It's Been a Great 12 Months

The 2009 NFL draft is about three weeks. When it gets here it will end by far the greatest sports year of my life. While not everything that has happened impacts me on the highest of emotional levels, many of them do. It's easy where to start. After this first one I'll try to go in chronological order.

2008 Philadelphia Phillies: What could be better than this? One of the teams I love won a league championship. That's the first time that has happened to not only me, but basically all of my friends who are Philadelphia sports fans. On a personal level it is the only sport in which almost all of my friends like the sport and the team. This is the top of the mountain for the great sports year that started in April 2008.

2008 NFL Draft - I love the draft. It is just as exciting as the games to me. What made 2008 stand out? For once I knew Miami was in good hands. Plus they had the #1 overall pick. They went with mammoth LT cornerstone Jake Long who has already turned in a Pro Bowl season (more on that later). However the biggest reason the 2008 draft kick started the best sports year of my life had to do with Miami's second pick in round two, the 57th overall selection. There, a few picks form the end of the first day of the draft, the Dolphins, my favorite team my entire life selected Michigan QB Chad Henne. Why does that matter to me, a Penn State fan (and alum)? Simple. I graduated from Wilson High School in West Lawn, PA. I played football with Chad Henne. Seeing someone you know play for your favorite NFL team? I'd say that's a longshot. But it happened in 2008. Things just kept rolling from here.

2007-2008 Philadelphia 76ers: Though basketball - specifically professional basketball - is low on my sports ladder, I still follow the team and hope they perform at the highest level. The team struggles to a mediocre 41-41 record on the season. In a weak Eastern Conference a .500 record was good enough for the 7th seed. The Sixers prize? Facing the two-seed Detroit Pistons. Despite being huge underdogs, the 76ers took a 1-0 and eventually 2-1 series lead. They couldn't hold it but the team showed what their young nucleus could be capable of in the coming years.

2007-2008 Philadelphia Flyers: After their worst season ever, the Flyers rebounded and caught fire at the right time. They were able to sneak by the 3rd seed, the Washington Capitals, in seven games. Then they took it to the top seed Montreal Canadiens in five games. They ran into a young buzz saw of a team that shall remain nameless in the Eastern Conference Finals. The fact that they made an amazing run a year after being the worst team in the league makes it remarkable and noteworthy in a great year. Funny, if the Phillies hadn't won the World Series this would have just been seen as another failure. Instead it is considered a success.

2007-2008 Pittsburgh Penguins: Not on the list by choice but by default. The Penguins had a stellar year, winning the NHLs Eastern Conference and advancing to the Stanley Cup. They didn't win it all but they came close. After many dismal years the Penguins seem to be back. And PA sports are at an All-Time high.

2008 Philadelphia Soul: Football is football, whether it's the NFL, Canadian, or Arena. While the Soul may not be considered as important as the Phillies, Flyers, Eagles, and 76ers, they did have quite a good season. Actually they had the best season. The Soul won ArenaBowl XXII on July 27th. Chalk up another point for the city.

2008 Penn State Women's Volleyball: What's better than a National Championship? How about back-to-back National Championships. That's what the women's volleyball team accomplished in December 2008. Along the way they didn't lose a match. Yep, that's right. The Penn State women went 38-0. What makes it even more remarkable is that 37 of those matches were won 3-0. They only lost two games all year and they were against Nebraska, the NCAA Tournament host, in the Final Four. The Championship Match went much better this year than it did in 2007.

2008-2009 Penn State Football: Hope were high in Happy Valley to start the 2008 college football season. While the "experts" felt Penn State was again an Alamo Bowl team, fans knew better. They expected to compete for the Big Ten Championship. They did just that. The Nittany Lions finished the regular season as Big Ten Champs at 11-1, suffering only a last-second heartbreaking loss to Iowa. Though their Rose Bowl berth wasn't as successful as the one in January 1995, they still were in a BCS bowl. Quite a season indeed.

2008-2009 Miami Dolphins: The 2007 Miami Dolphins were a laughingstock. They won only one game all year. They fired their coach after one season. Things were bleak. In stepped football mastermind Bill Parcells. Things changed quickly. After a solid draft that included Long and Henne plus Phillip Merling, Kendall Langford, Donald Thomas and UDFAs Davone Bess and Dan Carpenter, Miami snatched Jets castoff Chad Pennington. The Dolphins went on to win 11 games, unleash the "wildcat" offense, and win the AFC East. The hyphen shifted and so did Miami's fortunes. This had a big impact on why the last 12 months have been amazing.

2008-2009 Philadelphia Eagles: This wouldn't make my personal list at all (since I am a Dolphins fan) but this isn't just about me; it's about the city of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania. The Eagles made another run in the NFC playoffs, reaching the NFC title game for the fifth time since 2002. This one was unexpected, unlike the first four. The team had its ups and down during the year - much like the Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers - but peaked at the right time. They, unfortunately, ran into a team that was playing even better than they were.

2008-2009 Pittsburgh Steelers: Again, this didn't really make my year but it definitely added to the states euphoria (and my fiancees). The Steelers won their 6th Super Bowl, most by any NFL franchise, and second in four years. It was also an epic game, filled with a comeback and last second victory. It was a great game and just another reason the last 12 months have been amazing.

2008-2009 Penn State Fencing: Just two weeks ago the Penn State Fencing team (a joint men's/women's venture) captured their 11th National Championship. Four fencers earned individual titles too. The sport doesn't get much recognition but the team is downright dominant. They deserve just as much praise as any other national champion squad.

2008-2009 Penn State Men's Basketball: While I was in college the men's basketball team was dreadful. In the two years I've been gone they have started coming around. This year was a huge step forward. Though the men's team was overlooked by the NCAA selection committee, the Nittany Lions accepted an invitation to the NIT. After a near disaster versus George Mason, the men went on to vanquish Rhode Island, Florida, Notre Dame, and finally Baylor to capture the programs second ever postseason title. After the game, Talor Battle's younger step-brother Taran Buie committed to the program. Buie is ranked as the 37th best prospect in the nation in the 2010 recruiting class. Though a few key contributors leave, the team should be competitive again in 2009-2010 and could make a deep run in 2010-2011.

2008-2009 Pittsburgh Men's Basketball: Not a team I follow or care much about but, again, great for the state. They were ranked #1 in the nation at least once and made it to the Elite Eight. There they lost to...

2008-2009 Villanova Men's Basketball: The Wildcats earned a three seed in the tournament after a 26-7 record. Four wins later, including an epic one over Pittsburgh to get to the Final Fout, and Villanova has a chance to make this year even better. They now must defeat preseason favorite North Carolina to make the title game. No matter what the outcome of the game tomorrow the Wildcats helped make this year quite memorable.

Has the last 12 months been the greatest in sports history? For the state of Pennsylvania, possibly. For me, definitely. May the next 12 be even better!

ABCs Mike Patrick makes bold statement

During this evening's Michigan State-Penn State "Big Ten Championship" game, ABC announcer Mike Patrick made quite the statement about the 1994 PSU team. After talking about the number of time PSU has been in the Rose Bowl (this will be only the 3rd), Patrick stated that JoePa has had 4 teams go undefeated and NOT win a National Championship. The 1994 squad, headlined by Kerry Collins, Ki-Jana Carter, and Bobby Engram, was the last. Patrick then said that he had seen Penn State play multiple times that season and said that THEY WERE UNDOUBTEDLY THE BEST TEAM IN THE NATION. Take that, Nebraska!

Penn State, the REAL 1994 National Champions!

Oh and by the way, Penn State CRUSHES Michigan State, 49-18, to win the 2008 Big Ten Championship and will head to the Rose Bowl for a showdown with USC/Oregon State on 1/1/2009.

WTF was D'Antonio doing at the end of the game? Two TOs with 9 seconds left? Down 31?!?!? WTF?!?!?!

Everyone Loves Tradition, But Enough Is Enough

Tradition runs deep throughout various cultures. In general American lore holidays tend to take the cake. Many are considered national holidays where millions of Americans have the day off from work. The day off usually has a routine for each holiday. The Fourth of July usually consists of picnics and the customary fireworks. Thanksgiving is filled with turkey and football, Christmas with lights and presents, and New Year's with parties and champagne (for people of age, of course). Traditions also become more personal from family to family and they even exist in sports.

I'm sure you can think of many sports traditions just off the top of your head. How about the singing the National Anthem before all sporting events? The seventh inning stretch? Designated captains in hockey? The coin toss and pregame handshake prior to football games? Dallas and Green Bay playing on Thanksgiving? These traditions are woven into the fabric of the professional game and, in some instances, have become rules. Traditions are rampant on lower levels as well, more specifically in the college ranks.

College football is one of the most popular sports in the United States. Not only is football the most liked team sport but combining it with colleges breeds a type of fan not often seen in the NFL. College football fans are seethe with pride and support for their alma mater. This is why the largest stadiums in the U.S. are on college campuses and why, more often than not, they reach capacity. Alumni and current students want to cheer their team on; they feel they are a part of the team, in a sense. The pride runs deep. So do traditions on each campus. Speaking from experience, the Beaver Stadium yelling "We Are" and "Penn State" is a tradition. As is the student section standing during the entire game. Or the flips performed by the Blue Band drum major. Legend even has it that if he lands both flips Penn State will win. This actually holds true more often than not (though that could be because Penn State almost always wins at home). Of course this isn't just true at Penn State. Tennessee has the Pride of the Southland Band, ROTC members at Texas A&M wear their uniforms, Notre Dame players tap their famous "Play Like A Champion Today" sign, Alabama's infamous "We're gonna beat the hell out of you" chant, Wisconsin's moshing between the 3rd and 4th quarters to "Jump Around", Clemson's run down the Hill, and there are countless more. Perhaps the most notorious college football traditions lie with the end of the year Bowl games.

For the 2007 season there are 32 Bowls culminating with the BCS National Championship Game on January 7th (like it or not), pitting LSU vs Ohio State. Most Bowls have contracts with conferences or even teams (Hawaii Bowl, New Mexico Bowl). The most prestigious bowls have always been the Orange, Sugar, and Fiesta, now a part of the Bowl Championship Series which began in 1998. The most famous Bowl, also a part of the BCS, is the Rose Bowl. The "Grandaddy of Them All" is almost always played on January 1st in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA and. The Rose Bowl was once held in Durham, NC due to World War II and the war in the Pacific (January 1, 1942). It has been played 12 times on January 2nd, the last being Penn State's victory over Oregon in 1995, due to the 1st being a Sunday (reserved for the NFL). The only other instances of a non-New Year's Day Rose Bowl is the two times it was the National Championship Game (2001-2002 and 2005-2006 seasons). The Rose Bowl game has contracts with the Big 1o and Pac 10 Conferences and has featured teams from both conference in every game from 1947 through 2001. The 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006 games did not include both conferences because of BCS stipulations. Despite amazing games in 2005 and 2006 that buckled tradition, the Rose Bowl wasn't truly happy; they yearned for the prescribed Big 10/Pac 10 matchup. The Rose Bowl loves tradition. It insists on it. And, unfortunately, the biggest and most recognizable Bowl Game is one of the biggest reasons there won't be a "Plus One" system or, better yet, a college playoff until 2010-2011 season at the earliest.

The Rose Bowl needs to realize that a new tradition must be started. A Division 1-A (FBS) playoff.

For those of you unaware of what the "Plus One" proposal is, here's a brief summary. The BCS reverts back to just the four BCS Bowls (Orange, Sugar, Fiesta, Rose) and selects as they always have. The conference champions from the ACC, Big East, Big 10, Pac 10, and SEC are guaranteed a spot. There would be three at large bids. The eight teams would be seeded sending them to the bowls so that 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7, 3 plays 6, and 4 plays 5. The Bowls would most likely rotate each year so that the #1 team isn't always at one game. The winners of those matchups would be considered for the "Plus One" game, which is the actual National Championship. I'm assuming the two lowest seeded Bowl champs get the "Plus One" invite. If 1 and 2 win, they go. If, for instance, the 1, 3, and 4 seed win but 2 loses, 1 and 3 would go. This obviously brings up more controversy since there are always 4 eligible teams, but it is a little better than the current system.

The reason the "Plus One" format can't begin next year is because of the Rose Bowl. They adamantly refuse the reseeding because - as you may have guessed long ago - tradition will be lost. The odds of a Big 10 vs Pac 10 matchup will be remote. First teams from each conference would have to be the appropriate seeds (i.e. 1 and 8) and then the Rose Would have to be hosting those seeds that year. Chances are remote. The Rose Bowl, backed by the Pac 10 and Big Ten commissioners, won't bend. The BCS has a contract with the major bowls through the 2009-2010 season. Complicating matters is that the Rose Bowl has a contract with ABC through 2014. FOX has the rights to all of the BCS excluding the Rose Bowl.

I love the Rose Bowl, the game and the parade. It is a great event. But it is the main reason that college football is such a controversial topic each year. Who is the best team? Who is the National Champion? A playoff is needed. Division 1-AA, 2, and 3 all have them. This article from Sports Illustrated debunks all the other roadblocks towards a Division 1-A playoff. The Rose Bowl is holding college football hostage. Tradition is wonderful. But enough is enough. The Rose Bowl must relent and welcome the chance to determine a true National Champion.