Posts tagged ‘Big Ten Network’
A Morning Run, 324, and a Classic Commericial
On my way into the office Wednesday morning, I walked through Paterno Library, where students and fans and alumni are leaving memories of Joe on Post-It notes, some attached to bulletin boards, others stuck to a Stand-Up Joe.
Among the snippets that stood out:
Waved and asked how I was during my morning run.
You’ve made a proud Paterno Fellow out of me.
” … and all you cool cats.” JoePa at Football Eve 2009.
Joe, I love you. 324.
B10 commercial. Come to Penn State.
The last is my favorite, I’ll admit. The Big Ten Network commercial from a couple of years back is hilarious; it’s Joe at his most deranged. Here’s a YouTube version that’s a little fuzzy. Watch to the end. Enjoy.
Lori Shontz, senior editor
Paterno the Center of Attention at Big Ten Media Day
This Associated Press photo was taken when Paterno spoke with mostly local Penn State media in the hall after his formal press conference Tuesday.
Joe Paterno is always good for some snappy one-liners when he faces the press, and his appearance Tuesday at Big Ten Media Day (which you can watch here) was no exception. He characterized the illness that kept him from making public appearances over the summer as not intestinal but “something lower than that,” and he name-dropped Mark Twain in joking that “the rumor of my death has been over-exaggerated or something.”
That said, Paterno looked tired. He’s lost weight. And his speech was notably slower and a little slurred, which is reflected in the coverage. You can check out a nicely framed and written story from The Daily Collegian here, the observations from the astute and often controversial Dave Jones of the Harrisburg Patriot-News here, and the story by USA Today’s Marlen Garcia, who kicked off the press conference by asking Paterno if he would coach until he died, here.
And if you want to hear more directly from Paterno, you can watch a here’s a post-press conference video from Fight on State here.
Paterno said repeatedly that he’s doing fine and is ready for the season, which is rapidly approaching. Driving past Beaver Stadium on my way home yesterday, I noticed that the numbered “parking stops” marking the spaces are already in place along Park Avenue.
Lori Shontz, senior editor
We Are… Tapping Our Way to $10K
A quick update on the Big Ten Bobblethon we mentioned last week: Penn State beat Michigan (a phrase we never tire of hearing) and the rest of the conference schools to win $10,000 for the Alumni Association’s scholarship fund. (That’s Penn State athletic director Tim Curley ’76, ’78 MEd and the bobbleheaded likeness of Ki-Jana Carter ’95 accepting the check at Monday’s Big Ten media day.) Thanks to everyone who took a minute to tap.
Ryan Jones, senior editor
It’s Not Too Late to Tap Cap!
Why not start your weekend with a quick, goofy diversion that’ll help the Alumni Association win $10,000 for our scholarship fund? Just click on the Big Ten Network website, where you’ll find the Big Ten Icons “Bobblethon” page. After a quick sign-up, you can click on the Penn State link and tap on the virtual rendering of Nittany Lion legend John Cappelletti ’74 H&HD. Like we said, it’s silly, but the winning school gets ten grand toward student scholarships. Penn State is in the lead, but Michigan is running a close second. Help make sure it stays that way.
Ryan Jones, senior editor
Dave Jones on Big Ten Expansion
The college football offseason is rarely quiet, and much of the noise this year has come from folks talking, writing, prognosticating and blogging about the possibility of Big Ten expansion. The traditional story line — the Big Ten has coveted Notre Dame as a 12th member ever since Penn State joined the league nearly two decades ago, but the Fighting Irish never bit — has been updated as the league recently announced it was taking its most serious look yet at adding a 12th school. The topic has been buzzing online, with a variety of folks making arguments and guessing at the league’s intentions. What seems clearer than ever is that, with or (most likely) without Notre Dame, the Big Ten is more likely than not to expand in the next few years — to 12 teams, perhaps, but maybe to 14 or even 16. The ultimate decision will reshape the college football landscape as drastically (if not more so) than did Penn State’s switch from independent to Big Ten power nearly 20 years ago.
David Jones of the Harrisburg Patriot-News posted a three-part story today that’s as well-done as anything I’ve seen on the topic. Part One explains why expansion appears to make so much sense right now, for reasons that shouldn’t surprise anyone (hint: it’s what makes the world go ’round). Part Two explains why, in Dave’s opinion, the addition that Penn State fans would most like to see is not the most likely to happen (hint: the lure of a classic rivalry is trumped by the bottom line, every time). And Part Three offers Dave’s pick for the “sleeping giant” that might ultimately make the most sense if the Big Ten adds just one team.
Time will tell if Dave’s right (or if our friend Frank the Tank is prescient with his prediction of Texas), but this is compelling stuff regardless.
Ryan Jones, senior editor
A Tribute to Daryll Clark’s Mom and Dad
Photo by Steve Manuel ’84, ’92g
Today’s Chicago Tribune has an interesting profile of Daryll and Sheryl Clark—parents of Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark.
The occasion for the piece is the fact that Clark is one of three finalists for the Big Ten MVP award, also called the “Chicago Tribune Silver Football.” The other two finalists are Wisconsin running back John Clay and Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham. The winner will be announced on the Big Ten Network Tuesday night (Dec. 8) at 10.
It turns out that Clark’s parents have played a very strong role in shaping—and supporting—him. A couple of things I didn’t know until I read the article: One, Clark’s parents have been divorced for about 10 years but still sat together in Beaver Stadium, cheering their son on. And two, if you wanted to find Daryll Clark on Saturday night after a home football game, a good place to look would have been the State College Olive Garden, where he and his parents typically went to dissect the game.
Tina Hay, editor
They’re Happy at Paternoville Tonight
I was on my way out to Wegman’s this evening to pick up a fruit tart for a tailgate tomorrow morning, and I passed by the stadium and Paternoville, the student campout that starts several days before the game.
It’s a clear, pleasant evening with temperatures in the low 70s, and the students were feeling good. Three of them were at the fence, cheering lustily at every car that went by. So I pulled over and took their picture with my iPhone.
From left: Alex Weiner, Cody Miller, and Josh Perreault. Alex told me he’s had about three hours of sleep in the past couple of days.
On my way back from Wegman’s, I passed by the stadium again, just in time to see two or three police vehicles parked along the road, with an officer unloading a police dog from one of the vehicles. I’m hoping that turns out to just be a routine visit.
Kickoff against Temple is noon tomorrow, with the Big Ten Network providing TV coverage.
Tina Hay, editor
Graham Spanier, Talk-Show Host
Penn State President Graham Spanier will play the role of talk-show host in a series of three programs on the Big Ten Network this month, starting with one tomorrow night at 7:00.
Tomorrow night’s show is on “The Arms Race in College Sports”—you can watch the trailer for it below. Spanier has some impressive guests to kick around the issue with: Henry Bienen, the president of Northwestern University; Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney; and Avani Patel of the Chicago Tribune editorial board.
The July 16 show is called “The Selling of College Sports” (watch the trailer here) and the one on July 23 is about “The College Student as Athlete” (that trailer can be seen here).
The overall series is called Expert Opinion with Graham Spanier.
Tina Hay, editor
Big Ten Network—Not Just Sports?
I must confess that I’ve only ever tuned in to the Big Ten Network to see Penn State football and basketball … but apparently they’ve got some non-sports programming as well. Case in point: a roundtable discussion called “The Economy and the Graduate,” which airs tomorrow (Tuesday) night at 7 p.m.
The one-hour show was taped at University Park about two weeks ago before an audience of Penn State students. It features three execs talking partly about what’s going on with the economy in the short run, and partly about advice they’d offer to students and recent grads who are job-hunting in these tough times.
All three of the panelists have Penn State connections:
—Jim Clifton, CEO of Gallup, Inc., has a daughter who attended the Smeal College of Business.
—Karen Peetz ’77, senior executive VP for the Bank of New York Mellon, is a Health and Human Development grad (she was Karen Bretherick as a student).
—John Surma ’76, CEO of U.S. Steel, is a Smeal College grad.
You can watch a preview of tomorrow night’s show below. (Think of it this way: If “The Economy and the Graduate” were a movie opening in theaters, this would be the trailer.)
Tina Hay, editor
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