also is one of the top rebounders in the Big-10, and second on your squad in points...there is going to be a big hole. Said statement has proven true this year. The Nittany Lions are 10th in the Big-10 with a record of 8-8 (0-4). The baseline presence just is not there this year. Penn State's "big men" should just be called what they are..."lanky men." We have the height down low, but there is zero strength involved. Perhaps they will develop over time, but do not expect big things like last year to happen. I would predict a middle of the pack finish in the Big-10 and perhaps another NIT invitation at best.


Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

For the Glory,
B Brog