Well, they are suppose to. There is one in particular that I am concerned with: Michigan's total dominance of PSU. We haven't beaten them in ten years.
10/14/2006 vs. *Michigan (11-2) L 10 17
10/15/2005 @ *Michigan (7-5) L 25 27
10/12/2002 @ *Michigan (10-3) L 24 27
10/6/2001 vs. *Michigan (8-4) L 0 20
11/11/2000 @ *Michigan (9-3) L 11 33
11/13/1999 vs. *Michigan (10-2) L 27 31
11/7/1998 @ *Michigan (10-3) L 0 27
11/8/1997 vs. *Michigan (12-0) L 8 34
By far the most painful moment of my undergraduate years was watching Hene's completion for the go-ahead score, in person, using clock time that should have never existed. Fucking Big Ten refs and their Michigan shrines.
Anyway, good news: Manningham, Arrington and Mallett are all leaving Michigan. Now I talked about Mallett leaving on the Rumor Rankings a couple of weeks ago, giving it a 5.1/5.0. Mallett's father quickly defended the prospect that his All-Texas son would have to leave. Well Paps, that's Rumor Rankings 1, Mallett's Old Man 0.
As for the other two, that is a pleasant surprise. Losing an all world O lineman, shifty RB and dependable QB is one thing, but then to give up your entire receiving core is quite another. This offense is bare, I mean Penthouse bare, and while recruiting will no doubt be off the charts (Pryor is all but a lock at this point), even USC can't turn freshman into dependable production in one year.
Which leads to the final question: will we have the balls to attack Michigan this year while they are down?
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
All streaks must come to an end...
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Rumors Rankings!
Not sure how true any of this shit is, but I've decided to start a new segment here, the Rumor Ratings. Now it's often hard to to tell the message board nonsense from the poster, going by 'statecollegeshoker345', who works with a guy who's dad talked to the AD this morning. So based on my wide range of sources, I'm going to go ahead and give you a truth rating, out of 5, because things rated out of 5 tend to have more credibility. It is based on nothing substantial and can change from hour to hour...like Rumors themselves.
Rumor#1 - "Yardsale!"
The defensive coaching staff is in serious shuffle, and not the CUSA prospect shuffle we do every year. Heard this over at RUTS. Now we all know about the exit of Norwood, for, of all places, frickin' Baylor. He was replaced internally by a muppit.
The one thing lending credibility to this theory is, well just Norwood really. I don't know what sparked this but RUTS seams to often get decent scoops. My problem, though, is his plea for emails from anyone with an interenet connection. I've been to enough message boards to know that taking inside information from ananomous sources is typically not a good idea. However, it does seem to couple nicly with the JayPa story, but then again not with Bradley taking over during JoePa's rehab.
Overall, interesting, possible, but until another coach leaves I'm keeping this one below a two:
Rumors Rankings! Score = 1.5/5.0
Rumor #2 - "Beaver Killers!"
Word is we may be dropping Arkansas State, due up during the pre-conference schedule next season, for a one game stint with the Oregon State Beavers. Because our program is rich, storied and actually followed, and theirs is poor, weak, and silly, there will be, acording to the Rumor, not return trip for the Lions.
Credible? Well, I've heard it here, here, and here. The second link suggests it is because we are making a "title run". No offense to the writer of that baby, but I think we all learned our lesson this season: play a bunch of shit teams, win and you are in the MNC no questions asked (right Ohio State?). The truth is your preseaon ranking matters a lot more than your SOS.
Still, PSU's non-conf is terrible next year, and the in-conf home schedule is only a little better. I think this move makes sense: BCS program, drop a D1-aa team which hurts your computer rankings badly, make the season ticket holders happy, oh, and you don't even have to return the favor. By all acounts this thing is all but a done deal.
Rumors Rankings! Score = 4.9/5.0
Rumor #2 - "Kinlaw is back!"
Or at least he wants a 6th year. I mean if Bockman can play at OSU for 9 years I don't know why Kinlaw, who saw almost no action until this year, couldn't work something out because of his injury history. This is an uncommon move at PSU, especially for starters, and the Rumor has claimed that those who know about these things give it a 50/50 chance.
Now we already have Royster, who is going to be a very good Penn Statesk back. Kinlaw would be a great second option. With the two highly ranked RB recruits we have on the way, it would be great to keep a mentor and modivated player like Kinlaw around.
Now the problem is these things need to be approved, and so while I'm sure he applied, his return is, well, 50/50...lets split the difference.
Rumors Rankings! Score = 2.5/5.0
