Tuesday, November 20, 2007

So many questions, only 8 months to answer them

Some questions were asked over at fanblogs.com, now I understand that they were rhetorical but I feel like answering them.

- How does Penn State address the discipline problems going forward?

For starters, Baker needs to be gone, long gone off the team and to be honest, if I were still a student I would want him out of my school. No excuse for the type of WWE Real life smackdown that went down, of all places, at the HUB.

Sub question, and not to deflect any attention, but why the hell does the school have events going on at the student center and have NO security or administration supervising the scene. Even the worthless 'campus police' could have at least called someone before this poor kid was smashed up by Baker and 14 of his 300 pound friends.

- Does Paterno's silent, internal discipline create a culture that signals to players that they are above the consequences of the 'civilians'?

To get down to it, and there is not way for anyone outside of the players to really know this, I have to think the blame goes on the shoulders of the captains. Connor is a class clown, Morelli has no sense of team, and Terrell Golden is not a key member of the team. Golden was the one wildcard, someone who we thought might have slipped under the radar but was internally respected....well that was not the case. This shit didn't happen with MRob was running things, it didn't happen when Poz was steering the ship, yet as soon as the 2006 captains left the power vacuum and lack of leadership created problems. Also, someone explain to me where this "I'm tired of players getting away with things" retoric comes from, who got away with what? Players were suspended, and I don't mean the until we need them Saban suspension either. Maybe I'm missing something.

- Does the PSU coaching staff have the answers to the problems facing the Nittany Lions? If so, why didn't they fix them this year? If not, then what?

Well this begs the question: what are the problems? They aren't easy to define at first without using a broad brush. For example, what the hell happened to the defense? They have been good for 5 and a half years then fell apart against Ohio State. MRob was a receiver and became the best QB in the league, yet no one could developer #14, whos fault is that? The offensive play calling appeared fixed right up until the 4th quarter of the MSU game, whos decision was that to change? I can go all day but I think the answer to the question is no, we are not capable. If we were, we would have won the Big Ten this year...we had the talent.

- What - if anything - did PSU do this year that makes you feel good about next year?

Run the ball. The oline came together and Royster showed he can hit the hole. That will open up the pass game and whoever starts won't be able to complain about lack of tools. That being said, I don't know who is going to develop a QB, and they sure as hell didn't get any experience this season.

- Has the entitlement culture mentality of the current 18-year old player passed Joe Paterno by? Can he relate to this team? Is Paterno just sticking around for a shot at the record?

First, JoePa has not shot at the record. Bowden will be around at least one more year than Paterno and thats really how this thing is going to be settled. They are two games apart and teams play 13 a year: do the math.

Is he out of touch? No, this is forcing a generic rational on a conforming situation. If JoePa couldn't relate then kids would continue to commit to PSU. DWill could have gone anywhere in the nation and came here. King, ditto. We stole two kids from Tressels home town this year and it wasn't because "Joe Pa couldn't relate to kids these days." That is a cop out that firejoepa.com posters use without any support.

That being said, are there younger coaches who better understand their players? Sure, but they aren't Joe Paterno, they don't have 5 undefeated seasons and there names aren't known by every football player in America. You take the good with the bad.

1 comment:

M1EK said...

There were no suspensions from the apartment fight - and there should have been. That led to the HUB fight, in my opinion.