SILVER LINING

Back in August, Penn State fans envisioned that the Lions' game against Michigan State this weekend would be nothing more than a coronation. Beating the Spartans would be the final touch on a sparkling undefeated season that landed Penn State back in Pasadena. Instead, after a season that has been devoid of impressive wins and signature moments, the game is a chance to beat a bowl-eligible team, perhaps earn a share of the conference title and strengthen the Lions' shaky BCS resume. Still, despite falling short of expectations, this season has been a fun one for Penn State and its fans. Each week, the Blue and White faithful not only live and die with each down for their team, but have had a rooting interest in so many otherwise unimportant games.

Consider for a moment the position of a Florida Gators fan (one of my good friends is such a person and gave me the idea for this post). He's enjoyed his program's greatest success the last few years, celebrating two national titles and a 20-game winning streak. He's seen his Gators pulverize the rest of the SEC while being the favorite every time they take the field. Heading into this season, the Gators were easily the top-ranked team in the nation and have known that regardless of what every other team in the country does, all it has to do is win. The only scoreboard that has to be tracked is the one that says "U of F" on it. Sure, it's fun to see if rivals win or lose and the Gator Nation was more than a little curious as to whom it would play in the conference championship game, but outside of those few contests, every other game was completely ancillary.

I am not saying that I wouldn't rather have a Penn State team that was 10-0 right not and ranked first, but given what the Lions are in 2009, I am happy that I get to cheer for all hell to break loose every Saturday. I remember rooting hard against Ole Miss when it was ranked ahead of Penn State and lost on the road to South Carolina, only to freeze in the rain while Penn State blew a fourth quarter lead to Iowa two nights later. Then, as Penn State put together its five-game winning streak, I started to cheer hard against the remaining unbeatens, hoping they would fall back to the Lions and allow Penn State to have an argument to be included in the discussion for the national title. Now, with a possible quarter-share of the Big Ten championship at stake this weekend and a shot at a second-straight BCS berth, this weekend's games will have me glued to my set.

Right now, I am watching Colorado try to hang on for the upset against Oklahoma State, a win that would greatly improve Penn State's chances for a BCS game. I will also, as always, be cheering hard against that four-letter word from western Pennsylvania as it takes on West Virginia and Cincinnati. I'll wish for Utah State to upend Boise State, Minnesota to take down Iowa and Michigan to beat Ohio State. If Penn State were 11-0, I wouldn't care nearly as much about these games, although I would have plane tickets to Pasadena.

There's no arguing that having Penn State in the race for the national title isn't a better scenario than having it fighting for its BCS life, but there's something to be said for how much more invested fans are in all the other games when the Lions need help to get where they're going.

BATTLE OFF AND RUNNING

The Nittany Lion basketball team proved that its game against the Penn Quakers was nothing more than a Training Day, winning its season opener 70-55 on Friday night. Star guard Talor Battle earned much of the Glory, netting 27 points to go along with his 10 rebounds and four assists to lead the team in all three categories.

Junior Jeff Brooks played great as an Inside Man, and was the only other Lion to score in double figures, chipping in ten points in 27 minutes, perhaps showing that this is the year He Got Game. Guards Chris Babb, Tim Frazier, Cameron Woodyard and Adam Highberger shot just 31%, making fans Remember the Titans of last year's sharpshooting backcourt.

Penn, from Philadelphia, hung tough with the Nittany Lions for most of the night, but the Lions showed tremendous Courage Under Fire to pull away with a late surge and win their fifth straight conference opener.

Oh yeah, Denzel Washington was at the game to watch his son, a freshman on the Quakers, play.

5 REASONS TO GET ON BOARD WITH PENN STATE BASKETBALL

The Penn State basketball team opens its 2010 season on Friday night against the University of Pennsylvania at the Bryce Jordan Center. Just in case you were looking for a reason to pay attention to Eddie D and the boys this year, here's your list of five reasons why you should care about Penn State basketball.

5. 15th Anniversary of the Bryce Jordan Center
If you've been to Rec Hall for a game, you'll probably never be convinced that this arena was an upgrade (and a nostalgic part of me doesn't disagree) but the Bryce Jordan Center was unveiled as one of the jewels of college basketball fifteen years ago. In a terrific turn of serendipity, the ribbon-cutting on the state-of-the-art building coincided with one of the best regular seasons in Penn State basketball history. Since then, the teams that have called it home haven't always been great, but the amenities, parking and video boards certainly are. Now, finally, the team promises to be even better than the halftime acts that used to be the main drawing point for half the crowd.

Many jokes have been made about the museum-feeling associated with games in the BJC, but that's more due to the fans and the play on the court than the building itself. Last year, the BJC was host to thrilling wins against George Mason and Illinois and the growing student section has begun to carve out a niche for itself among Big Ten fan bases. Maybe you've been hibernating since the team moved across campus or maybe you were never big into college hoops, but this year is the best time to come and see why, on the BJC's 15th birthday, it was the envy of other schools when it first opened.

4. The Schedule
It took longer than most people would have liked, but the Penn State team has finally made amends for the weak out-of-conference schedules it has played in previous seasons. Whether or not the soft slate was the reason the Lions didn't get invited to the Big Dance last season, this year's campaign is dotted with quality teams. The season opens with Penn and then takes the Lions down to South Carolina for the Charleston Classic that includes South Carolina, Miami (Fl), Davidson, South Florida and UNC Wilmington. Other non-con opponents include Virginia, Temple, Virginia Tech and American University all before a blockbuster Big Ten schedule begins.

3. The Big Ten Network
It was easy to ignore Penn State basketball in years past since it was never actually on television, but now, with the Big Ten network, you can follow the Lions every step of the way. The only game on Penn State's schedule not listed as being televised as of today is the December 5th game on Broad Street in Philadelphia against Temple. You won't have to squint at the box scores to find out what happened to the Lions anymore, just flip on the BTN and watch.

2. You Might Regret it Later if You Don't
Most of today's Penn State football fans weren't around when coach Joe Paterno took the head coaching job in 1966. We've come in at various points throughout his long tenure and relied on videos, books or other fans to fill in the gaps we missed. It is beyond anybody's realistic or even wildest dreams that the basketball program will reach the heights of the football squad, but there's no arguing that this is a program that can succeed and be competitive for NCAA Tournament berths and conference titles every year.

The Lions success last year was hopefully just the beginning of what they can accomplish and the excitement felt by getting on the bandwagon now cannot be replaced by jumping on five years from now when winning is a regularity. There's something special about being around for the start of something important (just ask Ben Franklin and company) as anybody in MSG for the NIT Championship last year will tell you.

1. Talor Battle
He's a beast. Last year as a sophomore, he rose to the top of list of Big Ten guards while leading the Lions to the most regular season wins in school history. Despite being the focal point of every defense he played against, Battle routinely came up with clutch baskets and let the fans know the team was never out of any game it played. The All Big-Ten performer shared the leadership mantle with Jamelle Cornley and fought through a mid-season slump caused by fatigue and personal issues, to lead the team into the post-season. Now that Cornley has gone on to the pros, Battle is the unquestioned leader of this team and he's already proved to the world that he has the skills to be one of the country's best guards.


Battle, the BJC, the BTN, the schedule and beginning of new basketball tradition. If you aren't there to see what this team has in store for fans after the first postseason championship in the program's history, you have nobody to blame but yourself.

MAD ANT FEVER...CATCH IT

Former Penn State basketball standout Jamelle Cornley has been drafted by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Developmental League with the 42nd overall pick. Cornley, who reportedly tinkered with the idea of transitioning to the gridiron after leading the Nittany Lions to an NIT Championship last spring, played briefly with a professional basketball team in the Ukraine before returning to the U.S. last summer.

The three-time MVP of the Nittany Lions basketball team opted to have surgery on his injured shoulder following the 2009 season, limiting his ability to showcase his talent to scouts and coaches in the NBA after a successful college career.

Cornley is one of 17 players who will vie for a spot on the ten-man roster when the NBDL's season begins on November 27th. The Mad Ants will play a preseason game on November 20th in Meadville, PA against the Erie Bayhawks.

THE BALLAD OF OHIOWA

Listen closely and I'll tell you a tale about the 2009 Penn State Nittany Lions. Just stop me if you've heard it before.

A capacity crowd at Beaver Stadium awaits the appearance of its beloved Lions, roaring in anticipation of a Saturday showdown against a Big Ten power. Penn State, highly ranked and riding the momentum of a string of easy victories, has made believers out of pundits and fans alike and enter the game favored to win and expected to take the lead in the race for the conference championship. However, the thousands of home fans go home disappointed as the buildup for the game far outdoes the action on the field. Ultimately, questionable playcalling, poor execution and crippling special teams blunders bury the Lions in a double-digit loss.


This script has been played out twice in the 2009 campaign, once against Iowa on September 26 and again against the Ohio State Buckeyes on November 7. The loss to the Hawkeyes was upsetting but not unfathomable, the loss to Ohio State was puzzling. The Lions led its game against the Hawkeyes into the fourth quarter until a blocked punt gave Iowa the lead and turned the tide of the contest for good. Still, as frustrating as it was, it could have been considered a "quality" loss. The Haweyes were undefeated and ranked fourth in the country until their starting quarterback got hurt and Iowa dream season spoiled against Northwestern. Additionally, the game was played in less than ideal weather conditions and Penn State, although undefeated, still couldn't get out of its own way in its first three games against subpar competition.

Then came the game against Ohio State. The Buckeyes, the recurring antagonist in Penn State's 17 year nightmare, did what they do best against the Lions, dominate. This loss hurt so much more than the Iowa game because I really don't think fans saw it coming. In the five weeks after the loss to the Hawkeyes, Penn State's offense and defense had become downright frightening. Averaging nearly 30 points per game while allowing less than nine, the Lions were a freight train headed straight for the BCS. Not only was the team playing its best football, but the fans had been conditioned to think that this was not like the other Penn State teams. This Lions team had no problems playing on the road, going 7-1 in the last two seasons and had broken out of its funk against Michigan, beating the Wolverines by a combined 54 points in two years. It had even taken down the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe for the first time since joining the conference. This is not to suggest that the 2009 team is the same as the 2008, but this is the Spread HD and Captain Clark, there was no need to fear.

The worst thing about the loss to Ohio State last Saturday, for me, was that it seemed like Penn State didn't know what to expect. It appeared that Penn State wasn't aware that it had huge deficiencies in the special teams game or that Ohio State had a ferocious defense. It's one thing to lose to a superior team when you execute your best, its another thing to lose a game when you commit a crucial mistake but it's an entirely worse thing to come out flat or to look unprepared in a big game.

In its eleven losses against Ohio State, the Lions are averaging just 10.9 points per game and have scored more than 17 only twice. The 24-7 loss to the Buckeyes is what fans should have expected given Penn State's previous performances against Ohio State, but it still defies logic how this particular team's best effort at home only netted seven points.

Perhaps if Clark hadn't been playing some of the best quarterback in the country, perhaps if the running game hadn't found its stride, perhaps if the wide receivers hadn't appeared to have come of age, fans could understand why Saturday happened. Instead, they are left scratching their heads and nursing that all-to-familiar feeling of letdown.

WELCOME TO THE PARTY, TEMPLE

The Floating Lion would like to interrupt your regularly scheduled Penn State content to inform you that Temple, yes Temple, has received one vote in both the AP and Coaches Poll this week. The Owls picked up their sixth straight win since starting the year 0-2 with a win against Navy on Saturday. Congrats to Temple for giving Penn State's non-conference schedule some serious credibility.