From the News Room

Barry Bloom from MLB.com feels that Ryan Howard will indeed see another giant raise.

Flyers to pursue a Happy Valley Winter Classic next year. [Daily News]

Shawn Andrews may be available if the Eagles advance deep in the postseason. [CSN Philly]

How pathetic? The Vikings are still falling short of a sell out. Same goes for the Cardinals. Blackouts may apply. If either home team wins and no one is there to see it, does it count? [New York Times]

The Perfect Season DVD will appear on CSN tomorrow @ 7pm. [Phillies Zone]

Continuing reading...

A Blue Rose Bowl for Penn State

It was just a little, too late for Penn State as they were defeated by USC 38-24 in the Rose Bowl. Some early mistakes and poor pass defense put the Nittany Lions behind 31-7 at half time. A score that could have been completely different if some breaks went their way.

In the end, it was USCs big, speedy receivers who caught almost everything from USC Quarterback Mark Sanchez to pace USC for their 3rd straight Rose Bowl win.

Losing Evan Royster certainly did not help Penn State's offense, but they still managed to run for 137 yards on 29 carries. There are bright spots. No one put up 28 points on USC this season and no one even came close to scoring 17 points in the second half against a defense who had shut out opponents 8 times in the second half.

Penn State did definitely not give up and even had the ball close to make it even closer game, but they could just not get it done.

USC is probably the best team in the country and they will be the one missing out on the National title game because of one loss, not to say Florida and Texas aren't deserving, but so are other teams.

Next week, we will post an article discussing who will be returning for Penn State and discuss the incoming class.

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Wow! An Update?

Damn, I have not been able to post in awhile and I apologize. I think I've come down with a little something because I've been often feeling like shit around 8pm every night. Anyway, below are some of my thoughts on the recent Philadelphia sports issues, news, and nonsense (Eagles).

First, I went to the Flyers game on Saturday. It was my third game of the year, but it was my first win. In each game, I've been to, we had allowed 5 goals each. Well it was nice to see us put up 7 and I want to say it was the first time I've ever seen a hat trick live. I think I saw a Flyer do it in Florida a few years back, but I could be wrong.

Anyway, Jeff Carter is fucking God. The picture below is of him scoring on a breakaway.

Sorry that my camera is not the best in the world and it's picture taken ability was a little blurry. And Niitty needs to start every game. Fuck Biron and his 3+ GAA.

Anyway, the game was fun and I don't care what anyone says; earning a point in New Jersey is fucking great. We used to never earn a point there and now we have 6 points in 4 games against the Devils. Pretty fucking good if you ask me when compared to the past.

The Sixers still near the damn basement, but also near a playoff spot. Wow the Eastern Conference is so heavy up front, but so pitiful at the bottom. Under coach Tony DiLeo it looks like the Sixers are starting to find a rhythm, but who knows? They're still far from consistent and the loss of Elton Brand doesn't help. I don't care about what anyone says, Brand was not the reason that the team was not doing well. Turnovers, shit shooting, and the inability to shut down teams late in the game is why the Sixers blew. They've blown so many leads that it is becoming unbearable in this young season.

The Eagles? They're a joke. The personnel management of that team is absolutely atrocious. Oh wait, though people have labels on their doors, Andy Reid still makes all the final calls. Hmmm, who's to blame? YOU FUCKING SCORED 3 POINTS ANDY! I know we cannot blame Andy for the shit job attempted by the Eagles receivers, but Andy is the one who franchised LJ Smith. LJ Smith may possibly be the most worthless player in the NFL. Seriously. He is more worthless than having a backup quarterback only on the roster because he can hold kicks well...Hmm. Why did both of those players play for the Eagles?

The Eagles are done and it is just another season where the Eagles have played well enough to guarantee a shitty first round pick (or trade out of the first round) and shitty enough to not be a contender.

Why does it always seem like inconsistency plagues our cities teams far too often.

Lastly, the Phillies. I'll give them a pass because we are World Champions, but this offseason his well below par for anyone looking to defend their title. I really hope we don't fall in to that "one and done" category.

They got the job done though. They'll still get a pass for a few years...or will they?

Fuck Pat Devlin. I'm ready to see the Nittany Lions pound some Southern California Trojans...I forgot USC was on the Mediterranean.

Continuing reading...

Pat Devlin is Transferring from Penn State

According to a Scout.com report, Pat Devlin has informed the school the he is transferring from Penn State and he will not take part in the Rose Bowl. This is a huge blow to Penn State's future because Daryll Clark is their only scholarship quarterback with eligibility for 2009. Yikes!

Penn State issued the following statement:

"Sophomore quarterback Pat Devlin has informed Coach Joe Paterno that he intends to transfer. He will not participate with the team in the Rose Bowl. The Penn State program wishes him well at his new school."

After re-building a successful program, this could become a huge bump in the road for Penn State's future. Looks like Penn State will have to begin stepping up their recruiting efforts for the nation's top quarterback prospects.

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800th win = Roses

First, I just want to say I apologize to those who have come to the site over the last few days. I've been a little under the weather and I have not wanted to leave my bed at all after work.

Anyway, Penn State capped off Senior Day and their regular season with a 49-18 victory over Michigan State for their 800th win in school history. The win gives them a birth in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day and the Big 10 Championship crown.

Penn State Quarterback, Daryll Clark, had a fantastic game completing 16 passes for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns. Wide receivers Deon Butler, Derrick Williams, and Jordan Norwood all had fantastic games as they played their final game in Happy Valley. Deon Butler caught 3 passes for 133 yards and 3 touchdowns. Norwood caught 5 passes for 132 yards and Williams caught 4 for 51 yards and a touchdown. Penn State had 557 yards of total offense, including 419 in the air.

The first team defense was outstanding. They only allowed a touchdown ater Penn State was already up 28-0. The other 11 points were allowed late in the fourth quarter by the second team defense. It was an amazing performance and they held Javon Ringer to only 2.5 yards per carry, with a long of 9.

Penn State will wait to find out to see if they will be facing USC or Oregon State in the Rose Bowl. If Oregon State beats Arizona and Oregon, they will win the Pac-10 title via a tiebreaker over USC. USC has to deal with UCLA and Notre Dame.

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Penn State: One Win Away From Roses

Penn State had a sluggish start, but rebounded to beat Indiana 34-7. All everything Derrick Williams was superman again. Williams ran for 61 yards and a touchdown. He also caught 4 passes, for 62 yards and a touchdown. Daryll Clark turned the ball over 3 times, but still completed 20 passes for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Senior wide receiver Deon Butler broke the school's all-time reception record after tying it in last week's game against Iowa. He now has 172 career receptions. Butler's accomplishment is amazing considering that he walked on to the football team as a defensive back.

The Penn State defense was phenomenal as they allowed Indiana to only net 6 first down. The lone touchdown allowed came on a 57-yard run by Indiana running back, Marcus Thigpen. Indiana had only 180 yards of total offense and was able to average only 3.39 yards per play, even with the huge touchdown run.

If Penn State wins next week at home against Michigan State, they will clinch a berth in a BCS Bowl, likely the Rose Bowl, and they will be Big 10 Champions. Regardless of last week's loss, this can still be a special season for the seniors.

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The Dream is Over

Well, the dreams of a National Championship game berth are all, but over for Penn State. Today, they blew a 23-14 lead heading in to the 4th quarter and lost on a last second 31-yard field goal 24-23.

Playing in high winds, the passing game struggled. Daryll Clark was held to 9-26 for 86 yards. In fact, their best pass of the day was thrown by Derrick Williams when he hit Mickey Shuler for a 23-yard pass on Penn State's final possession. Then, Galen Hall tried to be cute with a direct snap to Derrick Williams immediately after, followed by an end-around to Derrick Williams. Derrick Williams carried the ball 12 times, so you figure Iowa had to pick up on it at some point.

It was also Galen Hall' brilliant play-calling to begin the game that gave Iowa great field position for an early touchdown.

It just wasn't Penn State's day and this seems like another year where Penn State's possible title hopes ended in the final seconds. Unless a lot of team's lose, the seniors will not get that opportunity. However, barring another collapse, Penn State is now in line to play in the Rose Bowl.

It sucks, but the season isn't completely lost. It is just the way college footbll is. Iowa was bound to win won of their close games this season.

How the fuck did we lose 7 of our last 8 games to Iowa?

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College Football Update 10-27

Penn State Wins in Columbus!
Penn State came from behind late in the fourth to beat Ohio State 13-6. I missed the game (downloading the broadcast now) because I was at Game 3 of the World Series. From everything I've seen, it looked like a great defensive battle. Pat Devlin scored the go-ahead touchdown with a little over 6 minutes left and Kevin Kelly later added a field goal to give the Nittany Lions a 7 point lead. With 30 seconds left, Terrell Pryor threw into triple coverage and Lydell Sergeant made a great interception, staying in bounds to secure the win.

It was a huge win for the Nittany Lions who now improved to 9-0 (5-0 Big 10). With the win, Penn State also inched closer to both Texas and Alabama in the BCS standings. After next weeks bye, Penn State will travel to Iowa before hosting Indiana and Michigan State at home. They have a very good opportunity to run the table and if that happens, they might be playing for a National title. They ended the streak against Michigan. They ended the streak in Columbus. Is this their year?
Here is a good article on the Penn State defense by ESPN's Ivan Maisel.

Temple making a bid for the MAC title game.
Sure, they 3-5 overall, but 2-3 in the Mac Standings. Luckily for them, the MAC East division is terrible. Currently, Akron sits on top, 2-2 in the conference. On Tuesday night, Temple scored 14 4th quarter points to knock off Ohio 14-10.

Temple has been the victim of late comeback wins this year, but they finally notched one of their own. Temple has 3 MAC games left and a very good chance to overtake the East Divison. After traveling to Navy, they will travel to Kent State (2-6), and return home for Eastern Michigan (2-7) and Akron (4-4). After all the tough losses, it'll be huge for Temple to finish the season on a roll. With 4 games left, it'll take at least a 3-1 record to be eligible for a bowl (unless they make the MAC title game with a worse record. Akron's schedule is also easy, so it'll be up to whomever can take care of their own business.

A bowl berth for the Owls will be huge for a University lookin to right the ship.

Don't worry Villanova, your league has playoffs!
Villanova suffered a heart-breaking loss on homecoming. #1 ranked James Madison scored on a 35 yard pass with no time left to defeat the Wildcats at home. Villanova had the opportunity to pin James Madison deep in their own zone, but Joe Marcoux's punt went only 14 yards. With the decent field position, James Madison drove down for the game-winning score.

Don't worry Villanova fans, the chance of a national title are not over. Unless the FBS, your league actually has a playoff system. Villanova may drop in the pools, but it won't be mouch. They gave the top team in the country a good fight and were seconds away from winning.

Keep your head up.

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Philly Thursday Update

First things first, I am sorry for my lack of posts. College is a pain in the ass when it's midterm season. Anyway, very busy week in sports. I will start with the Phillies. They won game 1 yesterday 3-2. Chase Utley hit a 2 run homer in the first, Cole Hamels pitched 7 strong innings, and Brad Lidge got the save. Justin will go into more detail with the recap. Game 2 is tonight in Tampa at 8:00 pm with Brett Myers facing James Shields.

In Eagles news: Shawn Andrews is going to be shelved at least 6 games after having back surgery. Max Jean-Gilles will replace him at RG. Also Kevin Curtis, Reggie Brown, and Brian Weatbrook are expected to back for Sunday's game against Atlanta.

In Flyers news: They are still winless after losing today 7-6 to the Sharks in a shoot out. Joffrey Lupul had 2 goals while Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Scottie Upshall, and Danny Briere added a goal apiece in the loss. The Flyers are now 0-3-3 to start their season, earning them last place in the NHL.

In Sixers news: Elton Brand got 1 of 6 covers for the Sports Illustrated NBA preview. The Sixers were ranked 5th in the East and predicted to do some damage. Like Justin says, let's be patient but this team is not going to disappoint in the end.

And in Penn State news: Your #3 Nitney Lions will face #9 Ohio State this Saturday at 8:00 pm.

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A Streak of Their Own

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Finally, Michigan's 9 game winning streak over Penn State has been snapped. For much of the first half, it looked like the winning streak would continue as the Nittany Lions came out flat fumbling the football and failing to tackle defensively. Michigan built a 17-7 point lead early in to the second quarter, but that was all she wrote for Michigan.

Penn State forced a 17-14 game at half and then exploded for 32 second half points including a safety that gave them their first lead of the game at 19-17. Evan Royster ran all over the Michigan defenses gaining 174 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. The 46-17 win was their first win over Michigan since 1996. Penn State's 29 point margin of victory was their largest ever over Michigan.

Now the team will turn their focus to Ohio State, a team that they have been looking forward to during the beginning of the game against Michigan. Ohio State is coming off an impressive win in East Lansing and it looked like their offense finally clicked. It will definitely be a battle in Columbus and it'll be on at prime-time. Sadly, during the same time of game 3 of the World Series. Going to be an awful lot of switching back and forth in Philly. I suggest you goto a bar.

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An entry on the City of Brotherly Love

So, wow, it's been quite the busy weekend for me. I've been stuck moving furniture, a cast iron tub, and knocking out a wall for most of my free time (when sports was not on). I wish I could have been able to write my thoughts on the Flyers this year, but I was just not able. I think Mike will be writing a post at some point.

Currently, the Phillies are getting hit around and losing 7-1 in the bottom of the 5th. It doesn't seem like much of a game for us, so I figured I might as well write an actul blog post on a few things.

First, I'll talk about the Flyers-Rags game. Even after having such a terrible first period, the Flyers came back strong and we're the better team over the final two periods, nearly making the 4 goal comeback, but a Richards shot clinged off the post. I was really impressed with Luca Sbisa. He was all over the place and made a lot of plays for being in his first ever NHL game, only a few months after being drafted.

Also, I love everything about Mike Richards being captain. He dropped the gloves to try to rally the team behind him and then he later scored a goal to make it 4-3. The Gagne-Richards-Briere line had 2 goals and 2 assits (both Briere). I was impressed with Simon Gagne as well. It's nice to have him back there scoring again and he was also trying to get in the middle of everything.


Now, we must talk about the most impressive football team in the state of Pennsylvania: The Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State went into Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday and absolutely destroyed Wisco 48-7. If you could say a team dominated the game more than a 41 margin a victory, you could. They are clicking on all cylinders right now in every facet of the game. Next week, they will try to beat Michigan at home for the first time in a long time. This season could be something special for the Nittany Lions.

I wasn't all about Daryll Clark when the season started, but the Daryll Clark from last year and the Daryll Clark from this year are two different people; I swear. He's been everything Michael Robinson was, but even better.

Phillies Update - we're still losing 7-1 going into the 7th. Just not our night. You had to expect we'd lose one or two out here. I think if we can win tomorrow, we win in 5. If we win on Wednesday, the series goes 7.

Anyway, now it's time to talk bout the 76ers for a little. Brand has made his debut in Philly, but he's not the guy that's going to be getting all the talk. The most impressive player thus far has been Thaddeus Young. Playing at the 3-spot will be a better position for him. With Iguodala and Brand on the court, Young will often find himself set up for the open look. The Sixers should be primed for a good season, but like I was telling John: Be patient with them. They're probably not going to rip off a bunch of wins real early with the high expectations. They still will need time to completely gel together with the new guys.

Finally, we have the Eagles. I will go more into depth about the Birds tomorrow, bt they battled back for a must-win game today, especially with the Skins and Cowboys losing. They scored 23 4th quarter points to come back and beat the Niners 40-26. Juqua Parker who had a phenomenal game including the pick-6 that sealed it.

The defense really stepped up the intensity in the fourth to help an offense that struggled to score in the red zone again. 3 of Akers 4 field goals made were from less than 30 yards.

So now they're 3-3 going into the bye, gaining a game on Dallas and Washington. With Atlanta and Seattle next up after the bye week, the Eagles have a very good chance of facing the Giants at a 5-3 record. Hopefully it becomes that.

Last Phillies Update for the night: The Phillies are still down, but they made it 7-2 heading into the bottom of the 7th. Good news? Howard has 2 hits tonight, but he might be gettin more pitches to hit with the Dodgers up so much.

Have a good night. I'll recap the Phillies and Eagles' games tomorrow.

Also, I'll be @ the Flyers game tomorrow and then possibly @ Chickie's and Pete's after to watch game 4.

Oh, lastly, I got a 50 inch Plasma for my room.

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College Football Sunday Outlook

The "white-out" worked again to perfection in Happy Valley against Illinois. Penn State Derrick Williams' 241 total yards including a rush, a receiving, and a return touchdown helped Penn State improve to 5-0 for the first time since 2005 with a 38-24 victory.

Williams had the break out game that everyone at Penn State had been waiting for over the last four years. He's going to need more as the Nittany Lions begin a tough 5 game stretch, with four road games including at Wisconsin and at Ohio State. With the big win and the top 10 collapse, I'd expect Penn State to rise to 6 or 7. Just something to look at it, though I don't believe it hold a lot of value. Oregon State just dominated USC. Penn State beat Oregon State by 31.

Temple lost their homecoming game 7-3 at Lincoln Financial Field. It has been a tough year for Owls as 3 of the 4 losses have been by 4 points or less. 3 of those 4 games, they've held late leads. With quarterback Adam DiMichele going down last week against Penn State, it's going to be an extremely tough road for the Owls to get back into MAC championship contention. Temple travels to Miami of Ohio next week.

Lastly, there was a huge Football Championship Subdivision upset. #19 Villanova beat top-ranked Richmond 26-20 at Villanova Stadium. Nova ran the ball for 226 yards against Richmond. The big win will likely move Villanova way up in the standings. Villanova travels to William & Mary next weekend.

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State of the City Address

As the dog days of summer come to a close, hope begins anew. New seasons for the Eagles, Flyers & Sixers, coupled with another Phillies pennant race, Philly fans are ready to celebrate. As we all know, we haven't won a championship in 25 years. The city is on edge with championship envy. Below is the outlook for our four major teams and their respective seasons.

Phillies
Now, after losing to the lowly Nationals last night, the Phillies find themselves two games behind the hated Mets for the division lead. Yes, the Phillies overcame a seven game deficit last year, but both teams are different. The Mets have a stronger resolve to win this year (despite their bullpen), while the Phillies are very inconsistent. The pitching was inconsistent, then came the hitting slump. Lately, the bullpen has been showing wear and tear as they begin to be overworked.

Is there hope? Yes. Two games is not a lot, and with a three game series coming up, anything can happen. A Mets series win will effectively kill any chances the Phillies have. However, down a outfielder when Geoff Jenkins was injured, The Phillies looked to fill that spot. The Red Sox also were looking for an outfielder and gave up a AA prospect for the Braves' Mark Kotsay. The Phillies, were relegated to acquiring DH/1B/OF Matt Stairs. Yes, another slow footed, wanna-be power hitter.

Let's look ahead to this winter. Pat Gillick will be retired, and his replacement will be named. Ruben Amaro will probably be the front runner, but I think the owners needs to go get someone out of the organization. Pat Burrell will be a free agent, and who knows if he will be back. Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino & Cole Hamels will be arbitration eligible. Jamie Moyer will most likely re-sign here if he doesn't retire. Tom Gordon & So Taguchi are gone. Scott Eyre & Joe Blanton are wild cards. Chad Durbin's and Eric Bruntlett's contracts both expire.

Outlook for the rest of the season: 2nd Place, NL East

Eagles
There seems to be a lot of hope for this fall for our Birds. Donovan McNabb is back and fully healthy. The defense looks good, with some depth in the secondary. With Sunday's opener with the Rams looming, the city is on edge.

The Eagles' downfall may be their lack of a weapon at wide receiver. Brian Westbrook is great, but he is only one man. He will touch the ball less than half the time the Birds are on offense. So, who gets the ball the other half of the time? A mixture of Lorenzo Booker, Correll Buckhalter, Tony Hunt, Reggie Brown, DeSean Jackson, Hank Baskett & Greg Lewis. Not exactly a very scary supporting cast. Jackson could be a stud in a few years, but he is still young and hasn't played an NFL regular season game yet.

They also play in a division with three very tough teams. No matter the record, an NFC East game is usually a difficult one. If the Eagles can stay healthy, they can be a major player in the conference. If McNabb plays well, it will squelch the rumors that he will be released in the off-season, and conversely, if he plays poorly, the rumors will be intensified. That will be one situation to keep an eye on.

Outlook: 10-6, Wild Card berth

Flyers
On paper, the Flyers look great. Their run to the Eastern Finals last season, along with the return of Simon Gagne, makes this team a Cup contender. Their division is the toughest in the league, and coupled with their inability to defeat Marty Brodeur & the Devils will make an Atlantic Division title a great accomplishment. They haven't lost many key players from this past season and look to be adding some new young prospects. Expectations haven't been this high in the last five to ten years.

This team is loaded for the long haul and one of their chief rivals in the next few years will be the salary cap. The Flyers have always been willing to spend unlike some other Philly teams, and they are always in the mix for the Stanley Cup.

Outlook: Atlantic Division champion, Eastern Conference Finals

Sixers
The Sixers have been the doormat of the Philly sports scene for the last five years, judging not only by standings, but attendance as well. Their best move in the past six months was not one that was on the court, but in the front office. Bringing in Ed Stefanski was a brilliant move. He has learned under one of the league's best (Rod Thorn in NJ), and finally has his time to come back home and run the show.

This off-season has seen the Sixers add stud free agent Elton Brand and key role players in Kareem Rush, Theo Ratliff, Royal Ivey, and Donyelle Marshall. The team is very athletic and should be very exciting this season. Attendance may be low to start (Editor's Note: Season Ticket Sales are already higher because of Brand), but after New Year's if attendance isn't over 90%, I will be disappointed. The Sixers will definitely battle for the division (The Celtics are good, though) and should have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

My honest problem with the Sixers, through no fault of their own, is their lack of a bonafide #1 scorer. Andre Iguodala is a good player, yes, but he is no all-star. The good thing with the Sixers is that they have many versatile players and on any given night, someone different can be the star of the game.

Outlook: 2nd in Atlantic, Eastern Conference Semifinals

And finally, as a Penn State Alum, I'm obligated to mention the Nittany Lions. After waxing Division I-AA Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Penn State moved up 3 spots to 19th in the Polls. Next up is Oregon State, who lost at Stanford last week. Unfortunately, Penn State will have trouble with perennial powerhouse Ohio State, and rivals Michigan & Michigan State. Illinois and Wisconsin will be no easy task either. It would not be a stretch to see them go 10-1, but would be very difficult. They are most likely resigned to play a bowl game in Florida in the last week of December with an 8-3 record.

I'm glad to be joining the WHTL family and I hope everyone continues to read what I have to say.

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Damage Control: Labor Day Weekend

With Labor Day weekend upon us, do not expect to read the sad, depressing news regarding the Phillies lining teams up in their scopes and then shooting their own dick off three nights in a row.

We're going to talk about beer, football, and everything else, but the Phillies. Also, expect the post counts to improve once school gets into session and I work less late nights.

First, college football is upon us and the city of Philadelphia may have a D1 team to root for this year...at least against marginal opponents. Temple opened their season by routing Army 35-7.

Who's going to be cut tonight? Two writers at Comcast Sportnet debated the roster. Andy Schwarz feels that Tony Hunt will be the fullback because of long-term reward, but Jordan Raanan feels Jed Collins will be on the roster. Both men agree that Jerome McDougle will make the team and that Winston Justice will bid farewell. Wow, we're actually not holding onto one of Andy's "prize picks" for long this time.

Talk about a draft. Many of the Eagles picks from this year are expected to make the roster. The Eagles will likely keep 5 safties instead 5 corners because of Quinton Demps ability to play both positions. Oh, and goodbye Ryan Moats.

Oh, ESPN also rates us the fourth best fans in the NFL.

I hate to break the news to you, but the Eagles will never have Chad Johnson...but maybe, just maybe, Chad Ocho Cinco. Chad officially changed his legal name.

The _ _ _ _ _ Rays clinched their first winning season ever yesterday. It only took them 11 years.

And lastly, guess what? WE HAVE THE BIG TEN NETWORK! Finally, I get to watch Penn State play a shitty team! They'll face Coastal Carolina at noon today. Let's hope the senior wide-outs finally live up to their potential.

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Terrelle Pryor is Not Ready to Committ

Top recruit, quarterback Terrelle Pryor, is not ready to commit to a University for next season. Penn State has made a late push and Pryor now expects to make an official visit to Penn State soon. He is trying to decide between Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State. He ruled out Oregon because it was too far away from his West Jeanette, PA home.

Today is National Signing Day, which is the first day that high school football players can sign a binding letter of intent.

"I'm 100 percent sure I'm not signing," Pryor said. "It's a tough decision and I'm still trying to decide between Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State."

Pryor did say he has eliminated Oregon and told the Oregon coaches the school was too far from home. Pryor said he'll probably make a visit to Penn State.

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Justin King Is Leaving Penn State

Penn State cornerback Justin King will forgo his final collegiate season and enter the NFL Draft.

Smith told the Web site scout.com yesterday that his stepson informed Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley of his decision last week. As a junior, King cannot officially declare for the draft until tomorrow. Because he has yet to sign with an agent, the all-Big Ten cornerback could withdraw his name from consideration by Friday. He is projected as an early-round pick in the draft.

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Paterno's Salary Is Now Public

Joe Paterno earns $512,664 annually as a base salary coaching Penn State.

According to the State Employees' Retirement System, Paterno will earn a base salary of $512,664 for this year. That number does not include compensation for television and apparel contracts or other miscellaneous sources of income.

While his base salary is nowhere near what the highest-paid college football coaches earn - Alabama's Nick Saban tops out at $4 million a year - Paterno's total income is likely comparable to those of the other big-name coaches of his stature.

What's the big deal about how much money he makes? Penn State football still brings in $30 million in profit every year.

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Philly Hoop Group Classic

Drexel (2-0) beat the Naval Academy 86-70.

Penn (0-2) loses to Loyala, Maryland 89-68.

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Temple Sets MAC Record

Yesterday, Temple set a MAC Conference attendance record when just over 69,000 people attended the Temple-Penn State game. Granted approximately 75% of the fans were rooting for Penn State, but at least Temple is in the books for something positive.

Temple kept the game fairly close as it was only 17-0 at half time. Temple missed some opportunities for the game to be even closer as failed in all 3 opportunities in the Red Zone (missed fg, dropped td, fumble).

The final score was 31-0.

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Sean Lee Will Return

Sean Lee will likely return for his Senior Season.

For now, Penn State junior outside linebacker Sean Lee plans to stay put. Although his pro stock continues to rise, Lee said he has no intention of declaring for the NFL draft in 2008 and will return for his senior season. Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, said recently that whether Lee comes out this year or next, he "is a likely first-round pick." Rang rates Connor as a potential "top-10" selection.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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