2010 Capital One Bowl Prediction

Short and sweet, like my existence around here the last few months. OK, half a year.

These teams are evenly matched. Whichever team makes more mistakes loses. The offensive lines will be the key to the game. Who wants it more?

I love cliches.

Penn State 16, LSU 13

Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

STRAP-NAC THE MAGNANIMOUS' BOWL PICKS

By Your Athletic Supporter, Jack STRAP

STRAP-NAC THE MAGNANIMOUS, the noted soothsayer from the Far East(ern part of the U.S.) is here to help you with your College Foot-BOWL PICKS. These BOWL PICKS were made many years ago when STRAP-NAC attended PSU and since then have been hermetically sealed in a Rolling Rock pony bottle from the 'Skellar which was then buried in Joe Paterno's backyard. No one knows these BOWL PICKS except STRAP-NAC who now in a MAGNANIMOUS gesture will share them with you. If you're a gambler, you can take these BOWL PICKS "to the bank". And when I say "to the bank" I mean if you bet using these PICKS, your bank account will mysteriously be reduced to zero, which will then bankrupt your bank, triggering Obama-nomics TARP money. And by TARP, I don't mean Troubled Assets Relief Program, but rather Totally Asinine Ridiculous Picks.

* Gator BOWL: Could Bobby Bowden's forced Retirement, after all he's done for the Seminoles program, get any worse? Yes--WVU Mountaineers 42 FSU 13.
* Capital One BOWL: Before this game, Bobby B's Buddy JoePa will tell the story of PSU beating LSU 16-9 in the Orange Bowl back in 1973 when Joe was only 47 & his current players' parents were kids. Then the Nittany Lions will go out and win by the identical 16-9 score.
* Sugar BOWL: "Gatorade" is what Florida gets from the officials and "screwed" is what Cincinnati gets from them (not to mention by Notre Dame) as the Gators squeak by 21-20.
* Rose BOWL: Ohio State 28 Oregon 27. Figuring the Buckeyes are due after (3) straight BOWL defeats. If I'm wrong, see TARP above.
* Fiesta BOWL: What can TCU & Boise St. possibly due to earn the respect of the doubters? Nothing now that the BCS in their infinite wisdom matched them against each other. I feel so bad for them that I'm not even going to PICK this game.
* Orange BOWL: Is this the year the Big 10 earns some BOWL respect? I'm going to scream "Hell Yea!" & the Hawkeye fans will loudly agree with me. Iowa 17 Georgia Tech 16.
* GMAC BOWL: I had years ago lost my shirt by taking Troy to win the Trojan War.
* BCS National Championship Game: Technically this isn't even a BOWL, but I'll MAGNANIMOUSLY PICK it anyway. The conventional wisdom is that #1 Alabama is the best team from the best conference, but I'm unconventionally predicting that the Longhorns will catch the Crimson Tide looking ahead to their game against Penn State in September 2010 & roll the tide 28-23.
And Remember, you heard it right here in the "Sports Fountainhead".

Merry Christmas!

I know we haven't been posting much these last six months but from all of us at Sports Fountainhead...

THE STRAPPIES 2009

Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of stealth & haste. And haste makes waste & I don't want to waste your time, so let me tell you it's Your Athletic Supporter, Jack Strap here to bring you my 2009 Awards a.k.a. THE STRAPPIES.

BIGGEST FALL: This fall was Wiley Coyote-like from the highest cliff & our STRAPPY Winner TIGER WOODS had no one to blame (certainly not the Roadrunner) but himself. Despite his indiscretions, I have no problem with him winning "Athlete of the Decade" which put him on that highest cliff.

IF YOU AIN'T 1ST, YOU'RE LAST: A Ricky Bobby-like performance by JIMMY JOHNSON in winning his 4th straight NASCAR Championship & this STRAPPY.

THUNDERBOLT & LIGHTFOOT: JJ may be the fastest by car, but this STRAPPY goes to the World's Fastest Man on foot--USAIN "Lightning" BOLT. This STRAPPY is also a classic movie featuring a young Clint "before Make My Day" Eastwood.

A COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN: For this re-named flick Award: the country was the United Kingdom, the event was The British Open, and the STRAPPY Winner at Age 59 was TOM "It's Elementary My Dear" WATSON who came within only 8 feet of victory.

NOT THAT OLD, BUT UN-RETIRED NONETHELESS: This STRAPPY goes to BRETT FAVRE (didn't he also win this award in 2008 with Jets?), although if there will be a Super Story-Book Ending remains to be seen.

SUPER STORY-BOOK ENDING: With a clutch pitch-and-catch last February, sharing this STRAPPY are "Big" BEN R & SANTONIO HOLMES. When Big Ben first heard he was getting a STRAPPY, he wasn't sure if it was for the Super Bowl or when he won Vs. Shaq.

CINDERELLAS: College Football's CINCINNATI, TCU & BOISE ST. made it into the BCS Ball/Bowls to share this STRAPPY, but it turned Midnight when Notre Dame stole the Bearcats Coach & the BCS matched TCU vs. BSU assuring that neither could legitimize themselves.

BASEBALLS BEEN BERY, BERY BAD: Jack Strap continues his Strike against Baseball since their Strike in 1994, but presents this STRAPPY to his MOM who watched all the Phillies Games this year. Question is if Your Athletic Supporter is dating himself with references to the 1994 strike & worse yet 1979 SNL character Chico Escuela.

SLAP SHOT: This Olde Time Hockey STRAPPY goes to the NHL for coming up with outdoors "Winter Classic" with the 2009 game at Wrigley Field & upcoming Bruins vs. Flyers (anybody remember the Broad St. Bullies and/or the Hansen Brothers?) at classic Fenway Park.

CAN YOU DIG IT, SPIKER: This STRAPPY is a follow-up to Joey Mays' Penn State Volleyball story below & goes to the LADY LIONS who went on to win the National Championship for the 3rd straight year. The spikes & digs (and long legs) in that ultra-exciting 5-set win were "simply irresistible".

I HATE TO EAT & RUN: With his latest run to Kentucky, this STRAPPY Award-winner JOHN CALIPARI is eating very well while his former teams: Memphis & UMass have paid the NCAA price.

SHAQQY STRAPPY: This STRAPPY was invented by Shaq for SHAQ as the Big Humanitarian decided to help Lebron James in 2009 after his Cavs lost to the Magic & that kid dunked on the King.

Once guys start inventing STRAPPIES for themselves, it's time to bring the curtain down on THE STRAPPIES 2009. Hope you enjoyed 2009 & wishing all of you a Happy New Year 2010.

Lady Lions Head to 3rd Straight Volleyball National Title Game

Posting is few and very far between. But I have to mention the continued outstanding performances by the Penn State women's volleyball team. They've won 2 straight NCAA titles and last night defeated Hawai'i, 3-1, to advance to their third consecutive championship match. And it's no fluke; they're dominating people.

The Nittany Lions swept all but six of their wins this year. They dropped a set Thursday night for the first time since Nov. 20 at Purdue.

The 101-match streak is second in Division I team sports behind the Miami men's tennis program's 137 straight wins from 1957-64. The Nittany Lions haven't lost since falling to Stanford in September 2007.

The win also made Rose only the third women's volleyball coach in Division I history to reach 1,000 victories. He trails only UCLA's Andy Banachowski (1,106) and Shoji (1,016).

The Lady Lions will take on the Texas Longhorns on Saturday in the NCAA Championship in Florida.

LET'S GO STATE!

J-Roll Not Impressed with Fans in Yankee Stadium

Per MLB.com beat writer Todd Zolecki:

Jimmy Rollins was asked about the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium compared to other ballparks.

"It's really more of a different atmosphere at our ballpark compared to the others," he said. "Our ballpark is so loud and rowdy. I was really expecting some of that here, but it was very tame and civilized actually."

In New York?

"Yeah," Rollins said. "You only heard one big cheer and that was on the home runs. Other than that ... those expensive are running the loud fans out."

Rollins later was asked if this feels more like a World Series compared to last year's series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

"When we get to Philly it will," Rollins said.

3 Reasons the Phillies Will/Won't Win the 2009 World Series

Hello World Series. It's been almost a year since we last hung out but I'm sure you haven't forgotten us. We're the Philadelphia Phillies, defending world champions of baseball. Just wanted to let you know that we're back and ready for a repeat. Here's why...

3 Reasons the Phillies Will Win the World Series (again)

• Experience - As I alluded to, OK stated, the Phillies are back in the World Series for a second straight year. After steamrolling the perceived superior Dodgers and Rays in last year's trot the their first WFC since 1980, the Phillies learned how to play October baseball. They didn't know how to handle the spotlight in 2007, after they won their first divisional title since 1993, and were promptly swept by the red-hot Rockies. You don't think the Phillies learned something from that and used it to help last year? The magical 2008 season brought about many lessons, which J-Roll, Vic, Chutley, RyHo, Werth, Raaauuuuuuulll, Chooch, Pete Happy and the other remnants of last years roster will employ this time around. The Yankees haven't been here since 2003, and they looked much different then. You'll hear Jeter-this and Mariano-that but, in reality, it's the Phillies, not the Yankees, with the experience needed to win another title.

Expect to see this scene again real soon.

• Expectations - What are they for the Phillies? Well outside of Philadelphia there apparently aren't any. Only 6 of the 24 ESPN "experts" predicted the Phillies to return to the World Series. Of those six, zero predicted a repeat for The Fightin's. Sixteen of the 24 picked the Yankees to win the Series, and this was before the playoffs started. Now that we know it's a Phillies-Yankees throwdown not much has changed. Again, 9 of the 10 experts pick New York (I always did like you, Karabell). I don't want to play the "no respect" card; I (and they) could care less. The Phillies perform quite well as underdogs. Without the intense pressure the team can play the game the way the want to. They won't be tense or pressing, like the Yankees will be. Six years between World Series appearances feels like a generation in the Bronx. Of course nine years between titles is almost unfathomable for the Yankee faithful. Bottomline: all the pressure is on the Yankees, and that's one of the reasons the Phillies will win it all again.

• Ryan Howard - Last year Philadelphia saw multiple dynamic performances from one Colbert Hamels. This year it's Ryan Howard's turn. He had his usual end-of-the-season surge and it carried over into the playoffs. He was recently named NLCS MVP and looks to take home World Series MVP, which he will if (when?) the Phillies repeat. He is the heart of the team in 2009 and RyHo has delivered thus far. Don't expect that to change, especially because of where the series will be played. Have you heard Yankees Stadium and Citizens Bank Park or havens for home runs? I know, BRAND NEW INFORMATION!

The Fightins

3 Reasons the Phillies Won't Win the World Series

• Familiarity - Cliff Lee, the Phillies new ace, is not something new to the Yankees. The former Indian faced New York plenty of times while in the A.L. While Lee dominated N.L. opponents that may have been due to them facing him so few times in the past. That can't be said about the Bronx Bombers. Game 2 starter is Pedro Martinez, also not new to the A.L. batters. While he hasn't pitched in the A.L. since 2004, many of the Yankee batters have numerous plate appearances against him. If Lee and Martinez aren't on the top of their game and challenging the hitters the first two games could be long for Philadelphians. And the Series won't end as it did last year.

• Mariano Rivera - The best closer in the game for the last decade plus has not lost anything. He is still mostly unhittable. Rivera isn't Huston Street or Jonathan Broxton. He's Mariano frickin' Rivera. Don't expect a 9th inning comeback off of him. A come-from-behind win must be nailed down in the 6th, 7th, or 8th. If the Phillies enter the 9th down, say goodnight.

• Umpires - OK, this is a bit of a cop out. And I'm not saying MLB or the umps want New York to win. I'm just pointing out how utterly terrible the umpires have been the entire playoffs. It's well documented. They could cause the Phillies (or the Yankees) to lose the World Series. How ludicrous is that? Let's hope that doesn't happen...

HARRY HOW / GETTY IMAGES

So there you have it, why the Phillies will/won't win the 2009 World Series. If you missed why the Yankees will or won't win the World Series check out E's post here.

BOLD PREDICTION SURE TO BE WRONG: Phillies repeat, take the '09 Series in six. You heard it here first. OK, not really. He said something about it too. Although I'm a little more cautious.

DO IT FOR HARRY, BOYS.

3 Reasons Why the Yankees Will and Will Not Win the World Series

Well, it has been a long 6 years but my Yankees are finally back in the Series. The Phillies may be the defending champions but you can bet that the Yankees will be up for this series and force them to give everything they got. Scouring over some message boards, I am completely floored at the arrogance of some Phillies fans. I have seen many, many posts saying that the Phillies are going to win the series in 5 games. Really?? That means they have to beat CC at least once AND win with Pedro starting. That also means Cole Hamels has to not implode in Game 3. Quite a tall task if you ask me. I think anybody making that prediction is seriously underestimating the Yankees. With that introduction, here are my three reasons why the Yankees will win and will not win the World Series.

Why the Yankees will win…

CC / 3-man rotation

The fact that the Yankees get to use CC Sabathia 3 times in this series is huge. He has been pitching out of his mind and will be able to go toe-to-toe with Cliff Lee, assuming they pitch him thrice as well. AJ Burnett worries me on the road (similar to the Phillies and Cole Hamels) but in Game 2, I expect a great start out of him. Pettitte has been incredibly solid this entire postseason as well. Yeah, they’ll have a big time line up to go against but I know that they can hold their own.

Pedro Martinez

I was almost giddy with excitement when he was named the Game 2 starter. He has never been that great against the Yankees in the postseason (1-2 record, 4.72 ERA) and now he is 6 years older. Not only that but he has not been tested at all this year. Yeah, he pitched well against the Dodgers but that offense was reeling and is not really that great to begin with. Also, he pitched against NOBODY in the regular season. His only decent starts during the season came against the Mets, Nationals and Giants. Those are 3 of the worst offensive teams in the league. I fully expect the Yankees to tee off on him in Game 2 and hopefully Game 5 as well. Not only that but if the Phillies want to use Cole Hamels twice, that means he is going to have to pitch in a pivotal Game 6 in the Bronx. Regardless, whenever Pedro takes the mound, it will be great theatre.

Mark Teixeira

Cold for pretty much the entire playoffs at the plate, he started to heat up at the end of the ALCS and that is great news for the Yankees. When he is on, the Yankees are nearly unbeatable. A-Rod is also helping this too by protecting him in the order. The Phillies are going to have to throw Teixeira strikes unless they want a man on base when A-Rod comes up. That is what got the Angels in trouble towards the end of the ALCS. Also, I would be remiss not to mention his defense at first base. He is going to win the Gold Glove this year and I am certain his defense alone won them a handful of games this regular season.

Why the Yankees will lose…

Phillies Lineup

It is pretty good. And has been great this postseason. The Angels provided a good warm-up for the Yankees in the ALCS (Yankees and Angels were #1 and #2 in runs scored during the regular season) so I feel like the starters will be ready. But that does not stop the fact that they need to get through Rollins, Howard, Werth, etc. etc.

Stranding runners

Did it wayyyy too much in the ALCS. The Yankees did get better late in the ALCS but I worry about them putting the first couple guys on and then doing absolutely nothing. They may need to rely on the long ball a bit in a game or two.

Bullpen

Thought to be a strong point heading into the postseason, the bullpen has somewhat shaky thus far. Then again, I could be wrong here. Their ERA this postseason is 2.28…but I feel like they have been living on the edge for a lot of the postseason. Joba and Hughes have not been pitching nearly as well as they were down the stretch of the regular season. Rivera does have the second best ERA this postseason (0.84 behind Lee’s 0.74) but Game 6 proved that runs can be scored off of him. I also just have terrible memories of him blowing the clincher against Arizona in 2001.

One way or another, this is going to be an amazing World Series. I would be very surprised if it does not end in a Game 6 or 7 in the Bronx. As for my prediction? I think the Yankees will pull off #27. But not before an epic Game 7 showdown.

Penn State @ Illinois Prediction

Their first road test after an uninspiring loss at home versus Iowa. They better be ready.

LAST WEEK
Prediction: Penn State 17, Iowa 13
Actual: Iowa 21, Penn State 10
Margin of Victory Difference: -15 (loss)

THIS WEEK
Prediction: Penn State 23, Illinois 13

LET'S GO STATE!!!

Threepeat

PHILLIES!!!

via Beerleaguer

2009 N.L. East Champs! Three in a row.

The title defense continues. Bring on the Cardinals or Rockies.

Penn State vs Iowa Prediction

Revenge.

It's time.

LAST WEEK
Prediction: Penn State 38, Temple 10
Actual: Penn State 31, Syracuse 6
Margin of Victory Difference: -3

THIS WEEK
Prediction: Penn State 17, Iowa 13

LET'S GO STATE!!!

Mark May: Iowa Should Be Favored Over Penn State

Mark May, continuing his unsanctioned vendetta against Penn State, said tonight on ESPN that Iowa SHOULD BE FAVORED in this contest. Yes, unranked Iowa traveling to Happy Valley to play the 5th ranked Nittany Lions. The same Iowa team that nearly lost to FCS team Northern Iowa should be favored to win in Beaver Stadium. Please.

Of all of the ESPN toolbags - and there are plenty (I'm looking at you, Bill Simmons) - Mark May is BY FAR the worst.

I'll be happy to shove a Penn State victory Saturday night in his face.

My Iowa-Penn State prediction sometime tomorrow!

Penn State vs Temple Prediction

At work so I gotta make it quick.

Penn State has not looked like a Top 10 team the first two weeks of the 2009 season. Can they get on track versus another lightweight before Iowa comes screaming to town next Saturday night?

I hope so.

LAST WEEK
Prediction: Penn State 45, Syracuse 13
Actual: Penn State 28, Syracuse 7
Margin of Victory Difference: -11

Another uninspiring performance by the Nittany Lions, however, they did win by 3 TDs. Too high expectations? Or underachieving units?

THIS WEEK
Prediction: Penn State 38, Temple 10

Big 10 Tour's Visit to Happy Valley

The Big 10 Tour - where a group of friends spends the fall weekends attending a game in each of the 11 Big 10 stadiums - hit Happy Valley for the Penn State vs Akron game on Saturday, September 5th, 2009. What did they think?

All in all, it's going to be tough to find a more unforgettable weekend than this. Wow, we had such a great time at PSU.

You can check out everything they did, from the travel to their first night to tailgating and the game - at their Penn State page. And be sure to check back weekly as they update their page for the most recent trip.

Up next for the crew is Minnesota, who host the 7 (Coaches)/8 (AP) ranked Cal Golden Bears this Saturday.

Never Forget

Penn State vs Syracuse Prediction

Another week is almost down the drain which brings us to another Penn State football game. Week 2 of the 2009 season has the Syracuse Orange traveling to Happy Valley to face the 5th-ranked Nittany Lions [Hey! It's the Coaches Poll that matters!].

Syracuse - lead by former Duke PG Greg Paulus - lost a heartbreaker to Minnesota last week in OT while Penn State handled Akron, from the MAC, 31-7. This week expect much of the same as the overmatched Orange are thoroughly ripped apart by a tenacious PSU defense. Expect the PSU running game to find a groove as well with Evan Royster featuring prominently.

Kelly and I will be at this one and, as I write this, I realize it will be our first Penn State game in Beaver Stadium since Penn State beat Michigan State on November 18, 2006. Check out the rest of the football games I've attended here!

It may be almost three years later but I know the stadium and game day atmosphere will be the same: raucous and ready for a Penn State win.

LAST WEEK
Prediction: Penn State 41, Akron 17
Actual: Penn State 31, Akron 7
Margin of Victory Difference: 0

PSU offense overrated, defense underrated? We shall see.

THIS WEEK
Prediction: Penn State 45, Syracuse 13

GO STATE! BEAT SYRACUSE!

I'll be tweeting from the game (with pics!) so be sure to follow me on Twitter or stick to the left sidebar of the site for knee-jerk reaction updates and lame commentary.

Penn State vs Akron Prediction

Today is the day.

Penn State football is back.

Not much needs to be said.

LET'S GO STATE!!!

Prediction: Penn State 41, Akron 17

Thanks for the Suggestion, Facebook

WTF?!?!

And, yes, when I clicked on the name it took me to a "Jimmy Clausen" graduating from Notre Dame in 2011. No picture, however.

Penn State/Akron prediction coming tomorrow!

I Love New York

Yep, about that posting 2-3 times a day thing...

Anyway, here's something I had to direct your attention to.

This was found on Urban Dictionary by Tug Haines from The Fightins.

"Supirrior" indeed.

I've got nothin' more to add.

Dumbest Analogy Ever

So I'm watching the NYY v. BOS game right now and Jon Miller just said that releasing a name on that infamous PED list without saying what was tested positive for is like saying somebody was arrested and not saying what they were arrested for. Um, no. While new stuff (which I personally believe to be mostly BS) is coming out about the reliability of that list, I think it's safe to say that there is a reason a given person was on it. Something was put in that given persons body that was supposed to give him an unfair physical edge. If your name was on that list, then you took a PED (assuming it wasn't a false positive which is another issue...but likely a minor, minor, minor issue). Who cares what it was?

A more appropriate analogy, in my opinion, would be saying somebody got charged with robbery but not saying where the robbery occurred. It doesn't matter who you stole from. You stole and that is all that matters.

Congratulations, Ryan Howard

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard clobbered the 200th home run of his career tonight in Florida. It was his 23rd of the season and gave the Phillies a 4-0 lead. Howard is the fastest player in MLB history to reach 200 home runs, which he did in 658 games.

Congratulations!

I Love You, Bob Smizik

Best. Article (blog post?). Ever.

...blue-chip recruits are flocking to Penn State, which after a brief absence, has returned to its long-held place as a nationally elite football program.

. . .

If Penn State fans love this comeback because their program is back on top, they love it just as much because, in its resurgence, Penn State is trampling Pitt. There’s no doubt -- none -- as to which program is the dominant one in these parts. When Dave Wannstedt took over at Pitt in 2005, he looked ready to topple the struggling Penn State program. Instead, Wannstedt has struggled trying to live up to the record of Walt Harris and Paterno has come back.

We are Penn State. September 5th can't get here soon enough.

Heading to CBP for Tonights Game

I'll be taking in the Phillies-Pirates game tonight at The Bank. It will be my first live Phillies game since a 10,000th-loss-avoiding win on July 14, 2007, also one of my best friends bachelor party. On a related note, tonight is Walkoff Walk's CBP HEIST. Bloggers from The 700 Level and The Fightins will be in attendance (plus others). They're congregating in section 202. Not sure where I'll be gbut it'd be sweet to see some of them there. Here's to a Phillies win!

Vote for Shane!

Send Shane "The Flyin' Hawaiin" Victorino to the 2009 All-Star Game in St. Louis! VOTE NOW.

Extended Down Time

As you may have noticed, things have been quiet around here the last few days. That would be because I am moving soon. I had things to finish at my jobs, ghosts to bust, things to pack and an apartment to clean. After the move sometime this weekend (back to Sinking Spring, PA from West Lafayette, IN), my wedding is less than two weeks away. I'll try to pop in from time to time to add some Penn State football and/or Phillies content but, unfortunately, it may not be until mid-July when I can start posting 2-3 times per day. I apologize for my absence but there's a lot going on right now. See you on the flip side.

Let's Go Phillies.

Already Questioning the Madden 10 Player Ratings

Pasta Padre has linked to an MS Excel file that contains all of Madden 10's player ratings. Now, EA has tweaked how players are rated hoping to create less superstars. But after looking over some of the ratings I am a bit baffled.

Chad Henne is a 66. A 66! I know he's thrown only 12 passes in the NFL, but a 66? Especially if rookie Pat White gets a 65! WTF. How is Pat White only 1 rating point worse than Chad Henne, who has all but been given the keys for the 2010 Dolphins?

Donald Thomas is a 67. Now, I know he's played only one game and can't stay healthy but, if he was a starter AS A ROOKIE in 2008, why is he rated worse than reserves Andy Alleman (73) and Brandon Frye (70)?

Randy Starks is listed as an OL according to Pasta Padre. Could be a mistake on his part. Or EA is just that stupid. Starks is a DE in Miami's 3-4 though he does fill in at NT from time to time.

Jason Taylor, who's a DE in a 4-3 scheme, is listed at DE for Miami despite them instituting a 3-4 for most of the last four seasons. He's also only a 79. I wonder how much that will drop when he's changed to an OLB?

Rookie CB Vontae Davis is a 77. OK, that's fine. But starter Will Allen is a 75. The same Will Allen who has routinely been underrated by some "experts" and fans and has been a starter for his entire career with the Giants or Dolphins. Fellow rookie CB Sean Smith gets the same rating as Allen. Again, nor problems with Davis or Smith but come one EA! Allen as a 75?

The specialists get a slap in the face, too. Second year kicker Dan Carpenter, who hit 84% of his field goals and made everything from inside 40 yards is only a 63. Punter Brandon Fields is a 60.

For the rest of the Dolphins ratings, or any player in the NFL, check out Pasta Padre's file here.

UPDATE: OK so now Pasta Padre's site says that EA has requested he take the file down. So no more ratings for any of you. I still have the file though. Email me if you'd like it.

Phillies in the All-Star Game, Update 3

When it comes to National League All-Stars its basically the Phillies, Mets and Cardinals. Then everyone else. The Phillies (Chase Utley, Raul Ibañez, Jimmy Rollins), as of the official June 15th results, have three players set to start for the N.L. in the 2009 All-Star Game. The Mets have two (David Wright, Carlos Beltran), as do the Cardinals (Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina). The final spot (excluding pitcher) would be Milwaukee's Ryan Braun. Of course we're still about a month from the game; aything can happen until the teams are announced. Current results below.

2009 All-Star Game (National League) vote totals released June 15th, 2009 (MLB.com).

The most newsworthy item this week may be Utley taking over the #1 spot from Pujols, in terms of total votes. The Phillies second baseman, who had the most votes among N.L. players in 2008, now has 2,273,355 votes. Pujols is second overall with 2,158,036.

So obviously Ryan Howard still is lurking behind Pujols at first base. Don't expect Howard to pass him. However, Howard could become a reserve. Actually it's probably a forgone conclusion that Howard will indeed be in St. Louis this July.

Nothing else to say about Utley. The Dodgers Orlando Hudson is a distant second at second base with 904,648 votes.

The most undeserving starters is, unfortunately, Rollins at short stop. Jimmy has shown signs of improvement recently but should not be set to start in front of Hanley Ramirez (a close second) or Miguel Tejada (a distant fifth). J.J Hardy is third while Jose Reyes (why?) is 4th.

Third base has gone completely unchanged, order-wise. It goes Wright, Ryan Zimmerman, Chipper Jones, Pedro Feliz, Bill Hall. I'd love to see Feliz make it as a reserve but doubt he'll get the nod over Zimmerman or Jones.

Carlos Ruiz is up to 4th! "Chooch" is having the best season of his MLB career and with the lack of big names behind the plate this season has a good a case as any to make the All-Star team for the N.L. Ruiz has 809,633 votes, about 6,000 behind 3rd place Jason Kendall and 85,000 behind 2nd place Brian McCann.

Ibañez, Braun and Beltran remain 1-2-3 in the outfield, though the Cubs Alfonso Soriano is approaching the Mets OF. Phillies OF Shane Victorino has jumped suspended Dodgers OF Manny Ramirez for 5th. Teammate Jayson Werth remains in 8th.

I'm expecting five Phillies to make the team - Utley, Ibañez, Rollins, Howard and either Ruiz or Hamels.

If I were choosing who should go, I'd tab Utley, Ibañez, Howard and Ruiz.

Sorry, J-Roll.

POLLS: Stay with the Young Guns

RECAP: So you guys think the Phillies should try to leg out the next month with Bastardo and Happ in the rotation. Still feeling that way after the weekend series versus the Red Sox? Well regardless of whether or not we want to stay with these young arms or find a proven veteran, we kind of have to stay the course. Most of the veteran targets are now off limits due to injuries (Jake Peavy, Erik Bedard) or their teams recent performance (Roy Hallady, Jason Marquis, Roy Oswalt). Who else out there would really be a huge improvement? One of these guys - probably Happ - will make it through the season. However, Bastardo may be in for another 4-6 starts because of the dearth of arms available. It's clear Kyle Kendrick isn't an option.

NEW: Despite their mediocre 5-5 record of late, how do you feel about the Phillies chance of repeating as World Champions of Baseball in 2009?

Voting ends June 22nd.

Ibañez Stacks Up Well with Past NL MVPs

The Phillies won the rubber match versus the hated New York Mets last night thanks to a Raul Ibañez 3-run home run in the top of the 11th inning. The win pushed the Phillies to a 35-23 record, two wins better than their '08 pace, and a four game lead over the Mets in the N.L. East. The game winning home run was Ibañez's 21st of the season, second among N.L. players (Adrian Gonzalez, 22). RAAAAUUUUUUULLL now leads the league in RBIs, too. With his amazing start in Philadelphia, and since we're more than 1/3 of the way through the 2009 season, rumblings of a potential MVP are in the air for the newest Phillie. Through 58 games, how does Ibañez stack up to past award winners this far into the season?

Click to enlarge statistics.

There are 19 statistics I looked at in my analysis. While a person's all around game is important to the team, when it comes to MVP voting it seems that two things standout as the "main criteria" for the award: leadership and offensive production. Now I'm a defensive man myself but, honestly, defensive metrics are used merely as a tie breaker when it comes to MVPs. It's clearly about the offense; remember, chicks dig the long ball. So all of the statistics listed above, save one, fall in the offensive category. The only outlier is team success.

Looking at the averages for the 19 major categories, Ibañez (or the Phillies) are better than the average 11 out of 19 times. Of the eight statistics Ibañez isn't better than your average N.L. MVP, two he's at the average. Of the remaining seven, walks, intentional walks and grounded into double plays are not "make or break" variables.

Through 58 games, Ibañez has 75 hits. Of the previous 10 N.L. MVPs, only Jeff Kent (2000 Giants) had more hits during the first 58 games of the season. The average is 64. Ibañez is also above average in the doubles, triples, home runs, RBI, batting average and slugging categories. Only 2001 Barry Bonds had more RBIs through 58 games.

Ibañez biggest "drawbacks" are walks, strikeouts and on-base percentage. He currently has 40 Ks, seven more than your average N.L. MVP. He also has drawn only 20 free passes, much less than average which in turn has affected his OBP. Despite his power surge and ability to hit for contact, Ibañez is not drawing walks. If he becomes more patient and opposing managers and pitchers become more leery of him, these categories won't be a concern. In reality, Ks and BBs are hardly big negatives for MVP candidates. Ryan Howard struck out a lot in 2006 (59 in first 58 games, 181 during overall) and still won the MVP award.

Basically, Ibañez has a nice lead in categories that are more important. In ones that carry less weight his a tad below average. So history says that, yes, at this juncture Raul Ibañez very much could be the 2009 N.L. MVP.

T-shirt available through Birdland & The Fightins store.

Of course one of the few drawbacks of analysis like this is that we're examining players through just over a third of the seasons. How you end the season is more fresh in the voters eyes and you also have a full 162 game slate to work with. Plus, this doesn't take in how others around the league are doing. Albert Pujols is right in the conversation as well. There are a handful of guys who have been as important as Raul has thus far. It's early, but it is encouraging to see that, statistically speaking, at this point Ibañez could become Philadelphia's third MVP in the last four years.

If he keeps up the pace he should give Pujols et al. a run for their money.

Football Outsiders Say Fear Poz in 2009

Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders wants you to know one thing: fear Posluszny. OK, he really wants you to know that there are five young players in the AFC that are going to become building blocks for their teams in 2009. Ravens LT Jared Gaither, Titans DT Jason Jones, Steelers LB Lawrence Timmons and Texans CB Fred Bennett should all rise up this upcoming season and become Pro Bowl-type players providing a stable foundation for their franchises. But who cares about them, really? Tell me more about Posluszny! (link for ESPN Insiders, sorry)

Another middle linebacker, Posluszny would likely already be one of the AFC East's building blocks had he not fractured his forearm three games into the 2007 season. In what effectively served as his rookie year in 2008, Posluszny showed signs of becoming an excellent middle linebacker. He made 14.7 percent of his team's plays on the ground, eighth among 4-3 middle linebackers; furthermore, he was making tackles in important places. He had a stop rate of 54 percent, meaning that 63 of his 116 plays prevented the opposition from achieving a "successful" outcome on the play (defined here as gaining 40 percent of the needed yardage for a first down on first down, 60 percent on second down, or 100 percent on third or fourth down); that figure was sixth among 4-3 middle linebackers.

Penn State fans know all about this -- and in 2009, the entire AFC may come to fear Paul Posluszny.

He has still some work to go as a pass defender and as a pass rusher, but the Bills count on him primarily to be an elite run-stopper at linebacker. If he's not quite there yet, he very well may be after this season.

Ya hear that haters? Poz means business and will be a household name in 2009.

Posluszny may be my favorite Nittany Lion of All-Time. He plays the position I love and was an excellent student and role model, which can not always be said for college athletes. Poz is a beast and it's nice to see him getting recognized but statistical gurus.

Highly Touted Buckeye RB Recruit Berry Arrested

Jamaal Berry, the #3 rated RB in the class of 2009 by ESPNs Scouts, Inc., has been arrested for possession of marijuana. Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg reports that Berry was arrested earlier today for having more than 20 grams of marijuana on him. Berry was expected to have a shot a playing time this season, his freshman year, after Chris Wells departed for the NFL. Dan Herron and Brandon Saine are the other two RBs attempting to replace Wells.

Father of Recent PSU Commit Backing His Sons Decision

Last week two WPIAL linemen committed to Penn State's 2010 recruiting class. Not a big deal, right? Verbal commitments are thrown out often by high school players getting ready to enter their senior seasons. Well it is a big deal when a local product considered a shoe-in for the nearby university spurns them. For their rival. What compounds the situation is their lineage and ties to said local university. After Miles Dieffenbach and Tom Ricketts committed to play for the Nittany Lions a week ago, Pitt fans were none too thrilled. Thankfully for Ricketts his father has his back, despite his status in Panthers territory.

The name Tom Ricketts is very familiar to Pitt alums. Mike White explains.

Ricketts' ties to Pitt might have been even stronger than Dieffenbach's. Ricketts is the son of Tom Ricketts II, a former standout lineman at Pitt in the 1980s and a former first-round draft choice of the Steelers. The elder Ricketts and his wife have season tickets to Pitt games. Sandy (Albright) Ricketts was a top swimmer at Pitt. Ricketts' great grandfather was Charles "Doc" Hartwig, who was a first-team All-American at Pitt in the 1930s.

The younger Ricketss decided to choose Penn State over Pitt because it was the best fit for him as a student and as a player. How did the elder Ricketts react? He says he was excited.

"Of coure, I would've loved to see him go to Pitt," said Ricketts, the father. "But, of course, I knew the situation he would've been going into. He would've been kind of walking in my shoes or my shadow, I guess. He would've had to deal with that. There are so many opportunities out there for him. He made his own decision."

It's always nice to know your dad has your back. Tom the Younger knows that.

"But he's happy for me and he doesn't hold anything against Pitt or Penn State."

Diffenbach's father is George Diffenbach, the Pitt Panthers women's tennis coach for the last 27 years. I have not tracked down reactions from him.

That's How You Got Here?

Over at Black Shoe Diaries, one of my favorite Penn State football blogs, user "ReadingRambler" (who's signature includes a quote from my high school football coach) occasionally does a piece called "You found us!" which details how users get to BSD through a keyword search. Over there the results are extremely humorous and ReadingRambler adds his own commentary. But that got me interested in how people were finding my site. What searches led them here? Is any of it noteworthy? Funny? Let's find out.

According Google's Analytics - which has been tracking site information for me since October 22, 2007 - here's the top searches over the last 597 days (or the time since Analytics has been tracking Sports Fountainhead hits).

• 2008 nfl mock draft - This keyword search brought the must people to the site over the last ~600 days. In fact the top seven searches all have to do with my NFL mock drafts.
  
• Justin Raffauf - Also should include "justin raffauf". My friend and occasional blogger here gets stalked by his students. When generalizing searches, his name brings the second most people here. Wow.
• Sports Fountainhead - Apparently people can't remember the sites address. That's why you have bookmarks and autofill people.
• SNL Notre Dame - Saturday Night Live did an awesome take on Notre Dame football in the fall of 2007. TAS posted about it here.
• 2009 nit championship - WE ARE PENN STATE!
• 2009 nfl predictions - People want these early. I obliged.
• mark may penn state - He's such a douche. Why all the hate for Penn State? Oh, right. You're a (lowly) Pitt grad!
  
• derrick williams pro day - He sure did have a good day.
• ncaa 09 football simulations - Yep, I do this. Last year I did 1-sim and 10-sim posts. I hope to do the same again this year.
• bcs fan poll - I am a voter. You can be too!

As expected, nothing funny. Well, anyone making fun of Notre Dame is funny. But we didn't get anything like this directing people to the site...

"skank ho"

"naked softball girl"

"fat woman in ripped pants"

"dirty sanchez"

"bikini butt pucker"

Those all will, somewhere, link to Black Shoe Diaries on Google. Ha ha!

A Night Out with Philly Bloggers

The fine folks over at Phinally Philly have decided to organize a "Phanatic's Night Out". The goal is to get as many Philly bloggers and readers together for a Phillies game this summer. Dates available are all Saturday's: July 25 vs St. Louis (4:05), August 8 vs Florida (7:05) and August 29 vs Atlanta (7:05). Whichever date gets the most votes wins! If you're free on any of those evenings and feel like mingling with some bloggers and fellow Phillies fans, sign up! Confirmed guests (dependent on final date) are Roman and Kieran from Phinally Philly (hosts), Chris from Long Drive, Kevin from Macho Row, R.C. from Phillies Nation and me! Here's some more info.

How it Works
- We’re going for a discounted group rate, so tickets shouldn’t be more than $25.
- Once the most popular date is selected, a deadline will be set.
- You can either buy tickets with us and sit as a group or get tickets yourself and hang with us pre and post game.
- If you’re buying with us, funds will be collected via PayPal or personal check before the deadline.
- Once the deadline is up, we’ll order the tickets and either ship them out or you guys can meet us at the game for pickup.

Check back periodically for updates!

Let’s go Phils!
- Roman & The Phinally Philly Team

So what are you waiting for? Join us at the ballpark!

I can make it for the two games in August but, sadly, the July 25th game is out for me. So let's make an August date win!

Steelers Get Their Rings

As you all know, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals this past February to win their sixth Super Bowl title. Well yesterday the players got their World Champions rings. Take a look.

(from Jostens via Steelers.com)

(from Jostens via Steelers.com)

(from Jostens via Steelers.com)

The top is a little busy but I like the sides, especially the one with Heinz Field, the six Lombardi's and the XLIII logo and score.

Not too shabby. Though I definitely like this one better.

Phillies in the 2009 All-Star Game, Update 2

Phillies fans have certainly spoken. Philadelphia players are all over the list, including three set to start. We're more than a month from the big game in St. Louis but let's take a look where the Home 9 stands as of Monday, June 8th.

2009 All-Star Game (National League) vote totals released June 8th, 2009 (MLB.com).

Starting at the top again we see that Ryan Howard remains behind Albert Pujols but has jumped Prince Fielder to take over second place. Howard is having a fantastic season in the field and has been on a tear of late with the bat. He deserves our votes.

It is safe to say that Chase Utley will be the starting second baseman. He has more than double the votes of the next closest player, the Dodgers' Orlando Hudson. People recognize the mad skillz of Chutley.

At the hot corner, David Wright remains on top with Ryan Zimmerman a distant second (separated by 245,000+ votes). Chipper Jones and Philadelphia's Pedro Feliz have jumped Milwaukee's Bill Hall to claim 3rd and 4th, respectively. Feliz is having his normally solid year at 3rd while also batting over .300 at the plate. An argument can be made that he stands to make the team, though the people in front of him now are deserving as well.

Jimmy Rollins is the only Phillies player I feel is being overvalued. Rollins, while still the standard in the field, has been deplorable at the dish hitting a meager .220 and recently being dropped to the six hole. If Rollins can pick it up offensively he may be more deserving. As of now he shouldn't be higher than 3rd, behind Hanley Ramirez (currently 2nd) and Miguel Tejada (currently 5th).

Brian McCann jumped to second at the catcher position while Carlos "Chooch" Ruiz makes an appearance in 5th. Ruiz should definitely be in consideration for a roster spot as he has been his usual self behind the plate defensively but has really matured with the bat and has done a tremendous job with the pitching staff. Let's try to bump him up to 2nd or 3rd!

All is right with the world. After placing 6th in votes just two weeks ago, Phillies LF Raul Ibanez now leads all NL outfielders. He sits in 1st with 1,415,493 votes, which is ~145,000 more than the Brewers' Ryan Braun. Carlos Beltran is rightfully 3rd but for some reason Alfonso Soriano and Manny Ramirez are 4 and 5. I don't want Ramirez anywhere near this game. Phillies CF Shane Victorino is 6th, about 5,500 behind Ramirez, and up one spot from last week. RF Jayson Werth currently sits in 8th place, three spots higher than last week.

So the Phillies are looking good. Three starters as of the most recent results, and there is plenty of time to elevate Ruiz and Feliz as well as The Flyin' Hawaiin and Werth.

SNT: Former PSU DT Ed Johnson's Second Chance

Ed Johnson had his share of problems at Penn State. The much maligned DT was temporarily expelled from Penn State in 2005 and was suspended from participating in the Outback Bowl following the 2006 season. During the 2007 draft the very talented player was undrafted because of character concerns. He landed a UDFA contract with the Colts and immediately became a force in the middle and Indianapolis' best run stuffer. He started all 16 games as a rookie and the first game in 2008. Then the bad stuff found him again. During a traffic stop for speeding, police found marijuana in Johnson's car. The next day he was released, despite the Colts huge hole at the position.

Sporting News Today has a more in depth look at the life of Johnson after the most recent incident in today's issue. Check it out below.

Click to enlarge.

POLLS: Bastardo the Right Choice

RECAP: Twelve people voted and everyone of them agreed with the Phillies move to insert Antonio Bastardo - who started the season as a reliever at AA Reading - as the temporary replacement for the injured Brett Myers. The poll started last Monday, a day before Bastardo made his first appearance in which he went six innings giving up only four hits and one run. The poll ended this morning, about 12 hours after Bastardo made his second appearance, earning his second win by going five innings and allowing two runs on seven hits. Not too shabby. The fans were right to believe in Bastardo and management for making this call.

NEW: Let's stay with Bastardo. Should the Phillies search for a long-term, big-name replacement, such as Jake Peavy, Brandon Webb or Roy Halladay? Or should they stick with young guns J.A. Happ and Antonio Bastardo for the time being? Let us know in the right panel.

Voting ends June 15th.

SNT: Dolphins Look to Expand Wildcat

Teams have latched on to the "wildcat" offense, introduced to the NFL by the Dolphins in 2008. Other teams, such as the Vikings and Ravens, are working with packages this offseason. The Dolphins, however, look to broaden the scheme in year two of the package. The addition of Pat White will help. Sporting News Today's Clifton Brown addresses the "wildcat" and Miami's plans for 2009 in his daily NFL feature, along with four other burning stories.

Also, I'm special. See for yourself.

Yeah, that's my name.

The Dolphins want me, me, to buy season tickets. And I'd get a personalized photo for free! Wow, I am truly honored. Wait, everyone on their mailing list gets this? Ah, shucks.

JoePa Some Random Guy's Most Hated Opponent

Some guy with a blog decided to rank his most hated opponents (non-players) and decided that Penn State's Joe Paterno is his #1. This blogger lives in central New Jersey where, and I quote, "men are men", and is a Yankees, Devils, and Rutgers fan. Here are his reasons for saying Paterno is his most hated opponent.

• He's spent 30 years picking on teams now in the Big East Conference.
• Penn State fans whine about JoePa's undefeated 1969, 1970, 1973 and 1994 squads not being awarded the National Championship.
• Paterno runs up the score on weaker opponents.
• Poaching players from other territories.

Those are the four main criteria for why Joe Paterno is his most hated opponent. OK, this could take a while...

Ol' Ratface spent the better part of 30 years picking on the teams now in the Big East Conference...

OK, let's first start out by calling the greatest coach in college football names based on his appearance. Though "ratface" is a new one; can't say I've heard him called that before. Kudos for the originality. He "picked" on the teams now in the Big East Conference? How did he "pick" on them? By beating them consistently? How is that his fault? The schools agree on playing each other. It's not as if JoePa said "you will play us" and that was that. Plus, Penn State is an east coast team, of course as an independent (before joining the Big Ten) they're going to regionalize and play the same east coast teams as often as possible. That was why JoePa tried to create an eastern football league in the early- to mid-1980's. This statement by the blogger is just sour grapes. Boo hoo, JoePa and Penn State are picking on us.

Penn State fans whine about how, with undefeated teams in 1969, 1970, 1973 and 1994, the Nittany Lions were not awarded the National Championship.

I don't care what team you like but every fan base complains about how many national championships the school has. Why? Because of the way it is handled, now and in the past. First of all there is no true NCAA National Champion. That's why football "national championships" are called MNCs, or mythical national championships. The NCAA does not award an FBS title every year. That crystal football the team gets for winning the BCS Championship is their own National Championship trophy. Teams aren't getting this
which is the true NCAA Trophy. It is awarded to 44 teams over 18 men's sports and 47 times over 19 women's sports during an academic year. Some sports have multiple tiers, hence the multiple National Titles per sport. Football has four tiers - FBS, FCS (formerly known as Division I-AA), Division II and III. The FCS, II, and III divisions all have an official National Champion. The FBS division does not. Because of the way the FBS title is handed out, through the BCS (and other rankings), multiple teams can say they earned the title. Doesn't matter if it's the BCS one or some podunk newspaper. The NCAA doesn't officially recognize any of them. Before the BCS came around in 1998, the AP title was generally used as the official one (though not truly official). Some schools take advantage of the ambiguity in this, listing every year that anyone awarded them a championship. Alabama is notorious for this. Their titles have been dissected multiple times. Penn State doesn't do this. They list only 1982 and 1986 as National Championship seasons, as they finished #1 in the AP Poll that season. But getting back to the argument at hand, of course fans whine about their teams titles. It's completely subjective and ambiguous. That's why we need a playoff. But hating JoePa because fans believe Penn State earned more than two titles? No reason for it.

Maybe it's karma for Paterno running up the score on weaker Eastern opponents, thus inflating their records.

Yes, Penn State wasn't awarded titles in the past because he ran up the score. Right. JoePa's just a mean old man who does nothing for anyone. While I don't condone running up the score, in college football it had to be done at times. When you leave your programs fate in the hands of writers and/or coaches who may only look at the box score to determine a teams ability, a large margin of victory comes in handy. Is it bad sportsmanship? From a certain point of view, sure. But, again, this is subjective. Looking back at scores you can see Penn State has destroyed some programs. But whose to say that the second, third and even fourth teams weren't the ones scoring those points? How can the coach be blames if the opponent can't stop backups from running the ball? During the 2005 and 2006 seasons Penn State had sizable leads on many teams. And every time the backups and third stringers were on the field in the fourth (and sometime the third) quarters.

Now "Uncle Mike" says Paterno purposely ran up the score on Rutgers the last time the two teams played, in 1995 at the Meadowlands. Apparently Paterno had the QB throw a TD pass even though Penn State was up 52-34 "late in the game". Here's the whole story. #6 Penn State was beating Rutgers only 24-17 at the half and 38-27 at the end of the third quarter. The over matched Rutgers team was showing tremendous fight and the Nittany Lions had a hard time for almost the entire game. The final score was 59-34, a 25 point spread. That's not very big in college football. In the NFL, yes, that's embarrassing. College? Not so much. Penn State scored 21 points in the 4th, one of which was on a fumble recovery by safety Kim Herring. After QB Wally Richardson hit Bobby Engram to stretch the score to 52-27, PATERNO BENCHED HIS STARTERS. That was with ~ 7 minutes to go in the game. The final TD - the one "Uncle Mike" is so pissed about - was scored by backup QB Mike McQueary, who hit third string flanker Chris Campbell with 58 seconds to go for a 42 yard TD. BACKUPS AND THIRD STRINGERS. With an 18 point lead, not exactly a big margin considering other games that happen every year early in the season.

At this point in his post "Uncle Mike" also starts to refer to Joe Paterno as "Saint Joseph". OK, Penn State fans, how many of you have ever heard JoePa called that? Cause he claims that's what we fans call him. And yet, a simple Google web and image search for "Saint Joseph Paterno" yields nothing related to Penn State or Paterno. How odd.

This is perhaps the best part of "Uncle Mike's" piece. Paterno stealing recruits.

And also for and poaching players from other territories. Two of his best players -- Franco Harris of Mount Holly and Rancocas Valley High, and Kenny Jackson of South River -- were among the many he has poached from New Jersey, and whose first choice could have been Rutgers. He's taken New Yorkers away from Syracuse, New Englanders away from Boston College, and Cheseapeake Valley players away from Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.

Is this jealousy? I hope it is. He can't seriously be made and hate Paterno for being able to recruit, can he? Last I checked every recruit had an option to go to any school they choose, not just the one's close by. Players want to go to schools that give them a chance to play, make the NFL, be on TV, be part of tradition, and/or win games. Penn State offers all those things. Paterno has every right to take players from any state he wants; every team and coach does! Paterno stealing away recruits from outside of PA should not cause hate. Extreme jealousy and envy, surely, but not hate.

Besides these four main points, "Uncle Mike" also says some things (besides the Saint Joseph remark) that are very funny.

Now that Rutgers is a consistent winner, that cowardly old bastard won't play us. Come on, Ratface, you deserve one last lesson in manners before you head off to that great press box in the... core of the Earth.

Where do I even start? OK, let's go with the "consistent winner" thing. Rutgers went 7-5 in 2005, their first season over .500 since 1992 when they went 7-4. In 2006 they had a wonderful season, finishing 11-2 and ranked 12th. In 2007 and 2008 they were 8-5. OK, so they have four straight years of at least seven wins. Who cares? Does winning seven or eight games make you a force in college football? Hardly. A good season in college football is like 9-4 or 10-3. A great one is 11-2. 12 or 13 wins is amazing. 7 or 8 is above average I guess but hardly something to be amazingly proud of. It definitely doesn't make you a "consistent winner".

The "cowardly old bastard won't play" Rutgers? Oh that's right, he must have forgotten that schedules are made 5-10 years in advance. And the fact that Penn State and Rutgers are meeting again in 2014 and 2015. Now the odds of Paterno still coaching then are remote but you can hardly blame Paterno for that (and any scheduling for that matter).

Again, "ratface". Classic.

Yes, Paterno is headed to hell, as he alluded to. He's definitely on my list of people who deserve to be there. Right up there with the Pope (any of them) and these people.

Paterno is eternal. When he finally dies, the Shittany Lions will probably mummify him and turn the Beaver Stadium press box into their own version of Lenin’s Tomb. They already call the stadium “Saint Joe Paterno Cathedral.”

Shittany Lions. Man, this guy is on fire! But again, when has Beaver Stadium EVER been referred to as Saint Joe Paterno Cathedral. OMG. I can't believe it! There's a Google search result.

Click to enlarge.

Oops. Nevermind.

Let me leave you with the way he left his readers.

For longevity, for amount of defeats, for size of defeats, for style of defeats, for arrogance, and, yes, for ugliness (he really does look like a rat), Joe Paterno tops the list. Congratulations, Penn State: You are Number 1. You dirty bastards.

Yes, Joe Paterno certainly is an evil man. He definitely is someone you should focus your hate on.

Seriously, of all the assholes in sports he selected Joe Paterno to top his list. Congratulations, "Uncle Mike", you rate right up there with this clown.