Well, the next two games (at least) will be noon kickoffs. This is the way too far from prime time slot accorded to mediocre matchups by the schedulers at ESPN/ABC. The game desirability pecking order is further delineated by whichever particular Disney owned channel is chosen for broadcast, starting with ABC, then ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and, finally, ESPN+ regional coverage. For our Illinois game, we’re slated for ESPN2. So, from the prime-time heights of ABC at 8 PM, we sink to ESPN2 at noon. This means that unless you’re fortunate enough to be heading to State College for Homecoming or unless you’re planning to listen to Steve Jones and Jack Ham on the radio, you might have to put up with Pam Ward yet again.

[Read more…]

UNIVERSITY PARK, October 14 — The Nittany Turkey traveled to State College for the big game of the year, thanks to good friends Joe and Judy, who managed to score some extra club seats. It was a privilege to be a part of the second largest crowd in Beaver Stadium history—110,007 loud, crazy partisans (minus a smattering of maize and blue clad Michiganders). The student section was whited-out, and the usual front-row shirtless idiots, oblivious to the 35-degree weather (no doubt due to having ingested large quantities of anti-freeze) displayed their bare, painted chests to the TV cameras.

[Read more…]

I guess I wasn’t the only one who honestly felt that the pass interference call that went our way in the Minnesota game’s overtime period was bogus. The Big Ten has apparently apologized to Minnesota. Mike of Black Shoes Diaries has the story. Hey, no one apologized to us for giving Carr two seconds last year, or for any blown call that I can remember. For once, one of those goes our way and they’ve got to spoil it by apologizing? Sheesh!