Lions enjoyed the rest, now it is time to prove they are the BEST! Volume #4, Issue #11

Excited Penn State Fans:

A year of incredible Penn State football has arrived at the final game. Joe Paterno and the team know this is a huge game! And it is a game where they control their future.

Destiny, as the general media likes to say, is in their hands (and feet). However, I want to reference a scene from the critically acclaimed movie, “A Knights Tale”.

In the movie a young pheasant boy is told by his father, “that any man can change his stars”. Of course, in stimulating cinematography, that boy grew to become a great knight and friend of the King of England.

Friends, our beloved Nittany Lions are about to accomplish the same transformation! They are going to travel to East Lansing this weekend and destroy some Spartan soldiers, and make everyone forget the past turmoil and disappointments. Instead, Lions fans will remember this team as the one who returned Penn State football to its rightful place at the top echelon of the football world.

Mikey, Alan, Paul and the boys will indeed “change their stars” and at the end of the game the Spartan team will be seeing stars from the abuse the Lions deliver. It is going to be a beautiful thing!


Let’s talk about the BCS:
Thank you to all who wrote me and told me I was CRAZY for my thoughts about the Lions loss to MeCheatAgain. Let me just be sure everyone understood my view:
I hate MeCheatAgain!!! In fact, I was so mad at the loss that I could not leave my house that night. So, I was just as disappointed as the rest of you
However, I think this BCS system would not have rewarded an undefeated Penn State team with a chance to play in the championship game. WHY? While the computers love us, the pollsters would never rank us above the Shorthorns or USC.

Let’s just win TWO more games and finish #2 in the final polls!!!!



Michigan State Prediction:

Friends I am so excited about this upcoming weekend. As I am making my first Big 11 road trip in over 5 years!! And I am hoping for a very different result this time, as last time I sat in that toilet bowl in Ann Arbor…

However, I very conflicted about this game. While I truly believe Penn State should win going away….I keep coming across information that worries me. So, I will lay out all the facts that I have captured and then make the big Prediction

Comparing Offenses:
PSU Dead Romans
Total Offense #24, 437 yds game #5, 507 yd game
Scoring Offense #11, 36 pts game #14, 35 pts game


Comparing Defenses:
PSU Dead Romans
Total Defense #11, 297 yds game #95, 421 yd game
Scoring Defense #11, 16 pts game #79, 29 pts game


Why the Spartan could win:
Michigan State is 9-1 vs. Top 10 teams since beating #4 Penn State in 1997 (the game was at East Lansing)
This is the most prolific Offense Penn State has faced all year
Penn State is only 3-3 in East Lansing
Emotions for Mich State:
Senior Day
Must win to gain Bowl eligibility (last year was the same circumstance when they came to Happy Valley and they got spanked 37-13)
Chance to ruin our year (I don’t believe the negative to someone else is really compelling motivation….)
ESPN Gameday is present giving them National attention
Game their quant 80,000 person stadium (Of course, you can still buy tickets to the game…so I they may not have a rabid fan following)


Why the Nittany Lions could win:
Since joining the Big 11, Penn State is 9-3 vs. Michigan State
John L Smith is only 18-17 at home……
Michigan State is 2-5 in the Big 11….only beating cellar dwellers Illinois and Indiana…who have horrible defenses, #110 and #93 respectively
This is the second most prolific Offense they have seen all year…and Northwestern hung 49 points on these conquered soldiers!
Sparty is 1-5 in the last six games…have the Romans folded up camp and gone home? (Note, the editor predicted this idea 7 weeks ago)
Emotions for Penn State:
Win the Big 11
Get first bid to a BCS game
Return Joe Paterno and Penn State to greatness
ESPN Gameday is present giving us more National attention
I estimate that 35% of the crowd to be Penn State fans


My Prediction is:

What was I thinking….the outcome is obvious!!!

The Nasty Nittany Lions: 35
The Extinct Spartans: 17

Mikey accounts for over 300 yards and gets an invite to the Heisman ceremony
Hunt runs for another 100 yards and breaks 1000 on the year
Paul gets another 12 tackles and Hali gets another 3 sacks



Random Penn State Thoughts:

Bowl Game:

The latest inside knowledge has us in the Orange Bowl vs. Miami. The Fiesta Bowl committee is being a bit blinded by the fake gold on Notre Lame’s helmets.

But, there is so much more to a bowl bid than the game itself. It is the circular process that enables strong teams to remain strong……

The chance to practice for 4 more weeks. Bowl games are a reward to Seniors and a training camp to under classmen. A time for the younger players to learn and the coaching staff to evaluate the talent in the program.

So, Penn State’s bowl game this year will enable the Lions to be successful next year!!


Bobby don’t look back!:

Our favorite coach at the Florida State Penitentiary, Bobby Bowden, better work a little harder at winning. Because the resurrected greatest coach of all time, Joe Paterno, is now only 6 wins behind! And the way Penn State and the illegal Indians of Florida State are playing, Joe should be closer by the end of the year!!

Way to go Joe!


Travel to the Bowl Game:
Who is going??? My friends will begin working on travel plans after we win next week. So, let me know if you are going and want to be part of our traveling caravan. Bowl selections will be announced on December 4th.


Key games and picks of the week:
Last week I was 4-0, which makes me 10-2 since the start of this segment:

Ohio State at MeCheatAgain: This is a tough game for us Penn Staters….if UM wins…and we win, then the Big 11 title is solely ours!! However, the Crazy Nuts are 3-1 under Tressel against the Wolverettes. So the NUTS win!!!
USC vs. Fresno State: The prophylactics will have some fun.
Auburn vs. Bama: The Elephants will be stuffed after this loss


Final Rant of the Week: Remember our friend Mr. Dick Harmon from multiple wives state?? Here is his Harris poll this week: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635161081,00.html

He moved us up to #7…must have been the outcry across the country pointing to him being an idiot that caused us to jump 10 spots without playing!!!

However, my award for the “Best crying for votes” goes to Mack Brown and his ability to “talk” his way into the BCS last year!

Of course, our leader Joepa has no idea about the Polls, or at least he acted as such during his press conference today. He again, as he has for decades, called for a playoff…because he believes this team can beat anyone!

Give us a playoff system or give me death!


Mulit-media specials of the week:
Our Nittany Lion has been learning some new dance moves. Here he is doing the Napoleon Dynamite dance. Enjoy!
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/d/h/dhv103/liondancing.avi


Enjoy the win and our second Big 11 title,
Erik “I will cheer until I can’t talk” Rosenstrauch