Regarding Succession

Some interesting quotes from the players:

"He'll be here, that's what I think," quarterback Daryll Clark said. "I don't think he's going anywhere. A lot of people who say [negative things] are people speaking from the outside. They really don't know what's going to happen.

"I feel that if something was going to happen, Joe would have probably addressed it already. He hasn't said anything."

Now the players standing behind Joe and saying that he will probably coach forever is nothing new, but at least we know they are in the dark as well.

"We see it every day in the papers," said center A.Q. Shipley from Moon High School. "We can't do anything about it. He's our coach this year, and whatever's going to happen after that, no one really knows.

"He's done a lot for this place. I think they owe it to him to keep him. I think he deserves to be here."

A little defensive. And again, saying "no one really knows" what will happen is 2009 is fairly clueless for one of the 2008 captains.

Fellow caption:

"[Coach Paterno] is going to go out on his own terms," Connor said. "He's been around long enough to know if he's ready for it or not. He's got a bundle of bowl wins and he's had a lot of success here. I don't think he'll be run out."

Hmmmm....there was a time when I thought that this whole battle of the titans thing was overstated, but it's pretty clear that this is for real. For as much as Paterno appears to be keeping literally everyone out of the loop, the players do appear to realize things aren't all roses.

So what the hell already, right? Those with power met in DC this weekend to discuss non-football related issues. But, off the record for some reason, most agreed that Paterno was going to be brought up in the big room.

Give Me Back My Stars!

Scouts.com has run a "where are they now" on the list of 5-star recruits from 2004. Penn State did well that year, landing three five star players: Dan Connor (#6), Anthony Morelli (#22) and Greg Harrison (#28). It is worth pointing out that Rivals had them ranked at #24, #12, and #100, respectively (Harrison was actually a 4-star).

From the bottom up:

28. OL Greg Harrison, Penn State – Harrison certainly looked the part coming out of Shenandoah Valley (Penn.) High School, a hulking lineman with good quickness, burst and smarts. However, he injured his foot shortly after arriving in State College, struggled to crack the lineup in 2006, and was not a part of the team last season. For all the hype surrounding Harrison, the jump from high school to college was too much for a player that never even lettered for the Lions.
Revised Rating: No stars

I don't know much about Harrison other than I there is probably a reason I don't know much about him. Sounds like he got hurt and kind of faded away.

22. QB Anthony Morelli, Penn State – Morelli started two seasons in Happy Valley, but never quite lived up to the hype that made him one of the country’s most coveted quarterbacks four years ago. Rarely the reason that the Lions won a big game, he finished his career with modest numbers, including 31 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions. A senior season that was supposed to be his breakthrough year wound up being riddled with inconsistent play, and as many picks as touchdowns in Big Ten games.
Revised Rating: 3 starts

This is way off in my opinion...I don't know how anyone who watched him play for two years can say he was a three star QB. I think that, when at his best (Wisconsin game comes to mind, even the Outback Bowl from two years ago) he played like a thee star, but on average? I'd say one and a half. His mobility was not a predicted strong suit, but he showed by his senior year that he was actually better off taking a sack then trying to get back to the line. There were way too many horrible throws and bad decision, right up til the end of this year, to warrant a respectable three star tag.

6. LB Dan Connor, Penn State – At a school that’s been defined by its linebackers, Connor staked his claim over the last four years to being the best ever to play in Happy Valley. An All-American the last two seasons, he won the Bednarik Award given to the nation’s best defensive player and became the Lions’ all-time leading tackler in 2007. A linebacker with unmatched instincts at the position, he should be scooped up long before the end of the first round of this spring’s NFL Draft.
Revised Rating: 5 stars

A no brainer, he was the best linebacker in the nation. Period.

Some other notables that held their ground include Ginn and Hene...the list is pretty interesting and worth taking a read through.

It's Your Friday Noon News

Some actual news happened over the past couple of days, and while I often leave actual news stories off this site because there are a million other places to read about them, I thought today would be a good time for a wrap of the hot stories.

-The Penn State safeties coach, Brian Norwood, is headed to Baylor as the DC. I am happy for him, and while several people are worried about the potential hit to recruiting, I am more worried about why in the world Brian thinks it's a good idea to join the staff of a place that has become a coaching death sentence.

-This is 'almost news', but because of how I found out about it I want to pass it along. I travel for work, this week I am near Blacksburg, home of the Hokies. So after a very commendable display of support at the blue and white game, some fucknuts decided to ruin it for all of us.



On the local Blacksburg radio this morning, I hear about how some Penn State douche bags students thought it would be a sweet idea to take the shirts they wore to the B&W Game, paint them with blood, and then wear them as a Halloween costume. Then, of course, as all idiots seem to do these days, they posted pictures on the Internet.

There really aren't words to describe how angry this makes me. If those involved are reading this, just know that you are an embarrassment to your family, your school, and your entire species. I hate you.

-Moving on to other embarrassing news, Baker had his felony charges dropped. Now I agree that the felony charge was a total trump up on the part of the loser Bellefonte DA, but it doesn't change the fact that, after being warned over and over again, this kid went out and did something stuid.

And so, to end on a high note, I am extremely proud that another Penn State player has taken home the The Bednarik Award. This is the third straight year.

That player involved is, of course, Dan Conner.

Great job, my friend. Sean, you have big shoes to fill, and just as importantly, a duty to keep the streak alive.