No need to be ashamed

I recently was talking to one of my cousins who has been a Penn State Fan her entire life (a whole 17 years) and what she said shocked me. She said she hasn't worn a single item of Penn State apparel all year. Not a t-shirt, sweater, pair of shorts, or headband. She even took her bumper sticker off her car.I asked her why she did such a ridiculous thing and turned her back on a University that has provided her with so many joyful moments. Her answer was short and to the point "I'm ashamed". This really made me think, why should she have to be ashamed for the actions of a sick man. Why should she feel she needs to hide her fanship and have to hide her Penn State Pride. I think this is a feeling that many PSU fans have felt over the past year. Embarassed to route for a team in the midst of scandal. It's almost like they think if they show support to a group of innocent young men then they are endorsing the actions of one guilty old pervert. This is in no way true. The truth is there is no shame in rooting for a team that had nothing to do with those despicable crimes. You should feel the same amount of pride that you felt before the veil was pulled on the monster that was Jerry Sandusky. Personally I still dawn all my PSU apparel and don't feel anything but pride when doing it. Sports are a form of entertainment and can be a nice escape from this cruel harsh world and we can't let the actions of one man ruin that too.

-OneTeam

Sidenote- Do not misconstrue this as me not having compassion for the victims. It makes me sick thinking of how that man preyed on underprivileged boys and he used his community connections to do it. I pray for them and hope that they are able to live full and happy lives.  

McGloin All-BigTen?

I never thought I'd be asking myself this question but is Matt McGloin the best QB in the Big Ten? He doesn't put up the impressive rushing yards that the likes of Denard Robinson or Taylor Martinez do but that's not what quarterbacking is about. Not a single QB has the accuracy he posses. He is able to run a pro style offense and consistently move the ball through the air. He puts the ball right where it needs to be and it looks good getting there. He also has the best pocket presence. He sticks in the pocket and delivers darts and he has the ability to know when the pocket is collapsing around him. He can roll out and still keep his accuracy high while on the move. So far this season he has been very impressive in his improvement. Every game he shows you a new weapon in his arsenal. He is quickly becoming the best pocket passer in the B1G Ten. If he continues his assent up the ranks by the end of the season you'll be looking at the 1st Team All-Big Ten quarterback and who knows possibly an NFL prospect

Better watch out

The day that the unprecedented sanctions were placed on Penn State I heard a lot of sports anchors say it was worse than a death penalty. Even more said Penn State football wouldn't be relevant for at least ten years if ever. I'm hear to tell those people they are dead wrong. I'm not saying the sanctions aren't a big road block to the special things this team and staff can do, but that's all they are. They in no way make us a non competitive cupcake that teams can cruise over for an easy win. We will still field teams that will battle for division crowns. We will still score points, play great defense, put players in the NFL, and we will still win. Bill O'Brien has big plans and he's not letting anything slow him down. The offense that he is installing will draw recruits that want a chance to play in an NFL offense no some college spread that doesn't translate to the next level (sorry Ohio State and Michigan) and the programs tradition will keep us in the publics eye. This season team is a perfect example. This is a team that had many of their top players poached and their depth depleted months before the season and there hasn't been a single game where they didn't compete. And they just keep getting better (see Navy or Temple). Give O'Brien a couple of years to get his system installed and the players to fit it and watch out. If I was the rest of the big ten I'd be worried because penn state will continue to play Nittany lion football and they'll be playing with house money. Garunteed they'll play the role of spoiler more than a couple times during this 4 year stretch.

-OneTeam

Fun to Watch

As a life-long Penn State fan I've grown accustomed to a few things. Strong defense, a solid linebacking core, and a smash mouth, run heavy offense. Now hopefully the O'Brien regime will keep the first two traditions going but through the first four games it's glaringly obvious the offense has changed. The difference is night and day. Now instead of the Power I formation we come out with five wide or three tight end sets. The play calling is more creative and the offense is always in attack mode. I have to admit it's fun to watch. We pick up yards in chunks through big plays rather than grinding away with three yard HB dives up the middle. Stars like Allen Robinson and Gary Carter have emerged as solid weapons. The most amazing part is that it is only going to get better. Once O'Brien has his recruits in to run his system this offense won't even resemble the one seen in Happy Valley for the past 4 decades... Let's just hope the defense can keep up.

Allen Robinson? I thought that was Jerry Rice

Who is Allen Robinson and why wasn't he playing last year?? I think that is the question most Penn State fans are asking themselves three games into the season. Robinson has burst on to the scene as a star wideout and Matt McGloin's go to target. He is a good athlete with all the physical tools to sustain this success. His best attribute is his route running, he run clean precise routes and seems to always find the open space on the field. He reminds me of Jerry Rice, nothing flashy just solid production.

Owls v. Lions... Is that even a question

If this weekends game was a battle of mascots the blue and white would have this one in the bag. Unfortunately that's not how the games played and getting a win in happy valley is gonna be harder than most people think. Last year at Temple with what some would call a more talented roster (even though I would argue less heart but trust me that will be another post) Penn State was barely able to eek out a 3 point victory. This years team has their work cut out for them but I think they come equipped with the offensive system for the job. The lions ability to spread the field this year will give temple's defensive coordinator nightmares. Temple doesn't have the athletes down field to match up with the likes of an Allen Robinson or Alex Kenney(reppin State College High School). In the end it will come down to McGloin's veteran moxy on a late game winning drive
Score: PSU 27 Temple 20

-OneTeam

Big Shoes to Fill

The thought of replacing a legend who was so beloved by the Town he lived in must have seem like a daunting task for new head football coach Bill O'Brien. Joe Paterno was a one of a kind coach who was the last of his breed. Even in his wildest dream O'Brien couldn't imagine having the impact on State College that Paterno had. But O'Brien has the chance to do something Paterno never did, rebuild Penn State's image. The low life scum that tarnished both PSU and Paterno's legacy shall not be named on this blog but lets just say he left everyone associated with Penn State with a sick feeling in their stomach. A once pround community almost felt shamefully wearing blue and white. Thousands of people (including myself) just wanted something positive to hold on to. Insert Bill O'Brien. Since his time on campus O'Brien has done nothing but impress. He hit the ground running immersing himself in the community. It feels like he has done more interviews than both presidential candidates.. COMBINED! Not to mention he is a beast on the recruiting trail. Up until the ridiculous penalties levied  by the NCAA (that's a whole other topic for a different post) he had Penn State in the Top 20 recruiting classes and as high as 12 depending on where you looked. Now I loved JoePa more than some of my relatives but even I admit in his advanced age he just didn't have the energy to promote the program like O'Brien has been. We went from opposite ends of the spectrum in what seemed like seconds and at least for me it took a little bit to adjust. But now that the dust has settled I love what I see from O'Brien and his staff. Sanctions or not I will be excited about this team's future as long as O'Brien is at the helm.

-OneTeam

The Transformation of Matt McGloin

I'll admit it, I am a flip-flopper and I am not afraid to admit it. Last season i screamed at the TV as Penn State played the QB carousel and mostly when I would see number 11 stroll on to the field. For those of you who don't know Matt McGloin was a walk-on from Scranton, Pa who was thrust into the starting job before he was ready because of the pure lack of talent Penn State had on their QB depth chart. Early in his career he had a gunslinger's mentality without the tools and experience to pull it off. He would throw interceptions he had no business putting in the air. I went as far as to say he played some of the worst quarterbacking I've ever seen (and I've had to live through four years of Zach Mills). I may have been being a little rough but I live and breathe PSU football and mediocrity isn't what I want. Also my head was filled false promises of a true freshman(check Rob Boldin... if you wanna waste 5 minutes of your life) Even after seeing him in person lite up an average Michigan defense I still wasn't convinced. Coming into the year I was hoping for Paul Jones and again got Matt McGloin and I am here to tell you that I couldn't be happier. He looks like a whole new quarterback and it's not just his throwing. He has become the true leader of an already fractured team. To this point he has 8 TDs to only 1 Int but more impressive than that he has our team competing on a game-in game-out basis. His command of Bill O'Brien's NFL style offense has transformed a once stagnant offense into an aerial attack that is fun to watch. No Matt McGloin isn't your typical starting QB but i think he's a perfect fit for this team this year and I am excited to see what he does the rest of the way.

-OneTeam   

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Welcome

This has been the hardest year for Penn State fans in the history of the program. Jerry Sandusky has shamed us and made many root against Penn State. I'm here to say that there are still proud Penn State supporters and I am one of them. Our boys deserve it.

-OneTeam