First, I'm just trying to grasp that a PSU alum (JSS) is a Notre Dame and Pitt fan interesting. Anyway, I think overall joining the Big Ten was good for Penn State. It really brought their whole athletic program to a new level. In football, not so sure how I feel since I've only been around since 85.
And not to hurt anyone's feelings, but the branch campus diplomas do mention the campus ex. PSU-Altoona College and the standards are not the same at some of these campuses (campi?) than UP. Also, funny story, my boyfriend a current PSU student, was at my graduation. I mention to one of my profs (from Utah) he goes to Penn State he responds "Penn is a great school!" What a bargain for an ivy league education.
Second, you are 100% correct about the Catholics schools in Ohio being ridiculous and yes they do try to recruit players, I know and hate it b/c I played in a public school in Ohio.You played in High School?...my guess the only thing you played in High School was in the band ..and my guess an excellent flute player...you probably made all county if not all state..
First, I'm just trying to grasp that a PSU alum (JSS) is a Notre Dame and Pitt fan interesting
Wake08:
I did not attend Penn State. I attended and played football at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. My grandfather basically went to every home and away game for ND for about 28 years before he passed in 1993 and he bequeathed me the tickets. I went to easily over 100 Irish games (home and away in my life time).
I wrote the following on a thread concerning dedicated fans:
The following story is somewhat of a family legend:
His Irish fever began when he was 7 years old. His father took him by train to Pittsburgh to see Notre Dame play Pitt. Right before the game, he was in the tunnel and the Irish were getting ready to take the field. To his left, his father stopped Knute Rockne and introduced his son to the legendary coach. Rock got down on one knee, patted the young boy on his head and said "How's it goin today sonny? You're here to watch the best University in the world play the best game in the world" My grandfather responded "Yes sir, Go Irish."
Ever since then, my grandfather later told me that his goal in life was to see every Notre Dame game he possibly could. After raising six children and putting them through college, my grandfather was able to save up enough money to take his wife, my grandmother, to each and every Notre Dame for 29 years (up until his passing). He only missed one game during that tenure and it was the 1989 Fiesta Bowl because he had to have emergency surgery. He drove to a majority of the games: just him and my grandma. No getting into too much detail, he was there for the infamous Rudy game, the Montana Chicken Soup Cotton Bowl, the Miami-ND brawl in the tunnel, the phantom clip on Rocket's punt return against Colorado, and many more....he was awarded an honorary monogram inside NDs hall; frequently had breakfast with Holtz while Lou was the coach; and traveled in all, to 46 states to see the Fightin' Irish. Lou even came to his funeral.
The season after he passed away, the 1993 Season, the entire stadium had a moment of silence for him and our family. He, by far, is the most dedicated fan I ever knew...and ever will.
As for Pitt: my father attended Pitt and I have went to games there since I was a young boy. One time, I was like 5 or 6 and my dad and his friends through a big tailgate at Happy Valley and even brought the kitchen sink. It was pretty funny and a fond memory. Now that I don't live in PA, I do support for Penn State, but never did when I lived there.
That certainly is a new one....that's another great reason to get rid of Spanier........when he showed up he wanted to get rid of ALL the campuses except UP. Whatta goof!! We should have immediately sent his sorry ass back to Nebraska where he came from.
I'll have to look into the campus reference. It never was so and Altoona has only recently offered a Bachelors degree. That may be because Spanier is trying to cast off the Commonwealth support. He was immediately critical of PSU and they way the university was set up to service all the citizens of the Commonwealth, a hundred years before he showed up.The moron even tried to take PSU private! Because he didn't like the PA legistlatures having any say in the university, thus controlling that liberal socialist!
But the education is the same, regardless. Only entrance requirements are eased up on at the Commonwealth campuses. PSU will gladly take your money and if you can cut it, you can stay, if not, they got more money. There is no such thing as transferring of campus or credits, just assignments. Usually when people were struggling with grades, advisors would "suggest" they go to a state university. That was one way of keeping the state funded schools from bitching to the legistlatures about trying to compete with PSU campuses for students.
Spanier is the reason there is no clear idea who will be HC after JoePa. Joe keeps saying how he would like to see a member of his staff get the job, but then dead silence from the AD and President's office. Everybody knows TB or LJ,sr. would be the fans and Joe's preferred picks. But the scary thing is what Spanier will do to totally trash PSU football. As for the B10 adding to PSU athletics.....All the other athletic programs always were top notch. That was one of the things the B10 also considered in extending the invitation to PSU, not just FB. bb never was and probably never will be, but all the rest were pretty good. I remember far more people attending wrestling matches in the 70's than going to a free bb game. Joe always tried supporting other sports, especially bb, but it never rose in the rankings, either because the administration and/or fan base was never onboard.
JSS, so you're a CMU grad? Brainiac? Or was your family just rich enough to afford the tuition at CMU?
JSS, so you're a CMU grad? Brainiac? Or was your family just rich enough to afford the tuition at CMU?
I would hardly call myself a brainiac, butt I am proud I am proud I went to Carnegie Mellon. Athletic grants helped my finances as well as being a research assistant to a few professors along the way...
You are right, Glenville doesn't win the state, but that team is always full of athletes. As far as Mentor you are right too. I was just trying to say that there is a lot of depth in the state in terms of football talent, even though the Catholic schools recruit.
